SevenQuestions: Monte Paulsen -- investigative reporter

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Seven Questions

Monte Paulsen lives in Washington, D.C., and works as an investigative reporter and national editor for Alternative Media Inc., which owns weeklies in Detroit, Orlando and San Antonio. He’s a serious, kick-ass-and-take-names newsie who plied his trade for a few years at The State, the biggest (& best) newspaper in South Carolina, which provided grist for a couple of his 7Q’s. His site has a bunch of his clips. 4 August 1998

1 Name some endearing characteristics of South Carolina that you miss today. Back to the 7Q index

There are too many to name here. I'll never be a true Southerner -- I grew up in Alaska, spent years in Maine and now live in Washington D.C. -- but I aspire to many of their values.

First on my list is the way Southerners tend to stay rooted in their communities. We Yankee liberals tend to talk incessantly about community, even as we move about and cut ourselves off from our roots. Southerners, especially Carolinians, tend to live much of their lives near the places they grew up. They don't have to talk about community because they live it. This affects the way they view family life, business, the political process and other central institutions.

I also miss the broad sense of humor shared among so many Southerners. I regret that we Northeasterners laugh at ourselves too infrequently.

2 What's one thing the environmental movement does to undermine its credibiity?

Well, first let's recognize an important fact: Industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year to undermine the environmental movement. This is done in two steps. First there are the research grants. Polluting industries regularly fund researchers to question, probe, contradict and refute any and every study done by independent researchers who raise questions about toxins in the environment. Then the PR arms of polluting industries -- which often take the shape of industry-backed "fair science" advocacy groups -- spread the word to journalists, citizen groups and court juries that the independent science is not conclusive. They use the better-funded industry-bought studies to refute the independent studies, all the while accusing the independent science of being biased. (Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!) Any analysis of the failures of the environmental movement has to begin with the recognition that it is consistiently outspent by an opponent whose sole aim is to undermine its credibility.

That being said, I think the environmental movement sullies itself in Hollywood. Dragging actors and actresses into public relations campaigns and documentary nature shows and onto event stages only reinforces the suspicions among many Americans that the environmental movement is elitist. It reinforces the myth that preserving the environment is a luxury to be pursued by those who can afford it, and pursued at the expense of farmers, ranchers and others who live close to the land. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. But bimbos like Robert Redford and Ed Begley Jr. sure make it seem so.

3 What's the kookiest news tip you've ever received that turned into an actual story?

Someone called once to complain that she had been ripped off by a waiter she met in a bar and she believed he was doing it to other women, too. I was kinda bored with the investigation I had been working on so I met her for a cup of coffee. Turned out that as they guy made his getaway, he'd left a little black book (literally) in her possession. I started calling the hundreds of women in it and found out that nearly all had been ripped off by the waiter who came to be know as the "Rumba Romeo."

4 How do you recommend covering stories on issues that you care passionately about?

Be fair. When I know that I have a point of view, I find myself bending over backward to make sure that opposing points of view are fully represented in my story. I also find myself digging harder for the facts, and working to let the facts speek for themselves. I don't believe that journalists can or should be completely objective and unbiased. I think that's a fairy tale invented by corporate newspapers who want to please advertisers and pretend they don't have points of view. But I believe strongly that all reporting should be fair.

5 What's the biggest story being ignored by the Beltway media?

The fact that the current spate of so-called "free trade" treaties do absolutely nothing to promote freedom and very little to promote trade. These are rigged deals written by large multinational interests. There's nothing new (or illegal) about special interests lobbying Washington. But in most other cases, reporters rightly identify the interested parties in their stories. The phrase "free trade," however, has taken on a weird zombie-like power to numb the thinking of every reporter in the room. The few who openly question the merit of these deals are persecuted with a McCarthy-like fervor. It's really strange.

6 How do you feel when you know a source is lying to you?

Sad. Often, I don't find out I've been lied to until later. But on those instances when I know, I feel sorry for the liar. Almost always, they are being paid to misrepresent the truth to me. And they're usually not being paid all that much -- a comfortable middle-class wage, perhaps. I feel bad that their life has reached the point where they have to flak lies in order to make their car payments. I don't take it personally. Investigative reporting often becomes that kind of game. I'm paid to get to the bottom of things. They're paid to make it harder for me. I enjoy the game, or I wouldn't be in it.

7 Tell me a redeeming quality of Sen. Jesse Helms

Jesse Helms accurately reflects the attitudes and opinions of hundreds of thousands of American citizens. I don't happen to agree with many of those attitudes or opinions. But I respect the fact that he is as powerful as he is because he fairly represents a whole lot of fellow citizens. Most of those I've met are really decent folks. I'm more interested in gently changing their minds than in attacking their icons.

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Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan >Back to new SevenQuestions
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Monte Paulsen lives in Washington, D.C., and works as an investigative reporter and national editor for Alternative Media Inc., which owns weeklies in Detroit, Orlando and San Antonio. He’s a serious, kick-ass-and-take-names newsie who plied his trade for a few years at The State, the biggest (& best) newspaper in South Carolina, which provided grist for a couple of his 7Q’s. His site has a bunch of his clips.		4 August 1998
1	Name some endearing characteristics of South Carolina that you miss today.	Back to the 7Q index
	There are too many to name here. I'll never be a true Southerner -- I grew up in Alaska, spent years in Maine and now live in Washington D.C. -- but I aspire to many of their values. First on my list is the way Southerners tend to stay rooted in their communities. We Yankee liberals tend to talk incessantly about community, even as we move about and cut ourselves off from our roots. Southerners, especially Carolinians, tend to live much of their lives near the places they grew up. They don't have to talk about community because they live it. This affects the way they view family life, business, the political process and other central institutions. I also miss the broad sense of humor shared among so many Southerners. I regret that we Northeasterners laugh at ourselves too infrequently.
2	What's one thing the environmental movement does to undermine its credibiity?
	Well, first let's recognize an important fact: Industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year to undermine the environmental movement. This is done in two steps. First there are the research grants. Polluting industries regularly fund researchers to question, probe, contradict and refute any and every study done by independent researchers who raise questions about toxins in the environment. Then the PR arms of polluting industries -- which often take the shape of industry-backed "fair science" advocacy groups -- spread the word to journalists, citizen groups and court juries that the independent science is not conclusive. They use the better-funded industry-bought studies to refute the independent studies, all the while accusing the independent science of being biased. (Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!) Any analysis of the failures of the environmental movement has to begin with the recognition that it is consistiently outspent by an opponent whose sole aim is to undermine its credibility. That being said, I think the environmental movement sullies itself in Hollywood. Dragging actors and actresses into public relations campaigns and documentary nature shows and onto event stages only reinforces the suspicions among many Americans that the environmental movement is elitist. It reinforces the myth that preserving the environment is a luxury to be pursued by those who can afford it, and pursued at the expense of farmers, ranchers and others who live close to the land. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. But bimbos like Robert Redford and Ed Begley Jr. sure make it seem so.
3	What's the kookiest news tip you've ever received that turned into an actual story?
	Someone called once to complain that she had been ripped off by a waiter she met in a bar and she believed he was doing it to other women, too. I was kinda bored with the investigation I had been working on so I met her for a cup of coffee. Turned out that as they guy made his getaway, he'd left a little black book (literally) in her possession. I started calling the hundreds of women in it and found out that nearly all had been ripped off by the waiter who came to be know as the "Rumba Romeo."
4	How do you recommend covering stories on issues that you care passionately about?
	Be fair. When I know that I have a point of view, I find myself bending over backward to make sure that opposing points of view are fully represented in my story. I also find myself digging harder for the facts, and working to let the facts speek for themselves. I don't believe that journalists can or should be completely objective and unbiased. I think that's a fairy tale invented by corporate newspapers who want to please advertisers and pretend they don't have points of view. But I believe strongly that all reporting should be fair.
5	What's the biggest story being ignored by the Beltway media?
	The fact that the current spate of so-called "free trade" treaties do absolutely nothing to promote freedom and very little to promote trade. These are rigged deals written by large multinational interests. There's nothing new (or illegal) about special interests lobbying Washington. But in most other cases, reporters rightly identify the interested parties in their stories. The phrase "free trade," however, has taken on a weird zombie-like power to numb the thinking of every reporter in the room. The few who openly question the merit of these deals are persecuted with a McCarthy-like fervor. It's really strange.
6	How do you feel when you know a source is lying to you?
	Sad. Often, I don't find out I've been lied to until later. But on those instances when I know, I feel sorry for the liar. Almost always, they are being paid to misrepresent the truth to me. And they're usually not being paid all that much -- a comfortable middle-class wage, perhaps. I feel bad that their life has reached the point where they have to flak lies in order to make their car payments. I don't take it personally. Investigative reporting often becomes that kind of game. I'm paid to get to the bottom of things. They're paid to make it harder for me. I enjoy the game, or I wouldn't be in it.
7	Tell me a redeeming quality of Sen. Jesse Helms
	Jesse Helms accurately reflects the attitudes and opinions of hundreds of thousands of American citizens. I don't happen to agree with many of those attitudes or opinions. But I respect the fact that he is as powerful as he is because he fairly represents a whole lot of fellow citizens. Most of those I've met are really decent folks. I'm more interested in gently changing their minds than in attacking their icons.
Back to SQ index Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan		>Back to new SevenQuestions main page