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TN Politics: Prof. Sanford Grades Federal, State and Local Responses to COVID-19

WKNO-FM

As public health officials struggle to rein in the further spread of COVID-19, some officials are doing a better job than others with the messaging, according to analyst Otis Sanford. 

This week he offers thoughts on the actions taken by the Trump Adminsistration, the Tenessee Department of Health and the Shelby County Health Department. 

One question that still looms large over local press conferences is the debate over patient privacy versus the public's need for specific information that could potentially improve public safety. As a former newspaper editor, Sanford says people are relying on the media for vital information, even while many politicians continue to cast doubt on reporters' objectivity and credibility in a time of crisis. 

Reporting from the gates of Graceland to the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Christopher has covered Memphis news, arts, culture and politics for more than 20 years in print and on the radio. He is currently WKNO's News Director and Senior Producer at the University of Memphis' Institute for Public Service Reporting. Join his conversations about the Memphis arts scene on the WKNO Culture Desk Facebook page.