Press Access At The Capitol

April 10, 2010
State Capitol - By Marty Owings

This week David Brauer at http://minnpost.com wrote a lengthy piece on the battle for media access at the Capitol. Specifically the access in question is for the UpTake, which is a new media outlet best known for their coverage of the Senate recount trial between Norm Coleman and Al Franken. The Uptake applied for space in the Capitol Press Corps area which is located in the basement of the Capitol.

The problem started when the Rochester Post Bulletin complained in a letter to Capitol Administration, the people responsible for leasing space, that the UpTake was a partisan media organization. All the detail is included in Brauer's piece, you can check it out at the link below. I've included my response to the issue for our readers as well.

Bottom line is that decision are being made by Authorities outside of the Press or the People of Minnesota on who get's media space at the Capitol and who doesn't. No matter what your political ideology is, that aspect of the story should concern you. After reading about this, I hope you'll feel free to post your comments here if you have any thoughts on the matter.

http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2010/04/09/17253/why_cant_the_uptake_ge...

My response to David Brauer's story on Minnpost:

I really appreciate the fact this is being discussed here, thanks David for writing about this. I can also appreciate the various concerns and viewpoints on the subject. Most of all, I'm glad because it sheds some light on transparency in Government.

Bottom line is we need more of that transparency at the Capitol, not less. There are over 3500 bills introduced each session. Divide that among the Capitol Press Corps of about 30 or so Reporters, that leaves about 116 pieces of Legislation per Reporter. If you think following a bill and all it's details and related impacts is easy, give it a try some time. It's not rocket science, but it isn't a breeze either.

That's part of the reason I welcome the UpTake and other media organizations, new or old, being at the Capitol, reporting on the issues and events that directly effect Minnesotan's.

It's pretty simple, many things in the media environment have changed, but what remains is the public interest in getting the facts and ultimately the truth about issues that effect their lives. If the public can find those facts or the truth through a video stream, news paper, TV story or Tweet then we're doing our job.

I think most Minnesotan's are smart enough to know if the media they are consuming is legitimate, fair and so on, based on the reputation they've established over time and their approach to the news. Personally I think that should be the highest goal of every media organization...the public's trust, even if it takes us years to build it.

And for those that may not be aware, the Press Corps at the Capitol has actually been reduced over the years, not expanded. In other words, there are fewer Reporters to cover the many laws being proposed and enacted every session..and of course there is always more than just legislation to cover at the Capitol.

Although I've only been at the Capitol for three years, I've come to respect, even admire many of the fine Journalists working there. They never alienated me or made me feel anything but welcome as a member of the "new media". And I'll admit that over time, I've come to understand why many of them would be interested in guarding their hard earned reputations and the public trust.

Is every Reporter a saint? Of course not, they're people just like you and I. But by and large, they work harder, longer and with much less these days than they ever have before. Whatever their motivations may be, they seem dedicated to the promotion of solid, ethical journalism.

At the end of the day I don't think anyone can argue against the Free Press as an integral part of our Democracy. If that's important to your readers David, then I think they'd be interested in having more Reporters at the Capitol and ultimately they'll decide if a particular media outlet is successful or not.

Thank you for mentioning my remarks on Professionalism. I think it's important to remember that the Capitol is more than just a collection of Ornate Rooms and Marble Halls, it represents the institutions and values we hold so dear in our Democracy. Accordingly, I think it deserves our respect and so do the people in it. If Law Makers, Lobbyists, Staffers or Reporters do something to lose that respect so be it, let the people decide.

A word to would be Journalists. If your going to come to the Capitol to report the news, consider it an honor and try to do your job with care and respect. You'll make mistakes, we all do, but try not to let them be mistakes of character. If you're new and not sure to what to do or where to go, ask someone in the Press Corps, most of them are very happy to help as am I.

Lastly, this was never about old versus new media in my humble opinion. This dust up was more about respect and if we can't find it among each other, others will start making decisions for us. Frankly, I don't want to see that happen! To Mr. Furst, I get it. I understand your concern. I also think we might agree that this whole issue could have been dealt with more positively through direct dialog. Here's hoping we can work toward resolution without exclusion and outside direction.