The New Value of Old-School News

Broadcasters are increasingly focused on enterprise reporting, which means local officials intent on malfeasance may have a tougher go of it.

Industry watchers offer a number of reasons for the I-team influxes: The recession is well behind us, and stations are flush with election money; amid a prolonged distaste for dysfunction in Washington, consumers demand greater accountability from their local politicians; and newspapers, long the local municipal watchdog, are increasingly ill-equipped to play that role.