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McGuire on Media

When the sheriff comes for me: When do we cover political abuse?October 20

Since the time of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the relationship between the press and politicians has been strained, contentious and controversial.  Despite what some politicians think, the press tries to be civil, but that has to be balanced with aggressive attention to the interests of the public.

The most remarkable press/politician relationship I have ever encountered exists here in Maricopa County, Ariz.  Sheriff Joe Arpaio is probably the most controversial elected figure I have encountered in any community where I have lived for the last 59 years.  And, I’ve met some doozies. Arpaio is a lightning rod. I hesitate to characterize him because nobody agrees on whether he’s tough or mean, effective or manipulative,  or on any other words to describe him.  I suppose the only word anybody could agree on is he’s popular, and that mystifies his critics. Arguably, much of that popularity depends on his tough guy image.

At a local sporting event several months ago he was introduced as “America’s Toughest Sheriff.” That moniker was bestowed on him by the media and that’s where this journalistic post picks up the story. Arpaio was elected in 1993 and when I started following Arizona politics in 2002 the Sheriff had already amassed a reputation for being “tough” to prisoners.  According to Snopes.com, the t

Figuring out some boundaries for celebrity coverageSeptember 25

This summer I moderated a panel on Ethics and Business pressures at the AEJMC conference in Chicago.  Geneva Overholser the new Director of the School of Journalism at University of Southern California, Peter Bhatia the Executive Editor of the Portland Oregonian and Michael Bugeja, director of the Greenlee school of Journalism at Iowa State University were on the panel and the discussion was spirited.

The conversation hit a bump when I asked the panel to talk about the media’s obsession with celebrity news.  Peter Bhatia knew where I was going from our long-standing friendship, but it was not as clear to me that Geneva and Michael viewed the coverage of celebrity as a huge threat to newspapers and mainstream media. The audience seemed to side with Geneva and Michael.

I think celebrity coverage represents an incredible challenge for journalism because the public is so hostile toward mainstream media coverage of celebrity at the very same time significant portions of the audience demand more celebrity coverage.

I am so convinced journalistic credibility is threatened by celebrity coverage which mimics the print and video tabloid coverage that I added a whole week on the subject of celebrity in my two ethics classes this se

POLITICO’S move is another episode in the AP/Newspaper sagaSeptember 9

POLITICO’S decision to make its material available for major new media outlets is another kick in the contract for The Associated Press war with newspapers.

Not only will Politico provide quality Washington news for newspapers and web sites, it will offer a revenue sharing model. This is from its release: “POLITICO will sell national advertising to be placed on partners’ web sites, and revenue from those ads will be shared between POLITICO and the media outlets.” Now that sounds like a true partnership.

This kind of potential is exactly why I suggested in my last entry that more newspapers should file a two-year cancellation notice with AP.  It is my contention that filing such notices will prompt an important dialogue between newspapers and The Associated Press.  The POLITICO move is also evidence that such cancellations could create a marketplace for ad hoc solutions to the newspaper’s need for supplemental material.

I am convinced that the existence of a marketplace will stimulate and create entrepreneurship on behalf of information providers. That could inevitably mean a richer product for newspapers.

The universal fear among editors and sports editors seems to be whether AP’s sports material can be replaced. A

Associated Press cancellations, once common, are a good idea againSeptember 5

The Minneapolis Star Tribune got some press a week or so ago when it gave The Associated Press the required two year’s cancellation notice. The Star Tribune is at least the fifth and perhaps the biggest paper  to take this action.  Newspapers appear convinced newspapers are very low on AP’s priority list. Newspapers want lower prices and , more coverage. Nobody really says it, but I think newspapers around the country want more affection and/or respect too from AP.

The latest salvo in this battle is a contention from the Spokane Spokesman-Review that the two-year notice provision does not apply because AP’s new rate structure constitutes a new contract. The Spokesman-Review says the renewal deal deal offered by AP “represents a continued and material shift by the AP of separating services from the basic package so that some services will be available only by signing up for supplemental programs.” That argument maintains this is a new deal and not a renewal.  AP argues this is not a new deal, but rather a “service upgrade.” Precedent would seem to favor AP on this one.

I do not pretend to appreciate all the nuances of this current flap between

Palin "frenzy" all started with a "secret"September 3

The Sarah Palin controversy is either the media doing its job or it’s the media with it’s hair on fire. Bob Steele wrote a cogent argument on Poynter.org that ” It’s appropriate for journalists to examine a politician’s beliefs at the intersection of one’s personal and professional lives.”

Mary Matalin made the “hair on fire” charge and now the entire GOP including John McCain have joined the bandwagon  to label the media “elitist,” sexist and now McCain warns the media to “lay off.” He lashed out at the Media’s “old boys network.”

I thought Kelly McBride’s piece on Poynter.org was tremendous,. She resisted the idea that the blogosphere dragged mainstream media into the mud with this story. Her suggestion that mainstream media did its job by verifying true facts was a great one. This paragraph could form the spine of a great class  session in Media Ethics:  “That takes us back to our current object lesson. Watch the YouTube video, th