Yesterday, the President allowed himself the pleasure (?) of being interviewed on The View. In the course of the interview, he stated that the media is only interested in controversy. No matter what your political views are, you have to agree with the President, the media is only interested in controversy.
When I was growing up the newspaper in our town, tried not to get involved in gossip, scandals etc.Thanks to a far sighted owner/editor, Mr Callahan, the newspaper was reputable. The newspaper
was there to bring local and international news to our town. The editorial page was for opinion. We also learned in school, that whatever we read, we had to remember that it might not be accurate and to search for the truth! What happened to that idea?
The paper was so hugh, that to read it, when I was 7, I had to put it on the floor and kneel over it on hands and knees. What fun it was to be the first one on the back porch to get the paper and read it before it became the property of Mom and Dad for the evening.
I learned of the 2nd World War activities. I learned there were enemy subs off our coast of New England, I followed the horrifying holocast discovery and news. Then I learned about the new General Motors plant in Framingham, a place where my uncle, and other relatives where able to find jobs. Jobs were coming to Framingham, at a new General Motors!
We did not try as a town to make it so difficult to build, that the plant said , "forget it!" Now, we make a new build so difficult that the town is throwing in every public expense it can get away with, plus fees that are irrational and unreasonable. Then the question from the unemployed is, "Where are the jobs?"
Just watch the various government bodies deliberate on T.V., on what they should do to add on, include and legislate, while forgetting that they are there to help the landowner use his land to the best use, with their guidance based on the present laws. Do the boards really forget that they are not there to legislate the business opportunity out of town, and depress the value of the land, or make it more expensive to build in the town.
Do they really forget that they are there to help the landowner develop his land within the present laws , zoning etc ? Somewhere I read that elected officials and appointees take an oath of office that states something similar to that.
Yes, in my young newspaper reading days, I learned of the struggles of businesses, and of what the town was doing to govern itself. I found my first home by reading the newspaper advertising. I had to move out of Framingham, to afford a new home. This meant that when my car broke down I had to walk about 12 miles to work on Route 9 in Framingham, all the way from Medway Mass., and even make the same walk home at night. Not much different than now, except that young people to afford a new home have to move to Uxbridge, and make a 25 minute ride back to Framingham.
Today, in a market that has very little sales activity due to the economy, and no spectacular pricing for struggling first time buyers, our company has been advertising new homes from $199,990. We are building and selling these homes in Uxbridge, and in the hi $200'000's in Bellingham. Yet, not one reporter has even considered this news. Not one reporter has obviously read their own advertising pages to look for stories, the stories sit right in the advertising. One newspaper told us once, that the paper could not look for stories in its advertising customers, because it was controversial! That is interesting!
Yes,controversy, the President is correct, the news is driven by controversy! Just look at the angst it creates with people plotting to destroy other people, because they disagree with their ideals, or whatever. Look at the controversy that has arisen once again from the swamp of the past, prejudice!
If this stuff keeps getting thrown at us to create controvery, and what is truly local news is not printed, what are we coming to as a nation? Maybe it is time to turn away from what we can recognize as controversial news, designed to incite angst, political fervor, etc., and focus more on what business is doing to save jobs, create jobs and fight a bad economy. Remember young people are reading the news in paper or on the web! News is everywhere today, how can we do a better job of reporting good news, and good struggles?
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