Fox 31 reported Republican criticism of Ritter's employee partnership order, but provided no response from supporters

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

During a November 6 broadcast, KDVR Fox 31 reported on criticism of Gov. Bill Ritter (D) over his executive order authorizing partnership agreements with state employees, including state Rep. Mike May's (R) assertion that Ritter “does his deals behind closed doors.” But Fox 31 offered no response from the governor's office or from supporters to address the comments, including anchor Steve Kelley's remark that Ritter's order “was out of nowhere.”

Reporting on “a challenge” by “Republican lawmakers” to Gov. Bill Ritter's (D) “decision to allow state workers to unionize,” KDVR Fox 31's Good Day Colorado at 5 a.m. broadcast on November 6 cited criticism of Ritter, including state House Minority Leader Mike May's (R-Parker) remark that Ritter “does his deals behind closed doors, not in the light of day.” However, the report included no substantive response from the governor's office or any supporters of Ritter's plan.

On November 2, Ritter announced executive order D 028 07, “Authorizing Partnership Agreements with State Employees”; The Denver Post explained in a November 4 article that it “creat[ed] a bargaining partnership with state workers.” The Post further explained that Ritter's order “did not give state employees the powers of traditional collective bargaining -- it contains a no-strike policy and specifies the new 'partnership agreements' will not result in binding arbitration.” The executive order also states that partnership agreements do not supersede the normal budgeting process.

In the November 6 report, Fox 31 anchor Steve Kelley stated that “critics” of Ritter's executive order “say it would strain an already tight state budget, and that deal was made outside of the proper channels.”

From the November 6 broadcast of KDVR Fox 31's Good Day Colorado at 5 a.m.:

KELLEY: This morning Republican lawmakers will start a challenge to governor, the governor's decision to allow state workers to unionize. Some critics say it would strain an already tight state budget, and that deal was made outside of the proper channels.

STATE REP. MIKE MAY [video clip]: This is how he does business. In fact, we've kind of dubbed him in our office as “Backroom Bill.” He does his deals behind closed doors, not in the light of day.

KELLEY: Republican leaders are asking Governor Ritter to hold off until the move can, until public comment can be made and study the changes. Ritter says his executive order does the right thing for state workers. And we're wondering your opinion on this. There was no debate. It was out of nowhere. Really didn't talk about this.

TURNER (anchor): Mmm-hmm.

KELLEY: Will it strain the state budget? Not to mention, if you're not a union employee --

TURNER: Right.

KELLEY: -- and you don't choose -- they're not forcing you to be a unionized member, but, you know, the pressure to become a union member if you're not --

TURNER: Right.

KELLEY: -- you know, exists. Is there going to be undue pressure on employees?

Although it aired May's characterization of Ritter as “Backroom Bill,” Fox 31 provided no response from Ritter's office to address criticisms from the report, including Kelley's statement that the executive order “was out of nowhere.”

As Colorado Media Matters noted, Fox 31 on its November 4 News at Nine O'Clock broadcast uncritically aired Post editorial page editor Dan Haley's unsubstantiated claim that Ritter's executive order “will drive up the cost of doing business in state government.”