Ways to Energize the Washington Press Corps

The theme addressed by the panelists was “Ten Ways to Energize the Washington Press Corps.” Tom Winship set the tone by using the disagreement over Sen. Simpson’s critical remarks about Peter Arnett’s coverage of the Persian Gulf war as an example. Mr. Winship initially presented the ten energizing ideas at a conference in Florida, and since then the ideas have generated a lot of conversation within the field of journalism over what the best role is for the media in covering the politics of the capitol city, and especially Congress. He emphasized that the large regional papers, not the three major national papers, are the most lax in their watchdog duties. According to him, the public is counting on the Fourth Estate to keep the activities of politicians in check. The panelists discussed Mr. Winship’s stance and whether his steps truly would create a more responsible media and government. close