Abstract
One legacy of the Reagan administration was the transfer of many responsibilities from federal to state levels. Under Reagan, the federal government combined various programs into block grants for state administration. This mail survey of 35 of the 50 state directors of state community block grant programs reveals that most directors do not find much coverage by newspapers, television, or radio about how the money — once allocated (often covered) — is actually spent. Such as it is, newspapers provide most coverage. Most stories are descriptive, but some are analytical and investigative. Most directors spend little time with the news media but those that do report generating more coverage. The study speculates that news media do not give these federal-to-state programs enough coverage, providing a weak link between government and people.
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