Every Saturday, The Express Times runs a turkey and trophy feature. Last Saturday, it awarded a turkey to you, the public, for failing to field a full complement of candidates.
"Tuesday was the deadline in Pennsylvania for candidates to file for the upcoming primary election, and it's promising to be a sleeper of an event in many towns. While some races will be competitive -- 10 people are running for Allentown mayor, and several district justice seats in Northampton County have attracted a multitude of candidates -- voters in many municipalities and school districts will have limited choices, if any. Our system of democratic government doesn't just need an informed electorate to make choices, it depends on involved, public-minded citizens to run for office and provide those choices."
That turkey should have been awarded to itself. A democratic government is impossible without an informed electorate. The newspaper no longer covers most of the local governments, feeding, a sense of general apathy. Outside of Bethlehem and Easton, there is no coverage. It also fails to cover the county government despite being subsidized with free office space. It was nowhere to be found last week when candidates filed their petitions. The story it finally did publish was a day late and was actually less comprehensive than the story posted here.
I can think of several nonprofits that could make better use of that office space than for-profit newspapers who are only interested in salacious court stories. The county should stop subsidizing a for-profit venture that tacitly encourages the apathy about which it hypocritically complains.
11 comments:
Speaking of subsidizing a for-profit newspaper (industry), let's look at the archaic law that requires local governments to publish paid "legal ads" in newsprint to announce things like zoning applications or meeting schedules. I know BOH's part-time gig with a local weekly newspaper (which is in my view a public service - no personal shot intended) won't affect his opinion. But as for the topic of this post, sheesh, I think the "office" is closer to a closet.
Apathy is rampant. No time in our busy lives to even think about the governing of the places we have chosen to live in and raise families. What is the answer? Laying blame is useless and you get what you deserve in the end. Anyone who complains about things needs to take some personal responsibility for the situation that you now find yourself in. Elected officials are doing a thankless job and for the most part..they do so for their own reasons..good or bad. We who seek and hold elected positions do so because we care and are willing to take a shot at it and that is all we can do. Set an example for others to follow if and when they finally realize it is important work. The local rags are just useless to the communities and the issues outside the population density areas. Journalism is dying and that is truly sad.
There are two of them. Though small, it would be a great room for a legal aid lawyer.
So who at the county needs to make the decision to do away with this free office space? County council? What's stopping them? Bernie has reported on this useless giveaway of public property enough that it should be on their minds already.
This is an executive decision.
At least the MC covers the county. Shortell does a decent job with government, and Yates covers the courts thoroughly.
Tom and Reilly are both excellent reporters. And Rudy at ET IS EXCELLENT, too. But I still oppose the use of public resources to support for-profit ventures.
The public notices printed in the paper could easily be replaced by posting either on municipal websites in the case of zoning-type matters or the bar association website in the case of estate notices. The law should be changed to reflect the 21st century, since print newspapers will probably be extinct soon. Nobody reads those ads besides real estate attorneys anyway.
Bring back the boozer Joe OWens, his drunken style was unmatched
I fully agree, Bernie. The actions of the LV print news media are deplorable.
100% correct on every point
but it is still predicated on the belief in the government...of all the religions believing in government requires the strongest faith.
Amen Bernie
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