ABSTRACT
In a self-governing society it is the ultimate responsibility of the news media to provide citizens with the information they need to meet their civic responsibilities. In the wake of Watergate, public awareness of the media’s impact on the performance of the federal government reached an unprecedented level. The relationship of the news media to local government is complex and often ambiguous. Of the media serving Flint, the daily newspaper had the greatest impact on local government. The news media in Flint provided full coverage of public events and the decision-making process within city hall. Most media reporting in Flint was descriptive and reactive. In general, both the electronic and print media in Flint did a good job of fairly presenting the views of those citizens and community leaders who took the initiative to prepare material for public consumption. The media in Flint, especially the newspaper, could act more diligently to correct errors of fact or conclusion.
