April 22, 2005

Pro Pre-K Bias in Tennessean Story Today

Drew Johnson of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research emailed to inform me that he provided reporter Claudette Riley of The Tennessean the link to the TCPR's new study on the ineffectiveness of government-run universal Pre-K programs when she interviewed him for her story today. So, her omission of the report from a short list of web links provided at the end of the story under the heading "More Information" was not simply an accidental oversight, but an intentional choice. And that choice - plus her omission from her report of any mention of the study or the data in it - ensured that her story had a definite and intentional slant in favor of Gov. Phil Bredesen's plan for an expensive government-funded pre-k program for Tennessee's public schools.

Riley can correct the bias. She can report fully on the TCPR's report. It's available online here. If you care to email her the direct link, you can do so by emailing Riley at criley@tennessean.com. She also can be reached by phone at 615-726-5964. Be nice.

One other thought: The Tennessee Associated Press often recycles Tennessean stories from the legislature. Please contact your local newspaper to make them aware of the TCPR's study, in case the AP recycles today's biased piece by The Tennessean's Claudette Riley. You can also email the link to the TCPR study to apnashville@ap.org, along with a nice note asking them to mention it in any story about the pre-k proposal that they send out on the wires. Be nice.

UPDATE: The AP has already run its version of the Tennessean's story. No mention of the TCPR study, no inclusion of the data in it. Johnson is quoted, but by failing to mention the study or include some data from it, the story gives readers no way to evaluate whether his opposition is based on facts.

That's how bias spreads via the mainstream media. And it could cost you big-time as the governor already wants to expand the budget for his pre-k plan to $150 million a year from the current proposed $25 million.

UPDATE: No mention of the TCPR's study in today's story in the Knoxville News Sentinel. You can reach the KNS reporter who wrote that story, Ericka Mellons, via email at mellone@knews.com, or by phone at 865-342-6334. Be nice.

There used to be a time when the media could get away with publishing slanted, incomplete and inaccurate stories. But then along came the blogosphere.