Patrick Webb, managing editor of the Daily Astorian, recently refused the advertising of the opponents of Ballot Measure 4-123. Why? First he stated that what the advertisement claimed wasn’t supported. When the supporting documentation was offered he then stated that the Daily Astorian didn’t allow opinion advertising.
WHAT? All these past weeks' political ads have been opinions. Ads claiming that flyers opposing Ballot Measure 4-123 were “lies” were someone's opinion. Ads claiming that county commissioners “lied” about Mr. Marquis were opinions. Ads claiming that the department head lacked the ability to do a performance based budget were an opinion. Advertising is opinion based. Obviously, Patrick Webb is a liar, in our opinion. Does this make the newspaper he manages fraught with lies? Definitely, in our opinion.
Freedom of the press is a constitutional right and one which, supposedly, is a cornerstone of the basic principles of our country. Irresponsible freedom is a corruption of those principles. There is little difference between a dictator forcing a paper to print what he wants and a newspaper editor slanting news and accepting advertising in a fashion that the readers only hear one side of all issues. Especially when a community has no competing daily, hard copy, news source, the damage done is that of a tyrant with the absolute control of censorship.
The very freedom that the press has for so long, the world over, labored to obtain for itself, it now jealously keeps all for itself. The Daily Astorian’s tyrannical hold over information, complete censorship over all that it deems in opposition to the opinion of its editors, and complete disregard for the rights of the citizens to hear all sides of all issues is the act of a group of people who have no love for a free community.
Every once in awhile everyone has the opportunity to step forward and say, “Enough!” Today, in Clatsop County, everyone has two opportunities. First, put down the Daily Astorian. Call 503-325-3211 and cancel your subscription, or tell them you will not buy their paper again or subscribe again until their policies have changed. Tell them that for one week you will not buy their paper to show the power does not lay with them but with YOU the reader. When you pick up the paper again it had better have changed. If it hasn’t, put it down again for another week. Second, do not vote in the way it has encouraged you. If a ballot measure is good it will be back in the spring. As of Oct 31st a little over 6,700 ballots have come in to the local election office. With 20,865 registered voters in Clatsop County 14,000 people are left to cast their ballots.
Think about your future, think about our future. And while you are at it, think about freedom. Freedom of the press and especially, locally, freedom from the press.
4 comments:
Our hometown newspaper is showing their true colors.
Hit them in their pocket book!
Somethings has to get them going to report both sides.
A true freedom of press would have reported the wife of the "King" goes to meetings flipping off county commissioners.
In other words politices goes with mud slinging, it is inpearative both sides get a dose!
Its hard to give it up. Like coffee at work, even when its bad. But, I did it! I gave up the Daily Astorian. One week. I think I can I think I can
The Daily A has lost all integrity as a newspaper. Patrick Webb and Steve Forrester need to pack up. And take that oddball Joe Gamm with them! What a whiner. A couple people he's hurt voice their opinion to his face and he goes crying to daddy Steve, embellishes the event in his so-called article and then pats himself on the back. This is British tabloid crap, not a newspaper with integrity. Shame on them. By the way, I haven't subscribed for years, ever since all the good reporters were drummed out.
I think some flies will be haunting Cho Gham for awhile. Maybe a new cartoon series, about an inept, bumbling reporter that craps his pants whenever he gets near an angry mom.
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