County official warns staff about press

TV reporter's alleged search for 'scandal' prompts memo

Phaedra Haywood | The New Mexican

8/4/2008 - 8/5/08

County public-information officer Stephen Ulibarri sent a memo to county staff recently warning them that economic hard times in the media industry will cause reporters to start digging for dirt.

"I receive calls on a daily basis looking for information on stories that focus on investigations seeking to find evidence of mismanagement and scandal," Ulibarri wrote in the memo, which was sent to county staff July 9.

In the first paragraph of the e-mail, Ulibarri reports being told recently by a reporter at KOB-TV news that a new station manger had been hired to boost ratings and her approach would be to look for more scandal, mismanagement, immorality and dirt. The reporter planned to quit, according to Ulibarri's memo, because he "didn't have the stomach for it anymore."

These warnings top a final paragraph that reiterates the county's policy that staff members are free to speak to the press. "However, it will be that individual speaking and not SF County's official position," he wrote. "No staff member is under any obligation to talk to the media regardless of what they may tell you."

As a post-script to the memo, Ulibarri wrote:

"PS SF County is in the midst of working to increase our transparency and access to residents. More on that in the next few months."

Ulibarri said he was prompted to send the memo because he had recently noticed several new reporters who seemed to be "digging for stuff, digging around, searching for information about what was going on about everything in the county ... questioning every single thing beyond the norm."

"I wanted to reiterate, to make staff aware, to clarify, to redefine, number one, what the county's public-information policy is," he said. "We have had some staff who were being bullied by reporters. ... I felt it was my job as PIO to say 'be wary,' " Ulibarri said.

Ulibarri declined to name reporters who had "bullied" staff or stories that had come out of the intense scrutiny. "I don't want to go into details," he said. "I don't want to empower the people who did that. ... I don't want to dignify it that way."

Ulibarri's boss, County Manager Roman Abeyta, said he does not think the memo indicates Ulibarri has an anti-media bias.

"I think he is doing his job," Abeyta said. The county manager also said he doesn't think the memo would affect staff attitudes toward cooperating with media.

"I don't think it discourages them," Abeyta said. "It kind of puts them on notice that this is out there ... it's not that far-fetched."

Abeyta said county staff members historically have been reticent about talking to the press, not because they are afraid of the media (as Ulibarri has often indicated), but because they are afraid of the elected officials.

"There is a fear of perceived repercussions," Abeyta said. "What is the commission going to think? As an employee, you don't want to cross an elected official."

Abeyta said he values the media's role as a government watchdog, "but some news outlets cross the line," he said. "They don't get the facts straight; they don't do enough research."

Abeyta said he's not sure if he would have approved the memo if he had seen it before it was sent out.

"I don't have a problem with the first paragraph," he said. "That was a conversation that should be relayed to staff."

Commissioners Mike Anaya, Harry Montoya and Virginia Vigil also said they saw nothing wrong with the tone of the memo.

Montoya said he didn't think the memo expressed anti-media bias or sent a mixed message to staff about cooperating with reporters. "No way — not at all," he said.

"The way I read it, it made me feel like if I wanted to say something I could. ... To me, it's kind of a reassuring message, that there is help and I can get some help" answering reporters questions.

Asked if he agreed with the sentiments expressed in the memo, Anaya said, "To a point, I do. To look for a story, you gotta go look for dirt. Something to keep the people gossiping. ... All I could say is I would hope that's not all the focus is on ... is negativity or dirt."

Anaya said he felt the media was an important tool for the county to get messages out to citizens. Asked if he felt the memo promoted a close working relationship with media, he said, "No, because he said you all are just looking for dirt, and that's not encouraging to work together."

Vigil said in a phone message she felt the memo was "quite informative."

After reading the memo, Commissioner Paul Campos declined to comment. Commissioner Jack Sullivan could not be reached.

Jamie Ioos, news manager at KOB-TV, said she felt the memo was incorrect in several ways — mainly because it seemed to indicate the new policy was hers, though the memo was written July 9, and she didn't start work at the station until July 21.

"I'd say that our policy at KOB is to aggressively serve the needs of the viewers," Ioos said. "When we have to ask tough questions, we will. But I would have appreciated hearing from the public-information office before any kind of memo like this went out."

Kelly McBride, ethics group leader at the Poynter Institute, a school and resource center for journalists, said she found the memo disheartening.

"This is actually fairly common, to have a public-information officer for a governmental entity that dislikes the media," McBride said. "And it's unfortunate. Government employees are paid by the taxpayers, and the taxpayers have a right to information from anyone who is paid on a government salary. And when you have a powerful person within a government organization with a negative attitude toward the media, or discouraging cooperation or the free flow of information, the public is the one that suffers. ... You don't know enough to know if you should fire your county sheriff or commissioners or your tax assessor."

Ulibarri — who is paid about $70,000 per year and said he's never seen a written description of his job — said he believes his main duty is to get information to residents as quickly, clearly and directly as possible.

Ulibarri said the government no longer has to rely on the media to get information to the public, mainly because of the Internet.

Ulibarri has launched a transparency campaign dubbed "Let the Sun Shine In." Part of the effort will be to produce a television show in which county officials answer questions sent in by constituents. Ulibarri said he also plans to produce podcasts and broadcast more meetings.

"There is an independence problem when the government is the only source of information," McBride said. "You can't count on the government itself to provide the public with the information it needs to have." Another factor, she said is that "most individuals don't have the money or the power or the time to pay attention to every detail of what is happening in their government. They rely upon the media to be their watchdog."

Leonard DeLayo, director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, said he found the memo interesting because "on one hand he warns folks, but on the other hand he indicates that SFC is working toward 'transparency.' "

"The most interesting are the comments about the Press," DeLayo wrote in a statement, "(who) to me are simply doing their job even if it means more investigations into governmental mismanagement. Who, if not for the Press would review those matters? I am encouraged that he indicated that they would be forth coming with information as requested. It will be interesting to see if they actually do so."

"It's the job of the media to do exactly what he's talking about," DeLayo said. "If you guys don't do it, who is going to?"

Contact Phaedra Haywood at 986-3068 or phaywood@sfnewmexican.com.

The memo

From: Stephen Ulibarri
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 1:44 p.m.
To: sfc
Subject: new season in press coverage for SF County

All: As some of you may have noticed, SF County has been coming under much closer scrutiny in the media lately. I receive calls on a daily basis looking for information on stories that focus on investigations seeking to find evidence of mismanagement and scandal. This is not a coincidence. After a KOB-TV news interview yesterday, the reporter told me that he’s leaving the station because a new station manager has been brought into boost ratings (KOB has been #2 for the past 18 months). Her new approach: “turn up the crime and negativity.” I responded “you mean more death and violence”. The reporter said “more scandal and seeking mismanagement, immorality, dirt.” He said he didn’t have the stomach for it anymore.

The news media (TV, radio, and newspapers) are in business to make money. They make most of their money through advertising revenue. When the economy goes bad, the first place businesses cut expenses is in advertising. So, the news media immediately feel the pinch and competition for scarce advertising dollars becomes fierce. The way to get your share of that advertising revenue is to increase readership/viewers. How do they do that? “Turn up the crime and negativity.”

It has already begun and will probably intensify.
To reiterate SF County’s policy on media contact: All SF County staff are free to speak to the press, if they choose to. However, it will be that individual speaking and not SF County’s official position. No staff member is under any obligation to speak to the media regardless of what they may tell you. SF County is obligated to  prove public information and that is one of my main responsibilities — to make sure the public information gets to the public. If you feel uncomfortable speaking with the media or are just busy doing your job, I am here to help. Send the reporters to me and I will immediately get them what they need. Any official County Statement will come thru me to ensure consistency and accuracy of information. If you are contacted by any member of the press, please let me know ASAP.
If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Stephen~

PS SF County is in the midst of working to increase our transparency and access to residents  — more on that in the next few months.