On Fairness and Balance

A recent story at the Capitol illustrates the difficulties journalists sometimes face in telling a balanced story and provides an example of how to get around them.

A Reporter’s View of the Missouri Capitol

To some, a Capitol building is an imposing sight, a dramatic scene of power. To political reporters like me, it’s a stone-clad newsroom.

Every state Capitol has a dedicated corps of reporters assigned to it by most of the state’s major media outlets, or at least major media outlets in the area, and the Missouri State Capitol is no exception. This group includes veteran reporters who have in some cases reported from the statehouse longer than some of its current legislators have been alive. I am fortunate to be part of this group as part of my graduate studies this spring.

A Day at the Capitol

When a heat advisory went out for mid-Missouri on Wednesday, I was in about as good a place as any for a journalist working under those conditions: the State Capitol in Jefferson City. The building may have been cool, but the tempers inside were as hot as the air outside.

Third Parties in Missouri: An Analysis

With less than 48 hours to Election Day, I will use this post to compare and contrast the three main third parties in Missouri.

Nationwide, the Libertarian, Constitution, and Green parties are the largest political parties after the Republican and Democratic parties. Over the past few weeks, I discussed the status of these parties’ affiliates in the state of Missouri.

Third Parties in Missouri: The Progressive Party (Part 3 of 3)

Not every third party is receiving increased support this year. Despite its efforts to put candidates on the ballot, the Progressive Party of Missouri has only one write-in candidate running this year.

Third Parties in Missouri: The Constitution Party (Part 2 of 3)

Third parties nationwide share the belief that the Republican and Democratic parties’ agendas do not coincide with the people’s views, and try to differentiate their platforms from those of the major parties. For one party, the overriding factor in deciding their platform is the text of the U.S. Constitution.

The Constitution Party, one of the largest third parties in the country, claims to base all of its policies on a strict interpretation of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Countdown to Election 2010

With three weeks to go, the 2010 race is heating up across the country, and Missouri is no exception. On November 2, Missourians will vote on Congressional and General Assembly seats, state and county administrative positions, and several ballot measures. Over the next three weekends leading up to the election, I will discuss and analyze the platforms of the largest third parties in Missouri: the Libertarians, the Constitutionalists, and the Progressives. I will discuss them in the following order:

Libertarian: October 16

Constitution: October 23

Progressive: October 30

 

Stay tuned for details.

MoDOT: Barge traffic returning to Missouri River

After an eight-year drought which strangled barge traffic, the Missouri River returned to normal levels this spring. To take advantage of this, the Missouri Department of Transportation promoted the river among members of the barge shipping industry, and both MoDOT and barge operators say this program has gotten results.