Pat McGuigan on Citizen Journalism

OurBlook interview with Pat McGuigan, editor of www.CapitolBeatOK.com

Why was CapitolBeatOK.com (state government reporting site in Oklahoma) started up?

PM: CapitolBeatOK.com was started as a result of the void in state news service. In the mid-1990s, nearly 1,000 reporters covered state capitols across the 50 states. Today, capitol press corps numbers have shrunk to around 300 in all. In Oklahoma, falling advertising revenue and paid subscriptions have led publishers of many newspapers to reduce staff, causing cutbacks in both statehouse and investigative reporting.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs is stepping in to help fill this gap ... they have contracted with me to do journalistic research ... to provide incisive news reporting from 23rd & Lincoln on areas of broad public interest.

You as the editor have conventional newspaper experience but do you also use citizen journalists and if so, under what circumstances and what are the arrangements?

PM: The new wave of journalism is that of the citizen journalist. Those who are sick and tired with the lack of news or in-depth reporting, therefore they take matters into their own hands and report to their friends, families and colleagues about the stories they believe should be covered. Yes, we use citizen journalists for story tips, advice, and in the future we plan to be using them more.

What is the funding for your venture? Do you and any other staff members get paid?

PM: I am contracted by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages of covering state government in this way as opposed to the traditional way of a print newspaper bureau?

PM: I think CapitolBeatOK has all of the advantages except name recognition, which we are working on. We can instantly update the news, are connected to followers via social media mediums and don’t have the restrictions of the internal politics that comes into play at a newspaper bureau. We report the news we find interesting, and don’t seek to sensationalize in order to sell more papers and ads.

Is this venture enough of a success that you can say it will continue? What does it take to make it successful?

PM: Yes, it will continue ... this is a blast, and the demand is high for capitol reporting as our country and Oklahoma specifically start to pay more attention to the government and those running it! To be successful, we must continue to build name recognition and do the stories that no one wants to touch. Take on the controversial pieces and provide the public with insight and analysis they are not getting from their traditional news sources.

Does your site just cover daily news or have you also done in-depth or investigative projects?

PM: Both ... I do legislative profiles and long-term stories and the state budget and other papers/items that are more than “daily” news.

You provide online news stories but you also do Twitter updates, YouTube videos and podcasts. How effective are your social media efforts?

PM: We are just starting, but with any social media, it is used as a tool in your arsenal. It should not be the only way you communicate with those interested, but a way to communicate with some, and keep the interest piqued of others.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about CapitolBeatOK.com?

PM: CapitolBeatOK is an independent, nonpartisan news service based at the Oklahoma state capitol providing regular coverage of the legislature, executive branch, agencies, and the judiciary. CapitolBeatOK is contracted by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) to provide incisive news reporting on areas of broad public interest. CapitolBeatOK supports the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Patrick B. McGuigan has been editor of the editorial page at The Oklahoman, the state's largest newspaper, and Oklahoma's deputy commissioner of labor. He is also a certified teacher, and worked for two years as curriculum director at Justice Alma Wilson Seeworth Academy, a public charter alternative school in Oklahoma City. He is the editor of seven books on legal policy and the author of two books, including "The Politics of Direct Democracy: Case Studies in Popular Decision Making."