An April 13 TruthDig article praised "the highly energized office of the Web-based news operation Neon Tommy, sponsored by USC’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism."
"The name Neon Tommy is derived from Tommy Trojan, a campus symbol," wrote the article's author, longtime journalist and former adjunct journalism professor Bill Boyarsky, "and neon, a retro kind of word that invokes the days of neon lights, Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant in 'His Girl Friday' and newsboys screaming 'Extra!'
"The evocation of an earlier era is perfect, for Neon Tommy combines the best in the new multimedia journalism with intensive reporting, clear writing and speed in stories on politics, government, culture, sports and whatever else interests its staff. It also recalls a touch of “The Front Page,” the old newspaper play upon which the film “His Girl Friday” was based," Boyarsky wrote.
Callie Schweitzer (B.A. Print Journalism '11), Neon Tommy’s incoming editor, told Boyarsky that no obstacle is going to stop her.
“Nothing is going to stop me," Schweitzer said. "Yes, there will always be obstacles. That is in every facet of your life, in your job, your personal life, your health. Obstacles are just things you overcome with the help of friends, family and co-workers.”
