Is ProJo Cianci Coverage Biased?
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The recent proliferation of anti-Buddy Cianci editorials in the Providence Journal - as well as columns condemning him -- have critics questioning the nature of the attacks, and supporters defending the Journal's position in doing so.
"The one thing that put it over the top for me was the sports column comparing [Cianci] to Ray Rice," said 920 WHJJ News Radio host Ron St. Pierre, of Journal sports columnist Jim Donaldson's piece, "When it comes to Rice and Cianci, it's time we get our priorities straight," which ran this past weekend.
"It should be an embarrassment to the city of Providence to have Cianci in the mayor’s office," wrote Donaldson.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTSLIDES: See Journal's Recent Coverage of Cianci BELOW
St. Pierre, who spoke Monday morning on air about the issue, said he found the scenario facing the two time former Providence Mayor -- and convicted felon-- to be "almost yellow journalism."
"It reminds me of the story of when [publisher William Randolph] Hearst dispatched a photographer to Cuba, and the photographer telegraphed back to Hurst, saying there was no war there. Hurst said, 'You supply the pictures, I'll supply the war'. That's what this is. It's at the point where it's laughable," said St. Pierre.
While the editorial staff of the Providence Journal has been consistently opposed to Cianci -- a two-time convicted felon -- winning the seat for a third time, following their endorsement of Jorge Elorza in August, the Journal has increased its anti-Cianci editorials, as well as critical Politifact columns.
"We've seen four anti-Cianci editorials in the span of seven days," said WPRO Morning News host and NBC 10 news anchor Gene Valicenti. "It seems more overkill than unfairness. Although the editorial board can spout their opinion and do whatever they want, they run the risk of engendering sympathy for Buddy, which is the opposite of what they're trying to accomplish."
"Even in Little League, there's a mercy rule," said Valicenti. Providence Journal editorial page editor Ed Achorn declined request for comment on Monday.
Role of "Legacy Media"?
Roger Williams University Professor of Communications Michael Scully spoke to what he saw was the need -- and importance -- of the Journal's role, from an editorial standpoint, of reminding readers of Cianci's record. Cianci pleaded guilty to assault during his first administration in 1984, then was convicted for racketeering conspiracy during his second stint in office in 2002, and was sentenced to four years in prison.
"The ProJo is legacy media, and they're entitled to revisit the legacy of Buddy Cianci. There's no pulling the wool over their eyes," said Scully. "Right now, [Cianci's] controlling the narrative, he's saying he's 'misunderstood." But the ProJo was there -- they know the story, and they know that people are buying what Buddy is saying."
"Legacy media has a long memory," said Scully. "They're entitled and should remind the public about it. However, they don't have the resources they once had, which is why Buddy is able to control the conversation."
Rhode Island College Professor of Political Communications Valerie Endress warned, however, as to implications of a concerted editorial effort, as it applied to the rest of the publication.
"In their role as the “fourth estate” news media possess the power to make or break political careers through intense reporting and investigative journalism. And, too, through its editorial page, a newspaper can focus readers’ attention on controversial issues of the day, and can endorse political candidates," said Endress.
Endress spoke to the potential not of carryover from the editorial page to reporting, but the perception of it by the reader.
"Overuse or abuse of the editorial page, however, may bring into question the unbiased nature of news reporting," said Endress. "There can be leakage, and readers may perceive bias in traditional forms of reporting where none exists. When does enough become too much on the editorial page? When the focus of attention turns to the newspaper itself rather than the subject of the editorials."
St. Pierre referred to how Journal articles consistently use the descriptor, "two-time convicted felon," whenever first referencing Cianci. "They're going to start running out of commas," said St. Pierre.
While several letters-to-the-editor by readers expressing their concern for the Journal's anti-Cianci tone and content have already been published, Endress questioned the role of the "editorial board," in the age of social media.
"With the growth of non-traditional journalistic media on the internet, with the growth of opinions swirling over social media, the newspaper’s editorial page does not have the impact today that it did even 15 or 20 years ago," said Endress. "And, too, because fewer and fewer citizens subscribe to newspapers, going after a person with this sort of intensity can damage credibility without swaying voters. Newspapers want their reputation built and maintained by top-shelf reporting, not their stance on a political candidate."
Broader Context
"We could say that this is the 'most the Journal has ever done,' but did the Journal handle [former Rhode Island Governor Edward] DiPrete the same way? They can agree that it is in fact a disproportionate number of editorials, but they could say that Cianci proposes a disproportionate threat to the public's well-being," said Valicenti.
"I welcome the editorials, which have been excellent. One of the most important things a paper can do is exercise its editorial voice," said former Journal political columnist Charlie Bakst. "And if the topic is as important as reminding voters of Cianci's past, his style, and his distant relationship with truth, the paper should not be reluctant to return to these issues time after time."
Alan Mutter, a former editor at the Chicago Daily News and City Editor of the Chicago Sun-Times, noted an editorial conundrum was nothing new -- and that any judgment ultimately rested with the reader.
"Thanks to the First Amendment, a newspaper can say anything it wants. The history of media is filled with examples of publishers or broadcasters like Fox News skewing coverage to help their friends and punish their designated enemies," said Mutter, who is adjunct faculty of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley. "In fact, is it was not until after the post-World War II years that most media companies abandoned (or subordinated) their political partisanship in the interests of attracting the largest number of readers and the most advertisers."
"Even in the era of the comparatively neutral press, some newspapers still embark on campaigns to right wrongs they think need to be righted. Is that bias or laudable community leadership? The judgment is in the eye of the beholder," said Mutter. "If a newspaper gets too out of sync with its audience and advertisers, it runs the risk of harming its business, so enlightened economic self-interest usually keeps them relatively honest."
Radio personality Jen Brien was one reader who expressed her disapproval over Facebook recently. "Dear Prov Journal," Brien wrote on September 28. "Your incessant hammering away at Buddy Cianci is so obnoxious and unappealing, I will no longer buy your rag of a newspaper."
Related Slideshow: Cianci’s Coverage in the Providence Journal
A look at recent coverage of former Mayor and Mayoral candidate Buddy Cianci's coverage in the Journal.
Column - September 21
Politifact - September 21
Letter - September 22
Letter - September 23
Article - September 23
Editorial - September 23
Letter - September 24
Article - September 24
Article - September 24
Article - September 24
Editorial - September 24-
Column - September 26 
Editorial - September 26
Column - September 28
Opinion Piece - September
Letter - September 28
Editorial - September 28
Article - September 28
Politifact - September 28
Related Articles
- EXCLUSIVE: Confidential Memo Unveils Secret Fund to Beat Buddy Cianci
- Will Secret Anti-Cianci Fund Prove Successful?
- NEW: Harrop Claims Mismanagement of Cianci Scholarship Fund
- National Media Reacts to Buddy Cianci Running for Mayor
- Sides Split on Buddy Running for Mayor of Providence
- Buddy Cianci: Timeline of His Life
- Is WPRO Violating Equal Time with Buddy Cianci Show Title?
- John Perilli: Buddy Cianci’s Long, Sad Comeback Trail
- Ric Santurri: All Buddy, All The Time
- Marketing Providence: The Buddy Brand Factor
- Buddy’s Former Staff Members: Where Are They Now?
- Listen: Marketing Providence: The Buddy Brand Factor
- The Economist Dubs Providence “NE Armpit” and Cianci “Gangster”
- Russell Moore: Buddy Still Favorite in Mayoral Bid
- Perilli: All Buddy’s Money Can’t Buy Him Providence Again
- Russell Moore: The Summer of Buddy
- The Scoop: Cianci, Elorza Endorsement Duel, URI Engineering Bond Kick Off, and More
- GoLocal Goes 1-on-1 With Marrocco: He Slams Cianci and Solomon
- NEW: Cianci Compares Providence Past and Present in New Ad
- Ron Reacts: Buddy’s In, Now What?
- LISTEN: “Anybody But Cianci” Group Forming to Take on Buddy
- Questions Buddy Cianci Must Answer to be Providence’s Next Mayor
- Ron Reacts: The General Assembly and Buddy Cianci
- Buddy Cianci’s History in Pop Culture
- NEW: Cianci Fires Back at Leaked Secret Fund Memo
- Cianci Names Cyd McKenna Campaign Manager
- NEW: Poll Shows Solomon Can Beat Cianci
- Russell Moore: Anybody But Cianci?
- Exclusive: Filmmaker and Anti-Cianci Backer Corrente Named in $5.8 Million Lawsuit
- The Scoop: Cianci’s New Plan, Fung Got New TV and More
- “Anybody But Cianci” Group Forming to Take on Buddy
- NEW: Cianci Announces Providence Neighborhood Revitalization Plan
- How Did Cianci Get the Police Endorsement Over Elorza?
- Ric Santurri: The Big Question– Can Cianci Win?
- NEW: Former Cianci Driver Rep. Hull Endorses Smiley
- NEW: Cianci Announces Campaign Leadership Team for Providence Mayoral Run
