Comments, we get comments+
+One of the things that makes our country so great is the number of freedoms that we all have as American citizens. And as a longtime journalist, it should come as no surprise that perhaps my favorite amendment in the U.S. Constitution is the very first one, which entitles us – among other rights – to “Freedom of Speech.” It’s my favorite because it not only gives the right to speak freely without worrying about censorship but it enables us to speak our minds and express our deepest thoughts and feelings. And never is this done more often than in print form, in newspapers like the Messenger.
Over the many years that I have served as managing editor for this newspaper, I have received a staggering number of letters and written opinions from readers who have passionately expressed their viewpoints on just about every topic imaginable+from education to religion, from politics to capital punishment, there has never been a shortage of people wanting to express their thoughts and share them with the public. And – barring those viewpoints that express hatred, physical threats or libel toward others and/or use vulgar language – we have always been more than happy to share these viewpoints with our readers.
Oh sure, there have been many an occasion when I received a letter to the editor from someone that expressed an opinion which I did not agree with, but that never prevented me from publishing the letter. Quite simply, it has always been our stance that anyone who is willing to publicly express their viewpoint should be entitled to a forum that allows them to share it with the public.
(I believe it was Voltaire who said, “I do not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Every newspaper editor worth a grain of salt should have this quote engrained in their memory banks.)
And that freedom of speech should also be applied to when people wish to express their opinions about the newspapers themselves. One of the things that I have always loved about working for this long-running weekly publication is that we live in an area where residents have no problem telling us how they feel about this paper and other local publications.
Not a week goes by where I am out and about somewhere in Greene County and I DON’T have someone approach me and offer me their opinions about the Messenger; some folks suggest ideas for future feature stories, while others offer praise or criticism for something that’s been printed. And oftentimes we even get letters and emails either thanking us for doing a “good job” on a story or criticizing us for something.
Anyway, although we are glad that the positive feedback towards our publication far outweighs the negative, I am being completely honest when I say that I appreciate ALL of the feedback – good or bad – that we receive on behalf of the Messenger. Constructive criticism from readers can actually be helpful because it might give us a perspective on how we can improve our product. And when we hear complimentary words it only inspires us to improve our efforts in bringing our readers the best “Messenger” of local news and sports that they won’t find anywhere else.
Having said that, however, there are two recent comments from readers, both negative opinions, about the Messenger that I wanted to particularly address, because I feel some clarity may be in order.
The first complaint was that the Messenger is “not a Greene County paper anymore.” Quite frankly, this perplexed me. Week in and week out, this publication features NOTHING BUT news, sports and features about Greene County people and events. In fact, every editorial item published in our paper – from police reports and obituaries to the county calendar and columns – is about Greene County. We only publish information about upcoming events or print recent crime/court cases if it applies to Greene County. And, our front page – which we always strive to provide a healthy balance of news, crime, government and human interest stories – is 100 percent devoted to Greene County. And when we print news stories about state-related topics – such as the budget impasse or political leaders like DeWeese or Stout – we do that because we know the information could impact (or at the very least, be beneficial) to the folks who live here.
We have proudly carved our own niche as a longtime, honest-to-God, bonafide “Greene County paper” because we don’t print national news stories (UNLESS, of course, they happen to have a Greene County connection). And you know what? We are darn proud of that.
The other comment I received was from someone who complained there isn’t enough “good news” in our paper. And again, I’m perplexed. A quick review of our newspapers since the beginning of 2009 indicates that week in and week out we have delivered “good news” on a constant basis. From heartwarming feel-good features to coverage of numerous fundraisers, the Messenger has proudly and repeatedly shone spotlights on local folks who have committed random acts of kindness. (In fact, we just completed a well-received three-part series last month about a number of “ordinary folks” who have done extraordinary things to help those less fortunate.)
Since I can remember, the Messenger has always strived to bring a hearty helping of “good news” to its pages as it does “bad news,” because we know there are a lot of local residents who are doing good things in their communities. We may not know of all of the good things that happen in Greene, which is why we always encourage readers to give us a call or drop us a line and let us know about the “good news.” We truly believe that being a Messenger of local news means that we must provide a healthy balance of the “good” and the “bad.” And each and every week, we strive to do just that.
Having (hopefully) provided some clarity on those issues, it is hoped that Messenger readers continue to express their freedom of speech and to keep sharing their thoughts and feelings, good or bad, about this weekly publication or about ANY topic that they are passionate about. If you wish to write a letter to the editor about any topic that you want to share with our readers, please send it to us by mail, fax or email, or drop if off in person.
All of our contact info can be found in the box below this column+