Y'all Have Questions, We Have Answers

Here you go!

Well, it took us a little longer to get to the Q&A for the week. We picked three questions that seemed to have some meaning behind them. Here goes:

Q: Does South Arkansas Reckoning believe that the media in general is corrupt? 

Generally, no. Biased, yes. Slanted, yes. Here's why. Most media outlets are owned by a big corporation. We, too, are incorporated for tax purposes. But the two founders of the Reckoning, Richard and I, are also the editors, the reporters, the graphic designers, the everything. We don't have anyone ordering us to do — or not do — this or that.

I have worked in media since I was in high school in the 1980s. I watched media evolve from cutting and pasting paper onto boards to send to the printer and watching a newspaper roll off of a press to the business becoming almost 100% digital.

I began my professional career at the state's largest newspaper but left when white, male editors told me that I was too young to cover politics at age 25. When I questioned that decision, they put me in the society section to write about parties, wedding dresses and flowers. I quit and began my freelance career.

That career involved writing for many national and international publications. I always stayed independent. That way, if I sensed something was off with an outlet — like not being paid for work rendered — I could choose not to do business with that entity.

In Arkansas, your local paper that has the name of your town on the front page banner may not be owned by a local person. It's owned, yes, but likely by a big corporation. It could have a local owner with ties to a larger media conglomerate. In rare occurrences, it is actually owned by an actual real local person.

Local papers and websites, even those tied to radio stations, depend on advertising to pay bills like payroll and utilities — just like any business. They look for big advertisers — think about your local prominent businesses that have the most money. Those advertisers will pay for a full-page ad or more time on the radio. Those businesses often expect positive coverage in exchange for advertising dollars.

In the old world of print media, a firewall existed between advertising and editorial— the newsroom — existed. That made news more independent and separate from advertising. But with more job cuts and higher operating costs, newsrooms often have reporters and editors writing and selling advertising. Lines blur.

Here's an example. Say you have a company in town that is a loyal advertiser. They sell a product, though, that harms the environment. A reporter decides to investigate. The advertiser calls the news outlet's higher-ups and threatens to pull advertising if the reporter doesn't drop the story. Guess who wins nine times out of 10? That's right. Money talks.

The Reckoning is built on a reader-friendly business platform. We write for the reader not the advertiser. A founding membership is $300, yearly is $60, monthly $6. We want to remain independent to avoid the controversy that comes from advertising and real reporting. This is the reason we encourage all readers to upgrade to a paid subscription.

Mainstream media budgets are astronomical all too often leading to media saying, “Sorry, you just don’t have a story here.” Mainstream media follows trends and narratives creating an echo chamber. If you want to fact check that look at news outlets across social media. Almost every single one has exactly the same story every day with the same take on it. We do not.

We are different. We report on what we believe is important to the reader.

Q: Has reporting on local issues affected the way people in communities treat you? 

A: Yes. It's hard covering people you see at the Dollar General or church. They may not speak or even be cordial and neither will their friends and family. But that's the price of telling the truth.

All too often, when we report on something, we get asked, “Is it a crime?” The answer is “no.” But should you know as a taxpayer? Yes.

We have been asked are we targeting people. No. We are exposing issues that the media have ignored or not investigated. Often that's because of connections. See the question above about how those connections work.

Q: How does South Arkansas Reckoning deal with Freedom of Information requests? I have sent requests and get no response. 

A:  Oh boy, this one is loaded. There is no clear-cut answer to resolve these issues at this time. 

Here is one way to address these types of issues. In today’s world email is king, make certain you make your request to the “Custodian of the Record” — mayor, county judge, superintendent, etc.

If it’s your first request with an entity, give them a call to let them know you sent the request. Be reasonable. If you ask for records generated over a period of years, the custodian will likely need additional time than the three days the law typically allows. Be patient and cordial.

FOIA allows for you to request that the custodian provide you specific exemptions if they feel the information cannot be released. Have the custodian respond in writing. 

Be prepared for the custodian to request a copy of some sort of state-issued identification. We do not personally agree that it’s required to identify residency but it's not worth the fight. After all, if you are requesting information, that information should be your ultimate goal. 

It's important to note that custodians can charge the actual cost to copy the records you requested. Be prepared to incur fees occasionally. 

When all else fails, the Circuit Court in your county is the ultimate fact finder if you believe the custodian is not in compliance with FOIA laws. Sadly, sometimes there’s no alternative. Truth: You may have to sue.

We feel one of the most important things Arkansans can is strengthen FOIA by helping gather the signatures for the Arkansas Citizens for Transparency group. Then rally among your communities to vote in November.