Step toward openness

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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One of the pledges Terry Branstad made during his successful campaign for governor was to be transparent and accessible to the media and legislators from both sides of the aisle. Monday, he took a good step toward fulfilling that promise.

Branstad said he will renew a tradition that lapsed under the previous two administrations: a weekly news conference. This regular access to the governor doesn't always yield earth-shattering news. But it's a useful vehicle for our state's top leader to update Iowans on his priorities.

It's also a setting where

the governor is on the hot seat. With a dozen or so reporters present, there's collective

pressure to answer questions about decisions and proposals.

Branstad regularly held these sessions during much of his previous 16-year hitch as governor.

Some were

even broadcast on cable television.

We suggest Branstad use the Internet to livestream every weekly news conference. That would make them widely available to Iowans and be in line with his pledge of openness.