Critiquing the Citigroup bailout coverage

TheStreet.com press critic Marek Fuchs writes Monday about the coverage of the government’s bailout of Citigroup.

Fuchs writes, “The first thing the bailout coverage must do is provide an overview of recent history and, specifically, how other government bailout plans of banks were greeted with relief by investors, who within days lost their confidence again.

“The second thing the coverage must provide is an explanation of why this time — and this plan with Citigroup — might be different. Regardless of what that explanation is, this must be explained.

“The third feature is less central than the first two, but it’s still important. The government put restrictions on the dividend that Citigroup can pay out over the next three years. Any article you read should mention this, too.

“A Nov. 23 article in The New York Times does yeoman’s work on the first two features but lets the third slide. In the top third of the article, it sets the stage appropriately.”

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