Media
Lobbyist, Reporter Too Close For Comfort?
January 22, 2013 
GUARDIAN reader Clancy Anderson passed along some research on the issue of reporter vs lobbyist with the Idaho Freedom Foundation and its editor, Wayne Hoffman.
By CLANCY ANDERSON
I do not see enough separation between the Idaho Reporter and the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Mr. Hoffman states the day to day operations are independent of him as the publisher.
From the BOISE WEEKLY interview with Wayne Hoffman:
BW-“What is the formal relationship between the Idaho Freedom Foundation and idahoreporter.com?*
WH-Idahoreporter is published by the Idaho Freedom Foundation. I really don’t control the day-to-day content.
BW–But the editor reports to you.
WH–It’s like any other news organization where the publisher doesn’t control the editorial content.
BW–So what’s the best way to characterize your influence on the content?
WH–I freely admit that I have a vision for Idahoreporter, but I don’t think having a vision means that I dictate what the stories look like. I want to cover stories that aren’t being covered or aren’t getting enough attention. I want to hold people accountable. I want to put issues to a truth test.
This week he seems to have blurred that line of editorial independence. Each site has the same opinion piece on Transparency in government attributed to two different authors, Wayne Hoffman(IFF) and Mitch Coffman(IdahoReporter).
From IDAHO REPORTER. THIS STORY WAS ORIGINALLY ATTRIBUTED TO MITCH COFFMAN, but has been changed and is now attributed to Hoffman.
From IDAHO FREEDOM FOUNDATION.
I understand now why the Capital Correspondents have reservations about granting press credentials for the Idaho Reporter staff.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jan 22, 2013, 4:59 pm
Mitch Coffman is also listed as both a reporter for the Idaho Reporter (http://www.idahoreporter.com/contact-us/) and the communications director of the Idaho Freedom Foundation (http://idahofreedom.net/?page_id=2), while his dad is the editor of the Idaho Reporter.
Jan 22, 2013, 5:12 pm
IR is a propaganda outlet disguised as traditional media. It’s also a model being emulated. Have a look at Idaho Education News, funded by Luna reform backer the Albertsons Foundation. It’s being housed at BSU and just hired away the credibility of Kevin Richert and Clark Corbin (from the Post Register).
Maybe not a reason to dismiss then out of hand, but a good reason to be very skeptical of their message or underlying purpose.
Jan 22, 2013, 8:51 pm
I apologize as the opinion on the IdahoReporter has now been attributed to Wayne Hoffman. I sent pictures to BG earlier but he is operating away from his office.
This is what I saw earlier
Idaho Reporter- Mitch Coffman
http://goo.gl/TAzON
IFF- Wayne Hoffman
http://goo.gl/7bzol
At least we know Mr. Hoffman is reading the Boise Guardian.
Jan 22, 2013, 9:13 pm
Sisyphus,
You are correct to be very skeptical of their (IR and IdahoEdNews.org) message or their underlying purpose.
The creeping part of this story is the funding line that keeps these machines alive. It is all JKAF $$$. Now Richert and Swindell are on the payroll of the ‘foundation.’
These news organizations are complete posers. They are not really a vetted news source. They are anti-public education, conservative, free-market worshipping, mouthpieces. I mean, there is nothing wrong with being an anti-public school, conservative, free-market worshipping person; there is only a problem in creating fake-ish news agency and claiming no ‘partisan’ position yet blurting the conservative party line in all publications and posts. Again, no problem with the conservative party line; only that others pushing that agenda as a news source and not identifying it as ‘that’ is misleading.
Another propaganda machine is the Idaho Leads project. Yet another system funded by JKAF.
Reminds me of ‘Death to Smoochie’
Ryan
EDITOR NOTE–JKAF is te Joe and Katheryn Albertson Foundation
Jan 23, 2013, 9:45 am
Sisyphus: IR is a propaganda outlet disguised as traditional media.
A large percentage of the population, present company included, consider pretty much all of “traditional media” to be propaganda outlets these days. (Perhaps not quite so much with the local media.)
So, is “Mitch Coffman” a real person? Why didn’t he go with “Shane Coffman”?
(-;
Jan 23, 2013, 10:27 am
I don’t see most Idaho legislators or the Idaho public having a problem with the foundation. Most think Fox News is a vetted news source. Idaho loves it’s free kool-aid.
Jan 23, 2013, 10:42 am
I find it interesting that many are quick to criticize Mr. Hoffman and the Idaho Reporter but I don’t see anyone here criticizing the Idaho Statesman about their forever liberal view point and content on just about anything they write. The problem is we haven’t had any conservative media outlet in Idaho for quite sometime and as far as I’m concerned the Idaho Reporter is a breath of fresh air in a virtual sea of liberal and progressive leaning media that saturates our state. Did anyone ever hear of “Fair and Balanced”? I suppose not as most don’t listen to Fox News. The Idaho Reporter brings a bit more balance into the media arena on the conservative issues but we still need more. If you want to question something please question the Idaho Statesman why every time a conservative organization such as the Tea Party puts out a press release it is completely ignored.
Thank you Wayne Hoffman and the Idaho Reporter for trying too restore some balance back into our state media
Bob Neugebauer
Meridian, Id.
Jan 23, 2013, 12:00 pm
Dave have you asked for a press pass for the Legislature? If so.. did you get it? Just curious how tolerant the Correspondent are of non-legacy media.
EDITOR NOTE–Haven’t asked, but assume there would be no problem. Our only adocacy was opposing the constitutional amendment that tried to reverse the supreme court FRAZIER ruling over airport financing. We sought to defend the constitutional mandate to get voterapproval. Boise city is the only agency not recognizing the GUARDIAN.
Jan 23, 2013, 4:36 pm
What Bob N says.
It appears that differing points of view other than the usual liberal, scares a lot of people. Course the Guardian does too. These are good things folks.
Jan 23, 2013, 6:45 pm
If someone wants to ask a question of me, instead of just speculating about me, please try calling my office, my cell, sending an email. Good grief, I’m not hard to reach.
Jan 23, 2013, 10:26 pm
You don’t have to read the IR and the fact they put the IPTV stuff up on YOUTUBE is probably a good thing. I hope the legislature will take the offer from IPTV to archive all the things they record and make it all available for futhre generations. What was said and the intonation of those saying it is captured in video format and sound records of the session.