The Indianapolis Star reported Indiana Governor Mike Pence planned to begin a media outlet called “Just IN.”
This would have been a website run by the state to break stories and disseminate information to news organizations. Pence dropped the plan after catching an earful from reporters and others.
The Shop Talk panelists agree with those who gave the governor grief. Jasmine Crighton said government cannot be expected to put out objective news stories. She also said audiences should not be getting news stories directly from the government.
Rich Moreno said governments running their own news service would simply color and tailor the news to fit its own needs. He said one news outlet referred to the governor’s plan as “Pravda on the Plains.”
Moreno suggested Pence could use someone on his staff who’s willing to tell the governor when he comes up with a bad idea.
Rich Egger feels the governor was trying to take advantage of smaller news staffs, which sometimes struggle to keep up with events. The governor might have gotten some of those smaller outlets to use the material.
