D.C. Bureaus Likely To Cover Beck August Rally

Glenn Beck has been promoting his August rally, slated to be held on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech, as a major event.

So what do Washington news outlets think of the plan? Most say they will likely cover it, especially if a big crowd forms. But some contend Beck's standing as a conservative force makes it worth looking at either way.

"Of course we need to see how it develops, but yes, I would definitely cover it," says Kerry Luft, D.C. bureau chief for The Tribune Company, which includes the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune. "His impact on political discourse has been significant and as we have seen, the tea party movement that Beck has helped fuel has tapped into a significant vein of discontent. We've covered similar rallies in the past, and we covered the tea party convention here earlier this year. It's news."

Richard Stevenson, deputy Washington bureau chief for The New York Times, said planning for an event that far away is difficult. But he said Beck's standing will likely make it worth covering.

"He is a voice, a force along with people along that spectrum we must pay attention to," he said. "We are very aware that there is a new type of player on the political scene - someone to whom the political soapbox is a political opportunity and a financial opportunity."

Stevenson adds: "We'd approach it the same as anything like this. To the degree it becomes news, we will cover it. If it is a publicity stunt, we are likely to give it less attention. If it is indicative of some large social or political movement, we might give it larger coverage."

John F. Harris, editor-in-chief of Politico, said such rallies are covered based on a variety of factors. "There are times when big gatherings kind of pass with hardly any attention. Beck is well-known and really has a powerful following," he said. "I am certainly open to it. He is a well-known guy and influential in some quarters of the conservative movement."

At C-SPAN, known for turning the cameras on most any Washington or political event, Steve Scully finds coverage likely: "We have covered Tea Party events, Glenn Beck would be a factor," he adds. "But I don't know if it would be the only factor. It depends on who else is in the event, who is speaking, what it is up against. It can also depend on the day of the week."

But Scully said the fact it will be in August, when Congress is likely out of session, might give it more weight.

John Walcott, Washington editor at McClatchy -- which reports for papers ranging from The Miami Herald to The Sacramento Bee -- said it would be hard to ignore.

"Politically, in this case, it is fair to say that Beck is an important political figure to some number of Americans. Some of that bears watching," he said, adding that the crowd size is important, too. "We are more likely to cover a gathering of 500,000 people than five people. Celebrity is something that is a minor factor."

As for Associated Press, interim Washington Bureau Chief Steve Komarow said: "if it is real big we will cover." But, he added, "there is no chance that we are laying plans at this point."