The front page story in the August 24th Citizen reporting on city council’s decision to not restart publishing public notices in the paper left me torn on what side of the fence I was on.
My immediate reaction was dismay that the viability of a good solid voice for what is happening in our community was taking another big hit. I firmly believe that a successful democracy must have an enlightened, well-informed electorate as its basis. We don’t have that. This is a direct result of the evaporation of advertising dollars that local media had at one time.
Public notices and legals were a substantial part of the revenue that newspapers relied on to pay for a well-trained reporting staff to attend, report on and analyze city council, school board, sports and all other important local gatherings. The reporting was factual and balanced. We knew what was happening in our town. This type of journalism strengthened a community and encouraged people to get more involved.
To a large degree, this has been lost to us and the refusal of council to support the local press is a disappointment.
My second thought was on the other side of the coin the Citizen is the author of their own fate (pun intended). Their “reporting” of all things to do with the city has been critical and badly one-sided. It is divisive.
News in a newspaper should be a balanced reporting of any issue. The editorial page should give an editor’s views and criticisms but the remainder of the paper should give a far more balanced approach than the paper now demonstrates. This paper has poked a stick in the eye of everything and everyone civic. Is it any wonder they are not getting council’s support at this time?
Perhaps council needs a reminder that all of us don’t get our information from a computer or Facebook and the editorial staff at the Citizen needs to consider reporting the news rather than using their voice to sell their viewpoint and those they support.
John Warner
Prince George
