For as long as I’ve been in journalism, pundits have been predicting the demise of newspapers. Sure, over the decades I’ve been involved in the business a lot of things have changed, but the basic premise is still there. Our jobs are to provide accurate accounts of events, be a strong voice in the community and entertain our readers.
This year marks the 77th anniversary of National Newspaper Week, but The Columbian-Progress had already been around for 58 years when the first National Newspaper Week was celebrated in 1940 – think about that for a moment. The C-P has been a part of the community for 135 years. Since 1882, we’ve been providing our readers with coverage of Marion County that you can’t find anywhere else.
The methods of production may be vastly different than the first folks that produced a newspaper in Columbia, but the same basic premise is still there. Today, we use our website and social media to get the word out about emergencies, breaking news and even sports scores.
This year’s theme for National Newspaper Week is “Real Newspapers … Real News.” That pretty much sums up the feelings many of us have about journalism. We strive to have information that is truthful. With so many people decrying “Fake News,” and the spread of rumors on social media and websites, newspapers are among those working to get it right.
Readers may not always agree with the stories or pictures in the C-P, but rest assured, we work diligently to provide the facts as accurately as we can. That involves reading police reports, arrest logs, court filings and discussing items with those involved in the events. Newspapers strive to tell the stories accurately. When we do get something wrong, we run corrections so readers know the truth.
I spend a great deal of time in meetings. Why? Because one of the duties of the local newspaper is to be a watchdog in the community. In the past, we’ve dug through hundreds of pages of documents to find problems or wrongdoings.
In my own case, I try to ensure that I have sources that are “on the record” to verify things. This verification sometimes means that a story won’t be the first, but it will be accurate. The recent shootings in Las Vegas demonstrated how quickly unverified rumors could spread. Before police could identify the shooter, websites across the country had a name – unfortunately, the initial name was wrong. In an effort to be first, they ended up wrong.
Small-town newspapers like The Columbian-Progress are proud to play an important role in disseminating information about the community, from news to sports to opinions on the editorial page to local honor rolls and sports statistics to advertisements for what is on sale at the grocery store.
We think all of that is a pretty good deal for 75 cents an issue. So, Happy National Newspaper Week from us at The Columbian-Progress. We’re glad that we’re a part of your life and the lives of many in Marion County and beyond. We’ve already been here for 135 years, now it’s time to look ahead to the next 135. n
Reach Managing Editor Mark Rogers at 736-2611 or news@columbianprogress.com.
