Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy

Analysis:

There have been several stories lately about heating costs going up. This News 8 piece was one of the longer ones at over two and half minutes. This particular story starts with the reporter noting that DTE energy has been getting calls form consumers distraught over high gas bills. The reporter gives the reason for high gas bills as a combination of “Higher prices and weather” but then spends the entire story only talking about weather as the reason for larger gas bills. The reporter then goes into a long explanation of how unseasonably cold temperatures led to people’s gas consumption going up and there for their gas bill going up. The Reporter then gives DTE’s equation for computing gas usage. Next the reporter states that bills should be less for the next month due to an increase in temperatures and includes footage of the DTE spokesperson who says that “Peoples usage will be down, which will mean that their bills will be less.” Viewers could ask themselves, of what value is a story reporting on the fact that cold weather causes increased gas bills. Another question people could ask themselves is would the public have been better served by a story asking why prices for natural gas have gone up by 51 percent form last year and what people can do who are having trouble paying their bill.

Story:

WOOD 8 Newsreader #1 – Well at DTE’s Grand Rapids Customer service center, a flood of calls from home owners coming in asking if there’s been some sort of billing error.

WOOD 8 Newsreader #2 – Unfortunately there are few mistakes. The reality December gas bills are up, way up. Higher prices and weather have much to do with it. 24 hour News 8 Consumer reporter Patrick Center joins us with an explanation of all this, Patrick.

Reporter – Well Sue and Brian, remember in early December how bitterly cold it was, temperatures reminiscent of mid-January had West Michigan furnaces running round the clock, December bills reflecting the effort. But if the early December cold snap helped drive up usage, 24 hour news 8 wanted to know if the recent winter warm up will help bring down the cost of your next heating bill, the simple answer, yes.

Roger Royer (DTE Energy Regional Manager) – Peoples usage will be down, which will mean that their bills will be less than what it might have been if it had been a regular two week period.

Reporter – DTE charts temperature and gas usage to find out just how much gas you use and pay for is based on an equation called a normal heating degree day. Let’s use December first as our example. On that day the average actual temperature is 28 degrees. To arrive at the normal heating degree day, we subtract the exterior temperature 28, from what is considered the average interior temperature 65 degrees to arrive at a normal heating degree day temperature of 37 degrees. That number is important because it signifies how many degrees it will take for your furnace to get your home warmed to 65 degrees. The colder the exterior, the more you’ll pay. From December 1st to December 21st, DTE estimates it was 20 percent colder than normal thus the average household used 2.7 thousand cubic feet of gas. At eleven dollars and thirty-eight cents per thousand cubic feet, we all paid approximately thirty dollars and 43 cents more. But from December twenty second through January third, temperatures were twenty five percent warmer. Therefore we didn’t use as much gas so we’ll all pay about twenty six dollars and fifty-five cents less.

Royer – Hopefully you know we are going to have more of that, and everyday that goes by that we have a day like this helps everyone’s pocketbook.

Reporter – DTE and storm team 8 meteorologists are both forecasting average temperatures for the rest of the winter season. With the price of natural gas increasing over fifty-one percent from this time last year, enjoy the brief winter weather reprieve.

Total Time: 2 minutes 36 seconds

Analysis:

The story is basically saying that many things will cost more due to the increase in heating gas costs. The story is broken into 3 main parts. First, there is one home owner and then a series of business owners who talk about the impact that rising heating costs will have. Some businesses have responded by passing the costs onto customers and some are looking at was to be more energy efficient. Next, readers get DTE Energy’s perspective on the rising costs. The company’s spokesperson says that they have “no control of over the wholesale prices of gas, but we can recommend consumers do everything they can to reduce gas consumption.” At the end of the story there is mention of the impact this will have on low-income populations and that both Kent and Ottawa County will try to have support available for people unable to pay their bills.

The reporter then quotes DTE as saying the increase is due to “soaring world crude-oil prices, depleted supplies, high demand and falling U.S. production made worse by last fall’s hurricanes.” No where in the article are these reasons verified. The article also quotes the DTE representative as saying “The utility companies aren’t reaping big profits. Under state law, Michigan’s natural gas utilities are allowed only to recover the cost of natural gas they purchase, but without any mark-up.” Readers should ask themselves if this means that DTE doesn’t or can’t make a profit off of the natural gas it sells in Michigan? If they do make a profit then that statement couldn’t be true. Also worth looking at is what kind of lobbying does the company engage in with Federal and State legislators. A couple of examples we found were that 1) According to the Center for Responsive Politics ranking member to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. John Dingell has been a major recipient of campaign money from DTE and that 2) according to the Institute for Money in State Politics DTE contributed over $285,000 to state candidates in Michigan in 2004. In other words, there seems to be more to heating costs than hurricanes and production cost changes.

Story:

Bundle up and brace yourself: Economy expected to take hit from heating prices
By Mary Radigan

Shari Goodwin was so stunned, she called DTE Energy to make sure there was no mistake.
The new homeowner found out, yes, her $125 heating bill was for real, even if it was triple her October bill.
Like the rest of us, she was shocked.

“I called DTE Energy to say this was impossible,” said Goodwin, who keeps the thermostat at 69 in her single-wide mobile home in Gaines Township. “Now I’m almost sorry I jumped into home ownership, because I’m paying so much for heating,” Goodwin, 59, lamented.

It’s not just homeowners who are turning pale. Hefty bills are landing with a thud at the doorsteps of merchants, manufacturers, hospitals, office buildings and restaurants.

Dan Gendler, owner of San Chez restaurant and the Mezze Cafe, 38 W. Fulton St., has already raised menu prices to cover rising costs. Gendler, who pays between $1,200 and $1,500 a month to heat his restaurants, expects his annual costs to soar another $15,000 to $20,000 in 2006. He is fighting back by installing programmable thermostats and automatic turn-off water valves on restroom sinks. Ovens are left off until needed.
“I already increased prices by 3 percent to bear the brunt of increased raw materials and energy costs in 2005,” Gendler said. “We may be forced to pass on more.”

Centerpointe Mall’s owners are thankful they installed a more efficient heating system last year. “But in our last bill we went from paying 92 cents to $1.44 per hundred cubic feet of natural gas,” said Deb Smith, marketing director. “That’s more than a 50 percent increase, so our first quarter (in 2006) could be a shocker.” The owners of the shopping center at East Beltline Avenue and 28th Street SE already paid $36,000 from January through Nov. 18 to heat about 900,000 square feet. That is the mall’s common space, but not space leased by stores.

Small merchants worry, too.

Meagan Andres, owner of Lynch’s Lair at 2055 28th St. SE, in the Grand Central Plaza, said her November gas bill jumped $100 and she fears she will face bills exceeding $200 a month for the small Irish and Celtic gift store she opened a year ago. “I’m only heating 900 square feet because I keep the storage room closed and it’s freezing in there,” Andres said. “The sun through the front windows of the store helps — when there’s any sun — and I put on sweaters and dial down to 60 degrees at night.”

The impact of the higher costs is expected to be felt throughout the already-struggling Michigan economy.
Manufacturers, some of the largest users of energy, also are concerned that double-digit increases could have a dramatic impact on production.

General Motors Corp. says it is trying to put the brakes on those costs. “Energy costs actually started going up in 2003 and 2004,” said Tom Neelands, director of GM’s energy and utility services group. That’s why GM has focused on efficiency and conservation. Processes are as simple as turning off machines and switching to more energy-efficient light bulbs and as complex as converting from natural gas to landfill or methane gas to operate plants.

DTE Energy says its natural-gas customers should expect an average 57 percent hike over last year’s bills. That is thanks to soaring world crude-oil prices, depleted supplies, high demand and falling U.S. production made worse by last fall’s hurricanes.

The average home paid $150 a month between November and March last year, but this winter, the average bill is expected to shoot up to $235, said Len Singer, a spokesman for DTE Energy, this area’s largest natural-gas provider.
The utility companies aren’t reaping big profits, he said. Under state law, Michigan’s natural gas utilities are allowed only to recover the cost of natural gas they purchase, but without any mark-up.

“We have no control over the wholesale price of gas, but we can recommend consumers do everything they can to reduce gas consumption,” Singer said. “Every degree you dial down on the thermostat will save you 3 percent on the bill.”

Goodwin, who bought her mobile home in Gaines Township’s Brookside Estates last summer, is worried about keeping up with costs. She cut back on her cable TV package and reduced her phone service. Goodwin also just turned to DTE’s budget payment plan, which still will cost her about $100 a month, year-round. The amount is adjusted annually and any shortfall is paid before the next year.
Some people can’t cover their bills.

Kent County service agencies have seen requests for utility assistance increase by 50 percent over last year. But funding can’t meet the need, with $250,000 less to work with this winter, according to agency officials.

In Ottawa County, where Semco Energy Co. is the primary provider, calls to the Community Action Agency for heating assistance are up 45 percent since October, but fewer residents are being helped because of a $78,000 loss in funding, said Susan Cervantes, program supervisor.

“Even though people knew this was coming, they didn’t go into sticker shock until the first bill arrived and the money wasn’t there,” Cervantes said. Cervantes said families should call if they receive shut-off notices, since the agency hopes to receive a funding grant in the next few weeks.

As a result of the budget shortfalls, Community Action Agencies in Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon are holding a West Michigan Walk For Warmth fundraiser in each county on Feb. 25. For information, call (616) 336-4113.

DTE’s Singer said customers should contact the utility to work out a payment plan if they expect problems.
“We can customize a payment plan for anyone,” he said.

Analysis:

This story was about how starting with the New Year, credit card companies would raise the minimum monthly payment from 2 percent of the total balance to 4 percent. The story features a young woman who says that she can barely afford her current credit card payments and also two financial counselors. These counselors give some very general advise on how to avoid credit card debt such as “You got to spend less than what you make” and “if you have a credit card debt, pay much more, as much as you can beyond the minimum payment due.” Later in the piece the financial counselor advises “Extra jobs, sell stuff, sell that brand new car, by a smaller used car.” Other than that, the only other useful information a viewer would learn from this piece is that, to quote the reporter: “If you are unable to afford the larger minimum payments, contact the credit card companies and try to negotiate a lower payment of interest rate.”

One piece of information not included in the story is who is responsible for making the decision to raise the minimum payment percentage. This change is being enacted by MBNA, Citibank and Bank of America, and the rest of the industry is expected to follow suit. This change is being enacted in response to pressure from the Government, specifically the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which claims that this change will help people reduce credit card debt. Also not mentioned in this piece is the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. This legislation, passed last year, with much financial backing from the credit card industry, makes it harder for people in debt to declare bankruptcy. A reasonable question from a reporter might be what is the effect on consumers who are now faced with higher monthly payments and fewer options in terms of personal bankruptcy when they can’t make these payments? Another question the reporter could ask is what are the responsibilities of the credit card companies in making sure that they are not extending or marketing credit excessively or irresponsibly to consumers?

Story:

WZZM 13 newsreader – minimum payments customers must make on a major credit card balance will double after January first. It may help some people get out of debt sooner, but others wonder how they will afford those bigger payments. WZZM 13’s Phil Dawson joins us now with details.

Reporter – Well Juliet, under the previous policy the minimum payment on a credit card was 2 percent of the balance. It’s going up to 4 percent and all of a sudden it means many people will need another few hundred dollars a month to pay toward their credit card debt.

Reporter – Doubling the minimum credit card payment from 2 to 4 percent of the balance is going to put pressure on many people with unpaid debt.

Allison Huffman (credit card user) – Because I already pay almost three hundred dollars a month, just for one credit card, and I have like five.

John Kremer (financial counselor) – There is going to be a lot of hardship out there, as payments double. A lot of them are just living paycheck to paycheck. And now it’s just…it’s going to be tough.

Reporter – At Thornwood Baptist Church in Ada, a dozen couples are learning how to reduce debt and build wealth with video lessons from financial expert Dave Ramsey. Class leaders say lesson one is stop using credit cards.

Kremer – You have to change the way you think. You got to change the ways you do things. You got to spend less than what you make.

Don Michael (financial counselor) Now the key is if you have a credit card debt, pay much more, as much as you can beyond the minimum payment due, get out from underneath that Albatross as soon as you can.

Reporter – Making the now mandatory 4 percent payment on a ten thousand dollar credit card balance, will pay off the debt in fifteen years, instead of fifty and save 20,000 dollars in interest. There is benefit to the consumer, they just need to find a way to make the payments.

Huffman – I’ll have to work more to make more money. I already live by my paychecks so I’ll have to work a whole lot more.

Kremer – Extra jobs, sell stuff, sell that brand new car, by a smaller used car. There are a lot of things they can do, but do they want to do it?

Reporter – If you are unable to afford the larger minimum payments, contact the credit card companies and try to negotiate a lower payment of interest rate. Juliet, most credit card companies would prefer less than the minimum than no payment at all.

Newsreader – Makes sense, thank you Phil.

Total Time: 2 minutes 24 seconds

Analysis:

All three stations did report on this public hearing on the late broadcasts. Channel 17 provided the longest story and the best coverage of the 3 stations. Channel 8 & 13 only provided comments from the Wal-Mart representative, while WXMI 17 also ran an excerpt from one of the Alpine Planning Commissioners and an area resident who spoke at the Public Hearing. There was mention on the channel 8 & 17 coverage about traffic and water runoff concerns and only channel 17 reported that the expansion proposal would conflict with an existing master plan for the area. Other than that, the only other information provided was some data by channel 17 on how many stores Wal-Mart owns locally, statewide and nationally.

There are several things elements missing from this story. First, considering all the attention that critics of Wal-Mart policies and practices have been getting lately that the local TV stations could have noted the criticism or sought out a local person who is organizing against Wal-Mart. Secondly, there is no mention of what impact the existing Wal-Mart has had in Alpine Township nor what the super store impact might be. Questions like how many jobs were created and what tax breaks did the company get are both reasonable issues to look at. The reporters could have obtained that information from the township Clerk and they could have looked online to see the economic impact in other communities across the country. These are important question since the Wal-Mart representative made claims that the store is “doing well” and that it “is a good fit” for Alpine. Lastly, there was no look into how the existing or new store has impacted local business competitors, or comparative impact in other communities, even though that information should be readily available. This is the important function of journalists, to take the time to investigate issues relevant in stories that gives the public enough information in order to make a decision on what the public will or will not support.

Story:

WXMI 17

WXMI 17 News reader – There’s talk of big box expansion on one of the busiest roads in West Michigan. Wal-Mart wants to tear down its store on Alpine Avenue and build a new Supercenter right behind it, but Alpine Township planners and neighbors are saying not so fast.

The issue discussed at a planning commission meeting Thursday night. Wal-Mart wants to open the new Supercenter in 2007. Nothing has been decided yet, but the plans are on the table.

Wal-Mart’s goal is to almost double the size of the current store to a 200 thousand square foot Supercenter. The retail giant is asking the planning commission to rezone five acres behind the store from agricultural to commercial property.

Wal-Mart would keep the current store open during construction then demolish it to make a parking lot. On Thursday night, the commission says the rezoning request doesn’t fit with the master plan because the land was intended for residential development.

“There has been no discussion of moving this line further west-the commercial line, which divides the section. Therefore Wal-Mart does not comply with our draft plan,” planning director Brendie Vega said.

Commissioners and people who live nearby are concerned about traffic and the need to expand an entrance road to accommodate a new store.

“I think it’s going to crowd the area for one, we’ve got enough growth out here and already got a store, we don’t need a bigger store,” concerned resident Steven Dolphin told FOX 17 News at Ten.

Wal-Mart says the new Supercenter will bring more jobs and an attractive new store to the area.

“That’s where the building fits and that’s where we would like to be. We want more room, there will be groceries there we’ll have a clean brand new store for the township,” said Mike DeVries, a Wal-Mart representative.

There was public hearing at Thursday’s meeting and several people showed up to voice their opinions. Commissioners just focused on land use, not traffic. The Kent County road commission will get involved on the road expansion issue if plans for a new Supercenter move forward.

Commissioners decided to table the request until a meeting on Jan. 19. If the planning commission decides to approve the rezoning request, then the full township board still has to give the green light.

Wal-Mart has Supercenters all over the country, state and here in West Michigan, but this would be the first in the greater Grand Rapids area.

Right now there are 14 Supercenters in West Michigan, 39 statewide and 1,700 nationwide.

Supercenters are different than regular Wal-Mart stores mainly because they have grocery departments.

Wal-Mart has become the world’s biggest grocery chain and the world’s biggest public company.

WOOD TV 8

Reporter – A plan by Wal-mart will be up for discussion again next month. Thursday night in Kent County, residents in Alpine Township came out to hear more about a proposed Wal-mart Supercenter on Alpine.

The company wants to build a new store behind the current Wal-mart but needs re-zoning approval. There is enough space on the current property, but Wal-mart says it can’t afford to tear down the building and put up a new one, so they want to build the new one first, then tear down the old building.

Wal-Mart Rep. – If they can’t build a new supercenter there, then they have to build somewhere else. The cost to close that store down for a year, it doesn’t make business sense to tear down, wait a year and have a new store open up. With that in mind, they’d be moving.

Reporter – The zoning commission is also concerned about traffic and water runoff.

WZZM 13

WZZM 13 News reader – New tonight executives from Wal-Mart were in West Michigan, trying to make the case for Kent County’s first super Wal-Mart. The Alpine Township Planning Commission talked about the zoning for existing property on Alpine Avenue, north of 4 Mile. Wal-Mart wants to build a new store on land behind the existing store.

Wal-Mart Rep – And what we are asking for is re-zoning, and we are asking does the Planning Commission think that a super center there? In 1992 you thought the Wal-Mart fit there, and obviously it did because they are doing well. The neighbors are shopping there, people passing on Alpine are shopping there. It is a good fit. We just want to expand it.

WZZM 13 News reader – No timelines for the project were decided on tonight. Alpine Commissioners will take the issue back up in early 2006.

Analysis:

This story looks at fraud related to the relief efforts around Hurricane Katrina. Most the story is devoted to covering fraud committed by individual actors. For example, there is footage of an older woman who is being put in a police car for falsely claiming to be a Katrina victim. Viewers are also told about Red Cross volunteers stealing debit cards intended for hurricane victims. This is reported in rather subjective language, with the reporter stating “We’ve seen the heroes, now come the villains, the petty crooks and big time thieves who have gone after the sixty plus billion dollars of federal aid and millions more donated to charities.” Interviewed in the piece is a representative from the American Red Cross and also an Assistant Attorney General from the US Justice Department. Neither of the statements by these two people provides the viewer with any concrete details about fraud of relief monies, rather they are general statements expressing disappointment that people would engage in defrauding victims.

There are several issues related to this topic that was not included in this story. One thing that was glossed over was the issue of large scale waste and fraud. In the piece there is a statement provided by Danielle Brian from the Project on Government Oversight. She is shown saying “Rather than the big picture, multi-million, ten million dollar crimes, that’s what we’re more concerned about.” The reporter then follows that quote saying “But what about the price gouging contractors, the sweetheart deals for the politically connected. Sadly it would seem the fallout from Katrina stretches from coast to battered coast”. That’s how the story ends. While the reporter raises this issue of large scale fraud perpetrated by companies and governmental agencies, no examples or details are provided. Nor is any data provided on the scale of the fraud, or how the individual examples which the story focuses on compare in terms of dollars wasted to the large scale scams alluded to but left unexplored by the reporter.

Story:

WXMI 17 News reader – Earlier this week federal investigators announced the arrests of several people in California accused of trying to cheat the Red Cross out of money intended for Hurricane Katrina victims. It’s only the latest in a string of similar revelations. National correspondent Grant Rampy joins us live from our news center in Washington tonight with more, Grant.

Reporter – Evening Rachel, we probably shouldn’t be shocked there are always creeps who come out of the woodwork to prey on those who are down on their luck. In Katrina’s wake, same story new victims.

Reporter – We’ve seen the heroes, now come the villains, the petty crooks and big time thieves who have gone after the sixty plus billion dollars of federal aid and millions more donated to charities, all of which was intended to help the displaced and the distraught. This woman’s accused of posing as an evacuee.

Woman in handcuffs – Someone set it up and I’m stupid enough to go do it, like a fool.

Reporter – In Texas a Red Cross volunteer charged with stealing debit cards meant for storm victims. In California twenty-two people contracted to work at this Red Cross call center, are accused of filing three hundred thousand dollars worth of false claims.

Laura Howe (Red Cross) – It’s terribly disappointing and disheartening that anyone would want to take something away from people who need help and need it so badly.

John Conklin (Asst. US Attorney General) – Unfortunately the fraud schemes are ever present and in this case, while we hoped nobody would be willing to take advantage of this situation, people have.

Reporter – there are the phony evacuees, phony charities, phony insurance claims, the Justice department set up a special taskforce just to deal with all the scandals.

Alberto Gonzales (US Attorney General) – What we’ve witnessed, the actions of a few.

Reporter – but one government watchdog says the feds are too focused on going after small timers.

Danielle Brian (Project on govt. oversight) – Rather than the big picture, multi-million, ten million dollar crimes, that’s what we’re more concerned about.

Reporter – The American Red Cross insists instances of fraud represent a small percentage of the overall contributions that have been made to its organization. But what about the price gouging contractors, the sweetheart deals for the politically connected. Sadly it would seem the fallout from Katrina stretches from coast to battered coast.

Reporter – And the Red Cross says it is taking a two fold approach to fighting fraud. Its expanding the search for scammers and at the same time providing new systems that make it easier to detect fraud in the future. Live in Washington, Grant Rampy, FOX 17 news at ten.

Total time: 2 minutes 23 seconds

Analysis:

The story is about what the Senate voted on just prior to the Christmas break, which included the Defense spending bill, a deficit reduction bill and the USA Patriot Act. Each of these bills would require their own story, but channel 17 tries to summarize all three in the same story. The story has one line about the Defense Spending bill, a bit more about the USA Patriot Act and most of the time was devoted to the deficit reduction bill. The FOX 17 reporter presents the information like a sports commentator. Ask yourself after reading the excerpted comments from elected officials, mixed in with the reporter’s commentary whether or not you understand what is going on?

None of the comments from any of the elected officials is verified and no other perspectives outside of the Democrats or Republicans is provided on any of the issues being voted on, particularly the USA Patriot Act and the deficit reduction bill. Viewers should ask themselves if only providing these congressional excerpts helps them to understand what was being voted on?

Story:

WXMI Newsreader – US senators trying to wrap up the nations business before they head home for the holidays. Since this morning they passed a deficit reduction plan and they’ve come close to signing off on more money for the defense department. So far though, no extension of the Patriot Act. FOX 17’s Grant Rampy is live on Capital Hill tonight with the very latest on the senate voting, Grant?

Reporter – Good Evening Christian, and actually just in the last little while there has been a big development up here, we understand senators have agreed to extend the Patriot act, or at least key provisions of it that were set to expire, for another six months. Major news in the meantime they are trying to get home for the holiday break and they have gotten a lot done all day long.

Reporter – Selling it as a package to cut the deficit by 40 billion dollars, Republican leaders finally got their way, but only after Dick Cheney jumped in at the last minute.

Cheney – The Senate, being equally divided; the Vice President votes in the affirmative.

Reporter – In pushing the plan GOP lawmakers say there goals been to reduce the rate of the federal government’s growth.

Rick Santorum (Senator) – To make sure that the moneys wisely spent, effectively spent.

Reporter – But Democrats counter the poor are getting squeezed so the rich can get a windfall.

Harry Reid (Senator) – How can it be that we are about to cut student loans, cut Medicare and Medicaid, and then turn around and provide even more tax breaks to special interests and multi-millionaires.

Reporter – Score one for Democrats, they’ve long fought to prevent drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. Republicans stuck a provision clearing the way for oil exploration there into a defense spending bill which also includes billions more for Katrina victims. Both sides argued….

Unidentified Senator – We should show respect for our men and women in uniform.

Reporter – And argued some more…

Ted Stevens (Senator) – I hope the good lord will help me hold my temper.

Reporter – It appears the defense bill will pass with ANWR getting the axe, but what about the Patriot Act?

Unidentified Senator – Our goal is to mend it, extend it, not end it.

Bush – The terrorist threat is not going to expire at the end of this year. This obstruction is inexcusable.

Reporter – Again we understand, breaking news, the Senate has agreed to extend key provisions of the Patriot Act another six months. No official vote just yet but this should give critics time to find more safeguards for civil liberties. Live, in Washington, Grant Rampy, Fox 17 News at Ten.

Total Time: 2 minutes and 9 seconds

Analysis:

This article is a good example of how the Grand Rapids Press substantially edits news stories to fit within the print edition of the paper. The original AP version of this article is roughly 800 words long, the GR Press version is only about 170 words. The original article gives a fair amount of information about Morales and the situation in Bolivia, the edited version in the GR Press is focused solely on coca production. From the GR Press version, the reader would learn that Morales, Bolivia’s soon to be president, is a coca farmer and has opposed U.S. “war on drugs” coca eradication efforts in Bolivia. There is no other concrete information about Morales in the GR Press version. In the full length original version, much more contextual information is provided. The reader is told about the role of coca as a traditional medicine in Andean culture as opposed to its use in cocaine production and how Morales supports growing coca for its traditional uses but not as an ingredient in narcotics trafficking.

Also mentioned in the Full version but not in the shortened piece is the fact that Morales has risen to power on more than just the coca issue. In it, it says “The battle against coca eradication that “Morales” led helped mobilize Indian organizations already angered by continuing poverty and political domination by a rich elite, feeding a broader political movement.” Unfortunately, there is not much elaboration on this point in the full length article. Over the last four years Bolivia has seen much political upheaval, with two presidents resigning in the face of large scale public opposition. Much of this was due to World Bank inspired economic programs, particularly the failed government attempt to privatize water in Bolivia. These economic issues, as well as the coca issue, played a large part in creating the social movement which has lead Morales to power.

Story:

Bolivian leader invites U.S. to parley on coca

LA PAZ, Bolivia – Bolivia’s soon-to-be president, Evo Morales, a coca farmer under pressure to crack down on cocaine, pledged Tuesday to keep controls on coca but said he will study expanding the area where it can be legally grown.

Morales also called on the United States to work with him to develop better ways of ending drug trafficking while preserving the traditional market for coca in his Andean nation, where people have chewed the plant to stave off hunger and used it as a medicine for thousands of years.

“There won’t be free cultivation of the coca leaf,” said Morales, who still has his own coca plot and came to prominence leading fellow growers – “cocaleros” – in fighting U.S.-backed efforts to eradicate coca in Bolivia, the No. 3 supplier of cocaine to the United States after Colombia and Peru.

With half the ballot from Sunday’s election, Morales appeared increasingly likely to win the presidency outright, since he led the eight-candidate field with more than 50 percent of the vote.

Text from the original article ommitted from the Grand Rapids Press version:

Morales’ apparently wide victory margin in Sunday’s election virtually assures that Congress will declare him president in January even if he falls shy of the majority needed to win outright in the eight-man race. And a majority win appears increasingly likely, since Morales already had slightly more than 50 percent Tuesday with half the vote – including much of his rural support – still uncounted, according to official results. His opponents have conceded and the outgoing administration said it was preparing to hand over power to him.
A leftist Aymara Indian who grew up in poverty, herding llamas and raising potatoes in Bolivia’s arid highlands, Morales migrated to the coca-growing region of Chapare, where many otherwise impoverished farmers depend on small plots of the crop.

The U.S.-led war on drugs inadvertently helped bring Morales to power. The battle against coca eradication that he led helped mobilize Indian organizations already angered by continuing poverty and political domination by a rich elite, feeding a broader political movement.

Indians are a majority of Bolivia’s 8.5 million people, but never in its 180-year history has the country had an Indian president.

Acting increasingly like the president-elect, Morales said Tuesday that his government would study whether acreage limits should be increased to satisfy legal consumption.

Current laws permit coca cultivation in 29,000 acres of the Yungas valley and a legally dubious accord struck by President Carlos Mesa in a compromise with protesting farmers alloweed 7,900 acres to be cultivated in the Chapare.

But past Bolivian administrations and the U.S. government are convinced that an increasing amount of the crop is being turned into drugs. Bolivia, the world’s No. 3 coca grower, may have produced up to 118 tons of cocaine last year, up 35 percent from 2003, according to the latest U.N. World Drug Report.

U.S. officials so far have taken a cautious approach to the man who had described himself as their “nightmare.”

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told CNN on Monday that relations with Bolivia will be determined by the “behavior” of the new government in La Paz.

“We have good relations with people across the political spectrum in Latin America,” Rice said. She did not mention two of Morales’ allies, Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, with whom the United States has had increasingly tense dealings.

Myles Frechette, a former U.S. ambassador to Colombia, said that while Bolivia may produce “more coca for local consumption,” Morales may also cooperate “in his own way, so as not to hurt not just the United States, but the rest of the world.”

Morales has described his policy as “zero cocaine and zero drug trafficking, but not zero coca or zero cocaleros,” and says he is ready, in principle, to work with U.S. officials.

A former U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, Robert Gelbard, said Morales’ real challenge will be using force to follow through on his pledge to curb drug trafficking.

“It’s very, very likely there’s going to be a move by trafficking cartels to try to increase their capabilities” in Bolivia.

“The expectations clearly will be that there will be much more room for maneuver on the part not just of the coca farmers, but on the part of trafficking organizations,” Gelbard said.

But Morales and supporters insist that the coca leaves they sell in local marketplaces go for legitimate ends.

People in the Andean highlands have chewed coca leaf to suppress appetite and work up energy, used it in religious ceremonies and boiled it into medicinal tea. It is sold legally in supermarkets throughout Bolivia and Peru, and is served as tea in cafes.

Julio Atto, a 56-year-old worker at La Paz’s coca market, said that his meager income from coca allowed him to put his children through college.

“The poor don’t have money, the drug traffickers have dollars,” Atto said as Indian women in bowler hats, stooping under 25-kilogram bags of coca, stood in line before scales saying “Made in the U.S.A.”

Analysis:

This story was about how Representatives Vern Ehlers and Pete Hoekstra voted against a bill that passed by a margin of 308-106 in the House. The headline read “Ehlers, Hoekstra critical of defense budget,” and the opening line reads as “U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra said he was sending a message when he broke Republican ranks and voted against a record $453 billion defense bill early Monday.” Clearly the article is framing the story in such a way as to paint the area Congressman as opposed to this defense bill. The article claims that Rep. Ehlers voted against the bill because it included drilling for oil in Alaska. The only claim provided for why Hoekstra voted against this bill was because he was unable to find out until after the vote where money for intelligence was going.

There are several omissions worth mentioning here. First, the Press reporter Ken Kolker did not question the claims made by either Congressman, which he could have done by asking follow up questions. One question could have been “did both of you vote against this bill because you live in districts that are uncontested?” A second omission in this article is that it doesn’t provide any other perspectives on the Defense Spending bill, which is pretty major since it is $453 billion, the largest in US history, nor does it provide any details about the bill other than 2 local defense companies that are beneficiaries of contracts. The Last major omission is that the article does investigate further Rep. Ehlers claim that hiding the ANWAR oil drilling in the Defense Budget was “dirty pool.” Much has been written about the practice of hiding the oil drilling in the Defense bill. Senator Levin calls it a “violation of Senate Rule 28”, which doesn’t allow for provisions to be added in the manner it was. Readers should ask themselves if providing more information on what the $453 billion bill was about and perspectives other than the 2 Congressman would better serve the public?

Story:

Ehlers, Hoekstra critical of defense budget
By Ken Kolker
The Grand Rapids Press

U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra said he was sending a message when he broke Republican ranks and voted against a record $453 billion defense bill early Monday.

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee should know how much is spent on gathering intelligence — especially post 9/11, he said.

“There’s more than just a little frustration,” he said.

Hoekstra, of Holland, and U.S. Rep. Vernon Ehlers, of Grand Rapids, were among 16 Republicans who voted against the defense bill, which passed 308-106. For Ehlers, it was mostly a matter of energy policy. A provision to drill for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which he opposes, was tied to the bill.

Hoekstra and Ehlers said they were not voting against the troops in Iraq.

Hoekstra said he was unable to learn, until after the vote, where the money was going for intelligence.

“I believe on a point of principle that the authorizing committees ought to have full exposure and access to how the appropriators spend money,” Hoekstra said.

Despite his no vote, his office issued press releases touting $5 million in defense spending on two West Michigan projects:
• $2.8 million for military aircraft transportation equipment made by a Cadillac company, AAR Mobility Systems.
• $2.1 million for a computer network being developed by Mercy General Health Partners of Muskegon that allows hospitals to share information on patients. It will serve as a prototype for the military.

While he supports both, he couldn’t let $5 million in local projects sway his vote on more than $400 billion in defense spending, Ehlers said, explaining the Arctic drilling provision was “something we should have voted on separately. I thought that was dirty pool.”

The drilling poses an environmental threat and keeps the United States in the wrong direction on energy, he said. The nation, he said, should spend more on alternative sources.

“We’re going to develop bigger appetites for oil. Ten years from now, when ANWR’s gone, we’re going to be in even worse shape than we’re in now.”

He also said he didn’t have time enough to study the defense bill.

“I thought this was extreme — a huge bill with that many expenditures,” he said. He feared he would “read in the paper” about some “silly little things” — pork barrel projects — that were included.

Analysis:

This story from WZZM 13 is a very clear example of unbalanced reporting. Only two voices are presented in this piece, White House spokesperson Scott McClellan and republican US representative Peter Hoekstra. Considering that this story is about alleged wrong-doing by the White House, it would make sense from a journalist standpoint to feature voices not affiliated with the White House. Rather, this piece offers not critical viewpoints. Nor does WZZM challenge anything said by either McClellan or Hoekstra. While the footage of McClellan is from a national news source, the footage of Hoekstra is not, being from an interview conducted by a WZZM 13 reporter. It would have been very easy for WZZM to ask Hoekstra follow-up questions to his statements.

Both McClellan and Hoekstra make the claim that the exposure of this wiretapping program has weakened the security of the US. Neither provides any concrete evidence to back this claim up and WZZM 13 does not ask for any verification. McClellan and Hoekstra also both make the claim “that congress members were briefed about the secret program in the past.” According to an article from the New York Times, “no more than 14 members of Congress have been briefed orally of the program since it began, but that no aides and note-taking were allowed during the meetings” and that “lawmakers who attended the briefings have provided starkly different versions of what they were told at the sessions.” Rather than challenge the claims made by Hoekstra, WZZM frames the story entirely within the notion advanced by Hoekstra that the exposure of this wiretapping program has made Americans less safe, going so far as to ask the viewing public to call in on whether they thought “media exposure of the wiretapping program is a serious blow to US security.”

Story:

WZZM Newsreader – The Bush administration is defending the way it dealt with congress on its domestic wire tapping program. Three Democratic and two Republican senators want an immediate inquiry into President Bush’s authorization of the secret program. Press secretary Scott McClellan says lawmakers were briefed more than a dozen times since the program began in 2001. The white house also criticized the media exposure of the program which the New York Times made public last week.

Scott McClellan – The disclosure of this program has damaged our national security and put us at greater risk because the enemy wants to know what we are doing, and by talking about this program. It gives the enemy a sense of what we are doing to try to disrupt plots and prevent attacks.

Newsreader – Critics say congress never authorized intercepting domestic phone calls and emails without a court order. President Bush plans to re-authorize the program when it comes up for renewal. Now tonight we spoke with US representative Pete Hoekstra, and he confirmed that congress members were briefed about the secret program in the past. The Holland republican is chairman of the house intelligence committee. Congressman Hoekstra says the New York Times, breaking the wire tapping story, has significantly weakened our ability to protect ourselves.

Representative Hoekstra – The more important phone call is the one from an Al Qaeda operative, in Afghanistan or Pakistan calling in to the United States. That’s a phone call that we need to be listening to, that we need to understand. We know what the threats are from Al Qaeda. This was a very tightly monitored program. We’ve now lost that capability or exposed that capability to Al Qaeda.

Newsreader – Representative Hoekstra said we lost a great insight into a terrorist network which was used for years and he says the New York Times is to blame. Well do you think media exposure of the wiretapping program is a serious blow to US security? You can go to our website to vote now on our poll 13. Log on to WZZM 13.com to tell us what you think and we will have the results right after tonight’s sports.

Total Time: 2 minutes, five seconds