"I think the media doesn't understand what its role is in this country anymore."
So said former Vermont governor and presidential candidate Howard Dean during a panel discussion about political debates, sponsored by the NAB Education Foundation. He reminded broadcasters that news is not supposed to be entertainment.
Dean said a Bush administration tactic of avoiding interviews with national media in favor of local broadcasters is smart. "Local TV is the best interview you can get."
He urged local station managers to keep their reporters from imitating national media. National media are not "better" than local media, he said.
Also during the forum, Candy Altman, vice president of news for Hearst-Argyle Television, said, "Candidates need to get off this idea that they need to stay on message. I understand where it comes from ... but American people get gypped because they then don't get a chance to 'see' that person."
Former Pentagon spokeswoman Torie Clarke said the emphasis on debates is overblown, calling them just one aspect of a campaign.