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Former Washington Post Editor Marty Baron delivered a keynote address Thursday evening in Presidents Hall at The Media School. The address concluded the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism Symposium, an afternoon-long event featuring award-winning reporters from various publications including ESPN, The New York Times, and the Associated Press.

In 2021, Baron retired from The Washington Post after eight years as executive editor. Under Baron’s leadership, The Post won 18 Pulitzer Prizes. In October 2023, Baron published his book, “Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos and The Washington Post,” in which Baron recounts his time at The Washington Post and the pressures of reporting on a president who actively campaigned against the press.

At 6 p.m., Baron was welcomed to the podium by Kathleen Johnston, founding director of the Arnolt Center. He started the keynote address by stating how great it was to be here with the audience at IU.

“I’m particularly pleased to be at a school where students, and particularly its student journalists, fight tirelessly for free press,” Baron said. “I want to say that I admire how you’ve been principled and resolute, all in the spirit of the many great journalists who have emerged over the decades from Indiana University.”

Then, Baron briefly reflected on his own extensive career in the journalism industry. He began reporting as a teenager for his high school newspaper and worked his way up through his college paper and summer internships at his hometown newsroom in Tampa, Florida. His professional start began at the Miami Herald in the 1970s.

Baron also exemplified the important role that journalism plays in our democracy, and the duties and standards that journalists must uphold. He said that journalism provides the public with information it needs and deserves to know, so that the people might govern themselves. Within that is what Baron considers journalist’s highest calling — holding powerful individuals and institutions to account.

“The voices of victims are often ignored or muzzled,” he said. “If we as journalists do not hold the powerful to account, regardless of their political, idealogical, theological, or any other affiliation, often, no one will.”

Without the importance of journalism and free press, Baron said wrongdoing will be made easier and corruption would become commonplace.

Baron transitioned into recounting three investigative news stories that he had reported on over the years that defined his career and held power to account: the Miami Herald’s coverage of the 2000 Bush and Gore controversial election results, The Boston Globe’s coverage of the sexual abuse coverups in the Catholic Church, and The Washington Post’s coverage of the National Security Agency scandal.

Baron then shifted his focus to discuss President Trump, stating that Trump feels entitled to do what he wishes and he sees the reach of his authority as unlimited. Baron said no one is more deserving of being held accountable by journalists than the president because of the amount of power he wields and how easily it can be misused and abused.

He also discussed in more detail about the qualities that make strong journalists.

“At all times, we must practice our craft with true independence and a reverence for evidence over our assumptions,” he said. “Getting at the truth requires an open mind, disciplined method, and a heavy dose of humility. We must be more impressed with what we don’t know than what we know or think we know, and we should not start our work by thinking we know the answers.”

Despite reflecting on the dangers of unchecked power and the negative attitude that many have towards the press, Baron ended his 45-minute speech on a positive note.

“Let me make clear as I wrap up that, and this may surprise you; I remain optimistic we will get through this really difficult period,” he said. “Today, there’s promising signs of some rebellion against encroachments on free expression.”

After a standing ovation, Baron concluded his address and allowed for audience members to step up to the microphone to ask questions. A handful of people posed questions, ranging from inquiries about The Washington Post and about legacy media mergers.

Among those who asked a question was Mia Hilkowitz, co-editor-in-chief of the Indiana Daily Student and student board member of the Arnolt Center. Hilkowitz asked Baron to share his own experience as a college journalist and how he believes that prepared him for a career in the field.

In response, Baron said it offered great preparation and allowed him to recognize that publishing stories has real world consequences, so journalists should be mindful about what they are choosing to publish and why.

“You know, somebody said earlier, we deal with ethical quandaries every day, maybe several times a day, and it’s important to struggle with those on a smaller environment before you deal with them in a larger environment.”

To conclude, Johnston joined Baron back at the podium with a gift bag of “Hoosier swag.” The audience erupted in applause as Baron accepted the gift and fashioned his new IU baseball cap.

Watch the entire symposium thanks to Media Productions.