2007年VOA标准英语-Local Government Broadcasts Meetings, Press Kee

By Jeffrey Young
Washington
24 April 2007
 

To most Americans, the governments in their towns and regional areas, called counties, are the governments they interact with the most.

In this segment of a multi-part series, VOA correspondent Jeffrey Young looks at how the governments of Montgomery County and the city of Rockville, in the Atlantic Coast state of Maryland practice transparency, and how the local press watches carefully to ensure it. 

In Montgomery County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., you can see local government at work by watching cable TV.  And the local press is also watching -- to make sure that what you see is what you really get. 

Holly1 Woerner" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070601/1049310.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Holly Woerner

Holly Woerner is a reporter and program presenter² at County Cable 6, the TV channel run by Montgomery County's local government. County Cable 6 runs programs daily from nine a.m. until two the following morning, including live coverage³ of official meetings. "People in Montgomery County can see exactly what their government is doing, and in fact, they can actually watch it on TV," she says.

Everyone working at County Cable 6 has to do several jobs to keep up with the broadcast schedule. 

Along with TV broadcasts by Montgomery County and several of its cities, there is also a lively local press. Judy Hruz is the editor of a local newspaper called the Montgomery County Gazette.  She says the press has a responsibility to be skeptical⁴ about what elected officials say and do.

"That's the most important thing that we do -- make sure that the community knows that we're watching out for their best interests and that government knows that we're watching out over them and making sure that they're conducting the business of the people in an appropriate manner."

The Gazette is not alone in performing that so-called watchdog role. The Washington Post newspaper also has reporters who cover Montgomery County and its cities. Miranda Spivack is one of them.

"You talked about making some cuts in the baseline budget, for actually beginning the budget process. Could you talk a little more about where those were and what they represent?" she asked the county executive.

 

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett

Spivack says that elected officials have to be held accountable for the tax revenues they collect from county residents. 

"The direction we go in is, 'How is your money being spent? Is information coming to you in a reasonable and quick and accessible way? Is government wasting your money?' Those are the kind of issues we look at top to bottom," says Spivack.

But the public's interest goes far beyond how tax revenues are spent. There is always the issue of integrity -- whether elected officials are being honest in their words and actions.

Gazette Editor Judy Hruz says that while it is commendable⁵ that Montgomery County and its cities show their official meetings on cable TV, open government also means that elected officials must expect the press to investigate their proposals to see if the public will really benefit, or whether a few will gain at the expense of others.

"Yes, we could sit here in the newsroom and watch it on TV, but we would never really be sure that what we're getting is exactly as it is happening,” says Hruz. “We have to pretend that they [local governments] are not transparent⁶, that there is something they might be hiding. Because otherwise, we are not doing our jobs as good journalists."

Many local governments in the United States televise their proceedings⁷, as Montgomery County and its cities do. And in each one of those places, the press is there to watch carefully and ask tough questions.

 

1 holly   

n.[植]冬青属灌木

参考例句：

• I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。
• People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。

2 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

5 commendable   

adj.值得称赞的

参考例句：

• The government's action here is highly commendable.政府这样的行动值得高度赞扬。
• Such carping is not commendable.这样吹毛求疵真不大好。

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼