January 29, 2025
What's Next for Wireless Technology?
Andrea Goldsmith
Dean of Engineering at Princeton University, author of Wireless Communications
What's Next for Wireless Technology?
Andrea Goldsmith
Dean of Engineering at Princeton University, author of Wireless Communications
Minutes of the 16th Meeting of the 83rd Year
The meeting was called to order at 10:15 by John Cotton for an under-the-weather George Bustin. The Invocation was led by Francis Slade, and the minutes of the previous meeting were given by Jim Hockenberry.
Two guests were introduced: Mayer Katz, a candidate for membership and guest of Nancy Robins; and Hella McVay, guest of Scott McVay. The total attendance was 110. Barry Breen introduced the two speakers: Peter Barzilai, PAW’s Editor, and Mark Bernstein, PAW’s Senior Writer, who covered the topic by taking turns asking questions of each other about PAW and its particular journalistic approach. After their mutual interrogation, they took questions from the Old Guard audience.
Both men have outstanding journalistic backgrounds: Before PAW, Mr. Barzalai (Peter) worked at USA Today, one of the highest circulation newspapers in the country. His positions included being managing editor for sports, generally regarded as one of USA Today’s outstanding sections. Mr. Bernstein (Mark), a Princeton alumnus, class of 1983, has worked at PAW since 2003. Trained as a lawyer and in addition to his writing at PAW, he has published four books on politics and sports and created a documentary film on Ivy League football.
Summarizing the Q& A’s – Then: PAW was founded as a true weekly in 1900 and was the only weekly college alumni magazine in the United States. In 1977 it became biweekly and presently appears in print 11 times a year, still the most frequently published alumni magazine in the world. It retains in its name “Weekly” for tradition and because new content appears online weekly – or even more frequently.
Among its distinguished former editors is our own late, lamented Old Guard member, Lanny Jones, who went from editing PAW in the late 60’s to creating the wildly successful magazine, People.
Now: Peter and Mark both emphasized, in this age of suspicion of media, the absolute independence of PAW from the University administration. While PAW has been supported by the University since 2022, the University has never interfered with what PAW prints. This is clearly a very important thing to these true journalists.
They both marveled also at the journalistic opportunities that come from working at PAW: the openness of Princeton alumni to interviews with PAW. As Mark said, where else could he gain access for a story from both a CEO and a Nobel Prize winner, or could he wrangle an interview with the Kuwaiti oil minister except that he represented PAW. As journalists they fully appreciate this privilege.
PAW, with its Class Notes, Obituaries, features of Alumni in the News, and stories concerning the activities of the University, embraces the alumni community so well that PAW’s circulation is almost 100,000 – quite an achievement from a magazine with a staff of eleven.
The Future: Peter discussed the direction in which he hopes to take PAW. He wants to increase the participation of Princeton students in PAW; already he has established a fellowship to bring a recent graduate onto staff. There are also four interns contributing, and he hopes to increase, with their help, the presentation of present student life in PAW.
Another area for expanded coverage is graduate students, many of whom fall in love with the university and want continued connection to the graduate school that PAW can provide.
And while he recognizes the role of the Daily Princetonian in the undergraduates’ life, Peter wants PAW to transmit a feeling to the alumni of present student life.
Respectfully submitted,
David Vilkomerson
Two guests were introduced: Mayer Katz, a candidate for membership and guest of Nancy Robins; and Hella McVay, guest of Scott McVay. The total attendance was 110. Barry Breen introduced the two speakers: Peter Barzilai, PAW’s Editor, and Mark Bernstein, PAW’s Senior Writer, who covered the topic by taking turns asking questions of each other about PAW and its particular journalistic approach. After their mutual interrogation, they took questions from the Old Guard audience.
Both men have outstanding journalistic backgrounds: Before PAW, Mr. Barzalai (Peter) worked at USA Today, one of the highest circulation newspapers in the country. His positions included being managing editor for sports, generally regarded as one of USA Today’s outstanding sections. Mr. Bernstein (Mark), a Princeton alumnus, class of 1983, has worked at PAW since 2003. Trained as a lawyer and in addition to his writing at PAW, he has published four books on politics and sports and created a documentary film on Ivy League football.
Summarizing the Q& A’s – Then: PAW was founded as a true weekly in 1900 and was the only weekly college alumni magazine in the United States. In 1977 it became biweekly and presently appears in print 11 times a year, still the most frequently published alumni magazine in the world. It retains in its name “Weekly” for tradition and because new content appears online weekly – or even more frequently.
Among its distinguished former editors is our own late, lamented Old Guard member, Lanny Jones, who went from editing PAW in the late 60’s to creating the wildly successful magazine, People.
Now: Peter and Mark both emphasized, in this age of suspicion of media, the absolute independence of PAW from the University administration. While PAW has been supported by the University since 2022, the University has never interfered with what PAW prints. This is clearly a very important thing to these true journalists.
They both marveled also at the journalistic opportunities that come from working at PAW: the openness of Princeton alumni to interviews with PAW. As Mark said, where else could he gain access for a story from both a CEO and a Nobel Prize winner, or could he wrangle an interview with the Kuwaiti oil minister except that he represented PAW. As journalists they fully appreciate this privilege.
PAW, with its Class Notes, Obituaries, features of Alumni in the News, and stories concerning the activities of the University, embraces the alumni community so well that PAW’s circulation is almost 100,000 – quite an achievement from a magazine with a staff of eleven.
The Future: Peter discussed the direction in which he hopes to take PAW. He wants to increase the participation of Princeton students in PAW; already he has established a fellowship to bring a recent graduate onto staff. There are also four interns contributing, and he hopes to increase, with their help, the presentation of present student life in PAW.
Another area for expanded coverage is graduate students, many of whom fall in love with the university and want continued connection to the graduate school that PAW can provide.
And while he recognizes the role of the Daily Princetonian in the undergraduates’ life, Peter wants PAW to transmit a feeling to the alumni of present student life.
Respectfully submitted,
David Vilkomerson