1. To:DickZais
From:Kevin Wren
Re: JournalEntry 6 – “Public Activism/MediaCoverageDeterminingPolicy/Service”
March6,2016
Recentevents in FlintandFergusonunderscorethedegreeofimpactlocalgovernmentdecisionscanspurcitizen
activism,mediacoverage,the deliveryof services, andpoliticalrepresentation.Glaringpublicfailures,likethewater
crisisinFlint, clearlyshowhow nationalmediaattentionandbroadcitizen criticism canencouragegovernment
officialsto mitigatedamage.In Seattle likein Ferguson,afailure by localpolice andcourtstodolepublic safety
servicesreasonablyandequitablyacrossracialandethnic lineswentunresolveddueto a lackof voice for
marginalizedblackcommunities.Theinstancesinthoseexamplesweretreatedas suchby the communityinsteadas
patterns of misjustice,whichfailedto capturetheinterest of mediauntilit was too late. Theseexamplesshowthe
needfor mediatoexposeinjusticesbecausethepublic maylackthe resourcestoleverage stakeholderorelected
supportthemselves. Therearealsopositive exampleswherepublic activism ormediaattentionhelpedthelocal
governmentoperatemoreeffectively andefficiently, likethe recentreport on Seattle’sbike shareprogram,which
showedthe cityis losinglots of moneyandencouragedacouncilvote.
As MarilynneBeard noted in herpresentation,an informedcitymanagerisawareof communityconcernsbeforethey
becomeapublic failureoranissuefor the council.Even divisive media,liketheKirklandVoice, needto be
consideredbecausetheyrepresenta vocal stakeholdergroupanda vested set of interests. These“cynical citizens”
are capableofrallyingthe “outsideapathetics”andleveragingmediaattentioninoppositionto particularpolicy
interventions despitethe positive benefitsfor the vast majority. Converse to cynicalcitizensanddivisive media,
politiciansandadministratorsaremorecapableofcreatingpublic failuresbyignoringcommunityor mediaconcerns,
so they needto beever vigilant. Beard’sexampleof Kirkland’ssurvey showing67%residentsupportthat was
ultimateignoredbycouncil ledtobacklash,anincreaseincynicism,andadecreaseinpublic trust.
● Cultivating public trustthroughthe effective and efficientdelivery of servicesis the ultimategoalofa city
manager,whichcanincreasepublic supportand mediaengagementasneededthat canleadto positive
qualityof lifeimpacts.
Citizen EngagementProliferates
We are experiencingaparadigmshiftinjournalism withthe propagation of “citizenjournalists,”wholackformal
trainingandare capableofreachingamassivereadershipthroughsocialmediachannels.More citizensthanever
are engaginglocal governmentand likeminded stakeholdersthroughFacebook,Twitter,andblogs.Thicknetworks
are beingwoven throughthe internet, whicharebeginningtomakepolicyandserviceimpacts.#BlackLivesMatteris
a recentshiningexampleofhowa broadyet importantissue, racialviolence,anda galvanizing event, the shooting
deathof Trayvon Martin,canconnectmarginalizedcommunitiesoftenignoredbytheir localandnational
representatives. Theseaffectedpopulationsarealsosupportedby similarorganizations,likethe ACLU, as wellas
individuals,likewhite folks, who donot directlycorrelatetotheir target demographic,butsupportthe organization’s
values and mission.Criticsofthe movementopinethe movement’sineffectivenessisa lackof messagecoherence.I
witnessedthis first-hand, beingcalledaracistat a BernieSandersrally inthe fall, “I support your movement,but not
if you’re goingto bereverse racist.”However, the dinof their movementis gaininglegitimacyandsparkingchange:
● Over eleven hundredblackprofessorsexpressedsupportfor #BlackLivesMatter.
● Mediaoutletslike The New York Times referredto #BlackLivesMatteras“a newcivilrights movement.”
● #BlackLivesMatterwasvoted as one of the twelve hashtagsthat changedtheworldin 2014
Beard’sapprehensiontowardssocialmediaseemedjustifiedbythe amountofrisk localgovernmenttakes onby
engagingonFacebookandTwitter.However,I believeher stanceis short-sidedas it ignoresa growingcommunity
by cateringto the oldguardand status quo. If her goalwasto reachthesamecitizen groupsandconsolidatepublic
opinion,thena simplepressreleasein the KirklandReporterwouldsuffice.If her goalwas to quicklyengagecitizens,
trackthe conversation,andbroadencommunityengagementthena simplesetof 140charactertweetswould
supportthe triedand true engagementstrategies.By choosingtoonly engagethelocalnewspaper,onereachesa

2. very specific demographicthattends to be older,white, andmid-to high-income.Whilethisgroupsreflects a strong
proportionof Beard’sKirklanddemographic,itis not indicativeof groupsthat are often ignoredbylocalgovernment,
likeyoung peoplewhoareless likelyto subscribeto the KirklandReporterandmorelikelyto get localnewsthrough
FacebookorTwitter.Inthis way, localgovernmentsunwittinglyobfuscatecommunityconcernsbydoingbusinessas
usualin lieuof embracingtheleanproductionframeworkthatencouragesincrementalprocessimprovements,like
usingtraditionalandsocialmediatoreachcommunities.
InvestigativeJournalismWithers
Thedays of “All the President’sMen”withWoodwardand Bernsteinuncoveringmasscorruptionatthehighest level
of governmentare not gone, but have beensignificantlyreducedduetobudget cutbacksandstaffingfreezes amid
dwindlingrevenues.Thefilm “Spotlight”detailsthissea changeasjournalistswith The Boston Globe’s“Spotlight”
team seek to uncovermass corruptionintheBoston Catholic Archdioceseconcerningtherampantsexualabuseof
children.Fortunately,thereare industry awards,namelythe Pulitzers, that celebratetopnewscoverageandhelps
set a standard for journaliststo strive. Every year, a journalistora team of journalistsearnthe Pulitzer prize for
Public Service,like The WashingtonPost in1973 for coverageof Watergate and The BostonGlobe thirty years later
in 2003for coverageof sex abuseby Catholic priests. ThereareotherPulitzer categories,likethe Pulitzer Prize for
LocalInvestigative SpecializedReporting,whichbringlocalissuesintoa nationalandinternationalfocus.However,
mostnews doesnot reachthe Pulitzer level in terms of glaringpublic failureandqualityof journalism,sosmall
communityissuesremainhidden.
Thesameforcethathas proliferatedthe citizenjournalistis responsibleforthe declineofthe investigative journalist.
Yet, this doesnot meaninvestigative journalistsare lesspowerfulat incurringpolicychange.Thenetworksthat
connecttheaveragecitizen are capableofleveragingstoriesby mediaandmakingcoverageviralas it spreads
throughsocialmedia.Additionally,the formaltrainingjournalistsundertakebetterpreparesthem for distillingand
communicatingcomplexideasthantheaverage citizen. Thesejournalistsarelearninghowtobest harnessthe power
of socialmediatobroadentheirreadershipandexposea particularissue throughtheirpeers, professional
organizations,and coveringtheir“beats.” Edward Snowden,agovernmentcontractorandwhistleblower,understood
the limitsof his storytelling abilities asan average citizen and optedto disclosetheNSA’s domestic andinternational
electronic espionageprogramstojournalistsinstead.Thefilm “Citizenfour”documentsSnowden’sstrugglewith
distillingthesecomplexissuesandturnsto journalistsat The WashingtonPost andThe Guardian tocommunicate
with the public.As a result of theircoverage,The WashingtonPostandThe Guardian wonthe Pulitzer prize for
Public Serviceandgeneratedwidespread,international citizenactivistoppositionof the NSA’s programs. This
resultedin actionsbyevery aspectof the nationalgovernmentas they struggledwith balancingtherightto privacy
andthe commitmenttonationalsecurity.
Onthe spectrum of communityoutrage,mostmediacoverageof communityconcernsrustlessomeelectedofficials’
feathers andinformsa portionof the communitythat is payingattention. Localnewsrarelyreachesthe pinnacleof
The Seattle Times investigationof widespreadcorruptionandinequitiesinthefederallysponsoredhousingprogram
for Native Americans,whichinspiredmuch-neededreforms.Eric Nalder,DeborahNelson,andAlexTizonwon the
Pulitzer for LocalInvestigative SpecializedReportingin1997for their coverage,bringingnecessarychangetoa
public policyfailure.Instancesof corruptionandembezzlementaremorewidespread,generatingcommunity
backlash,increasingtheamountofcynicism,andreducingpublictrustingovernment. Whilethis kindof coverage
doesnot createpolicychange,itdoesimpactcommunityengagementandgovernmenthiring.Likewhenthe
DowntownPascoDevelopmentAuthoritydirectorwas arrestedfor embezzlement,Pascowillundoubtedlyvalue
ethicsas they seek to replacetheoutgoingdirector.
GovernmentAuscultatesSelectively
Localgovernmentsarebifurcatedintoadministrationand elected,whichcancreateproblemsforcitizensthat the
mediaisnot capableofcovering,albeitfor lackof resourcesorevidence.Likein the caseof Ferguson,adminand
electedweresiloedintheir conversationsaboutincreasingrevenueforthe city andeventually decidedtoincrease
the rate and priceoffines and fees for minorcriminaloffenses.By not engagingthecommunityormedia,this policy

3. decisionwentintoeffect andwasn’t calledintoquestionuntilthe shootingdeathof MichaelBrownin2014.The
incidentsparked protestsand actsof vandalism as wellas widespreadcallsforaninvestigation intothe incident.On
August 10, after a day of vigils, there werelootingof businesses,vandalism of vehicles,and violent clashesbetween
protesters andpolice.OnAugust 18, soldiersfrom the MissouriNationalGuardarrivedinFergusonat the requestof
the Governor of Missouri JayNixon, whoalsoendedmidnightto5:00 a.m. curfewsthat had beenimposed. On
November24, a grandjury decidedthatit wouldnot indictofficerinvolved in the shootingdeathof Brown. Following
the announcementofthe grand jury's decision,therewerepeacefulprotestsas wellas rioting. A March4,2015
report by the Departmentof JusticeconcludedthatpoliceofficersinFergusonroutinelyviolatedthe constitutional
rights of the city’s residents by applyingracialstereotypesin a “pattern or practiceofunlawfulconduct”through
aggressive policetactics.In the short-term,the governmentwas successfulinincreasingrevenuesforthe city while
honoringtheirmissioninenforcingcrime.However,in the long-term,abudgetdecisioncreatedmoreproblemsthan
it aimedto solve: unnecessarydeathof oneof their citizens,cost of vandalism/rioting,impactonbusinessesclosed
duringtrial, “stain” onFerguson’shistory, permanentlossof trust with localgovernmentinFerguson,state costfor
deployingNationalGuard,andcivilcasesinvolving aggressive policingtacticsandresidents.Ultimately,the benefits
of changingthefee structureof minor criminaloffensesweresignificantlyoutweighedbythe costs of the Martintrial,
negative public relations/mediaimpactonperceptionofthecity, andthe requirementstheDOJmandatedFerguson
address.
After readingtheDOJ’sreport, it is clearhowpolicieselected officialsmade andadminofficialsimplemented
generatedrevenuesthrough increasedticketing.Becausethecouncilandmanagementdidnotincludethepublic or
media,they arepartiallyculpablefor the shootingof Brownand the Governordeclaringastate of emergency.The
communitydidnot want aggressivepolicingtactics,butthepublic werenot madeawareof this policybecausealack
of mediacoverageandcommunityengagement.Beardmadeagoodpointthat you don’twant to engagethe entire
public ona particularissueasthe voicescanbecomeacacophonyofcompetingprioritiesandslowthedevelopment
andimplementationofpolicyinterventions. Onthe flip side, not includinganyof the public canbemoredetrimental if
officialsinadvertentlycreatea public failurelikeinFerguson.In orderto cultivatepublic trust a citymanagermust
engagethe public forsupportand bringinmediaafter doinga basic SWOT analysisandrisk assessmentof a given
policyproposal.
● Theeffectiveand efficientengagementofmediaandthe public isoneof the best ways a city managercan
inform electedofficialsofa short-comingoranopportunitythat cancultivatepublic trust andleadto positive
qualityof lifeimpacts.