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A hyper local failure

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Illinois

* The fallout from the Rockford Register-Star’s closure of its Statehouse bureau and the firing of Statehouse bureau chief Aaron Chambers continues, particularly in the wake of this supremely ignorant remark from the paper’s executive editor yesterday…

“We kept the [Statehouse] bureau open through some previous tough times,” said Linda Grist Cunningham, executive editor. “Frankly, I made a choice between the bureau in Springfield and local news in the Rock River Valley. It’s a loss, but losing another local reporter would have been worse.”

* Not only was Cunningham’s statement insensitive and ethically challenged (she is credited with writing the article and then quoted herself in the third person and failed to mention any names of the doomed), but also demonstrated a spectacular lack of insight into what a “hyper local” newspaper really means. Kiyoshi Martinez, who worked for and with Chambers at the paper, sets her straight…

Even before hyperlocal newspaper chain GateHouse bought the Register Star from Gannett, the articles coming out of the [Statehouse] bureau were hyperlocal. I know from experience that any story I did had to have a Rockford focus to make it relevant to the local readership, otherwise the editors wouldn’t consider it.

This was more than just quoting the local legislators. This meant cold-calling through a phone book to find some “real person” to quote in the story about how an issue affected them. When most bureau reporters could have tied off the story, extra time was spent localizing, even arranging for photographs to be taken so local art went with the piece and gave the story a better presentation.

At times, this was maddening to do, but if you’re looking for an example of how to make statewide, government and political issues local, I can’t think of a better example.

And this brings me to my disagreement with the executive editor’s statement. If you goal is to only cover Rockford in a geographic sense by having reporters only physically in your town, then you’re failing at hyperlocal. There are things happening across the state that will resonate in Rockford, especially when it comes to legislative action at the Capitol.

Simply dismissing the Springfield bureau’s work as not “local” either means you weren’t paying attention to the actual content of the articles and packages produced or you failed to communicate properly what you wanted from the bureau.

This isn’t the kind of coverage you can replace with one-size-fits-all articles from the Associated Press. I know for a fact during my internship of several stories, big and small, that would have gone unnoticed if the bureau didn’t constantly have a presence at the Capitol. State government is a complex and nuanced beast that’s difficult enough to sort out when you’re at the heart of it, let alone hours and miles away. […]

Hyperlocal doesn’t mean physically constraining yourself to the city limits. It means presenting information in a context that’s relevant to your audience. There is a vast array of issues facing Illinois that the government is directly involved in that residents in Rockford will probably want to know (or, at least, should know about). It’s simple to see that a news organization and its readership would benefit from is someone who has the experience and institutional knowledge of working a beat for several years on the scene.

I excerpted too much, but the post was so good that I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss any of his major points.

* And Rep. John Fritchey opines today at Illinoize…

In most every other state that I have occasion to visit, newspaper coverage of state government surpasses that in Illinois. Let me be clear, by ’surpasses’, I don’t mean in terms of quality. We have, and have had, very good reporters covering what goes on in state government. Rather, I mean that other states tend to have broader and deeper coverage of what transpires in their statehouses. The reason is straightforward enough - more reporters = more coverage.

What does this have to do with good government? It all has to do with the ’sunshine is the best disinfectant’ theory. The more information that the general public has access to about what transpires in government, the less likely it is that egregious actions will take place. (Not impossible mind you, but less likely)

One example that comes to mind is Cook County government. When I was growing up, (heck, until not that long ago), most people had no idea who their county commissioners were, let along what they did. But as the media started spending more time covering county government, and the impact that it had on peoples’ daily lives and pocketbooks, people started paying more attention to what was going on in county government - and who was responsible for it. The result is that elected officials, now cognizant that their votes would be subject to public scrutiny, have had to be more mindful of how they were voting. The change won’t come overnight, the recent Cook County sales tax hike makes that clear. But without a window for the public to look through, the change likely wouldn’t come at all.

I know we had a discussion of this just last night, but Kiyoshi’s piece opens up an entirely new avenue, as does Fritchey’s.

Last night’s back and forth centered quite a bit on Chambers and the others who have been “right sized” this year.

So, let’s look at the broader picture today.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 9:36 am

Comments

So I take it that if the local Rockford high school football team plays a team out of town or makes the state playoffs the local reporters will have to wait until the team bus gets back to interview the coach and players.

Comment by Been There Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 9:44 am
It goes beyond “more reporters = more coverage” because more is not necessarily better. More reporters = more variety of coverage and adds to the breadth of perspective. Through actions like this, a newspaper makes itself less relevant and less interesting. And the public interest suffers an additional hit because the wire stories are written for a broader audience by fewer reporters. Less breadth and depth.

Of course, since no one reads, why pay writers? Then again, why read if there is nothing available to pique your interest?

Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 9:51 am
If this isn’t Rockford-centric coverage, what is it?

http://blogs.e-rockford.com/incham
bers/2008/06/13/out-of-character-
morrissey-spits-in-madigans-eye/

Comment by Elizabeth Austin Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 9:54 am
Much of the reportage that I see out of Springfield is AP stuff or thinly veiled adaptations of press releases because our local paper does not have a statehouse correspondent. It does not serve the public well.

Comment by Fan of the Game Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 9:54 am
I’ve had the privilege of working with statehouse reporters around the country, reading their work regularly and even visiting a few capitol pressrooms. I don’t think Illinois suffers as much as Rep. Fritchey suggests. Some of the best coverage of state government is coming out of Springfield, just judging by awards handed out by a national group of statehouse reporters. And Illinois, by virtue of UIS’ public affairs reporting program, is a training ground for statehouse reporters around the country.

But Jeffrey Meitdrodt was right yesterday: If you compare the resources that the Tribune and the Sun-Times are dedicating to statehouse coverage compared to, say, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the (New Orleans) Times-Picayune or the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio, it really is disturbing.

The difference, I think, isn’t in the big stories. The Chicago papers did a great job on the Tony Rezko story, just as the Toledo Blade did phenomenal work on Coingate and The New York Times really shone during the Eliot Spitzer affair. These are all great examples of what happens when newspapers pull resources in to help out on state coverage.

I think the difference of having smaller bureaus is the chance to cover more of what seems ancillary from the statehouse — the environmental regulations, business developments, National Guard news, etc. — that doesn’t necessarily involve the governor or legislators. It’s all terribly important but it may not be the biggest story on any given day. Having more reporters in the capitol decreases the chances that these stories will be missed.

Now, journalists all across the industry are getting hit hard with these lay-offs. Washington bureaus are closing or getting slashed, too. But at a time when Congress is paralyzed and states are staking out new approaches to global warming, children’s health insurance, immigration, international trade, it’s troubling that the ranks of the watchdogs in state capitols continues to thin.

Comment by Dan Vock Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:10 am
Politics in state government affects every citizen in this state. If you do not feel that covering the legislature is important and choose to lose that valuable link, you just as well wall off your city. One of the reasons we as the citizenry in the various states lose touch with those spending our money and making life altering decisions on our behalf is we don’t have the exposure of these actions in the press. Government requires our vigilant watch and demands our daily scrutiny. This is done best by reporters at the statehouse, reporting on the every day legislation that affects every one of us in every community. It may not appear local until you don’t receive the funds for a road, a bridge, a veterans home, a hospital, a school, and on and on. It is an investment in the well being of your community and to think otherwise is naive at best and dangerous at worst. An informed citizenry is a strong citizenry….. and more than ever we need eyes on our legislature and folks who can pen the truth about the effects of their actions.

Comment by Justice Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:13 am
== There are things happening across the state that will resonate in Rockford, especially when it comes to legislative action at the Capitol. ===

This is the cirtical point, and the problem. There is probably nothing that will impact Rockford locally more then Illinois politics. The papers position is a weird form of isolationism. Particuarly when you consider that Rockford residents will be voting for Illinois represenatives and Snetaors as-well-as Federal represenative and Senators. If they have no reporting which discussions legislative action or inaction in context of its impact on Rockford, this places Rockford at a disdvantage in a major way.

== It all has to do with the ’sunshine is the best disinfectant’ theory. The more information that the general public has access to about what transpires in government, the less likely it is that egregious actions will take place. (Not impossible mind you, but less likely) ===

I completly agree with Frithcey on this point. Illinois has a very big problem with corruption. Our best way to fight it is with more news and reporting on the problems, not less.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:13 am
The fallout from the Rockford Register-Star’s closure of its Statehouse bureau and the firing of Statehouse bureau chief Aaron Chambers continues, particularly in the wake of this supremely ignorant remark from the paper’s executive editor yesterday…

I could not agree more, it will be clipped and on my wall under “IGNORANCE” (caps because thats the way it is on my wall). Another sad day in a long list of disappointment lately at the print media level. His experience will be missed, and our subscription to Rockford is now canceled. Why would I need it now?

Comment by Moderate Repub Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:15 am
One would think that blogs like Capitol Fax would spur media outlets to cover the state and local political beats in more depth. Blagojevich, Daley, Stroger, Jones, and Madigan, amongst a host of others, have provided unlimited daily fodder for those who choose to pay attention. It’s certainly piqued my interest, as previously I was a more casual observer. In what should be a target rich environment for IL political reporters results in these types of layoffs, imagine the carnage if our state were to function “normally”.

Comment by The Doc Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:21 am
I read Cunningham’s statement as a weak rationalization. I don’t put much stock in the logic behind it.

What’s more local than schools? Isn’t the state supposed to be the primary funding source? Is that happening? Seems to me to be a local issue. How about public colleges and universities? Same thing. Roads, state parks, Medicaid, it goes on and on.

Newspapers execs are an odd bunch — not really newspaper people, not really business people, they flourished over the years by being the only game in town. Now they don’t have a clue. Remember the new Tribune guy who proposed measuring productivity by counting bylined stories? And this is a guy at the top of the business.

It’s a good day for the hustlers and hacks who feed at the state trough.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:25 am
Hey, I’d love more statehouse reporters, but part of Fritchey’s argument is flawed. One reason you don’t have more reporters in Springfield is you have (had) so many in Chicago and the perception has long been that Chicago runs the state. If you were assigning a reporter to be your Blago reporter, you certainly wouldn’t put him or her in Springfield.
I think what sets Illinois statehouse coverage apart by and large is that most bureaus get it that people want a local analytical tinge. They want to know what it means to them, not a clerical reporting of what happened that day.
You could fill the press galleries with news clerks dutifully taking down every work and every vote and post it online, but without context and analysis it means nothing to the average reader back home.
The political powers in this state prey upon inexperienced reporters doing their bidding with stories that read like new releases.
Just compare a Blagojevich capitol bill story written locally to a statehouse one. By the local coverage you’d think it was a done deal, everyone loves the governor and the checks arrive on Monday.
Someone is supposed to know better.
Hence the roll of the statehouse reporter.

Comment by Frank Booth Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:36 am
This has to be affecting the PAR program at UIS/SSU; it can’t be a good recruting tool when there is no professional to intern for….

Comment by Vote Quimby! Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:36 am
I know nothing about the RJS and their editor, but based on their decison to close a bureau and GateHouse’s known financial problems, is this paper struggling to stay alive? If they are that would partially explain what they have done. Many companies in other fields make the exact same decisions everyday. You can have the greatest reporters in the world but if the bills cannot be paid, you will not be there. I would also guess there is a corporate financial target that management staff must reach to keep their jobs. That does not rationalize how this was done. How to rationalize/balance relevency, costs, and developing/maintaining paying customers is a tough call when so many other options are developing.

Other paper are facing the the same issue. Does this action show an an opportunity to develop a private bureau (a specialized political AP?) that feeds Spingfield stories to multiple papers like RJS and put local spins to them. Seems likely if there are enough customers willing to pay for the service.

Guess hyper-local means the next Cheap Trick Day at the Capitol will not be reported in Rockford.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:36 am
Where is Margaret Pynchon when you need her?

Comment by Captian Flume Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:41 am
Now we just need to see the CapitalFax expand itslef into mini editions. Next up, the RockfordFax, pick up Chambers and let him head this sub-edition.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:44 am
In response to “Zatoichi,” I suppose part of the logic used by editors in Rockford is that they are now a sister newspaper to the Springfield Journal-Register (both owned by Gatehouse). Technically, they can reprint the stories from the Springfield paper without additional cost. I doubt that would really satisfy anybody in Rockford, but that’s the mentality of the modern-day editor.

And in response to “Vote Quimby!,” the future of the PAR program could very well turn out to be 18 interns per year for Rich Miller and Capital Fax. Just envision this state of ours with a whole pack of Millers running about. I don’t know whether to laugh or groan.

-30-

Comment by Gregory Tejeda Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 10:49 am
===the future of the PAR program could very well turn out to be 18 interns per year for Rich Miller and Capital Fax.===

They’ve never offered me an intern, and I doubt I would accept one if they did.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 11:00 am
“One reason you don’t have more reporters in Springfield is you have (had) so many in Chicago and the perception has long been that Chicago runs the state.”

Frank, let me submit that if there were a greater public understanding of what transpired in the Capitol, and how it happened,

Comment by Rep. John Fritchey Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 11:12 am
Oops, hit return by accident. Let’s try that again.

Frank, let me submit that if there were a greater public understanding of what transpired in the Capitol, and how it happened, then the influence (both perceived and actual) of Chicago over state politics might not be so great.

I find it hard to believe that greater public awareness of how state government operates could lead to anything but good things for the public.

Comment by Rep. John Fritchey Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 11:14 am
If I remember correctly, Rockford still lacks home rule and so is more dependent on the state than most other cities. Not having a state bureau (and competent lawmakers) will keep the readers (taxpayers) in the dark on what is happening on the state level, which will affect their local laws more than other communities. Which is why comment from Cunningham is utterly ridiculous. Her words how how little she understands public affairs.

Comment by misfit Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 11:23 am
As the person who shares an office with Rich, but mostly Rich’s intern, 18 Cap/Fax interns would not be a good thing.
I’ve only got one futon. Where would they all sleep during session days?

Comment by John Patterson Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 12:19 pm
lol

Agreed.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 12:20 pm
Perhaps the RR Star’s problem is the product they distribute. Having lived in Champaign, Springfield, and Decatur, I can say the product displayed daily in those papers far exceeds the the product in the RR Star.

Unfortunately, the RR Star has devolved into nothing more than an over glorified school newspaper. It is a shame that Chambers was let go, when he at least out classed both cunningham and sweeney in writing/reporting ability.

Comment by Sporty 41 Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 1:29 pm
For all those laid-off statehouse reporters…

I hear there are lots of good job openings in IDOT Traffic Safety in Harrisburg, only 180 miles away.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 2:18 pm
So Six Degrees must work in the Blago press office. Only they’d offer up a line like that.

Comment by Frank Booth Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 3:55 pm
Hyperlocal, my butt. It was Gatehouse that, last summer, foisted on all its Illinois papers a series of articles on sex offender laws in Massachusetts. Gatehouse loved to trumpet “content sharing” between papers as well. It was Gatehouse that had to resort to bringing out of state reporters in to cover a tornado in Kansas because the paper in the tornado-stricken town didn’t have enough staff to handle the story (not to mention the reporters probably had storm damage issues of their own to deal with.) Hyper-local, shmyper-local.

Comment by Bookworm Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 5:16 pm
==So Six Degrees must work in the Blago press office.==
LOL

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 5:44 pm
Aaron Chambers is one of the best hard hitting reporters in Springfield just ask any of the Rock River Valley delegation from Jefferson to Syerson to Scott. What he accomplished in such a sort period of time will not be forgotten.

If it was reaching into his pocket to dig up a mint in a tin box or sharing with you some of his own delicious smoked pulled pork, I was lucky to not only call him my colleague but my friend.

Comment by cassidy Tuesday, Aug 19, 08 @ 11:32 pm
Newspapers are continuing to become unimportant, and that is not a good thing.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 8:33 am
Much credit to Kiyoshi Martinez for raising an awareness regarding what “hyperlocal” coverage is/is not by definition.

Some publications that are touting themselves today as “hyperlocal” seem to be–purposefully–avoiding potentially controversial and heated topics like the impact legislature; world, national, and state events; and politics overall may have on their targeted audience…opting for nothing more than “feel good” stories and coverage.

Based on practice, one could assume that “hyperlocal” means local sports coverage, recipes, community events, etc. etc.

I’d argue that the latter practice has a potentially spiralling negative affect on both audiences and the newspaper industry overall by almost “conditioning”–if you will–audiences and entire communities to “wall” themselves off geographically AND intellectually.

“Young communities” are already focused more inwardly because they’re raising families. Some of today’s hyperlocal coverage is focusing them even more fully v. helping them look outside their boundaries.

Considering the efficacy of today’s technology, we could all wind up wishing for the good old days of “biased” reporting–that so many of us have argued against so ferociously–because same at least allowed for the flow of a greater variety of topics into our homes.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 9:04 pm
BTW, some of this may be starting to correct itself. A few of us who have been closely monitoring what’s happening in the “hyperlocal” media that’s more highly interactive agree that a “trend” may be developing.

People who are actively participating seem to be taking pot-shots at one another more frequently. Could be an interesting development.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 9:15 pm