Unfair Coverage of Steele in DBK ...

Below is a letter sent to Diamondback editors October 26 posing questions about the daily publication's coverage of Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele as juxtaposed with the coverage of Democrats.

I’m curious to find out who made the decision on the placement for today’s story on Lt. Gov. Michael Steele announcing his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. It’s interesting that when Martin O’Malley announced his bid for governor, the Diamondback ran the story above the fold on the front page; when Doug Duncan announced his gubernatorial campaign, the Diamondback ran a story below the fold on the front page; but when Steele announced his Senate run, the Diamondback ran a story on page 7.

For O’Malley’s announcement, the story was accompanied by a handsome photograph of O’Malley. The story on Duncan’s announcement was set off with a picture of Duncan. The article on Steele’s announcement was joined by a picture not of Steele, but of a “clash” between a Steele supporter and a protester.

Additionally, on the occasions of the two Democrats’ campaign announcements, the Diamondback printed columns or letters that supported the candidates. But on the same day it reported Steele’s announcement, the Diamondback printed a column from one of the student protesters denouncing Steele as a hypocrite.

Scott Goldstein criticized the Diamondback’s disparity between O’Malley’s above-the-fold story and Duncan’s below-the-fold story. I hope he takes note of the numerous dissimilarities between the coverage of Democratic gubernatorial candidates and that of the Republican Senate candidate. And I hope this doesn’t foreshadow favoritism-riddled coverage in the months to come.

Nathan Burchfiel
Senior – Journalism

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