Whenever I doubt my work and role as Editor-in-Chief, I watch the movie Spotlight (2015), which covers the story of the spotlight team in The Boston Globe. The team revealed the shocking truth about sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church and started to investigate this triggered by ‘Geoghan Case’. The case is about Priest Geoghan who was found to have sexually molested three young boys. The most impressive scene of the movie is when Mike Rezendes, a reporter on the spotlight team, asks for documents related to the Geoghan Case. Judge Voleterra says, “Where is the editorial responsibility in publishing records of this nature?” This scene is a constant reminder of my editorial responsibility. The judge is concerned that sensitive records could reveal that the Catholic Church was aware of the abuse and once the public found out, it would bring chaos to the Catholic society. In response to the judge’s question, Reporter Mike Rezendes says, “Where’s the editorial responsibility in not publishing them?” Writing news articles that have “immediate and considerable impact on readers”, as Editor Marty Baron said, is the most important aspect for a reporter. This impact is the reason why reporters do their work; they raise the critical voice.
The same can be said for SMT reporters. Though SMT reporters and staff are academic journalists, we are reporters, so we have the editorial responsibility to raise critical voices, to tell the truth, and to have an immediate and considerable impact on our Sookmyungian readers. ‘Critical Voice to Change the World’ is the slogan of SMT and the reason SMT reporters are here. From the April edition, new SMT reporters will be joining the SMT crew. As reporters for The Sookmyung Times, we promise to provide our reader with stories that sound a critical voice and eye. To change the world, all Sookmyungians need to participate. Writing papers alone cannot change the world. Writing articles can inspire readers and provide them with information, but Sookmyungians, after reading, please raise your own critical voice to change the world. And to my fellow reporters, I offer you this advice by Mitchell Garabedian to Reporter Rezendes, “Keep doing your work,” just like you did all the time.

Kim Ma Seunghee