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The media (including me) needs to step up
Heath Haussamen
It’s ironic that I had to write an article this week about discovering improper spending on news releases sent to the media in 2004. Why didn’t I and others recognize the problem five years ago?
The irony of having to write an article this week that revealed, for the first time, the improper spending of public money on political news releases sent to the media five years ago isn’t lost on me.
The fact that it was inappropriate for government officials who work for Gov. Bill Richardson and Lt. Gov. Diane Denish to send out political news releases on government letterhead was apparently unnoticed by the media when the releases were distributed in 2004. Earlier this week, I came across those news releases online and wrote an article about how such an expenditure of public money is improper.
Acknowledging that, Denish’s campaign is reimbursing the state for the cost of producing and distributing three news releases and for other political activity. Richardson’s office has still not responded to request for comment about whether he sees a problem with something his office did that is blatantly inappropriate.
I choose those words carefully: “Blatantly inappropriate.” That’s exactly what using public funds for political activity is.
So why was it a revelation, five years after the fact, that Richardson and Denish did something inappropriate by using public money to send out these news releases? Why didn’t the media pick up on that fact five years ago?
By the media, I mean every journalist who was getting those news releases. That includes me.
I have no memory of receiving releases from then-Denish spokeswoman Lauran Cowdrey. I was working at the Las Cruces Sun-News at the time, and my primary beat was county government. I don’t think I was ever on Denish’s distribution list when I worked at the Sun-News, and I don’t recall ever meeting or talking with Cowdrey.
However, I do remember receiving Richardson’s news release — from spokesman Gilbert Gallegos — about the governor being pleased with then-Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry’s selection of John Edwards to be his running mate. I don’t recall it ever occurring to me, until I rediscovered that news release this week, that it was inappropriate.
So I’m to blame, along with the rest of the media, for not calling out the governor and lieutenant governor for this inappropriate behavior when it occurred.
An awakening
In the last several years, New Mexico has had an awakening of sorts as it relates to ethical behavior in government. Corruption has landed two former state treasurers, a former state Senate president and others in jail, and criminal charges against a number of other current and former public officials are pending.
Calls for ethics reform have grown louder as the depth of the political corruption in New Mexico has been revealed. Many state officials have, albeit slowly, come around to the realization that government needs to change. New Mexico still has a long way to go.
So I guess it makes sense that, five years ago and before the corruption dominoes started falling, the media was also, to some degree, not paying attention. There are probably a number of reasons for that, and they have more to do with the institution of journalism in New Mexico than they do with individual journalists.
There are many good reporters in New Mexico. But, as traditional media organizations collapse under financial strain, there are too few of us, and we’re all busy, have limited resources to work with and are constantly being doused by a fire hose that’s spewing public relations spin at us.
That doesn’t mean journalists haven’t done important stories over the years, but it hasn’t been consistent, and it hasn’t been enough. After all, if New Mexico had a strong tradition of watchdog journalism that rooted out corruption, our state would not be as crooked as it has become in the first decade of the 21st Century.
Yes, the media’s role in society is that important.
New Mexico’s media has taken some steps in recent years to become a more aggressive government watchdog, but we’ve still got a ways to go. I’ll try to take that to heart as I continue to do work I consider important for a healthy Democracy.
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” becoming disengaged after Richardon’s blacklisting”It would be interesting to expose this list and as to why. Let’s bring those honest folk back into NM politics and civil service. Let’s re-engage those that where competent and right about the course of events.Everyone misses the details of expenditures when they are rolling in the dough. It is only when the money is tight when we ask, “what the hell happened to all the money?”It is human nature.
Heath:
I also compliment you regarding your journalistic ability, as well as your recognition that we all need self-examination from time to time.
For those old enough to remember — when Cable TV first came about they promised better reception, more movie channels, and no commercials. Of course, the big names in TV at the time did not like the no-commercial competition and tried to squash it.
As the years passed Cable became the norm — guess what – rates rose, there were less movies unless paying more and lots of commercials.
Cable at first did not promote a lot of politically correct green propaganda, but sure does now. Another example of evolving Cable is how the weather channel always ballyhooed their local weather report on the eights. Now, even this on-the-eights is often circumvented for commercials, past or present tragedies masquerading as important weather news, as well as promoting the green agenda.
The point is — Journalism – be it TV or Newspapers lost sight of reporting objective empirically examined news and they have been paying the price of that behavior. Now cable/dish are doing the same thing and are also ripe for replacement.
Journalism requires financial resources, usually by advertisers. Oddly, the same past/present journalism outlets still don’t support those who pay their bills, unless it is govt or some NGO.
It’s great to have good reporting of so-called news, but why don’t local journalists with newspapers and TV at least promote (daily, weekly, monthly) local businesses by visiting these businesses and getting their side of the story, such as how private enterprise keeps us all from sinking into progressive poverty?
I have lived in New Mexico for four years and although I was not looking to be a political activist I was faced with facts that showed me beyond any doubt that the political system and power players in this state, inclusive of agencies, departments, and public entities such as universities, use their positions and power without regard to policies and procedures within our communities. Further, these elected, appointed or hired leaders consistently display actions that show they believe that they do not see a need to be accountable, ethical, or transparent to those they have pledged to serve.Real change is a slow process. It requires awareness and the willingness and ability to bring forward the truths and facts surrounding subject matter that is often so ingrained in routine or historic roots that it has become acceptable even though it is clearly evident to be unacceptable.What is important for true change to finally happen is that we as people, not just media and journalists, step-up together and hold those with the power and position in the state of New Mexico accountable for their actions, inaction and decisions.
Mr. Haussamen, you and your abilities as a solid journalist along with many others like you in the media are the main source of current information and sometimes the only avenue to turn to for those like myself effected by the blatant missuse of power, position and corruption. You are well respected by your peers and the public. Thank you for having the ability, awareness and willingness to bring the truths and facts to light. It is apparent that you strive to do your best at every turn.
Well, this is just one more example of a biased media and lack of journalistic standards and skills. When the media fall in love with “progressive” politicians and act as their cheerleaders and supplicants, true journalism dies. That’s what is going on with newspapers and news magazines these days. They have become opinion media, little objectivity and true journalism. They do not check stories or sources if it fits their personal politiical biases, they do not look behind the thin veneer of political spin doctors. Just look at Obama and listen to the spin meisters recount how they manipulated the media during the campaign. Maybe now the media are waking up to Obama, Richardson, Di, and many others they formerly just fawned over. It’s about time, but true journalists know to never trust and believe politicians without objective research and objective verifications of their claims and actions. Glad you finally did.
You have the same failings that all other humans have, in that you perceive things from a different perspective, sue to the position you hold. It is hard for a person to say ‘I will be objective and report it like it is’, then turn around and do it. We all have prejudices and leanings and we place those into our perspective.As a reporter, you do a better job than most, but it is human nature to put our ideas and beliefs into our writing. Keep writing as you have Heath and each time ask yourself: “Is this the fair observation of the facts, or am I placing my beliefs in it.” I have watched you evolve into a fair and honest reporter since you started your blog and hope you will continue to evolve as an unbiased reporter.
Let’s not lose sight of reader’s responsibilities. Of what use is even the best reporting, if readers do nothing with the information? Our control over our power and resources was not taken away from us; we gave it away-slowly and inexorably over many years.Readers need to step and match Heath’s promise with one of their own.
You were a young pup five years ago Heath … the journalist ranks had been decimated by the Governor, who hired most of them! Keep on keeping on … asking ‘why’ and follow the money. Thank you … and don’t screw it up again!
Don’t beat yourself up too badly.You remain one of the most informative sources onwhat’s really going on in NM.What’s really despicable is not inappropriate releases but the millions robbed from NM employee retirement fundsand no one is in jail because quid pro quo,while obvious to the observer, is too difficult to prove legally.
Thank you. Thank you for not becoming disengaged after Richardon’s blacklisting. Thank you for continuing to look out for our interests, as citizens. Thank you for the great reporting.I wish your stories, and those published by many of the other active journalists around the state, were published in all of our daily papers. I’ve been reading this site for only a couple of years, and it has been the most informative info source on NM government news I’ve seen. Kudos to your dedication, drive and determination.