But just getting stories like this one from the county school system have been an uphill battle for the 10,000-circulation daily newspaper. In an editorial, opinion writer Jennifer Brown wrote: "It has become almost impossible to tell these kinds of stories from the Christian County Public Schools. Over the past couple of years, the central office has insisted that the district’s community relations director be present for all interviews between a New Era reporter and a school employee. Over and over, we’ve been told it is the district’s 'procedure.'
"We want to get along, but district administrators fail to understand that using a media handler puts a chill on the natural conversation that should happen between a news reporter and a story subject. Although it might not be intentional, there is stiffness to an interview that is observed by a public relations employee."
Brown points to the recent Society of Professional Journalists convention, where "Sonny Albarado, projects editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the outgoing SPJ president, spoke about 'roadblocks' journalists encounter when they are trying to gather information for the public," Brown writes. Albarado said, “There’s … the pernicious practice at all levels of government of cutting off journalists’ access to public officials and agency experts by forcing all queries to go through a public affairs officer or public information officer. And, of course, the PAO has to monitor the interview, if by chance you are granted an audience. This further chills the prospects for candid conversation and an informed citizenry.”
Incoming SPJ president David Cuillier, journalism-school director at the University of Arizona, "said he’ll be advocating this year for the First Amendment, press rights and freedom of information," Brown reports. Cuillier said in a speech: “I’m also going to push back against excessive controls by government to manage the message, manage reporters." (Read more)
This, I think, is the result of the attack-dog style of journalism practiced by TV reporters, who have no time and are sent to the most inflammatory situations. Newspaper reporters suffer by association. In my community, any mention of the following question -- "Did you see Hickman County on the Nashville TV news last night?" -- means, nearly every time, that there was an unnatural death or some other critical or even stupid occurrence here. Virtually never is there anything good. If I was a government bureaucrat who had a chance to be prepared for an incoming reporter, I would be gun shy, too. We have allowed our least professional brethren -- and their ratings-hooked producers -- to lead us to this point. In a small town, I have an advantage because I have been writing about this community for 28 years, and they know I am interested in a clear view of whatever it is, not the 30-second attack dog version.
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