
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 17, 1990                   TAG: 9007170243
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Cox News Service
DATELINE: ATLANTA                                LENGTH: Short

CONSERVATIVE BAPTISTS PLAN TO FIRE EDITORS

The two top officials of Baptist Press, the news agency of the Southern Baptist Convention, are expected to be fired by conservatives controlling the denomination's Executive Committee at a rare special meeting today.

Harold C. Bennett, president and treasurer of the committee, called the meeting in Nashville, Tenn., to dismiss Baptist Press director Alvin C. Shackleford and news editor Dan Martin.

The attempt to oust the two has angered some press groups that say the dismissal is politically motivated and will destroy the credibility of a respected religious-news organization.

Officers of the Associated Church Press, representing 195 Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox publications, strongly protested the planned firings in a letter to SBC President Morris Chapman. "We are alarmed that responsible and respected journalists have been penalized and dismissed for their proper reporting of the news," the letter said.

Television journalist Bill Moyers, a Southern Baptist, called on other journalists in a letter to "challenge this vindictive act and the bully who is responsible" - Texas Appeals Court Judge Paul Pressler, an engineer of the conservative movement and vice chairman of the Executive Committee.

Shackleford and Martin said in late June that they had been told to resign by Sept. 30 or "be dealt with harshly."

by CNB