Denver Post columnist Diane Carman has resigned to take a job on the Presidential Climate Action Project at UC-D.

In my column on Saturday, I argued that the Independence Institute, the self-described “free-market think tank,”  projects a disproportionately loud voice in the Colorado media.

The Golden-based organization plays a unique role in state politics compared to other local policy shops. It dedicates a large share of its resources to issue advocacy, communications and media. 

And as its impressive media presence demonstrates, II is quite effective at getting its message out.  By way of regular features in the press, television and appearances in news articles, II enjoys a status of being a newsmaker and conservative source for reporters.

The question for journalists, editors and television producers, however, is how to handle such a behemoth with an aggressive media strategy and ideological bent?

Here’s some more information about the Institute’s media profile.

INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE STAFF EMBEDDED IN COLORADO MEDIANo organization on the left or right of the political spectrum has so many of its staffers doing part time media gigs on the side:President Jon Caldara hosts his own talk show on KOA radio and KBDI Channel 12. In addition, he subs for Mike Rosen on KOA.

Dan Gillmor writes a great op-ed in the SF Chronicle arguing for more foundation support of newspapers. It’s an old and compelling view, but he points out an aspect of this that I’ve missed for some reason.

 That is, external support for newspapers and other quality sources of news shouldn’t be viewed as permanent. Money is needed during the current transition period as journalists find ways to make money online.

In my column Saturday, I wrote that the Rocky and Post do not run more columns by conservative syndicated columnists than by liberal pundits, based on my two-week analysis.

Some readers wanted to see my tally of pundits. Here it is:

Colorado Media Matters noted that the Rocky, in reporting the higher-than-expected revenue from the property-tax-rate freeze, did not state that property taxes will actually go down in 49 districts.

But as Republicans roll out attacks on the tax-rate freeze, journalists need to keep the big picture in front of the public.

When the Republicans attack the property-tax-rate freeze, Reporters should ask how the GOP would solve the state school finance mess.

In this case, do Republicans favor repealing the tax-rate freeze, just because revenue may exceed expectations? And if so, what’s their solution?

City Auditor Dennis Gallagher felt compelled to put out a news release warning about higher taxes in the wake of the property tax-rate freeze and Denver’s bond package and tax increase to fund infrastructure improvements.

He told the Rocky he was just stating the facts, but what about the fact that without these tax adjustments, the state school fund goes bankrupt in 2011, and the ctiy’s infrastructure crumbles away.

Maybe Gallagher, with his historical involvement in limiting property taxes, thinks that the tax-rate freeze is regressive. Who knows what he thinks, because reporters haven’t asked him. It’s time they did.

I’d welcome a news release from Gallagher stating what he’d do to solve the state school fund mess and the city’s infrastructure problems.

In my column Saturday, I didn’t discuss the possibility that protesting could generate increased media coverage of the DNC.

Don’t count on it. If there is protesting, it will be minor. And if there are arrests, I bet the numbers will be small and the actions peaceful and therefore not attracting Seattle-WTO-like coverage.

Someone told me she thought the DNC would get more coverage because it’s in the West. Yup, she’s a Democratic political consultant, and she forgets that the real world doesn’t care about speculation that western states could decide the 2008 presidential election, at least not enough to drive ratings. So this issue, while obviously important, won’t affect media coverage of the DNC.

Here’s the full email text of retired 9News anchor Ed Sardella’s thoughts on media coverage of the Democratic National Convention.

I think the downward spiral of interest in and coverage of orchestrated, suspense-less conventions will continue on the national and local level.  Denver media may enjoy an unusual level of interest just because the Dem convention is here.

I predict there will be less coverage than 2004, and that print will rely on their outsources more than ever before. I can’t comment specifically on the number who will attend but I think it will be down significantly from 2004.

Back in the heyday of TV news with big budgets, it was worth the expense to stations on the local level to have their anchor seen live in front of the banner at the podium that said, “Democratic (or Republican) National Convention.” I had personal experience with that. At the conventions I was sent to in the 80’s, it seemed I started hearing “WRAP” in my ear as soon as I and the banner appeared on the screen together. The importance of the shot far exceeded the content of the report. Those days are gone. I sense local stations will not send people to the conventions in large numbers not only because of the financial consideration but out of conviction that few, if any, watching at home will care… banner or not.

Three other factors in the equation may be worth mentioning. First, the circus that is presidential campaigns has crossed the line into the theater of the absurd in the minds of hoards of citizens because of the early campaigning and the childish and frantic obsession on the part of the states to be first or early with their primaries. I heard reports this week that all will be decided by March, if not sooner.  That will leave months before the conventions for people to put the campaign completely out of mind.

The second factor is the location of the conventions. I have had a number of print people tell me that the attractiveness of the venue has a lot to do with the intensity of the lobbying for the assignment in their newsrooms. Perhaps that is an element of the decision making process that is underestimated. How will this year’s locations be seen by reporters who might have the option (and luxury) of going or not going?

Third, and unknown, is to what degree, if any, the candidates’ reliance on new media to attract young potential voters will succeed. I am on the pessimistic side of center.

Some politicians won’t ever criticize the news media. So you have to admire Rep. Diana DeGette for talking to me about the local media’s propensity to neglect her work, while falling over themselves to cover Rep. Tom Tancredo’s latest outrage.

I quoted DeGette briefly in my Saturday column.

And here are more of her thoughts from my interview with her July 24. “I am back here in Washington working hard on issues that my constituents care about. But I am not back here thinking hard about how I’m going to get the soundbite. And sometimes I feel like the local press would be much more interested if I picked a fight with somebody or said something outrageous than if I was just back here working hard every day trying to pass legislation that benefits my constituents and the American public.

The dailies have been silent on developments related to the property tax-rate freeze, signed into law by Ritter this year.
 

I heard a rumor that the Dick Wadhams’ had found that polling on the issue wasn’t looking as good as he hoped. I asked Jon Caldara in an email if this was true. He wrote:  
 

“Hadn’t heard that rumor.  I doubt it is true, but polling doesn’t matter about a legal question of constitutionality.”
 

Caldara also wrote me that his lawsuit to stop the freeze is still a go.