Tweets of the Week: Gov. Pence’s Just IN News Agency
UPDATE, January 29, 2015: Amidst the media hubbub and public scorn, Gov. Pence has announced that the Just IN news site will not see the light of day.
What to make of a not-yet-live media organization when it is revealed by another? When the former is to be run by the State of Indiana? And when it’s funded in part by taxpayers’ dollars? So many questions. The tweets below don’t really have answers—they can’t yet—but they do offer responses ranging from contempt to amusement. And away we go:
Whereas internal documents have shown intent to publish articles, personality profiles, and editorials, Gov. Pence himself played off the unborn media entity as a benign calendar.
This is State of IN's calendar for press releases: https://t.co/OuLPEOkXqQ. The #JustIN website will offer the same service with a new look.
— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) January 27, 2015
Indiana senator Joe Donnelly replied strongly this morning:
Hoping one of the first stories from #JustIN news service answers the questions I asked @GovPenceIN 15 weeks ago about his Pre-K plans. -Joe
— Senator Joe Donnelly (@SenDonnelly) January 27, 2015
The news of the #JustIN news service makes me happy.Not because it's a good idea- it's terrible.But b/c it shows you can't parody Mike Pence
— Tim Grimes (@timothygrimes) January 27, 2015
Even so, you can try. It was a matter of (brief) time before a parody Twitter account surfaced:
To those asking for a comment, you're too late. We already interviewed ourselves and wrote a story.
— JustIN News (@Just_IN_News) January 27, 2015
Such parody accounts can often be cloying and unfunny, but this one’s actually really good:
Governor Mike Pence today used all of his power to keep #Snowmageddon2015 from striking Indiana, villagers rejoice. #JustIN
— JustIN News (@Just_IN_News) January 27, 2015
Good morning, Hoosiers! #JustIN reports it snowed 20 inches here last night, but INDOT crews have amazingly cleared all roads (and grass).
— JustIN News (@Just_IN_News) January 27, 2015
Then there was this:
The new face of Indiana news. pic.twitter.com/4fjWu7Huaf
— Chris Spangle (@chrisspangle) January 27, 2015
John Gregg, Gov. Pence’s dispatched foe from the last gubernatorial race, didn’t take too kindly to the news:
How is there $ for this but not our schools, roads & other critical services? Propaganda over People, Comrade Pence? https://t.co/3d640fN9uB
— John Gregg (@GreggForGov) January 27, 2015
Even a national news player got in on the social-media fracas:
Fars Indiana? https://t.co/wEMK2H7TCL
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) January 26, 2015
Journalists up in Fort Wayne got their licks in as well:
So what happens if I ask a state agency for specific information? Do they write my story before I do?
— Niki Kelly (@nkellyatJG) January 26, 2015
Does not bode well for new news agency that it got scooped on its own announcement. https://t.co/DxcB5MY1xk
— Karen Francisco (@kfrancisco) January 26, 2015
Another reporter harked back to Gov. Pence’s days as a journalist-defending Congressman:
Well, Mike Pence has come a long way since cosponsoring a (failed) House bill to create a federal shield law for journalists.#StateRunMedia
— ChristineTatum (@ChristineTatum) January 27, 2015
A former Indiana secretary of state’s name was dropped into the mix:
I hope @GovPenceIN hires Charlie White as a columnist. #justIN
— Jason Thomas (@ScoopThomas) January 27, 2015
Speaking of Charlie White, his reply to the news was swift and harsh (and visual):
@eightmilelive @GovPenceIN new state run news agency"Just In"is here to relieve u of critical thinking #PencePravda pic.twitter.com/NjFM7UPvix
— Charlie White (@indysentinel) January 27, 2015
The Indianapolis Star‘s former Statehouse reporter, Mary Beth Schneider, made her thoughts known—and it turns out Gov. Pence’s media maneuver has recent precedent at the state level.
@marybschneider Gov Manchin did this in W Va in 04 and banned state workers from talking to media. Had to come from state press #PencePravda
— Michael Marturello (@MikeMarturello) January 27, 2015
Democratic leaders toed the party line, as could only be expected:
Taxpayer cost of @GovPenceIN news service: at least $100K. How many kids could go to Pre-K for that? How many DCS caseworker salaries?
— John Zody (@johnzody) January 27, 2015
Finally, some Hoosiers spared no comparison, with one likening Gov. Pence to the departed leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il—as a Team America marionette, no less.
Countdown to @GovPenceIN hacking a major studio for mocking his 'state-run media.' https://t.co/VBQQWDl0kK pic.twitter.com/EjMPAL3Owk
— JoshuaOwen (@JoshuaOwen) January 27, 2015
