UNDATED – South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has promised to run the most transparent administration in state history, but a group of journalists and other media experts say the governor is less open and accessible than her predecessors. Here is South Dakota News Watch reporter Bart Pfankuch with a report.
Media members and political experts interviewed by News Watch said that, in contrast to past administrations, Gov. Noem and others in state agencies have routinely denied interview requests, often refuse to answer simple questions about news topics or don’t return calls or emails.
Often, they require questions to be sent in emails that are responded to with brief statements rather than specific answers. Noem has also moved more toward providing public information in prepared statements or in highly produced videos rather than through back-and-forth discussion with reporters from well-established South Dakota media outlets.
Longtime journalist Kevin Woster of Rapid City said Noem’s reluctance to communicate with long-established in-state media outlets, while favoring pre-packaged messaging and interviews with national conservative media figures, is not good for the state and its residents who have a right to know what their government is doing.
David Bordewyk, executive director of the South Dakota Newspaper Association, said he has heard from numerous members of the press saying it’s increasingly difficult to reach state officials in Pierre as well as state employees who do important work in their local communities. Bordewyk said accountability over government, and how it spends taxpayer money, is reduced when officials don’t talk to local media.
Noem’s increased use of agency spokespeople to deliver short statements to the press, and not agree to interviews or allow for back and forth discussion, is part of a national trend among government officials.
Ian Fury, spokesman for Gov. Noem, did not grant News Watch an interview, but said in an email that Noem has put more public information online than any other governor in state history. He said interaction with in-state media is just one way that the governor gets important messages to the public.
Concerns over access to information have also been aimed at the Game, Fish and Parks Department, which has a long track record of working with local reporters to inform the public. Now, reporters say, GFP officials are not allowed to give interviews, and all information is controlled by an agency spokesman. Mark Watson, editor of the Black Hills Pioneer newspaper in Spearfish, told News Watch he had difficulty getting information about an increase in mountain lions and bears entering residential areas. Watson said the lack of information provided made him worry that someone could be hurt by a wild animal if they aren’t informed about what to do or how to reduce interactions with predators.
