Public Officials and Private Lives

JOURNALISTS ARE OFTEN CHALLENGED WITH THE JOB OF COVERING THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

IF A POLITICIAN HAS AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR SHOULD THE MEDIA COVER IT AS NEWS? AND WHEN A MOVIE STAR, SCANTILY CLAD IS PHOTOGRAPHED WITHOUT HER CONSENT OR KNOWLEDGE, HAVE HER RIGHTS BEEN VIOLATED?

NEXT GENERATION RADIO REPORTER NATASHA PATTERSON EXPLORES THE RHETORIC OVER THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

AXs and TRAXS SCRIPT...
August 4, 2002
Natasha's Feature
"Public Officials and Private Lives"

NATASHA: IN ONGOING DEBATES THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS RAISED CONCERNING THE MEDIA'S COVERAGE OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS. ACCORDING TO A 1999 POLLING REPORT 72 PERCENT THINK THE MEDIA DRIVES THE CONTROVERSIES WHEREAS ONLY 24 PERCENT THINK REPORTERS ARE COVERING THE NEWS.

Pritchard:
:24 seconds
IC: I do know...
OC: ...something like that.

NATASHA: POLITICIANS HAVE DEALT WITH PUBLIC SCANDAL IN MANY WAYS. FLORIDA GOVERNOR JEB BUSH PLEADED FOR HIS FAMILY'S PRIVACY WHEN HIS DAUGHTER RAN INTO TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. CHICAGO'S MAYOR RICHARD M. DALEY TOLD THE MEDIA TO BACK OFF WHEN QUESTIONS SURROUNDING HIS WIFE'S BREAST CANCER AROSE. BUT, MILWAUKEE'S MAYOR JOHN NORQUIST WHO RECENTLY DEALT WITH A SEX SCANDAL THAT MADE LOCAL AND NATIONAL MEDIA, STATES HE DOESN'T FAULT THE MEDIA FOR INVESTIGATING THE LIVES OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

Mayor John Norquist…
:28 SECONDS...
IC: I don't have...
OC: ...crying about it.

NATASHA: BRUCE WINTER, PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR WUWM, MILWAUKEE'S PUBLIC RADIO STATION, SAYS SOMETIMES A SCANDAL ISN'T WORTH COVERING:

Bruce Winter...
:27 seconds
IC: For us, it...
OC: ...to pursue aggressively.

NATASHA: BUT HOW AGGRESSIVELY? IS THE QUESTION... DAVID AXELROD, WHO IS CURRENTLY A DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL CONSULTANT URGES HIS CANDIDATES TO BE OPEN AND CANDID ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES, BECAUSE HE KNOWS AS A FORMER REPORTER, THAT MUCH OF THEIR PERSONAL LIVES WILL BE SUBJECT TO SCRUTINY. AND HE'S FINE WITH THAT. HOWEVER, HE DOES FEEL THAT HARM MAY BE CAUSED TO INNOCENT BYSTANDERS.

David Axelrod…
:22 seconds
IC: I feel badly when...
OC: ... as a governor.

NATASHA: MARGE PITROFF, WUWM'S DIRECTOR, HAS SPENT 22 YEARS IN JOURNALISM. PITROFF SAYS THAT IN THE STATION'S EFFORTS TO REPORT FAIRLY ON SENSITIVE MATTERS, THEY TRY TO USE DISCRETION. HOWEVER, SHE DOESN'T THINK THAT HER COLLEAGUES SHARE HER SENTIMENT.

Marge Pitroff…
:15 seconds
IC: If there's one thing....
OC: ... profession with them.

NATASHA: FOR NEXT GENERATION RADIO VOICES, I'M NATASHA PATTERSON