NewsHour showcases local talent in reporting on state budgets

For a very long time the PBS NewsHour has expressed a desire to form stronger partnerships with local public television station news departments. The thinking has been that local reporters can find stories in their area that help illustrate a national issue. This can save the NewsHour the expense of sending their own crew, while showcasing the reporting skill that the PBS system has at its local stations.

About a year ago, Frederica Freyberg appeared via satellite for a round table discussion of state budgets in crisis, which you can see here. This week, the NewsHour presented a long tape piece combining reports from New York, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Idaho public television reporters discussing what their states are going through. You can see it here.

I would have been happy to see Wisconsin represent, but however tough the state's budget problems are, these other states are in much worse shape.