Throwing out the baby with the bath water

Hampton Roads, Local, Politics 1 Minute

OK, so the news side of The Virginian-Pilot let an article slip through that read more like an opinion than news. Mistakes happen and the editor acknowledged it.  But that’s not enough for some people.

As I read through the comments over there, I was surprised at the folks who said they didn’t subscribe to the newspaper. Um, guys, no newspaper means you have very little to write about. Do you think that the online version is free? Were it not for the subscribers to the printed paper, the online version wouldn’t exist. And if you think they could make it from ads, just look at your own ad revenue and tell me it’s possible.

Talk about throwing out the baby with the bath water!

For a site that prides itself on being a top conservative blog, you are setting a very poor example for your readers. If you limit your own exposure only to conservative publications, you’ve just narrowed your world – and those who read your site.  Not everything that is in the printed newspaper appears online: witness the city inserts whose articles almost never make it there. When you don’t read the only local newspaper on this side of the water, you are missing a whole lot.

And we wonder why more people don’t vote.

Yes, I get upset with the Pilot on occasion, especially every time I see “Democrat-controlled”  or “pro-abortion” in a story. (It is the Democratic Party, so it should properly be “Democratic-controlled” instead. The opposite of pro-life is pro-choice.) But that doesn’t stop me from buying the newspaper; instead, my answer is to try to “inform their discretion by education,” as Thomas Jefferson said.

A little piece of hell froze over the day I agreed with Bob Marshall, because of an op-ed of his I read in the paper.  You guys are free, of course, to become just the reprint express for conservative candidates and causes, more of the echo chamber that exists in the media. I happen to think that full participation in this democracy of ours requires more than that.

Full disclosure: I am an unpaid, guest op-ed contributor to The Virginian-Pilot.

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11 thoughts on “Throwing out the baby with the bath water”

  1. I never have understood why some political people do not look at both sides of an issue. In science when you research a subject you look at both sides then draw a conclusion. But somehow in politics some people see only right and wrong and they are always right. If they would read information from both sides several things might happen. One they might reinforce why their positions is the correct one. Two they might get a better understanding of what the other side is objecting to (which may not be what you think). Or lastly you might learn not everything is black and white but there is a lot of gray area out there.

    Last thought, why is it the people who swear they do not read the paper always are the ones to see the articles and comment on them?

  2. While I don’t agree that it read more like opinion than news, there was a tinge of opinion.

    I followed the link to Bearing Drift. I probably should go there more often than I do, but …

    I was amazed at the level of vitriol, from both sides. Point out the opinion, perfectly fine. Take the VP to task for it, perfectly fine. Then let it die. DJ, JR and Brian were correct to take the paper to task. But should they not take FOX News to task for running opinions as news. Shouldn’t they hold a paper like the Washington TImes to the same high standard.

    Unfortunately, both sides of any argument tend to let overstepping pass, if the agree with the opinion, or news, involved.

    Wouldn’t it be great if we gave each other the respect we think we deserve?

    1. But should they not take FOX News to task for running opinions as news. Shouldn’t they hold a paper like the Washington TImes to the same high standard.

      Of course they should. But don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen 😉

    2. Doug: Until someone shows me an instance of the Virginia Pilot just making stuff up and presenting it as news, I can’t put them in the same category as FOX.

  4. I thought I was unsubscribed, but the Bearing Drift ombudsman has informed me that we aren’t and they just have stopped delivering it for some reason.

    Now I’m really pissed!

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