A bold media experiment is taking place in Spokane, Wash., that deserves the attention of policy wonks, the media, legislatures and public affairs staff. On Wednesday, the Spokesman-Review began broadcasting its twice-daily editorial meetings over the Internet. In a world where the public -- and indeed legislatures -- are often in the dark on how decisions are made on what stories newspapers cover and feature, this is an eye-popping, jaw-dropping moment.
Anyone with a decent Internet connection and free QuickTime software can, at 10 am and 4 pm Pacific Time, watch and listen as editors and reporters debate and analyze the day's news and what's going to make the front page of the next day's paper. At the morning meeting, they critique the paper produced overnight. The newspaper trade publication Editor and Publisher called it "another sign of how newspapers are embracing technology to increase editorial transparency."
While some newspapers are experimenting with such interactive features as allowing Web users to vote on front-page stories and holding community forums, opening up the process to allow the community, competitors and online universe to watch the editorial meetings is unprecedented.
In an interview with Al Tompkins on the Poynter Web site, editor Steven Smith calls it "an experiment and the outcome uncertain." I've been a fan of Smith's since his days at The Gazette in Colorado Springs, when NCSL supported his statehouse staff in establishing a national network of Capitol reporters. He's earned his reputation as an innovator in connecting the public with his newspapers.
This moment should not be lost on legislatures and their public information officers, and two key reasons come to mind. First, watching the meetings can provide great insight to how journalists think and how they form their opinions on what makes news. In my years advising legislators on media relations, considerable time must be invested to help lawmakers understand what reporters and editors consider "news." The Spokesman-Review's broadcasts should help dispel the prevailing belief that journalism is just a sinister plot to destroy politicians.
The second lesson for legislatures is that innovation is worth the effort. Even if Smith and the Spokesman-Review decide after a few weeks that the broadcasts don't work, they have taken a significant step in breaking down barriers between the public and their institution. State legislatures also have embraced technology in recent years to give the public unprecedented access to their debates, but there are limited numbers of examples where barriers have been broken to help constituents understand the process.
Here's hoping the experiment works. The media, like legislatures, can use all the good headlines they can generate.
I've been a reporter in those meeting. There's nothing more boring than listening to a bunch of reporters and editors jawbone.
Posted by: Steve | June 20, 2006 at 04:43 PM