Does anyone have stories to tell… published or not… about being shut out from congressional offices’ press shops (no more releases, advisories, etc.) after writing unflattering but accurate stories? I appear to be going through this now, for the second time in the course of a year, after writing that our local congressman, a perennial champion of clean air legislation, has for the first time taken campaign money from a major acid rain polluter.
Oh, and the day before, I wrote about how his press office, in an “In My Own Words” column in the moderate GOP congressman’s name, explained why he’s siding with the Dems on SCHIP – then used the rather partisan term “the Democrat majority,” which his press secretary explained by saying, “It was a run of the mill typo. I forgot to add the ‘ic.’”)
Anyway, I’m curious about other folks’ experience. And if I hear something good, I might call and ask if I can mention it in a story about government-media relations.
Marc Heller
Watertown (NY) Daily Times
Oh, and the day before, I wrote about how his press office, in an “In My Own Words” column in the moderate GOP congressman’s name, explained why he’s siding with the Dems on SCHIP – then used the rather partisan term “the Democrat majority,” which his press secretary explained by saying, “It was a run of the mill typo. I forgot to add the ‘ic.’”)
Anyway, I’m curious about other folks’ experience. And if I hear something good, I might call and ask if I can mention it in a story about government-media relations.
Marc Heller
Watertown (NY) Daily Times
4 comments:
Check Nexis for Jim Carroll of the Louisville Courier Journal. Earlier this year, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., made some comments on his weekly conference call with reporters that was later deleted from the recording of the call distributed to reporters. Jim had recorded it separately, so he wrote a story about it. He ended up getting shut out for a week or two, but the office never would admit that he was actually shut out.
Yep, it's happened to me. Twice. They're pretty old, altho one is still in office (tho no longer in our circ area). Call if you want details.
Syliva
879-6710
I can only dream of that day when the flaks stop calling.
The reality is they crave to see what they do and say in print. Because the alternative is to write about the stuff they do have to disclose, like which lobbyists are writing them checks, what's in their personal financial disclosure statement...
I've faced similar stuff for a period of time, but didn't fret it too much. There's always ways to get what you need (press releases are on the 'net, the member has to vote at some point, etc.) In the end, they need us more than we need them. Good luck!
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