NEWSLETTER | Stand in the place where you live

A behind-the-scenes media tour of Biddeford’s municipal operations reveals a quiet disconnect between the city and the media

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:

Earlier this week, the city of Biddeford provided local reporters with an opportunity to learn more about city operations and get a behind-the-scenes view of various municipal departments, including the city’s police, fire, finance, recreation and public works departments.

The six-hour tour gave reporters valuable insight into how the city functions on a day-to-day basis. The tour also gave city officials and department heads an opportunity to showcase work that is often overlooked or ignored by the media.

Information – such as the resources offered on Wednesday’s tour – provides reporters with valuable context for the stories they publish throughout the year. Such context is important and helps frame any story with greater insight and accuracy.

**DID YOU KNOW** that the city’s jail cells are all painted pink? *Randy Seaver photo*

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While Wednesday’s tour was a valuable learning experience for sometimes jaded and cynical journalists, it also revealed a quiet disconnect that exists in Biddeford and in many other communities all across the country.

Too often, there is an almost unspoken expectation that the press should frame stories about local government in the most positive way. Questioning or challenging municipal narratives should never be viewed as belligerent or arrogant, but rather as absolutely necessary in a free and open society.

Unfortunately, due to global changes in the media landscape, newsrooms across the country are expected to do more with less. This is especially true with smaller community news outlets.

Too often, reporters gladly accept government press releases without question, fact-checking or challenge. The news outlets then simply “copy and paste” those stories — and then check the proverbial box.

Worse yet, some newsrooms – including prominent, larger newspapers – label those stories with a byline that reads “From staff reports,” or even worse– identifies the source as a “contributing writer,” which implies a unique partnership between the government and that media outlet, a clear violation of basic journalism standards.

Too often, reporters gladly accept
government press releases without
question, fact-checking or challenge.

In the 17^th Century, Edmund Burke, a member of British Parliament, coined the phrase “The Fourth Estate” when describing, the media – pointing to the power and influence of the press and highlighting the media’s responsibility to represent the people, not the government.

If you simply “cut and paste” spoon-fed press releases, you’re not a journalist – you’re a news aggregator, at best.

Although there are situations where simply highlighting a city press release makes sense, the practice should not be the norm

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Your own Private Idaho

Today, many city departments operate in their own media silos, creating and distributing news content on their own social media pages.

The media is partly to blame for this dynamic. Too often, important or interesting local stories are either ignored or overlooked by the media. So, who can blame city leaders for taking matters into their own hands and creating their own news reports for public consumption?

But this is an inherently dangerous dynamic. Should the government be expected to accurately and fairly report news about itself? Would you expect the White House Press Corps to simply take press releases without question or challenge?

Is what the White House posts on its social media accounts “the news?”

Should the government
be expected to accurately
and fairly report news
about itself?

**EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY** — or does it? *Randy Seaver photo*

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By controlling the distribution of their own news, government workers avoid sometimes difficult or inconvenient questions from reporters.

For example, the Biddeford Fire Department regularly posts news and updates on its own Facebook page. These updates can be interesting information for the public, but the department is only providing the news they want to share.

Earlier this year, there was a small fire in the fire department. The blaze was quickly extinguished but created thousands of dollars in damages.

There was no mention of that incident on the Fire Department’s Facebook page, nor was there any update in the city’s weekly newsletter, the Biddeford Beat.

The incident was first reported in the Biddeford Gazette, but only after we were “tipped off” about the incident — several days after the fact.

That’s just one example, but I can tell you that it’s difficult living and working in the same community where you report the news. It can be awkward.

I will not speak for any other media outlet, but at the Biddeford Gazette we consider ourselves to be your advocate, not to simply regurgitate information that any member of the public can easily find on the city’s website.

We represent the more than 23,000 people who live, work and play in Biddeford. That’s a big responsibility, and we don’t always get it right – but we keep pushing, regardless.

Sometimes the news can be difficult, inconvenient and frustrating – but it’s still the news. And reporting the news is our job — not to maintain friendships or good relations with city leaders.

This week’s headlines from the Biddeford Gazette:

Biddeford scores massive conservation easement

Dutremble endorses Roch Angers in county race

City hires interim city manager

Dozens celebrate PRIDE flag raising event

Biddeford’s Palace Diner makes a splash in the UK

Song Inspiration For This Week’s Newsletter