Bleeding Heartland takes up most of my professional energy, but for the last year and a half I’ve had a side gig as the statehouse reporter for KHOI Community Radio in Ames. When we signed our employment agreement soon after the 2020 general election, I thought I would regularly call in to other talk programs with updates on political and state government happenings.
As a matter of fact, no! Although the Iowa House credentialing policy at the time said you have to be a paid employee of a news organization etc., and many reporters for other radio stations have been credentialed, the Iowa House chief clerk did not issue credentials when KHOI Radio's program director sought them for me.
Instead, the Iowa House declared in 2021 that they were not going to credential anyone for the legislative session (ostensibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Before the 2022 legislative session, the Iowa House changed its media access policy again to say you have to be a "full-time paid employee of a news organization" etc. I am only a part-time KHOI employee. I am a full-time paid employee of Bleeding Heartland, but the House chief clerk denied my application for credentials again this year.
Becoming aware of the podcast for the first time - I'll have to listen.
Was this association with an Iowa media outlet enough to get those boneheads at the state capitol to credential you?
As a matter of fact, no! Although the Iowa House credentialing policy at the time said you have to be a paid employee of a news organization etc., and many reporters for other radio stations have been credentialed, the Iowa House chief clerk did not issue credentials when KHOI Radio's program director sought them for me.
Instead, the Iowa House declared in 2021 that they were not going to credential anyone for the legislative session (ostensibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Before the 2022 legislative session, the Iowa House changed its media access policy again to say you have to be a "full-time paid employee of a news organization" etc. I am only a part-time KHOI employee. I am a full-time paid employee of Bleeding Heartland, but the House chief clerk denied my application for credentials again this year.