Question of the day
Friday, Mar 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
As always, first we have the setup. This is a press release from the Illinois Press Association, an organization that represents newspaper publishers….
Yesterday, the Illinois Press Association Board of Directors approved the government relations committee’s recommendation that the IPA officially oppose Governor Blagojevich’s proposed Gross Receipts Tax (GRT). The Governor’s plan calls for a 1.8% tax on all gross receipts exceeding a million dollars as well as a 3% payroll tax.
Additionally, the IPA Board has instructed staff to encourage all IPA members to publish stories focusing on the community or local impact of the proposed GRT and that the IPA act as kind of “clearinghouse†for these stories.
Accordingly, the IPA government relations office asks that you please forward any news stories of this variety to the Association so that they can be uploaded onto to the IPA website for other members to access. This clearinghouse will act an online area where members can go to share and distribute story ideas as we work to defeat the proposed GRT.
And, now, the question: Do you think this is ethical? Are all GRT stories with “community or local” angles now undermined because they may have been ginned up by a publisher’s group that opposes the tax? Or is this OK with you because of the old adage “The freedom of the press belongs to those who own it.”
- Bridget Dooley - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 9:48 am:
No, I don’t think it’s ethical at all. The purpose of reporting is to seek the facts, not to seek an angle. Furthermore, it’s completely LAZY, like most of the press these days. Whatever happened to decent investigative journalism?
- grand old partisan - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 9:53 am:
There may be a surface level perception of ethical questionability. But, in the end, isn’t “focusing on the community or local impact of” proposed public policy what the press should be doing anyway?
- Bridget Dooley - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 9:58 am:
Yes, but there’s a difference if they are only seeking one answer to that question! And there’s a big difference if they are soliciting people to come to them.
- Bumper Stickers: Indict Rod! - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:00 am:
The Illinois Press needs to pressure Blagojevich and his administration a lot more. They don’t respond to pressure very well as seen in last falls interviews with our Governor tripping over his forked tongue.
Don and Roma had the perfect opportunity to expose Milarod and failed there listeners miserably.
- StatehouseWag - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:01 am:
Don’t fool yourself for a second into thinking the Illinois Press Association cares one iota about the editorial side of newspapers.
This group does not care about protecting the Open Meetings Act, the Freedom of Information Act or any of that freedom of the press nonsense. This group cares about ensuring that newspapers make money - and tons of it.
(With profit margins at or above 20 percent, newspapers nationwide continue to be among the nation’s most profitable ventures.)
The IPA is full-time dedicated to promoting and protecting the business side of newspapers - a totally different animal that does not necessarily share the same interests as the editorial side.
The GRT, from the business side’s perspective, is bad for business. It’s just that simple. The IPA’s coordinated campaign to spotlight adverse community-based consequences of the GRT - even while exploiting the editorial side of newspapers - makes perfect sense from the IPA’s perspective.
From the business side, the editorial side is a vehicle of business.
- Ghost - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:03 am:
I do not see any issue. I think it is niave to operate under the assumption that the press is neutral. All stories are effected by the life experience and perception of the writer, based upon a theory or issue being investigated. They have not asked folks to fabricate or lie. They are just gathering stories and storiy ideas on a single topic.
Perception story, this is not mine, but I can not recall the author. To further complicate matters I am paraphrasing. Man sees a group of apes with 1 male and severla females and writes a “neutral” scientific paper about a dominate male with his female harem. Women sees the same group and writes a “neutral” scientific paper about an advanced matriarchal society that has eliminated unneccessary males and keeps only one about for breeding purposes.
- S. Illinois - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:03 am:
I’m in the business (not print), and I’m pretty disturbed by this language. Sure…go ahead and call for editorials blasting the Gov’s plan. But to call on papers to seek out stories targeted specifically at turning public opinion away from the plan? That’s dangerous.
- Informed Citizen - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:05 am:
[Comment deleted by Miller - please don’t swear in comments in any form, including the use of “*” - and the over the top insults of the governor were not acceptable as well. Final warning.]
- the Other Anonymous - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:16 am:
It all really depends on who the “staff” is, and who they will “encourage.”
Let’s not kid ourselves: every association tries to influence news and editorial coverage in favor of their issues. If this is simply a call for the IPA’s communications staff to bring some issues to the attention of the editors, who then exercise independent judgement, then this isn’t an issue.
On the other hand, it’s wrong if IPA staff contacts the publishers and owners of newspapers with the intent of having the owners influence editorial policy and decisions.
I guess the real problem with IPA’s press release and strategy is that it creates the appearance of a conflict of interest between the business end of running a newspaper and editorial decisions. It’s tricky ground, and the IPA shouldn’t tread there.
- Utility Infielder - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:26 am:
Old adage. Don’t argue with someone who buys their ink by the barrell.
- Bluefish - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:28 am:
Is it any less ethical than Blago running the campaign-like commercials or claiming God is on his side? Someone needs to point out the downside of this scheme.
- zatoichi - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:29 am:
Sounds like just an AP/UPI media pool where info is made available. Ideally, the media is supposed to be neutral, all claims of liberal or conservative bias aside. Editorially the papers can say whatever they want, but reporting is supposed to be a “Just the facts Sgt Friday” approach. While reviews on local impact can part of reporting, having IPA to announce plans to defeat GRT slips into the “My way or the highway” use of selective information.
- Reddbyrd - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:42 am:
Media Ethics….that sounds like Military Intelligence. I think it is called a paradox.
But this could be fun, because we could start tracking stories. I take “under” because the media is uually too lazy to report something this complicated. It might mean a reporter has to understand the GRT and editors too.
Given the impact the press had in the elections, GRod could see this as a plus. A new enemy
I can see GRod calling papers the Great Satan and hurling flaming bibles through newspaper office windows.
Then TV would cover the fires!
Can you just see Sheila Nix running out for the gas can?
Rich you should start a running log of these “local GRT” stories.
- Anon Sequitor - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:52 am:
As Bill O’Connell, one of the “great ones” in Statehouse Press Room lore, used to say, “If you don’t like what I write, then buy your own printing press.”
People like Blago can do just that, but they buy TV & radio air time instead.
Any one who thinks that newspaper owners/publishers/editors, even reporters themselves, don’t shape the coverage of the news, is very naive.
Frankly, we should complain more about the formulaic stories that usually come out of Springfield. Rarely is there a reporter who truly covers the news. Most of it is knee jerk, pack reporting with little or no original thinking.
That’s why I miss great reporters like O’Connell. He always had more substance in his stories than nearly every other reporter in the Press Room. He could give you the facts in a succinct, understandable fashion, but he could also tell you what was going inside because he had real access to the decisionmakers and didn’t have to wait around for a hallway press conference.
It is also why we turn to blogs like Capitol Fax for information because the usual suspects currently occupying the press room simply have no depth to their reports.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:59 am:
Reddbyrd, I don’t need to track them. The IPA will be doing it for us, right at their website.
- Sango Dem - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 11:04 am:
This reinforces my view that the dominant bias in the news industry is a pro-corporate bias. It gives further credibility to those who think consolidated corporate owndership effects the news we get.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 11:14 am:
The 20th Century days of a controlled press, if it ever existed, is gone.
The guys can put out the marching orders, but to believe they will be listened to and followed isn’t like it used to be back in the old print days of yesteryear.
- Little Egypt - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 11:25 am:
ETHICAL? You ask if this is ethical…..in Illinois? The word ethical is not on the Illinois radar. How is it ethical that the governor sends out hundreds of thousands of “information mailings” at taxpayer expense to promote a program that possibly is going to be the death of hundreds of businesses in this state. Those who have an option to move out of state will do so. Ethical? How is it ethical that Blago spent who knows how much money on “infomercials” full of gobbeldy gook and misinformation to promote a program he so strongly believes in that he won’t even consider any other legislation until this is passed. So does that mean that IF the Senate and House pass a bill taking Ameren and ComEd back to their old frozen rates that he will hold that bill hostage until HIS GRT bill is passed. Come on Rich, the governor laid down the rules and now the IPA is playing by them. They say all’s fair in love and war - and this is war.
- Justice - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 11:38 am:
Seems like a fair deal to me. One side of the press against the other, pretty much like it has always been. It gets a little more innovative as technology evolves. But then again, the Internet will do a lot to help people form their own opinions irrespective of which press puts it forward. The difficulty as I see it is that we have one hell of a spending problem. Lots of new programs when we aren’t properly funding the old. We obviously need to focus on education, health care, and law enforcement, but where are all the great ideas? At least (I nearly choke here) Blogo has put forth an idea. Where are all the other geniuses? Where is the press with a replacement idea instead of just opposing the one on the table? Then again, the press is ignoring a lot of pure bs in our government. Like was said above, it isn’t the press of old. We are fortunate to have his forum!
- Just A Question - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 12:00 pm:
If Gross Revenue Tax becomes a reality, does this mean that State of Illinois employees will stop getting a free ride with regards to health insurance? Seems to me they should get in line with everyone else.
- Number 8 - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 12:38 pm:
Its a pathetic action from a dying industry. The print business is willing to do anything now to compete with people like Rich Miller who can deliver news in electronic formats, as well as tevlevision. It is over the top and, yes, unethical.
I have to ask, what does Lord Black think about all ofthis?
- heet101 - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 12:50 pm:
Who cares if it is ethical or not? The fact that newspapers will be pointing out the flaws with Blagojevich’s non-sensical tax plans only ensures that a usually unknowing public might be a little bit more clued in to the goofiness of the proposal. After all, the measure is being criticized by the Chamber of Commerce, Democrat constitutional officers and several members of Blago’s own political party. The way I see it, newspapers and their publishers are doing everyone a favor. It is time the press joined together to offer stiff resistance to the King of Press Release Governance.
- RMW Stanford - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 1:32 pm:
I will be happy to see local papers running stories about the effects of the Governor’s tax increases on the local communities, but I am not sure about the IPA recommendation. Then again I suspect that personal views of reports and editors already influences stories and articles, so I am not sure how much difference this will make.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 2:28 pm:
First, the Illinois Press Association does care about the Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act, and to me this action on the Gross Receipts Tax mirrors efforts that they have undertaken - although not as publicly or with as much coordination - on other issues that affect the ability of print media to report and deliver the news.
The Governor may not like the fact that there will now be statewide coordination of press efforts to defeat his $6 billion tax increase. But given the influence that local businesses and chambers of commerce have on newspaper coverage already, this was bound to happen.
I mean, when was the last time that the Peoria Journal Star’s “political reporters” wrote something that Caterpillar wouldn’t approve of?
The only difference here is that individual newspapers will be sharing story ideas. At the end of the day, newspaper reporters are still reporters, and they still have to report facts. That’s a strong contrast to the Blagojevich Media Machine, which is sending out “Fact Sheets” at taxpayer expense that contain factual errors and are sewn together with spin and non-answers.
Here’s a favorite:
“Unlike the CIT, the GRT has a broad base and captures all businesses within the State’s
economy. This will help make the tax system more equitable by ensuring that all businesses
– not just some – will have to contribute their fair share to support public services and
amenities, such as education and healthcare.”
Then later in the same document:
Some industry sectors will be exempt to help mitigate any negative fiscal consequences:
o Insurance – Will be exempt from the GRT on the sale of insurance products. They
will continue to pay an alternative tax.
o Retail Food and Drugs – Sales of food and drugs will not be subject to the GRT.
o Gaming - Standard gaming tax will apply.
o Securities/Commodities Trading - Only gains on trades will be treated as receipts.
o Medicaid Payments - Medicaid payments to doctors and hospitals will not be subject to the GRT.
It appears to me that the companies that will benefit from Rod’s new massive borrowing and spending plan for health care (pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, Medicaid providers), lottery sale (gaming), and pension bonding (securities firms) are also the biggest beneficiaries of his tax plan. Kudos for them — anyone know who their lobbyists are, and how much they’ve given to the Governor’s campaign?
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 3:46 pm:
I think it’s naive to think that the media elites don’t formally and informally network and coordinate editorial positions.
If they’re going to do it–and they are going to do it–I’d rather have it be in the open like this.
I do agree with Sango Dem that this story illustrates the downside of media consolidation.
- Otto - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 4:23 pm:
This whole Gross Revenue Tax is a ruse to divert attention away from the real problem, that being corruption within this administration. What will this brain trust think of next?
- HoosierDaddy - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 5:09 pm:
Print newspapers have ALWAYS had an agenda. The concept of unbiased media is a myth. I think it’s refreshing when any news organization admits its bias. When I worked as a reporter, I also had the privilege of writing a personal column, which was pretty conservative in its overall outlook. I tended to view the government organizations I reported on through the filter of my own personal opinions, as does everybody. Everybody knew where I was coming from, but they also knew that what I wrote would be factually accurate and that I would do my best to give them a fair shake on the news side, even if I let them have it in my column.
I don’t think it’s unethical as long as they don’t try to pretend they are not biased, and as long as everybody knows where they are coming from.
It’s called freedom of the press.
- 'Lainer - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 6:46 pm:
Having been a newspaper reporter for 20 years, I know from experience that the IPA is VERY involved with Open Meetings Act and FOIA issues. In fact it was one of the two main organizations lobbying for changes in the Open Meetings Act to cover electronic communications such as e-mails and teleconferences (the Illinois Bar Association was the other). IPA sponsors all sorts of workshops, etc. for editorial staff as well. However, it is, also, a lobbying organization that looks out for the interests of the newspaper business. So it doesn’t surprise me that it would oppose the GRT. The group has every right to. I have no problem with its encouraging coverage of the potential local effects of the GRT, as long as reporters are free to include proponents of the plan as well as opponents and such stories aren’t blatantly biased toward advertisers.
- Fed up - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 8:16 pm:
The IPA had better be careful because gov elvis is on a mission from god. and hes gots the revs in there $1000 suits to prove it.
- Southern Illinois Voter - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 8:46 pm:
To Just a Question - State Employees pay for their health insurance.
- StatehouseWag - Friday, Mar 23, 07 @ 10:23 pm:
Seriously, YDD, when did the IPA ever care about freedom of the press? I can’t tell you how many bills with exemptions to the Open Meetings Act I’ve seen fly through committee with no comment from the IPA. I’ve seen several. The IPA doesn’t care; it’s far too busy protecting classified ad revenue.
- DekDem - Saturday, Mar 24, 07 @ 8:16 am:
Would the local impact stories include those that say, point out how many uninsured in my community would benefit from more comprehensive state health-carecoverage? Would a local impact story be one that shows the amount of revenue needed to to reduce the unfunded state employees pension debt, particularly since my community has about 30,000 state employees? As long as local impact stories point out where the grt receipts would be directed, as well as how the tax may affect the local manufacturing/services sector…go ahead. But any decent editor should be directing these kinds of stories anyway, without a “directive” from the lobbyists.