New York Times notices that smaller papers have fewer people to cover congressional delegations

We suppose they've noticed for some time, but our friends at The New York Times have a story today about a phenomenon that we've been reporting for many months: the gradual disappearance of Washington reporters for regional newspapers and broadcast stations, keys to the coverage of House members from rural districts.

The newspapers and corporate owners are "eliminating hundreds of journalists’ jobs at a time when the federal government — and journalistic oversight of it — matters more than ever. Television and radio operations in Washington are shrinking, too, although not as sharply," Richard Pérez-Peña writes. "The times may be news-rich, but newspapers are cash-poor, facing their direst financial straits since the Depression. Racing to cut costs as they lose revenue, most have decided that their future lies in local news, not national or international events."

The Houston Chronicle’s Washington bureau has three people. Two years ago, it had nine. Republican Rep. Kevin Brady told the Times, “From an informed public standpoint, it’s alarming. They’re letting go those with the most institutional knowledge, which helps reporters hold elected officials accountable.” For example, George Condon of the San Diego Union-Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize for stories that brought down corrupt Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham. Now his bureau is closed. He told the Times, “No matter how much great journalism is done by national organizations, they’re simply not geared to monitor closely a member of Congress ... who’s not a national leader.”(Read more)