| Topics: Civic Communication Huntington Herald-Dispatch
Our Jobs, Our Children, Our Future Responding to massive job losses that made economic development a top community concern, the Herald-Dispatch in November 1993 published a 12-page special section, "Our Jobs, Our Children, Our Future," detailing industrial problems and citizen visions for the community's future. In January, the paper teamed up with the local NBC affiliate and an area university to sponsor a town hall meeting on economic development that drew 900 people. After publishing a coupon to elicit volunteers for six task forces formed at the meeting, the paper essentially stepped out of the process. By late 1994, the city had updated its strategic plan for the first time in 12 years and applied for a major federal economic development grant, the county commission had placed an economic development initiative on the November ballot, and the task forces had incorporated and merged with the local Chamber of Commerce's economic-development agency to form a new entity with broad community representation. A case study by Project on Public Life and the Press
New York University, Department of Journalism,10 Washington Pl.
New York, NY 10003, (212) 998-3793 © Project on Public Life and the Press,1994 The Project is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Huntington Herald-Dispatch (newspaper)
946 Fifth Ave.
Huntington, W. Va. 25701
(304) 526-2787 Ownership
Gannett
No. newsroom employees: 43 Circulation
42,000 (daily)
51,000 (Sunday)
circulation area(population)
Cabell County (100,000) Initiative
Our jobs, Our children, Our future Dates
Ongoing since summer 1992 Executive in charge
Randy Hammer, executive editor When and how did this initiative get started?
After coming to Huntington in the early '90s, Executive Editor Randy Hammer was startled to learn of 70,000 mining and manufacturing jobs lost in 10 years, and to discover the state had no economic development agency to deal with the problems. After a survey showed the depth of citizen concern about economics, he convened the discussion with local leaders. What are the goals of the initiative?
To focus on the area's economic development process, to bring up and discuss potential solutions, and to bring a wider array of participants into the discussion about the community's economic future. What does the initiative entail?
After a 1992 newspaper survey showed economic woes to be the top concern in the Huntington area, the paper called 20 local leaders to a meeting on economic development, held at a local hotel. Editors asked what should be included in a series about bringing jobs to the area, then assigned reporters to spend months developing stories that detailed weaknesses in the city and state, focused on potential industries and interviewed hundreds of citizens about their vision for the community's future. The resulting special section, published in November 1993, coincided closely with the announcement that an area manufacturer was closing. The section was stuffed with a postage-paid coupon eliciting citizen comments and responses to the question: "What one thing should be done to bring jobs into the area?" Several hundred people responded. Early in 1994, more than 900 people were joined by the state's governor in a meeting cosponsored by the paper, the TV network affiliate and the university. Both the paper and the TV station developed five-part series leading into the meeting; the paper sent personal invitations to everyone who had returned a postcard. The only other active efforts by the paper: publication of a mail-in coupon for volunteers to serve on six tasks forces, cosponsorship of a followup town hall meeting in March, and sponsorship of an effort for citizens to visit the state legislature. (On the last day of a legislative session focused in part on economic issues, the paper sponsored "Operation Watchdog," encouraging citizens to visit the legislature wearing white hats. The paper then published guest columns detailing citizen reactions to the day's activities.) By March, the paper scaled back ongoing coverage of task force meetings for fear of becoming a P.R. vehicle for the groups. As interest in economic development spread and grew through the community during 1994, the paper closely tracked the emerging responses, detailing the costs of the proposed three-year, $1.5 million levy for economic development, and visiting Tupelo, Miss., cited by the Wall Street Journal -- and the state's governor -- as an economic success. The paper continued to run stories under the "Our Jobs, Our Children, Our Future" sig through 1994. How many people are working on it?
Five reporters developed the 1993 special section, but virtually the entire newsroom staff has been involved in some aspect of ongoing coverage. What does it look like in the newspaper?
Special broadsheet section kicked off the initiative. Ongoing coverage of economic development issues receives 1A or local section front play. Editorials and guest columns appear on editorial page. Response to the Initiative In the newsroom:
Enthusiasm and exhaustion in early stages, and "some adrenaline running" about "where to draw the line." Executive Editor Randy Hammer repeatedly stressed the paper's watchdog role, and was explicit about the paper remaining a disinterested party in coverage. For example, he has directed staff to "bend over backwards" to air a full discussion of the proposed tax levy, and has warned task force members not to hold conversations they wish to remain private in the presence of newspaper staff. "We're a newspaper and it's our job to find things out," he said. "We are not a public relations tool. I tell them, 'We may have brought y'all together, but we're not your sponsor.' " In the community:
In late summer 1994, the task forces incorporated and merged with the Chamber of Commerce's economic development agency to form a new entity with broad community representation. During the year, new economic development measures included a city decision to update a strategic plan written in 1994, a county commission move to place a three-year, $1.5 million dedicated economic development levy on the November ballot, and city application for federal funds to support community development in the city's most impoverished areas. Planners cited the paper's efforts as a catalyst in the strategic planning process that led to the application. Among political leaders:
Political leaders were initially highly enthusiastic about the project and turned out heavily for the second town hall meeting, after the first drew a large crowd. However, as citizen involvement increased, some politicians and others in the existing power structure felt threatened, Hammer said. Lawmakers were dismayed by heavy citizen turnout for the last day of the legislative session. Those involved with the Chamber's economic development arm were unhappy when the paper reported on the success of a town that had disbanded its Chamber in favor of a broad-based planning coalition. The governor has been a consistent supporter of the process, and has urged other communities across the state to follow Huntington's lead. What's next:
The paper will continue to highlight economic development measures on its news pages. Hammer plans to sponsor a legislative "Operation Watchdog" again in 1995, this time organizing a trip to the Capitol at the beginning of the session; the Herald-Dispatch will give prominent play to citizen reactions to legislative action throughout the session. The paper also is backing away from an institutional political position. This year for the first time, it made no candidate endorsements. "We'll provide the information, but the rest is up to you. It's really in line with our position that the community should take responsibility for itself." Case study written by Lisa Austin, Assistant Director of the Project on Public Life and the Press, September 1994. Lisa is also a member of the CPN Journalism editorial team. More Information Project on Public Life and the Press
New York University
Department of Journalism
10 Washington Pl.
New York, NY 10003
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