Thin Skins

Darrell Phillips summarises local media relations of this year rather nicely, and then presents the latest demonstration of how thin-skinned and petty its making some people.

The media are operating on an "I need it before 4PM" schedule and expecting cooperation. It would be nice to see the local media slow it down a bit, though I doubt that will happen. Too many I know in the local television news business make a near-fetish of "being first," of getting a story out there before its been digested or even finished its course. I think the whole local news culture is broken, to be honest, but identifying where and why is a huge undertaking no one wants to lose profits exploring.

Local governments are abusing legitimate powers to harrass the media. Herenton's imperial sense of self is leading him down wrong roads. And the pervasive sense of personal entitlement in local government leads too many politicians to demand a control of the message or its delivery they aren't entitled to. Government could also help by always remembering that an announcement or breaking story will need supporting paperwork for the media. It seems obvious, but you'd be surprised.

It's a dysfunctional relationship. Government has a job to do, a part of which is keeping citizens informed of what it's doing. The local media is not necessarily an automatic part of doing that job, though it frequently is. They are operating a literal "just in time" operation that requires several hours a day be filled with fresh product. Many news organisation these days are operating with shoe-string budgets and under-staffed operations for the job they've undertaken. Add to this the natural reticence of public-sector people to other folks questioning their actions and demanding answers of them. Add to that a desire to protect political careers and perks, and keep the inconvenient secret. It gets ugly.

I thought watchdogs had teeth? The media has the upper hand, eventually, but don't appear to have the time or the willingness to change the relationship. Too bad.