Wondering why Alaska’s so corrupt? Look to the press
After covering Alaska on and off for a little over a year, I get asked a lot why the state has so much corruption. Well, here’s one idea: maybe the Fourth Estate isn’t really doing its job to check the people in power.
Here’s a reporter from a local Alaska news station, KTUU, at the start of an interview with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The reporter asks Murkowski — who has been in the Senate for almost seven years — to spell her name and state her job title.
“Murkowski has been in office for nearly 7 years and the number one station in Alaska has a reporter assigned to the senator who doesn’t even know who she is,” said Dennis Zaki, who runs Alaska Report and captured the video. “The other two local channels didn’t even show up to the press conference.”
To give the reporter some credit, this might not be her fault (god knows I’ve been in plenty of interviews unprepared), so much as her news station for sending her into a situation she wasn’t experienced enough to deal with. But that’s part of the problem. If the top local news station doesn’t have reporters who even know the names of their national representatives, how can they hold these politicians accountable?
Alaska has had some crackerjack reporting in the past, but for a state that gets the most earmarks per capita ($506.34 per person in 2008) in the country, I don’t think it’s out of the question to continue to demand a credulous press asking for some political accountability.
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Television reporters routinely ask anyone and everyone they interview to state and spell their names on camera, not because they don’t know who they are, but for the benefit of the assorted producers and video editors back at their station who may or may not know their US Senator from the local dog catcher, let alone how to spell her name.
Fair enough, but it can’t be all that “routine” an occurrence if Murkowski looks that surprised from it.
In response to another comment. See in context »Ms. Klonick,
I think it would very helpful if you were tell your readers just how corrupt Alaska is. Without that context it is difficult to assess the role of the press in failing to do anything about it.
Let me get this straight, a reporter that is new to Alaska asks the Senator to say and spell her name and give her title for the record.
I don’t understand why this is an indication of incompetence ?
She was only doing what she was trained to do, even better since she’s reportedly new to Alaska.
So how can a cub reporter with 2 weeks under her belt in the state, be blamed for the political corruption that is so rampant ?
What about all of the journalists who came before her ?
Why no criticism of the Alaska Public Radio Network, an organization that received direct funding from VECO, BP, ARCO and others ?
Considering that this meme was planted by a man who knowingly manufactures fake an misleading headlines and the publishes them on his website.
This coming from a man who knowingly made up and spread rumors about impending legal action that was about to be initiated against the former Governor.
Kate, here’s some advice for you.
Do yourself a favor and do your homework before you blindly run a piece about a subject which you know nothing about.
The man spreading this false meme has never worked in a newsroom and has no concept of the process that it takes to get that sound bite on the air.
I’m with you on this, Kate. I wouldn’t have had to ask Sen. Murkowski any of those details and I’ve only been reading about her (and her father) in various publications.
What I really don’t understand is why the other stations did not attend the press conference. Is a U.S. Senator not especially newsworthy there?
I disagree. Treat her like every other person being interviewed. Why should she not be required to provide the same information as anyone else just because of her position/power?
Keep ‘em humble KTUU! Miss watching you guys.