“A newspaper has three things to do.
One is to amuse, another is to entertain
and the rest is to mislead.”
— Ernest Bevin – British Foreign Minister
This week’s Kuna/Melba news arrived containing an announcement seeking a new editor. Boy-oh-boy would I change a few things. It has degenerated into a school newspaper, celebrating the small percentage of kids who excel at playing the featured games of the season as if THOSE are the most interesting, important activities in our community.
People who build, help others, protect, inspire, teach, share … THESE are the things that develop a strong community. This is what builds valued characteristics in people. Opportunities, threats, productivity and those who serve as role models, who exemplify achievement, who demonstrate value of the human spirit are what should be featured in a good publication. Celebrating the superficial earns the demise of whatever vehicle delivers it.
Not that the owners would want my help, but I spent a couple of days considering offering it.
Missy said NO, don’t go there. You can’t even get done all you want to do already. Of course she’s right, but that doesn’t always deter me. I definitely give great weight to any argument or suggestion she makes. Nobody knows me, my circumstances and motivations better, nor does anyone care more about what happens to me inside and out.
The potential to make the paper relevant, even influential is intriguing. My discretionary income could most definitely use a boost. The community would be greatly served if better and more significant information were published.
Jumping in on Missy’s side of the argument was the knowledge that I would be an employee. The owner purchased the Kuna/Melba News for a reason that has to include control over what is published. I could not be happy or satisfied writing someone else’s thoughts and words any more than I could lapping Laguna Seca in the passenger’s seat.
Latching that door closed behind me is the overall demise of print media in a digital age. To keep a physically printed, hand-delivered, static publication going when the dynamic Internet easily fills the requirement will be an exception that even I am unlikely to pull off.
No. Other things are calling me. There are other ways to finance my publishing costs. There are other opportunities for supplementing my income. The whole world is going to change this year and I better retain maximum flexibility if I hope to ride the bull.
