On the matter of Jim Black’s latest disgrace, where did Charlotte’s news consumers learn of it? From a Raleigh News & Observer story reprinted in The Charlotte Observer. Here’s two more stories on the doings in Black’s office that the N&O prints today that readers of the Black’s hometown paper will not read, however. Together they make clear that Black’s office has played fast and loose with state laws on lobbying on issues besides the lottery.
What gives? Why does the Observer get scooped like this?
I submit it is because under the leadership of Thames, the Observer emphasizes putting together multi-part packages of stories on issues Thames deems important and might win journalism prizes in the multi-part package category rather than actually covering state and local government in the detail they merit. Packages like the odious mess on race and lending that started with a conclusion — the race of borrowers determines mortgage interest rates — and worked backward from there, facts be damned.
The Thames Observer seems to regard prodding government to take a more active role in society as its highest calling. Many stories and packages are certainly framed in that fashion. Just today, there’s is another story — an well-researched and reported op-ed, in point of fact — on the need for more government oversight of property managers. Well, interesting topic. Maybe. And where is the news?
Not in the Observer. Not if it involves questioning the motives and dealings of government and government officials.
