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Americans’ Confidence in Newspapers Continues to Decline

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Monday, June 17th, 2013

A Gallup poll released this morning showed that Americans’ confidence in newspapers has sunk to an all-time low. With the direction so-called “journalism” has gone over the last decade, it’s not surprising. The poll found, among 16 societal institutions Gallup normally tracks, newspapers ranked near the bottom in public confidence–higher only than big business, big labor, HMOs, and Congress.

Throughout history, newspapers have been a staple of American life and a key engine through which we stay connected to the world around us. Now, with fewer than one in four Americans professing confidence in print journalism, it’s time for the newspaper industry to do some soul-searching.

The precipitous decline of confidence in newspapers over the last 40 years correlates with the rise of “infotainment” and the decline in traditional gumshoe journalism. The rise of cable news, the Internet, and most recently, social media, have given Americans more options in how to consume news.. To stay afloat, newspapers have often been forced to shift toward infotainment and away from their core mission of simply reporting the news–rapidly cutting investigative departments and coverage of local government.

Newspapers can’t win back public confidence overnight, but they can take this poll as a wake-up call and recommit to hard-hitting, fact-based journalism. With growing skepticism of government and public institutions, there’s a demand for investigative reporting and, right now, many news papers are failing to capitalize on it.

“What were they doing there?”

Sunday, June 9th, 2013

Franklin Center President Jason Stverak asks the tough questions on Fox News about  Sarah Hall Ingram, currently head of the implementation of Obamacare and former head of the tax exempt section of the IRS, and her 165 White House visits.

Watch live here:

Watchdog reporters make Washington Post list of top state-based reporters

Friday, May 31st, 2013


WapostWatchdog.org
 journalists are on the Washington Post’s radar of the best and brightest state-based reporters in America. Yesterday, Washington Post blog The Fix announced its list of go-to state-level political reporters - the ones that EVERY local politico reads. Submissions were made by readers
via the blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

We’re proud to announce that Joe Jordan of Nebraska WatchdogPat McGuigan of Capitol Beak OK, and our good friend Rob Port of the Say Anything Blog in North Dakota all made the cut!

CLICK HERE to see the full list of best reporters by state compiled by Chris Cillizza and the gang at The Fix, and be sure to follow all of these great writers on Twitter.

This is just the latest evidence that the team at Watchdog is making a difference. Making a list populated by reporters from massive outlets like the Associated PressLA Times, and Chicago Tribune speaks volumes about these reporters. They’ve become part of the broader conversation in their states. They’re standing up for freedom and faithfully shining the spotlight on government waste, fraud, and abuse – as the press ought to do.

We’re excited to support Joe, Pat, and Rob in the task of bringing neglected stories to light, educating the citizenry, and restoring  government openness and accountability.

 

The meaning of Memorial Day

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Monday, May 27th, 2013

The meaning of Memorial Day often gets lost in beach vacations and cookouts as we get distracted by our hectic lifestyles. Before rushing out on this weekend, take some time to reflect on the brave men and women who have answered the call to fight, serve and protect our country’s freedom and liberties. We often overlook and take for granted the enormous sacrifices they make on a daily basis so we can enjoy the luxury of living without fear.

Each person that we honor and remember on this holiday has recited a solemn oath of allegiance to this nation and its principals. History has been shaped by the millions of veterans who put their lives on the line. It is our responsibility to remember those who have and continue to selflessly give their time and talents to protect our liberties.

And let us not forget the family members who stand by the sides of these courageous men and women year after year. We should all take time to appreciate our own families, as some have been forced to go months being separated from theirs.

Those who have served and are serving are the pride and strength of our nation. Although Memorial Day only comes once a year, we must ensure our service men and women feel our gratitude daily. We must make a conscious effort to recognize their sacrifices and support them however we can.

Franklin Center Statement on DOJ’s First Amendment Violations

Friday, May 24th, 2013

Alexandria–Jason Stverak, President of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, made the following statement in response to new information released showing that Attorney General Eric Holder signed off on the search warrant that led to the seizure of Fox News reporter James Rosen’s private emails:

“I was disheartened to learn that Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice had once again overstepped their bounds and infringed on our right to a free press. By conducting an unwarranted search and seizure of emails of an investigative reporter at Fox News and tapping the phone lines of Associated Press journalists,  the DOJ proved that they are more interested in flexing their political muscles than fostering a free and robust press to keep the administration accountable. We stand with James Rosen at Fox News and the journalists at the Associated Press as they seek to report the truth, even against the headwinds of a hostile DOJ.”

New Jersey Watchdog Wins New York Press Club Award

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013

Reporter Mark Lagerkvist Honored for Story on Double-Dipping Public Officials

Alexandria, Va—New Jersey Watchdog, an investigative news site of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, has won a New York Press Club Award for a report on “retired” public officials who collect both paychecks and pensions from the Garden State.

The story, by reporter Mark Lagerkvist, was published last August and was selected by judges in the category of political coverage.

“Double-dipping  enables public officials in New Jersey to game the system at taxpayer expense,” said Lagerkvist. “The public deserves to know about a practice that drains money from state pension funds already facing a $42 billion debt.”

Lagerkvist’s investigation uncovered five dozen retired state employees back on New Jersey’s payroll– one third hired under Governor Chris Christie, who boasted about his efforts to reform government.

“We are extremely proud of Mark and happy that he is being recognized for this ground-breaking investigation of New Jersey public officials,” said Jason Stverak, president of the Franklin Center. “His work has shed light onto a system that has been abused for years.”

The New York Press Club Awards will be presented on Monday, June 10, at the Press Club’s Awards Presentation Dinner at Manhattan’s Water Club. You can view all the NYPC award winners here.

For media inquiries, contact Michael Moroney at Michael.Moroney@FranklinCenterHQ.org

The Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity is a leader in non-profit journalism. It was founded in 2009 to address falling standards in the media as well as a steep falloff in reporting on state government and provides professional training and assistance with a mission of exposing waste, fraud, and abuse in government.

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Associated Press President: Phone Records Probe Unconstitutional

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Monday, May 20th, 2013

On Face the Nation this week, Associate Press President Gary Pruitt said  that the Justice Department’s probe into AP records was unconstitutional and failed to respect the First Amendment.

Pruitt acknowledged the government had a right to request records for security purposes as they investigate who leaked information about a foiled terrorist plot in Yemen last year, but in this case the Justice Department did not even ask the AP. Instead, Pruitt said their methodology was “so sweeping, so secretively, so abusively and harrassingly overbroad,” that it tread all over the First Amendment.

The Justice Department broke its own rules in obtaining this information without permission, claiming that a “substantial threat” made room for an exception in this case, but Pruitt said the AP had acted responsibly and been sensitive to national security considerations. The Justice Department has not yet said what made this situation particularly threatening.

This scandal has consequences for news organizations going forward. Already, Pruitt said, sources in government have grown more hesitant to talk to AP reporters because they fear the government may track their conversations. Clearly, this isn’t just about the AP and some government department, this is about the first and most fundamental of American freedoms. The federal government’s actions here represent a step away from the free discourse underlying our democracy and a step toward totalitarianism – where the only news comes from the government itself.

Pruitt said it perfectly:

The government has no business having control over all, monitoring all of this newsgathering information from the Associated Press. And if they restrict that apparatus. . . the people of the United States will only know what the government wants them to know, and that’s not what the framers of the Constitution had in mind when they wrote the First Amendment.

See the Results of Investigative Journalism

Monday, May 20th, 2013

by  | May 16, 2013

My last post discussed the context of investigative journalism. Now let’s look at some success!

The new era of state-based online investigative journalism stems not only from the decline of resources in newspapers around the nation, but also the growing vacuum in state-based coverage on numerous topics. Many traditional newsrooms no longer have the financial resources to retain a capitol news reporter on staff. In fact, anAmerican Journalism Review study found that only 355 full-time newspaper reporters are still based in the nation’s state capitals and that 44 statehouses have fewer full-time reporters than they did six years ago.

Our team of investigative journalists has reported on every subject from healthcare to energy, in every corner of the country. From misuse of taxpayer money in Nebraska to voter fraud in Ohio, reporters are investigating the stories that the traditional media is overlooking. This type of journalism is not just fulfilling the role of small-market media. In some cases, it is drawing audiences away from traditional media outlets.

Read more on Americas Future

 

Foxx is underwhelming choice for transportation secretary

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Thursday, May 9th, 2013

When President Obama nominated Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx to be the next secretary of transportation, he gave the rising politician a chance to become one of the youngest cabinet members in history. But Foxx isn’t qualified for the job.

In nominating Foxx, the president cited the improvements to Charlotte’s airport and light rail system during his tenure. But even a cursory look at Foxx’s record reveals that the mayor has struggled to convince politicians from either party to support his transportation proposals.

Even the Charlotte Observer, Foxx’s hometown newspaper, notes that, “[a]s Charlotte’s mayor, Anthony Foxx’s biggest setbacks have been transportation related: His inability to secure a 2.5-mile streetcar extension and the possibility that lawmakers could shift control of the airport from the city to an authority.”

Foxx has made streetcars the lynchpin of his plans to improve Charlotte’s public transportation system, but during his four years as mayor, he’s failed to deliver. Not only are streetcars inefficient, they cost taxpayers twice as much as conventional bus systems. It’s no wonder that Democrats and Republicans alike on the Charlotte City Council have refused to fund Foxx’s proposal. In fact, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory (R) — a former Charlotte mayor himself — recently announced that the city could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding for light rail if it goes forward with Foxx’s streetcar project.

Read the entire article on The Daily Caller.

1 in 8 Americans Says Our Media Isn’t Free

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Sunday, May 5th, 2013

The United States may lead the free world, but according to a new survey, we don’t even crack the top ten in freedom of the press.

Chained PressAccording to a new Gallup Poll, 87 percent of Americans believe that the media in our country is free–a high number, but a full 10% below Finland, the worldwide leader. That 1 out of every 8 Americans doesn’t say our press is free suggests that both the government and media have some work to do to reaffirm one of our fundamental Constitutional rights.

A free press is the foundation of a free society. If you need proof, just take a look at some of the nations which finished in the bottom ten of Gallup’s survey: war-torn Palestine and Sudan, dictatorial Zimbabwe, and Yemen–a chaotic breeding ground for terrorists. New to the bottom ten this year is Russia, which has plummeted rapidly as Putin’s regime has clamped down on political protests and anti-government voices. Moscow has taken a long step backward from the days when glasnost helped bring down the Soviet Union.

It should come as no surprise that the nations with the most freedom of the press generally have higher economic freedom, more human development, and less public corruption, while countries with less freedom of the press are more likely to be labeled as “failed states.” A free press opens up a society and holds government accountable, allowing for greater competition in the marketplace and greater freedoms for citizens.