News about our democracy is being pushed out of the way by a concern about "Live, Local, Latebreaking" coverage...all too often crime.

-Wally Dean, Committee of Concerned Journalists

Well, I do think that we do some good. I just think that we probably don't do enough...to inform the public.

- Jayne Bower, News Anchor, WWJ, Newsradio 950, Detroit, Michigan

Profit maximization is not synonymous with producing the kind of news that Madison and Jefferson envisioned as making a democracy possible.

- Bob McCannon, NM Media Literacy Project

Commercial television will often hold public officials' feet to the fire. Commercial TV news is a medium of drama, for better or worse.

- Anthony Wilson, ABCTV11 Reporter, Durham, NC

Background

Recent surveys have determined that most people get the news of their own communities from their local TV newscast and these programs continue to draw high ratings in most markets. But critics charge that local TV news operations across the country, in general, could do a better job of informing local citizens about issues and political candidates in a way that helps people participate in their democracy. Media activists argue that broadcast deregulation and commercialization have led to the deterioration of local broadcast journalism.

Are station owners earning their licenses by serving the public interest with news programming that contributes to the strength of the democracy? Should local broadcasters be expected to shoulder the burden of informing the public on complex issues and political candidates or should they defer to print and the Internet to play that role? Are news reporting conventions getting in the way of useful dissemination of information and ideas? Is the diversity of local communities being reflected in local news reporting? Which stations are raising the bar and connecting with their communities in democracy-strengthening ways?

What's the state of local radio news? Fewer stations than ever offer reliable local news. Why not? And who is doing news that contributes to citizen's community knowledge? What can citizens do in their own communities to support more useful local reporting? Do enough citizens care to make media reform a priority local and national issue?

These are among the questions considered in a public radio special entitled Local Broadcast News and Local Democracy that's available to stations this November as part of the Public Radio Collaboration initiative "Whose Democracy Is It?" Highlights from a town hall meeting recorded in September in Albuquerque, New Mexico will be included in the special along with other special reports including an interview with Calvin Skaggs, Executive Producer of Local News, the PBS Documentary; and a feature report on the trend toward news pooling in radio. The radio program is being produced by Good Radio Shows, Inc., a non-profit media company, in conjunction with the New Mexico Media Literacy Project, and KUNM Radio.

Host and Moderator is award-winning producer and reporter Paul Ingles, a frequent contributor to NPR's On The Media. Paul has been in broadcasting since 1975 and has experience as a producer, news and sports reporter, recording engineer, editor, on-air personality, trainer and manager. Paul has worked at radio and television stations in North Carolina, Washington DC, Ohio and New Mexico. More recently, as an independent radio producer, he has filed reports for NPR news magazines (Morning Edition and All Things Considered) and NPR newscasts as well as numerous other public radio programs including Justice Talking, On The Media, Living on Earth, The Splendid Table, National Native News, The Looseleaf Book Company, Beyond Computers, and Pacifica Network News. His newspaper writing is often featured in The Albuquerque Tribune.

BEFORE THE TAPING: (from left) Bob McCannon, Anthony Wilson, Karen Foss, Marcos Martinez, Jayne Bower, Wally Dean, Paul Ingles.

Wally Dean of the Committee of Concerned Journalists/ Project for Excellence in Journalism and Karen Foss, KSDK-St.Louis News Anchor

Bob McCannon of the New Mexico Media Literacy Project and Anthony Wilson, reporter and anchor for ABCTV11 in Durham, North Carolina.

RESOURCES

CD Copies of "Local Broadcast News and Local Democracy" include 20 minutes of bonus discussion. Send a check made out to "Good Radio Shows, Inc." in the amount of $15 (includes shipping and handling). Mail to Good Radio Shows, Inc., PO Box 444, Placitas, New Mexico 87043. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Proceeds go to the non-profit media work of Good Radio Shows, Inc.

PBS Documentary "Local News" Web Site has more about the TV series and many interesting links and other details about what goes on in local television newsrooms.

Project for Excellence in Journalism:an initiative by journalists to clarify and raise the standards of American journalism. The Web site includes a number of research reports, including The Local TV News Project where you may be able to find how your own town's local news team sizes up.

Local TV News Coverage of the 2002 General Election: a report by the Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School (.pdf).

Pew Center Studies on Journalism: links to public opinion polls and survey results.

Radio-Television News Directors Association: a professional organization, devoted to electronic journalism. RTNDA represents local and network news executives in broadcasting, cable, and other electronic media in more than 30 countries. The Web site includes sections on ethics, research, newsroom resources, technology, and training workshops.

Online NewsHour: Changing Local News / A Media Watch Special Report :an in-depth look at the changing face of local news that includes television journalists such as Carol Marin and industry experts like Deborah Potter, the Executive Director of NewsLab, a non-profit group that encourages quality in local news.

NewsLab: a non-profit television news laboratory, that seeks to serve local stations by helping them find better ways of telling important stories that are often difficult to convey on television. This site includes resources for newsrooms and an extensive list of articles and research on local news.

American Journalism Review has good information for print and broadcast journalists. Links to news sources, journalism organizations, and research collections.

Action Coalition for Media Education promotes media education, independent media production, and reform.

Alliance for a Media Literate America promotes media literacy education that is focused on critical inquiry, learning, and skill-building.

New Mexico Media Literacy Project offers speakers, multimedia workshops, and unique videos and CD-ROMs on a variety of media literacy topics.

Local Broadcast News and Local Democracy

Reviewed by Sydney Lewis of Transom.org

Excellent topic, excellent discussion and reporting. Well-recorded, paced, produced, with articulate, informed speakers whose concerns are compelling whether you agree with them or not. The public's intense reaction to proposed changes in FCC ownership rulings indicate there is a wide audience for this kind of piece. This program serves the public a veritable feast of thought-provoking and insightful information and is a public service and a pleasure to hear. sl