Despite his acknowledged "pain" at having to do it, it is still difficult to understand why the Publisher of the Ledger Dispatch, Jack Mitchell, feels so compelled to offer his political endorsements for the November 7 election. There is some irony in the front page of this October 20 issue showing a reader poll that overwhelmingly disapproves of this action.
Further, it is extremely troubling that he firmly implies that since a reporter cannot be unbiased, why bother to try?
Well Jack, here are a few thoughts to chew on.
First, not only are you the Publisher of the only major newspaper in the region, but you are also head the Amador Chamber of Commerce.
Generally speaking - but most importantly, journalisitically speaking - there is a big problem here with real and perceived conflict of interest. Using the podium of the newspaper in conjunction with your extra-curricular involvments is not only improper but it also lacks journalistic integrity. Oh, but that’s OK, you don’t have to be too concerned with that, since you did acknowledge that all reporters are biased anyway.
Second, your statement that offering your endorsements will allow the voters to "educate themselves" about the candidates and issues is rather dismisssive and arrogant. Apparently this information will not come from the paper, since you yourself sarcastically acknowledge that there is so much bias to be found here. So then, where will it come from? A slick campaign piece is often nothing more than a form of "propaganda". Voters need an informed and unbiased source of news. Not everyone can attend a "candidate’s night". Instead of stating that you cannot be biased, perhaps you and your paper should strive harder to be unbiased. Or, come up with a method of presenting both sides of the issues. You owe this much to this small community you serve.
I would also like to remind Jack and the Ledger that when they first rolled out the idea of endorsements, it was to be done with a "committee" of sorts, comprised of several individuals of differing opinion. Although I am of the mind that this newspaper should have no political endorsements, this idea at least offered varied endorsements, of sorts. If done correctly, it could perhaps have opened up a dialogue to discuss the issues within the paper.
Instead what we got is a bitterly worded commentary by Mitchell (including calling a reader a "freakshow") that sounds like the dictator himself has spoken and if you don’t like it, tough.
A better method to this whole issue of political endorsements should be to have a printed "Measures and Candidates Forum" section in the paper. It could be done in a "point/counterpoint" manner that could actually inform the voters.
Be it under Mitchell’s watch or not, let’s hope next time the Ledger will try to do a better job of informing the voters and not be so devisive and mean-spirited.
Excellent post.I sent J. Mitchell the following :
I don’t give a rat’s rear where or with whom you eat lunch. I do care when you use your newspaper’s clout to advance your own conservative agenda. Endorsements with obvious bias are of no value to the community whatsoever. It is easy to see your bias in coverage as well as endorsements. For example, you covered Dan Lungren’s Town Hall but said nothing about the similar event with his opponent, Dr. Bill Durston.
California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres visited Amador County in September but you’d never know it by reading the Ledger-Dispatch. It is difficult to give credence to endorsements that are obviously slanted toward your own conservative views.
Judy Hotchkiss
Pine Grove
“We’ve met the enemy and they is us”. Pogo
It should be noted that Jack Mitchell’s endorsement attacked the Foothill Conservancy, then candidate Mel Welsh, based on a false statement about the Conservancy’s actions at the July 11 board of supervisors meeting. We have proven to Mr. Mitchell that his statement about the Conservancy’s action was incorrect and requested a retraction at best and a correction at minimum. So far, we’ve seen neither. While Mitchell has printed our letter setting the record straight and a guest commentary from an individual who spoke at the meeting, there has been no official correction from the paper to date — nor an apology for calling us “sneaky” and “shady” based on a false statement.
This is so very true. The main problem with Jack Mitchell inflicting his personal opinions on us through the newspaper is when he obscures the point that these are nothing more than his personal opinions by stating “the Ledger Dispatch endorses”. That was a travesty and should never have happened and the paper will be a long time living that down. He needs to decide whether he’s a publisher, that is a journalist, or a political commentator or pundit. News providers failing to do their actual job of reporting facts have brought this country a lot of grief in recent years. Some of them are starting to tighten up their act but it’s too little and too late. We have a long way to go to achieve anything close to fair or balanced media in this county, and country.