The important questions are who is a journalist and how do we define journalism? I’ll let Laura Belin repeat her arguments here. For several years I posted on YouTube a weekly video podcast “Democracy in Action.” I recorded house and senate debate as well as committee discussions and public hearings. All using the General Assembly (GA) cameras. And I inserted graphics, animation and still images to illustrate key issues. I never once set foot inside the Capitol. Does that make me a journalist? I could argue it does. But now in retirement, I do this as a hobby for my own consumption and enjoyment only. However, the YouTube videos are posted with a Public viewing setting so anyone can watch. Given all this, and in retirement, I do not consider myself a journalist any more although given what I describe above, I could assert that I am. But the GA would probably deny me a press credential if I were to apply. So where do we draw the line? Thanks for raising the issue.
Was Rush Limbaugh a journalist? Is Hannity or Carlson? Laura backs up her material with so.id research but she’s much closer to Rush and Hannity. Her writing is almost always angry and suspicious because that’s what sells. There’s money in opinion. Is opinion journalism?
Would it help if all of us reading your column write to the Iowa House to request that Laura Belin's right to cover articles for us be honored immediately?
My former Iowa State journalism profs are nodding in full agreement from the newsroom in the sky. Me too, although as a current member of an out-of-state county election commission I will admit that it is incredibly frustrating for what we consider a small, activist group that disagrees with our basic decisions to write half-truth letters to the editor. They have that right but incumbents see these types as trouble makers and its not difficult to try to pretend they don't exist.
I’m glad she’s finally filed a suit. She will win, and she might get attorney fees. The First Amendment doesn’t allow politicians to choose who covers them.
You correctly note that journalism is changing. The same internet that is killing the old news industry is empowering a new one.
There’s nothing magical about having the credentials of a legacy media outlet. In college, I took an independent study class where I was an intern for a Cedar Rapids country station for two months, back when they had news. They laid off their news director just before I started, so I was the (unpaid) news bureau while I was there. They gave me a microphone and a tape recorder, and suddenly I was a credentialed reporter at age 19. I got reporter access to the 1980 caucuses, and I covered the first trial in Linn County that allowed cameras.
The experience left me with respect for the good journalists, but with a lasting cynicism for journalism and politicians. Laura Belin, despite (or maybe because of) her politics, is one of the good ones.
Another spot-on article, Dave! The Republicans have a trifecta, of which they have taken full and illegal advantage. They don’t care a bit about these matters that are crucial to Iowans, Because they keep getting elected and they don’t have to. Unfortunately, the legal process has to be invoked, the defense of which is likely paid for by taxpayers. Unless and until the Democrats are able to obtain control of at least one of the houses, I fear nothing will change. This is a sad state of affairs in Iowa.
I'm reminded of the wisdom in Levitsky and Ziblatt's book How Democracies Die where they observed there are a handful of collective understandings (guardrails) necessary for the survival of democracies such as our own Great American Experiment in liberal democratic governance. One of these they label as Institutional Forbearance. This opines that institutions, in this case the Iowa House of Representatives, must not do certain things just because they have can. In this case, barring Laura Belin credentials as a journalist is a really bad idea for democracy writ large and the institution itself. One would think this unforced error by the Republican controlled House would have been avoided in view of Ms. Belin's successful lawsuit, joined in by others, to correct another unforced error by the Governor's Office over a freedom of information issue.
"Government leaders who stick their heads in the sand and pretend the websites don’t exist would be better off giving them access and taking advantage of the opportunity to explain why they’re enacting legislation."
Right on. Can't very well include their point of view when they don't talk. You might get a better shake if you gave her access. There's going to be a story whether you're part of it or not. This is still the United States of America and we still have a First Amendment. And I'll tell you what: If you don't talk, the other side sure as hell will.
I remember a spokesperson for a major meatpacking company launching into a tirade with one of our reporters at the Courier and the reporter finally said, "Look do you want to be in the story or not?" Then the spokesperson shut up and started acting like a professional.
The attitude toward Laura and her publication by some in power in state government is dismissive at best, mean spirited and malicious at worst. I've been in her spot several times just covering city government. Usually you just keep doing your job, own up when you make a mistake, and wear them down or they get over it. But it's no fun, and I can't imagine what it's like being in that position over a number of years.
I know very well some Republicans don't like Bleeding Heartland. But I have former Gov. Branstad's words echoing in my head from when he met with our editorial board at the Courier when he was in a primary fight seeking to return to office in 2010. He was being pilloried by social conservative groups (and one Democrat front group posing as one) for having OneIowa supporter and former Cedar Falls state senator Joy Corning as lieutenant governor.
"Look, I'm a social and fiscal conservative," Branstad said. "But that doesn't mean you don't work with people."
Speaker Grassley, if he has any influence in this, would be well served to heed the former governor's remarks. He also should consult his grandfather, who, politics aside, has been one of the most responsible and responsive public officials this state has ever had in terms of accessibility and information flow.
And as far as liberal/conservative goes, well, I was blessed to be able to interview the great I.F. Stone for a class paper at Iowa State. He said, "Jefferson's idea of freedom of the press wasn't to have a bunch of political eunuchs running around."
Stone, as you know, was blacklisted in the '50s, but put out his own weekly in Washington for 20 years and won a George Polk Award. He was a dogged researcher and dug up stores mainline news organizations overlooked.
Kinda like Laura. Questions from the left, right, and in between keep government accountable and make our democracy function better. They also generate ideas for better government and, maybe, help the folks who may be falling through the cracks. A reporter asked President Bush 43, after the Democrats took the House near the end of his administration, if he'd be able to work with them on immigration reform. President Bush actually thanked the reporter for the question.
Here's to Laura and everyone out there continuing to produce good journalism -- which is, as one priest once told me, "a valuable work of humanity."
It is great to see her finally get the credential. Too bad it took a lawsuit for the Iowa legislature to do the right thing. Locking out journalists, whether by left or right, is the beginning of autocracy. Another further step is what’s happening in the Tennessee legislature, excluding actual elected members because they point out inconvenient facts and advocate for another “side.”
Let’s hope this is the beginning of a turn around. I fear not as it was forced.
I tried to send you a comment but it timed out. I’ll email from my computer later.
The important questions are who is a journalist and how do we define journalism? I’ll let Laura Belin repeat her arguments here. For several years I posted on YouTube a weekly video podcast “Democracy in Action.” I recorded house and senate debate as well as committee discussions and public hearings. All using the General Assembly (GA) cameras. And I inserted graphics, animation and still images to illustrate key issues. I never once set foot inside the Capitol. Does that make me a journalist? I could argue it does. But now in retirement, I do this as a hobby for my own consumption and enjoyment only. However, the YouTube videos are posted with a Public viewing setting so anyone can watch. Given all this, and in retirement, I do not consider myself a journalist any more although given what I describe above, I could assert that I am. But the GA would probably deny me a press credential if I were to apply. So where do we draw the line? Thanks for raising the issue.
I certainly agree with you and hope she is able to gain access.
Jane Flagler
Was Rush Limbaugh a journalist? Is Hannity or Carlson? Laura backs up her material with so.id research but she’s much closer to Rush and Hannity. Her writing is almost always angry and suspicious because that’s what sells. There’s money in opinion. Is opinion journalism?
Would it help if all of us reading your column write to the Iowa House to request that Laura Belin's right to cover articles for us be honored immediately?
My former Iowa State journalism profs are nodding in full agreement from the newsroom in the sky. Me too, although as a current member of an out-of-state county election commission I will admit that it is incredibly frustrating for what we consider a small, activist group that disagrees with our basic decisions to write half-truth letters to the editor. They have that right but incumbents see these types as trouble makers and its not difficult to try to pretend they don't exist.
I’m glad she’s finally filed a suit. She will win, and she might get attorney fees. The First Amendment doesn’t allow politicians to choose who covers them.
You correctly note that journalism is changing. The same internet that is killing the old news industry is empowering a new one.
There’s nothing magical about having the credentials of a legacy media outlet. In college, I took an independent study class where I was an intern for a Cedar Rapids country station for two months, back when they had news. They laid off their news director just before I started, so I was the (unpaid) news bureau while I was there. They gave me a microphone and a tape recorder, and suddenly I was a credentialed reporter at age 19. I got reporter access to the 1980 caucuses, and I covered the first trial in Linn County that allowed cameras.
The experience left me with respect for the good journalists, but with a lasting cynicism for journalism and politicians. Laura Belin, despite (or maybe because of) her politics, is one of the good ones.
Another spot-on article, Dave! The Republicans have a trifecta, of which they have taken full and illegal advantage. They don’t care a bit about these matters that are crucial to Iowans, Because they keep getting elected and they don’t have to. Unfortunately, the legal process has to be invoked, the defense of which is likely paid for by taxpayers. Unless and until the Democrats are able to obtain control of at least one of the houses, I fear nothing will change. This is a sad state of affairs in Iowa.
I'm reminded of the wisdom in Levitsky and Ziblatt's book How Democracies Die where they observed there are a handful of collective understandings (guardrails) necessary for the survival of democracies such as our own Great American Experiment in liberal democratic governance. One of these they label as Institutional Forbearance. This opines that institutions, in this case the Iowa House of Representatives, must not do certain things just because they have can. In this case, barring Laura Belin credentials as a journalist is a really bad idea for democracy writ large and the institution itself. One would think this unforced error by the Republican controlled House would have been avoided in view of Ms. Belin's successful lawsuit, joined in by others, to correct another unforced error by the Governor's Office over a freedom of information issue.
I don’t suppose anyone remembers when Gronstahl was bulldozing the opposition. Opinion journalism is tribal politics, nothing more.
Another good article and Belin is one to read.
👍
Excellent column Dave.
"Government leaders who stick their heads in the sand and pretend the websites don’t exist would be better off giving them access and taking advantage of the opportunity to explain why they’re enacting legislation."
Right on. Can't very well include their point of view when they don't talk. You might get a better shake if you gave her access. There's going to be a story whether you're part of it or not. This is still the United States of America and we still have a First Amendment. And I'll tell you what: If you don't talk, the other side sure as hell will.
I remember a spokesperson for a major meatpacking company launching into a tirade with one of our reporters at the Courier and the reporter finally said, "Look do you want to be in the story or not?" Then the spokesperson shut up and started acting like a professional.
The attitude toward Laura and her publication by some in power in state government is dismissive at best, mean spirited and malicious at worst. I've been in her spot several times just covering city government. Usually you just keep doing your job, own up when you make a mistake, and wear them down or they get over it. But it's no fun, and I can't imagine what it's like being in that position over a number of years.
I know very well some Republicans don't like Bleeding Heartland. But I have former Gov. Branstad's words echoing in my head from when he met with our editorial board at the Courier when he was in a primary fight seeking to return to office in 2010. He was being pilloried by social conservative groups (and one Democrat front group posing as one) for having OneIowa supporter and former Cedar Falls state senator Joy Corning as lieutenant governor.
"Look, I'm a social and fiscal conservative," Branstad said. "But that doesn't mean you don't work with people."
Speaker Grassley, if he has any influence in this, would be well served to heed the former governor's remarks. He also should consult his grandfather, who, politics aside, has been one of the most responsible and responsive public officials this state has ever had in terms of accessibility and information flow.
And as far as liberal/conservative goes, well, I was blessed to be able to interview the great I.F. Stone for a class paper at Iowa State. He said, "Jefferson's idea of freedom of the press wasn't to have a bunch of political eunuchs running around."
Stone, as you know, was blacklisted in the '50s, but put out his own weekly in Washington for 20 years and won a George Polk Award. He was a dogged researcher and dug up stores mainline news organizations overlooked.
Kinda like Laura. Questions from the left, right, and in between keep government accountable and make our democracy function better. They also generate ideas for better government and, maybe, help the folks who may be falling through the cracks. A reporter asked President Bush 43, after the Democrats took the House near the end of his administration, if he'd be able to work with them on immigration reform. President Bush actually thanked the reporter for the question.
Here's to Laura and everyone out there continuing to produce good journalism -- which is, as one priest once told me, "a valuable work of humanity."
It is great to see her finally get the credential. Too bad it took a lawsuit for the Iowa legislature to do the right thing. Locking out journalists, whether by left or right, is the beginning of autocracy. Another further step is what’s happening in the Tennessee legislature, excluding actual elected members because they point out inconvenient facts and advocate for another “side.”
Let’s hope this is the beginning of a turn around. I fear not as it was forced.