Last Updated: May 26, 1999
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Redefining Government
Covering government in a time of change
Survey indicates reporters aren’t well-versed in complicated
governmental changes, participants said they should be
By Craig Branson
As Washington politicians introduce us to terms like "devolution of
government," "block grants" and "reforming" AFDC and other programs, journalists
must be prepared to cover the end of government as we know it.
If the results of a survey announced in the "Redefining Government"
session are any indication, we aren’t.
The study of editors and publishers conducted by American Opinion Research
focused on the state of local government reporting. Jack Cox, head of the
Foundation for American Communications, a sponsor, explained:
When asked, "How well prepared are your reporters to cover these issues?"
editors rated their reporters as being well prepared to cover government
budgets, but in every other category they rated their staffs’ preparedness
to cover issues as mediocre.
"Only 10 percent of editors and publishers in America felt their reporters
were well prepared to cover something as important as AFDC," Cox said.
"Reporters need better education in economics, political science, business,
and other subject areas, and they need to build more resources within their
communities."
Wayne Curry, supervisor of Prince George’s County, Md., said he’s encountered
that lack of knowledge firsthand. "I find in a lot of discussions with
the reporters that there is this disjunction between what the editors want
— what the editors think is going on — and what all of us who have to do
it know to be the case," he said.
He said he thought it would be a good idea to have a reporter work in
government for a year before covering it. That would provide perspective.
Balance of coverage is always an issue, Curry said. "Most of the journalists
think they have satisfied their role when they come talk to you, get a
quote, go back to the office, describe the numbers, and then go to some
chronic naysayer and get a counter quote."
So instead, Curry takes his story directly to the people by printing
a county newspaper and distributing it through the neighborhoods.
With the talk of privatizing government services, C. Austin Fitts, Federal
Housing Commissioner during the Bush administration, said that services
should be examined with "return on investment" in mind. Results must be
measured, she said.
"You can put it in the private sector, but if you do it [without measured
results], you will get the same disaster as if you put it in the public
sector," she said.
One way to figure results, Fitts suggested, would be to test services
in a simulation like the "SimCity" computer game.
The conclusion? Journalists must learn more about government (beyond
budgets). If not, then simulated newspapers, like Curry’s, may take our
place with their uncritical, but informed, news.
Branson is publications director of ASNE.
