Former gubernatorial press secretary bemoans cuts in state-capital reporters in California

In 2004, the press office of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued 440 press credentials. Part of that was attributable to the novelty of the former actor's governorship, but in the last year, the number has dropped from 240 to fewer than 100, as California newspapers cut back on their coverage of state government, writes Margita Thompson, the governor's former press secretary.

That's not in the public interest, Thompson wrote in The Sacramento Bee: "I saw directly how the press corps' collective institutional knowledge and perspective added value to the public discourse. The stress of making sure I was prepared to answer their questions made me query officials internally, resulting in deliberations that often drove policy action. But with the advent of corporate financial concerns blurring the line with the newsroom, the seasoned Capitol bureau reporter is becoming extinct. . . . Fewer reporters will mean more work for those who are left, and larger beats to cover will translate into degraded expertise."

Thompson added, "There will be more standardization of stories, as wire services and media families diminish the local angles that provided a community connection. . . . Reporters will rely less on sources and more on routine professional pundits because there is less turnover there than in elective office. The few minutes provided by TV news or radio is no substitute for the in-depth coverage that served a broader public purpose. . . . Print reporters have a unique ability to make an impact on elected officials because their stories are so tangible and portable. They easily induce politicians to obsess over their clips."

Not only are there fewer reporters, Thompson writes, they "are increasingly put in the awkward position of being motivated not solely by objective analysis but rather by the need to generate readers – much like TV is driven by ratings. So we can expect more salacious gossip by hard news reporters, but less about boring stories such as the policy implications of the budget or health care. I received more calls about the governor's motorcycle accident and his fat lip than I ever did about California's water crisis. News consumers can expect more of the same. So, as the Capitol press corps dwindles, we may all end up hostage to a sensationalized media, where we choose to read about and listen to what we agree with, watch what entertains us and leave what might educate us in the dustbin with the newspaper." (Read more)