Read on Twitter
A thread
on something we as journalists need to do a better job conveying: the watchdogging readers pay for often doesn't result in a story.
Why?
Because in many cases, gov't officials nix potentially bad or wasteful proposals when we start making calls.
2 recent examples:
on something we as journalists need to do a better job conveying: the watchdogging readers pay for often doesn't result in a story.Why?
Because in many cases, gov't officials nix potentially bad or wasteful proposals when we start making calls.
2 recent examples:
In past year alone, a #Houston-area elected official proposed spending $47,000 from the general fund to send 5 employees to Orlando for Disney Institute customer service training.
Several local institutions, including Houston Community College, offer this, uh, way cheaper.
Several local institutions, including Houston Community College, offer this, uh, way cheaper.
In another case, a local police agency sought contract approval with TV show Live PD, w/o prior public discussion.
Criminal justice reformers argue shows like this exploit defendants, who are disproportionately poor and non-white. https://theappeal.org/media-frame-time-to-ban-ride-along-police-tv/
Criminal justice reformers argue shows like this exploit defendants, who are disproportionately poor and non-white. https://theappeal.org/media-frame-time-to-ban-ride-along-police-tv/
In both cases, after @houstonchron called the relevant public officials for more details, they pulled items from the agenda. Neither received a public vote.
Few people probably ever knew they were proposed in the first place.
And we moved on to other stories.
Few people probably ever knew they were proposed in the first place.
And we moved on to other stories.
To be clear, journalists are not the only people vetting questionable proposals. Citizens + other officials also intervene.
But know when you subscribe to a
, you're sending a reporter (or more!) to City Hall who is making these calls, from the DA to Public Works, every day.
But know when you subscribe to a
, you're sending a reporter (or more!) to City Hall who is making these calls, from the DA to Public Works, every day.
This has been a TED Talk on why you should subscribe to @HoustonChron ( https://bit.ly/2CD5U3Q ). Fellow reporters, help me out and share your best how-was-this-ever-even- a-proposal non-stories-->
