TIPS FOR COVERING HOMELAND SECURITY
"Homeland security" is a huge story that's hard to get
your arms around, especially for broadcast journalists. It's not
just a question of airport inspections or cargo screening. The war
on terror here at home also means detentions and deportations, and
a spreading blanket of government secrecy that makes these stories
even harder to report on. A recent conference sponsored by the Institute
on Justice and Journalism offered tips and resources for finding
and telling more of those stories in local communities.
There are dozens of possible areas for investigation, including:
Why is it important to cover these stories? Several news managers
at the conference used almost identical language in answering that
question. "I didn't want to look back 10 or 20 years from now
and say we didn't do what we should have," said Rick Rodriguez,
editor of the Sacramento Bee, which did a lengthy investigation
into the effect of the Patriot Act, "Liberty
in the Balance."
NewsLab is collecting story ideas and examples of broadcast reporting
on security and liberty issues. If you have any to suggest, please
contact us (
).
What follows is a starter kit of stories worth looking into. We've
also added links to resources
for reporting on homeland security.
Detentions and deportations
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has been tracking
the story of detentions,
secret trials and deportations of mostly Arab-American or Muslim
men since 9/11. Many were arrested as material witnesses and either
held without charge or deported after secret hearings. WNYC reporter
Marianne McCune produced a series, "Going
Home in Handcuffs," about Pakistani deportees. The Chicago
Tribune produced a special report on this issue, "Tossed
out of America," in 2003. The federal government contracts
with local jails to hold these prisoners. Are any of these cases
going on in your area?
Government secrecy
Since 9/11, the Bush administration has limited access to all sorts
of government information on the grounds of national security. Among
the information that can be protected is "critical
infrastructure information," even when it is provided by
private businesses. For example, a pipeline company can voluntarily
report dangerous safety issues to the government and be assured
that the information cannot be made public. It's not clear how much
of this information has actually been filed, of course, because
it's secret. The Society of Environmental Journalists has been tracking
this issue and puts out a bi-weekly tipsheet.
What safety-related information is being kept secret in your area?
San Antonio station WOAI found that lots of supposedly public
records are difficult to obtain  .
Immigration
Under the US-VISIT program, people who need a visa to get into
the United States are fingerprinted and photographed at the border.
That information is checked against data they provided to get that
visa, to make sure they are who they say they are. It's not currently
checked against most government watch lists, and up to now, it has
been enforced only at airports. Soon, DHS says, it will apply at
all border crossings, including those in Mexico and Canada, and
it may apply to everyone, not just people who need a visa to come
in. Testing is now
underway. Some predict that the borders will be so stressed
they will shut down. That's just one of the immigration changes
since 9/11.
Patriot Act
Parts of the Patriot Act, passed immediately after 9/11, are due
to expire at the end of 2005. Efforts are underway in Congress to
change or extend the act, and an unusual coalition--from the ACLU
to the NRA--has come together to oppose certain provisions. Among
the most controversial is Section 215, which allows government access
to all kinds of business records. Libraries
and booksellers have been especially
outspoken in opposing that provision. CNN aired an hour-long
special on the Patriot Act in 2003, raising issues worth revisiting.
Among them, actions by states and communities to pass resolutions
against the act. Is one of them near you? The Bush administration
also has been working on what's called Patriot
II, a copy of which was obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.
Preparedness
Is your local community ready, should terrorism strike home? Reporter
Jack Fink at WESH did a series of stories on police and fire communications
issues, post 9/11. Can the agencies in your area talk to each
other? I-Team reporter Joe Bergantino at WBZ-TV in Boston looked
at whether local schools
or hospitals
were prepared to handle a chemical or biological attack. How prepared
is your public health system?
Security
Transportation isn't the only sector that may be vulnerable to
terrorist attack. Consider what other possible targets may exist
in your area and look at what's been done, if anything, to increase
security. David Schecter at WCCO in Minneapolis found a loophole
in security at the Mall
of America. His report emphasized that the station revealed
the flaw to the Mall and re-tested security to see if it had been
fixed before putting the story on the air. WBZ's Joe Bergantino
found that security information for state government
buildings in Boston was easily available online. CBS News investigated
security at chemical plants across the country. Steve Kroft's story
for 60 Minutes revealed that security
was so lax he was able to walk in uncontested. While much of
the transportation security focus has been on air travel, rail and
public transit carry 16 times as many passengers daily. KNBC in
Los Angeles tested security
on Amtrak
and found that virtually nothing was being done. WCBS in New York
looked at the easy availability of ammonium
nitrate ,
the fertilizer used in the Oklahoma City bombing. And KIRO in Seattle
found huge gaps in port
security .
Spending
The federal government has earmarked more than $13 billion for
homeland security grants to states and awarded more than $8 billion.
How is that money being spent and how much has not been
spent? Are there any state guidelines covering what can be bought?
How is the money being allocated within the state? Some states won't
release that information, but local law enforcement agencies and
first responders are often willing to talk. Deb Sherman at KUSA
in Denver, working in partnership with the Denver Post, found a
volunteer fire department that spent $100,000 on a new gym complete
with personal trainer. Her
report points out more than once that Colorado's state government
will not make public how it's spending taxpayer money. A follow-up
report says the state is now considering releasing the information.
Nancy Amons at WSMV in Nashville also followed the money, and found
three-quarters of the homeland security funds sent to Tennessee
since 9/11 have yet
to be spent. Dave Helling at KCTV in Kansas City took a different
angle: he found that spending in Missouri was higher
per person than in New York. The Oakland Tribune investigated
spending, as well, in a lengthy
series that is full of good story ideas. MSNBC has an interactive
map that ranks homeland security spending state-by-state.
Technology
Federal officials say technology is enormously important in the
war on terror, but they won't often talk about it. Michael Fleming
of the Customs and Border Patrol agency, however, says radiation
portal monitors are being installed in ports like Los Angeles and
Long Beach to screen all containers that pass through them. Is this
really happening, where, and at what cost?
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