As the next session of the Colorado General Assembly lurks around the corner, political reporters (including the political junkies here at FTS) are gearing up for the fun.
State Senate gears up for ‘Snoozevision’ broadcasts
Shop talk: Despite continued downsizing among the Capitol press corps, the press (or what’s left of it) is ramping up to cover the 2009 legislative session, which convenes in January. Making reporters’ jobs a little easier will be the addition of a state Senate TV feed, launching a year after the House went up on digital cable. Our sources under the Dome confirm that voters can look forward to not one--but two--channels of 24 x 7 bloviation, er, legislative coverage. No word yet on what the upper chamber will name its coverage. We’re hoping for something more creative than the House’s “Colorado Channel.”
If the House is any indication, this can be narcolepsy-inducing TV, so we’ll keep gunning for “Snoozevision.” Perhaps the evening replay could conclude with a bedtime story read by legislative leaders? At 9:30, Senate President Peter Groff could read "Why Mommy is a Democrat," followed by Josh Penry and “Help, Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed!”
Who’s really a ‘journalist’? (Part II)
A liberal news Web site recently announced the demise of the “Colorado Capitol Press Association,” a committee established before the 2008 legislative session to credential members of the media for access to the floors of the state House and Senate. The report claimed the group was “disbanded” by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff this summer, but that’s news to members of the CCPA. KUSA political reporter Adam Schrager and PolitickerCO.com reporter Jeremy Pelzer both told us no such decision has been made, although final decisions on 2009 credentialing will be made by Democrat leaders in both chambers. The Colorado Independent has since corrected its story, but we still have no idea where they got the information, originally. E-mails to managing editor Wendy Norris went unreturned.
Norris’ publication took on the CCPA this spring over the committee’s rejection of her application for credentials. (Face The State was also turned down, but we didn’t raise a fuss.)
Prior to the CCPA’s creation, credentials from either the Colorado press or broadcasters’ associations were sufficient to gain floor privileges. Under the new regime, an appointed panel of journalists makes recommendations regarding access based on rules that generally favor traditional media outlets. Many seasoned political journalists, generally reluctant to buy into any credentialing schemes, appear to be accepting of the CCPA process to the extent is helps draw a line between “new” and “old” media, particularly given the growing influence of the latter.
The Independent’s public spat over credentialing raised legitimate concerns about Capitol press coverage, but produced no change in policy.
For our part, we believe the CCPA’s rules are inadequate to handle the growing number of legitimate but non-traditional journalists covering state politics. Capitol floor access isn’t required to provide quality legislative coverage, but it does help.
CCPA members tell us the issue may be taken up anew before January, but we’re not holding our breath for any substantive progress on the issue of credentials. What incentive do the traditional journalists in charge of the process have to allow smaller, growing start-ups into the club?