WASHINGTON—The NAB praised the coverage by broadcasters during the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, which, as the NAB has highlighted in a recent newsletter, included local broadcasters conducting interviews with their areas’ members of Congress during and shortly after the events to keep their communities informed.
Hundreds of local TV and radio broadcasters interviewed their local legislators, giving members of Congress a direct outlet to share what was happening with their constituents.
During the riots, Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate WDIV-TV in Detroit spoke with Rep. Lisa McClain (R) from where she was in lockdown in the Capitol, describing the series of events and confirming that she and a number of colleagues were “safe and secure.”
Other stations conducted interviews with representatives later that night after Congress reconvened to certify President Biden’s election victory, or in the days that followed for their recollections and reactions to the riots.
The NAB has collected many more stories from broadcasters talking with government officials about the Capitol riots and has made them available for view online.
The newsletter that NAB sent out with some of these stories is part of the organization’s “We Are Broadcasters” campaign, which is highlighting the crucial role that broadcasters play in their communities, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congress itself is hoping to recognize the work of journalists during the Capitol riots, introducing legislation honoring them.
