Our hometown newspaper isn’t your enemy

As we approach what likely will be a contentious state and national election season, look for the old enemies lists and stereotypes to be trotted out in an attempt to influence voters.

One of our least favorites of those – and I think I can speak for all of us here at Leader World Headquarters – is the demonization of anyone in the news game as “the mainstream liberal media.”

We really hate that one – mainly because it’s a big fat lie, particularly when referring to hometown newspapers.

Please, gentle readers, don’t go there when things heat up and some politicians, in an effort to rile you up, go looking for bad guys.

Newspapers such as the Leader spend most of their time, space and effort covering subjects that have zero to do with partisan politics, such as:

■ Local city councils and boards of aldermen.

In more than four decades of covering such bodies on the city level, I never heard a council member or alderman refer to himself or herself as a member of a political party, or advocate (or criticize) an issue for being liberal or conservative. They were too busy worrying about potholes, which are notably non-partisan, or storm sewers that back up, or barking dogs or a hundred other things that had nothing to do with politics, but plenty to do with the quality of life in their towns.

In these fractious times, it is a blessing that the men and women who step up to serve in such thankless jobs do not have to declare their political party or subject themselves to political labels. I hope we never see it – it would be a disincentive for people who just want to serve their communities.

■ Local schools and school boards. School board members understand their service is not – or at least should not be – a soapbox for divisive politics. They are entrusted with overseeing the most important public institution in their communities, the one that arguably has the biggest influence on quality of life, property values and community engagement. A strong school district is the beating heart of any town or rural area.

Covering a school district also is a nonpartisan beat, though in pandemic times people have attempted to politicize it, most recently by either opposing or advocating for masks in school. Some have suggested that school board races be run as partisan contests. Be careful what you wish for if you want quality candidates to run for and serve on school boards. And you should.

■ Scout and civic organization news, including service projects, fundraisers, foundations and grants.

■ Festivals and local entertainment, plays, trivia nights and concerts.

■ Community calendars.

■ Scholarship and award winners and graduations.

■ Stories on local history.

■ Weddings, engagements and anniversaries.

■ Obituaries (the ultimate non-partisan journey).

■ Senior news: Our Grand Times sections run six times a year with subjects tailored to seniors.

■ Military news – promotions, awards and reassignments.

■ Police and crime news. Accidents, floods and tornadoes.

■ Public health issues, including the local effects of COVID.

■ Food pantries, charities and holiday food drives.

■ Business news. New businesses, especially restaurants, are always of interest to readers.

■ Real estate, new subdivisions, zoning issues.

■ Church news, from chicken dinners to new faces in the pulpit.

■ Local sports. All schools, all sports, as space and staff exhaustion allow.

■ Feature stories: What local people are doing that is interesting, heart-warming, innovative or just fun can be found on Page 1 every week.

That’s a lot of stuff that has absolutely zip to do with politics. We also cover county government, and try to keep an eye on what our local state representatives and senators are doing, which are political beats.

Finally, we come to the two places where fireworks sometimes erupt – the page you are reading, and the one across from it. 

For more than 27 years, a Leader staffer has offered an opinion on this page. Frequently the columns are non-political – maybe a story about someone or a personal recollection. Sometimes the columns are political. Either way, it’s an opinion, like it says at the top in big type. 

Readers get the next one – the letters page. It is always lively and well read.

I held forth on this page for the first 23 years of the Leader’s existence, writing approximately 1,200 columns. I’d love to tell you I cherished them all like my children, that they were carefully crafted and thought out weeks ahead. A few were. Some were the result of a late-breaking event. Some were fetched out of thin air when I came to work hours before deadline, wondering what the heck to write about.

But never, ever, was the page blank!

Since I retired, the page has hosted a rotating set of voices among the staff. Diversity of opinion is good.

The letters page is probably the best proof that the “mainstream liberal media” charge is bogus. All writers get a chance, providing they sign their names, don’t libel anyone and don’t make unfactual statements. During my time editing, letters ran about 2-to-1 conservative. They still do.

One of our conservative regulars got his talking point jumbled once and accused us of being “the Main Street liberal media.”

That was totally false. Our office is a whole block off Main Street.

Politics may well get ugly again in 2022, but we’ll be here doing what we do, covering community news, and giving a spot to all, left and right, on the letters page.

So kindly vent your spleens at the New York Times or Washington Post or St. Louis Post-Dispatch if you must, but deal us out – we have garden clubs to cover and spring’s a-coming!