Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 31, 1994 TAG: 9405310138
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Paul Dellinger
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
One possible reason for resentment of reporters is that they may seem aloof from the communities they cover. They almost have to be. A reporter would forfeit trust covering the activities of an organization to which he or she belonged, be it United Way or a political party.
Years ago, when I was regularly covering a support group for the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, the park ranger kept trying to persuade me to run for one of its offices. He thought my reporter-objectivity explanation a copout - until a controversy arose within the group and it was suggested I not mention it. After that, the ranger told me he understood why I'd had to distance myself from its officialdom.
I once served on a church council; another time, I spoke at a science fiction convention. Those things seemed innocuous enough. But the church came close to getting involved in a property dispute, and someone who had won a trip to Hollywood at the convention complained when it was not forthcoming. The property dispute was settled privately, but I did end up doing a story about the complaint. (The trip materialized shortly afterward).
So I continue to be cautious about involvements. But then I run into somebody like J.R. Schrader.
J.R. was a reporter for the Southwest Times in Pulaski back when I was just getting started with our newspaper, and we covered many of the same meetings and activities. Later, he left journalism, and I covered a different area.
But we both came back; J.R. to reporting, and me to Pulaski County. When I started covering Pulaski Town Council once more, J.R. was one of its members. I confess it was a funny feeling to see my former fellow reporter on the other side of the coverage.
He was into his second term when he returned to being a reporter at his former paper and acknowledged that he would have to resign from council before too long. Despite his concern over a possible conflict of interest, he stayed at the job to which he had been re-elected for almost another year - another reporter covered council meetings - and managed the difficult balancing of objectivity and civic duty until this month, when he did step down.
He did not do what one of his predecessors at his paper, the late Howard Imboden, did when he was part of Pulaski's town government long ago. When I knew him, Imboden was publishing a paper in Marion. He confided to me that, when he was on Pulaski's council and it met in closed session, he would publish the proceedings in the next issue.
That was long before Virginia's Freedom of Information Act spelled out what could be discussed in closed session. Pulaski Town Attorney Frank Terwilliger is more than diligent about seeing that council complies with the FOI, and J.R. has said he now understands why such sessions are sometimes necessary.
At any rate, J.R. managed to cary out his civic and journalistic duties without a misstep. And speaking of missteps, a belated ``Getting It Right'': Because of a reporter's error (mine), the article about J.R.'s resignation incorrectly stated that he and Vice Mayor W.H. ``Rocky'' Schrader are not related. I've since learned they are cousins. Which shows reporters can remain aloof and still make mistakes.
\ Paul Dellinger is a staff writer in the New River Valley bureau of the Roanoke Times & World-News.
by CNB