Mangano Launches News Site

County Executive Ed Mangano on Tuesday launched Nassau County News Network, which he says provides residents with an inside look at their government.

The site includes news from Nassau's 47 departments, legislative affairs and policies developed by the Mangano Administration.

Media watchdogs, however, are concerned that the site is masquerading as a news organization.

Jaci Clement, executive director of the Fair Media Council, said she thinks the branding and initial look of the site is misleading.

"This is official county information and that message needs to be upfront and center; using the county seal is not enough to convey what this site is all about," Clement said. "In short, there is no good reason for this site to hide what it is."

Dean Miller,  director of the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University, said the site's design is deceptive.

"It's clearly meant to look like a newspaper and that's not what it is," Miller said. "It is one side of the story, one official's information."

A tagline at the top of the site reads, "Real News for Real People."

Democrats, including Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs, seized on the chance to hammer Mangano.

"The role model for this is really one that I think in some sense can work," Jacobs said. "The role model he is using is Pravda, which is what the Soviet Union used. It's a government run propaganda machine."

Officials in Mangano's office, however, said the site was not deceiving and that readers will understand that it's not objective journalism.

Michael Martino, Mangano's press secretary, said he thinks the network "is presented from the viewpoint of the administration, without partisan criticism."

"The Democrats in the county legislature have become the Party of No, standing for censorship and tax hikes," he added. "Rather than oppose the flow of information, they should consider allowing residents the opportunity to engage in honest discussions about their government."

The network's leading writer is Eden Laikin, a former Newsday reporter and current director of government research for the county executive.

"I believe she has a product that will allow her to get out information mainstream news sources pass up," Clement said. "But the reality here is this: this is not an independent news site.

"Fair and accurate are subjective terms when you're the official voice of county government. And that's the main message here: the public must be educated to understand the difference and appreciate the difference," Clement added.