How Congress helps the business press

Dean Starkman of Columbia Journalism Review writes Monday about how increased congressional oversight of the Federal Aviation Administration has been a boon to business journalists.

Starkman writes, “The FAA coverage is a good example of how government overseers and the press can work together in ways that are profitable for readers and citizens—and readers as citizens.”

Later, he added, “USA Today, which does much good work covering regulators it doesn’t get credit for (hey, why is everybody looking at me?), also had a good advance piece on the whistleblowers’ statements.

“The New York Times yesterday confirms lawmakers’ key role, added the interesting detail that Oberstar’s investigation was led by a former FAA official, H. Clayton Foushee Jr.

“Should the business press do more original reporting on regulators? Sure, I certainly think so. But that doesn’t mean we can’t recognize the incredible value to the business press and its readers when Congress gets back in the oversight business.”

Read more here.