[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 34 (Thursday, February 23, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E416]]
                          TRIBUTE TO MORT PYE

                                 ______


                           HON. MARGE ROUKEMA

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 23, 1995
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring attention to the career of 
the preeminent newsman in the State on New Jersey.
  Mort Pye has recently retired after spending 32 years as editor of 
the Star-Ledger in Newark, building it into the largest and most-
respected newspaper in our State. Thanks to Mr. Pye's work, the Star-
Ledger is not only the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey but 
the 14th-largest daily paper in the Nation. Its Sunday edition ranks as 
the 12th-largest newspaper in the Nation. That translates into nearly 
1.3 million daily readers and 1.9 million on Sundays.
  I have known Mr. Pye throughout my public life and have particularly 
fond memories from the many editorial board meetings I attended in 
Newwark. Mr. Pye was always the most insightful questioner at these 
sessions, yet he also knew how to sit back and listen to the answers. 
Being a good listener is one of the hallmarks of a good journalist. I 
grew to have only the highest respect for his professionalism and the 
personal integrity he brought on the Star-Ledger. The preeminence the 
paper has achieved in journalistic circles is a direct reflection of 
his professionalism.
  Mr. Pye holds an honorary doctorate degree from Rutgers University. 
But he is not one of the new-style reporters who emerge from lofty 
journalism programs in big-name universities with an advanced academic 
degree but no idea of which end of the pencil to use. Instead, he is a 
good, old-fashioned newsman, and proud of the well-earned title.
  Mr. Pye began his newspaper career 54 years ago at the Long Island 
Press, where he started as a reporter and rose through the ranks to 
become assistant editor. He covered fires, accidents, courts, town 
councils, politics, features, and all the other bread-and-butter 
stories that make up daily newspaper work. By the time he came to the 
Star-Ledger in 1957 as managing editor he was a seasoned veteran. He 
was promoted to editor in 1963 as further recognition of his ability to 
impart his skills and love of journalism to younger reporters and 
editors.
  Under Mr. Pye's direction, the Star-Ledger grew in circulation and 
news coverage, establishing 15 news bureaus across our State. Staff 
members from these bureaus and the main office in Newark cover 
virtually every story of any significance that takes place in New 
Jersey, from town council meetings to national headlines. The Star-
Ledger has the largest bureau at our Statehouse in Trenton--11 full-
time reporters--giving New Jerseyans the most-detailed account of their 
State government available anywhere. In addition, the Star-Ledger 
currently has the only Washington bureau operated by a New Jersey 
newspaper.
  Donald Newhouse, president of the Star-Ledger, described Mr. Pye's 
dedication in a recent article, which I quote: ``Mr. Pye has `charted 
the paper's course, established the policies required to follow that 
course and directed the day-to-day activities that carry out those 
policies.' He has, in fact, created `The Newspaper for New Jersey.'''
  I agree. Mort Pye has truly made the Star-Ledger the ``Newspaper for 
New Jersey.'' I join his countless admirers and friends throughout New 
Jersey in wishing him Godspeed and much-deserved enjoyment in 
retirement.


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