Media Critiques
The Texas Public Utilities Commission has regulatory jurisdiction over roughly 75 percent of Texas’ power grid. And yet you may have hardly ever read or heard about it.
According to its website, the Texas Public Utilities Commission has the authority to regulate the rates and services of telephone utilities and to regulate electric, water and sewer utilities in unincorporated areas.
The meetings of Texas PUC is one of the only states agencies whose meetings are closed. Needless to say, Chairman Paul Hudson and commissioners Julie Parsley and Barry Smitherman are a powerful group.
Therefore, it seems obvious that such a powerful entity would get a fair amount of coverage from the mainstream media. However, three of the leading newspapers in Texas and three “alternative” news outlets have effectively turned a blind eye to this organization unless absolutely necessary.
Coverage by the Houston Chronicle, the Austin American Statesman and the Dallas Morning News from any of these publications is minimal at best. The Houston Chronicle is the most diligent of the three metro dailies. The Texas PUC is occasionally mentioned in the Chronicle’s business section but only in energy industry-related stories.
In the past two years, none of the metro dailies mentions who was on the commission, what they did, who appointed them or what their backgrounds were. There would be a quote from a PUC spokesperson every now and then, but only in stories when the newspaper needed an official statement. There is never any in-depth coverage of the commission.
The Austin American Statesman finishes second in this race of non-coverage, with only two mentions of the PUC in stories from the past two years. However, one of these instances occurred because a former PUC official was running for office.
Throughout the past two years, the Dallas Morning News failed to cover the commission in any story, even in energy-related stories.
The “alternative” press has faired better, but their coverage still leaves a lot to be desired. The Texas Observer has a keen interest in the PUC and how they’ve influenced deregulation, yet their coverage leans heavily to the left in terms of whom they use as sources. The Observer also takes a decidedly anti-big business stance.
One such story, “Naked Emperors and Wet Rats” in February, 2002, accuses former PUC then-Chairman Pat Wood of expediting the deregulation process at the behest of former Enron mogul Ken Lay. Throughout the story, all manner of Republicans are drawn into the mix as subjects but not as sources, giving the story a feel that seems little more than speculation of conspiracy, regardless of what the facts may be.
A similar article appeared on the website of Public Citizen, a self-described “non-profit, consumer advocacy organization.” Public Citizen released more than 500 pages of documents from the PUC. The page notes supposedly reveal “a close working relationship” between Enron and another former PUC commissioner, Brett Perlman. The story seems to imply that Brett Perlman was in cahoots with the energy giant, but according to the same story, the commissioner only “met with” representatives from Enron.
The Houston Press has never directly covered the Texas PUC. Their last article mentioning the commision at all appeared in early 2002, and it was in relation to the Enron scandal.
Compared to its power and influence, coverage of the Texas Public Utility Commission is hardly comprehensive. It is scarce or non-existent, especially in the state’s mainstream newspapers. The alternative press is not much better. Although it reported extensively on the PUC, the alternative outlets took a highly biased stance.
All of these media outlets would do well to cover this agency more thoroughly and in a more fair and balanced manner.
© Copyright World Internet News 2006-07
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