We encourage journalism and media studies programs in St. Louis and Missouri to take a close look at the relationship between the office of Mayor Francis G. Slay and the mainstream media in St. Louis, particularly the network news programs. The recent promotions issue in the St. Louis Fire Department would provide a fascinating study in how a City administration can aggressively (and successfully) guide the reporting of a major – indeed, historic – news story.
Student reporters and editors could learn a great deal about the pitfalls of their prospective profession, if they scrutinize how the City presented the promotions issue, starting with the selection of a firm to conduct the 2004 promotions test and continuing all the way through the promotions made by acting Chief Steve Kotraba after Sherman George was demoted for not making those promotions. It is remarkable how consistently the version of events presented by the mayor’s office was reported as fact, when the City’s claims have been fervently disputed at every step of what became a disastrous process.
George and the deputy chiefs who share his closest counsel became so disgusted, at times, with media coverage that they refused comment to certain reporters, such as Mike Owens of KSDK. This, of course, did not help the mainstream media report the chief’s side of the story, but his disgust stemmed precisely from their repeated failure to fairly and equally report his view even when he did present his case. George also began to despair at an often-repeated pattern. Again and again, moments after he received a sensitive letter or order from the mayor or the director of Public Safety, there would be a reporter on his doorstep. He became convinced that the City was playing the media against him, relentlessly. And news directors were, at best, getting played or, at worst, playing right along.
This newspaper, like any media outlet, makes mistakes and misses stories. We have an agenda that we don’t disguise – furthering the best interests, as we understand them, of the African-American community. But we have been dismayed to find ourselves one of the only voices in St. Louis making an attempt to challenge the version of events set forth by the City. And, to be frank, in every instance that we were able to obtain a document to verify the facts, as we have reported repeatedly, the City had not been truthful with us. Our peers either ignored these reports of ours – or were not interested in pursuing a line of inquiry that might upset City Hall and interfere with the mayor’s vision and agenda for what is best for the fire department and the City of St. Louis.
We also encourage the public to watch local media with a skeptical eye, especially when they report news out of the mayor’s office. If the Sherman George situation is any indication of business as usual, truth is not being served very faithfully in local reporting on City government. Finally, we urge local editors and reporters to be as aggressive in pursuit of the truth as City officials are in pursuit of your loyalty. Your credibility is at stake. And, as sources of news and opinion, that is all any of us can ever hope to have.