How one locally owned TV station does statehouse coverage right

[Commentary] In April, a North Carolina news outlet unveiled a new feature on its website: Hover over the name of a sitting state lawmaker mentioned in any story, and you’ll see the top five donors to the legislator’s most recent campaign. But here’s what’s most interesting: Donor Reveal was developed not by some online startup or good-government nonprofit, but by WRAL, the CBS station in Raleigh (NC). The tool is just the latest part of a larger effort by the station to devote sustained investment to the capitol, and to position its website and broadcasts as a go-to source for state politics coverage. With the shrinking statehouse press corps a perennial concern in journalism circles, WRAL’s example might seem to offer hope.