YELLOW JOURNALISM

Craig Crawford of "The Congressional Quarterly" was on the Imus radio show this morning hawking his new book about the role of the media in modern politics.  What he had to say wasn't all love and kisses for his comrades in the press.  He said that the biggest problem with the media is not the bias and fraud that occur throughout it.  Crawford said it was cowardice.

By cowardice he meant the media's repeated refusal to hold powerful people to account for their statements and actions.  Crawford's right, and we see that happen right here in our very own backyard.  It's true that Grand Rapids is a bit of a media backwater.  The stars of journalism don't shine here.  But we're not talking about talent or charisma.  We're talking about ethics.  The courage to do what is right and air out the stench of the crooked deals River City's players strike with each other doesn't depend upon a reporter's good looks for the camera or way with the written word.

Remember, the media is protected by the First Amendment to safeguard its critical role as a watchdog of the public's interests.  Yet time and again, stories like that of the Fixer and his powerful clients go unreported.  Why?  Because our reporters will not go out and get the facts for themselves.  They wait to be spoon-fed the official line from the authorities.  This is why the Grand Rapids Press would not investigate the Toxic Towers dumping scandal that implicated Boss Logie, his business clients Fifth Third and Spectrum Health, and prominent local developers.  The MDEQ, relying upon the discredited Marshall Report (see below) and ignoring all the physical evidence to the contrary (see here if you're up to a fact-intensive review of the MDEQ's misfeasance), told reporter Jim Harger there was nothing to the scandal.  Because Big Brother said "Forget about it", the Press dutifully did so.

Some watchdog:  Let's take the government's word for it and pretend that the videotape, photographic, and scientific analytical evidence refuting the official line doesn't exist.  That way we don't have to take on the big dogs in town our bootlicking publisher pals around with.

In fact, the Press's response to this scandal was worse than that.  Our efforts to bring the Toxic Towers polluters to heel through the state and federal courts was reported sporadically by the Press with open ridicule and barely concealed contempt.  No doubt this stemmed from the personal animosity of editor Mike Lloyd towards us as we repeatedly challenged him to get the Press to act like a watchdog.  Heaven forbid that Lloyd should put an important story of the public's exposure to 26,000 tons of hazardous waste in the middle of our city ahead of petty spite.  Heck, he might even have to order his reporters to expend a little foot leather to check out the facts instead of making bets and trading players in their fantasy sports leagues.

Actually, the Grand Rapids Press did not ignore the Toxic Towers dumping scandal when it came to the paper's own self-interest.  Once publisher Danny Gaydou recognized that the dumping scandal put a stop to the Monroe Avenue free-for-all where you could dig up the filthy poisonous urban fill underlying it and dump the stuff anywhere you like, he axed the Press's plan to build a new printing facility on the environmentally contaminated lot due north of the Press's current facility on the corner of Michigan and Monroe and moved the whole she-bang out to a farm field in Walker.

So, the Grand Rapids Press with all of its happy, huggable news dripping with saccharine smiles on the front page will not use its constitutionally-enshrined role as a watchdog to keep you informed of the crap going on behind closed doors, but it certainly will use that same information to protect its own interests.  Consider that, dear readers, when it's time to renew your subscription.

Comments

[robyn]

YOU CANNOT GET INTO THE OLDER REPORTS.

i WANTED TO READ ABOUT "POISON"

[The Executive Director]

Robyn,

Thanks for informing us of the glitch. You should be able to access the archived articles now.

Regards,
Bill Tingley
Executive Director

[margo]

Good for you for being a watchdog for Grand Rapids and exercising your right to freedom of speech. I ran across your site researching press in Michigan because we have the same problems in Houghton Lake, Michigan. I have begun a blogspot for the issues in Houghton Lake, please visit it and leave your comments! www.HoughtonLakeMilfoil.blogspot.com Please link us from your site as well and we would love to link you if you request it.

[The Executive Director]

Thanks for the thumb's up, Margo. Good luck on your website and keeping the media honest up north.

Regards,
Bill Tingley
Executive Director, L.A.W.