The folks at 9News totally ratted out Gov. Polis’s staff for demanding favored coverage on a topic of their choice in exchange for granting a one-on-one audience with His Nibs following the State of the State address on Tuesday.
9NEWS declined to participate in a series of one-on-one interviews with Polis, because of a precondition that 9NEWS also interview pre-selected supporters of the governor on a topic of the administration’s choice.
Just in case readers missed that disclosure buried in the 1,900 word, otherwise glowing article crafted by Marshall Zelinger, Angela Case, and Richard Cote, also chiming in on Twitter was Kyle Clark to insinuate he had something to do with management’s decision to forgo the interview, on top of the speech coverage, and the press conference coverage.
9NEWS declined to participate in a series of one-on-one interviews with @GovofCO Polis today because a precondition of the interview was that we also interview pre-selected supporters of the Governor on a topic o f the administration’s choice. #copoliticshttps://t.co/Fc3A9GAS9j
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) January 17, 2023
Some media outlets that did not stand on principle and caved to the extortion for special coverage in the future include Colorado Politics, Colorado Public Radio, Chalkbeat Colorado, and Denver 7 News.
What exclusive tidbits did they get from the governor in exchange for their journalistic soul?
None that we could tell.
But just to be fair, what important information did the rest of the media gleam from the governor’s actual speech on the State of the State?
None that we could tell.
As I stand before you today, I’m recommitting myself and my administration to bold ideas that move Colorado forward. To take on our greatest challenges with determination, with optimism, and including the voices of all Coloradans.
Together we will build on our success from these last four years, but we aren’t for one moment resting on them.
Like the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, who won back-to-back MVP awards but continues to fight for that championship alongside his teammates on the Nuggets.
Or like Gandalf the Grey from “The Lord of the Rings,” who fought the Balrog through Moria’s underworld, helping Frodo escape, and then returned as Gandalf the White to help defeat Sauron’s army and give Frodo the chance to destroy the ring.
And like Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who created the hit show “South Park” and then one of the most successful Broadway musicals and now they’re tackling their greatest challenge of all — Casa Bonita — which we’re thrilled will be opening this May. I got a sneak peak last week. You all are gonna love it.
What do these folks have in common? Jokic, Gandalf, Trey and Matt — I don’t think they’ve ever been mentioned before in the same paragraph — all Colorado believe the next chapter is the best one — and I do too. Colorado’s best days are still to come.
In other words, Polis said the state of our state is bound to get better once we finally destroy the One Ring forged by the Dark Lord Sauron.