I saw tonight on KELO-TV Angela is back. While I haven’t always agreed with her reporting, I’m glad she is back in the saddle. As for investigative reporting, she was really the only one at the station doing it, I hope she gets back to that!
I saw tonight on KELO-TV Angela is back. While I haven’t always agreed with her reporting, I’m glad she is back in the saddle. As for investigative reporting, she was really the only one at the station doing it, I hope she gets back to that!
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Why was she gone for a while? Where did she go?
I am glad she is back too, but why is a news station dependent upon one particular personality to investigate news stories? If something happen to the lead sportscaster (or they had a leave of absence) at KELO, would that mean that sports would no longer be reported there?
And why don’t all three local tv news stations have an investigative wing in their newsroom in the first place? Isn’t investigative reporting naturally the heart of any true newsroom? Not eveyone can be a Bernstein or Woodward, but without trying, or maintainng an attempt, do you really have a newsroom?….
Gov. Daugaard once said that he would let anyone, but Angela, interview him. But in hindsight, he probably said that because he knew without Angela, there were no true investigative reporters to ask him difficult questions, I guess….(?)
#ThePressIsFreeButInvestigativeReportingIsPriceless
I recall one report where she knocked on the doors at Asian Massage Parlors. That takes nerve. What’s certainly lacking locally is investigative reporting. Actually, any reporting. Generally, the weatherman is the only one who goes outside. Even he/she barely goes out the studio door then comes back in watching Doppler and waiting for calls from private rain gauges.
Investigative reporting is expensive, regardless of who does it or what type of media outlet is involved. It’s cheaper to buy access to wire services and do daily “feel good” articles. On TV especially, weather takes up an increasing share of the news airtime because people may or may not be interested in the day’s news, but they *always* want to know if it’s raining or snowing outside.
Investigations require research, which requires time that most reporters aren’t given because their editors and publishers can’t afford to give it. Even where investigative reporting is supported, there is incredible pressure on those same reporters and editors to maintain production of articles and features.
In Angela’s case, she has to investigate, report, and also be a news anchor. Welcome back, Angela!
When our Fore Fathers penned the 1st Amendment, I don’t think they were worried about protecting weather reports from the far regions of the then Louisiana Purchase area, but they were concerned about a true free press and thus a quality one, too…
A lot of things costs money, but that doesn’t mean they are not worth it. A newsroom without an investigative wing is like a hospital without an ER entrance, or a school witout a library….
About where Angela Kennecke has been:
https://www.keloland.com/news/eye-on-keloland/preview-a-personal-story-on-the-impact-of-drug-overdoses/1420047399
JKC:
I was addressing the cost of investigative reporting, not its value. While investigative reporting has become increasingly unaffordable (cost) for many media outlets, there is a trend in building nonprofit (charitable) media where foundations and donors can support the journalism they *value* irrespective of cost. SD News Watch is an excellent example of this trend toward nonprofit organizations dedicated to “long-form” journalism.
But cost should not be an issue and I know that is easy for me to say; and actually there should not be investigate wings, rather every reporter should be prepared at any moment to be an investigative reporter, but I don’t see that happening with our local media. And if you treated it that way, then the costs would go down for news stations too.
Remember how Watergate began for the Washington Post? It began on a Saturday morning in June of 1972, when Bob Woodward was just doing his routine thing of covering DC arraignments when he learned that five guys had been arrested and held in jail over night for burglarizing the DNC; and then Woodward learned, through the Judge’s questioning, during the arraignment that some of the burglars had past employment with the CIA. So being a true reporter is like being a police officer or nurse, you just never know what your next assignment will be. It all comes down to the culture of the newsroom and whether there is an inclination to investigate or just to report.
The other news stations should pick up on Angela’s personal story. It has an important message for all of us.
In the mean time I’m so very glad to see her back even if she is going to be knocking on my door…
JKC:
I delivered the Washington Post during Watergate, so I remember the “Woodstein” days well. I will note, however, that the Post was just reaching the end of its old-school profitability in the mid-70s. By the end of that decade, layoffs had already started, the newspaper unions were weakened by computers taking over typesetting, composition, and other tasks, and the competing Washington Star was in the process of going out of business. The Post itself is in business today only because a billionaire purchased its rapidly declining stock and committed to keeping the paper open.
I’ll reiterate what I said above: reporters aren’t given time to do investigations because their editors and publishers don’t have the time to give to them. It’s not about inclinations; it’s about scarce resources.
Jeff, what are you hiding? (jk) 😉
Michael,
You have identified a change in the media in terms of how it markets itself and delivers the news, but that does not mean it cannot be more investigative, than it is now.
If doctors stopped operating would you not be concerned? And if they did, are they still doctors?
To excuse the media’s current behaviorism, or lack there of, does not make it right. Let us not be enablers to something that is lacking, rather let us be cheerleaders for something more.
Look at all of the money that local stations put into the coverage of the weather. They have money, the stations that is, but the weather is less controversial and a safer bet, I am afraid; and that is why “Doppler 2000” gets away with failing the citizens of Spencer, while greater failures, like inadequately investigating the EB5 scandal beyond a a constant regurgitation of known facts is safely not seen as a failure as long as the true facts are not developed and presented, which is a reality that is greatly enhanced by the lack of an investigate culture within our local newsrooms, that I guess, or assume, is attributed to a fear of the local establishment.