THE VIEW FROM HERE

A group of us were discussing how Murdoch’s newspaper empire
served as a paradigm of what not to do to become an exemplary
journalist. Murdoch became one of the world’s richest and most
powerfully influential men by making financial success his primary
goal. He ignored ethical and honest methods of news sources and
resorted to means that were questionably legal at best. Of course
he couldn’t have done it without us, the reading public, and the
advertising firms that support papers with the greatest
readership.
Murdoch’s journalistic empire covered three continents,
Australia, the United States and England. It is hard to explain why
so many people find pleasure and satisfaction in reading lurid sex
scandals, stories of misery and tragedy, infidelity and child
abuse, yet that is the content, real or implied, upon which he
amassed billions.
Your local newspaper has an entirely different function. I have
heard disparaging remarks about there is never any news in it and I
beg to differ. It is the local paper that connects all the dots
which make up this community. The sports and school news give our
children their sense of recognition and belonging. It is the
cohesive effect of what’s happening at your local clubs,
organizations, churches and the library that ties all the bits and
pieces together that make up Healdsburg. It is why so many of us
choose to live here. We like living in an area where people know
and care about each other.
Your local paper provides the network that lets people
understand that in spite of different agendas, opinions, gender and
ethnicity their feelings and activities matter.
Getting your name and picture in the paper may not be newsworthy
or of interest to the mature readership, but when you are growing
up and wondering where your place in the world is it can be one of
the most important days of your life because it gave you a sense of
recognition and belonging.
In today’s world of news reporting about the pursuit of greed
and blatant disregard for humanity a local newspaper that strives
for connections and a sense of community is a good thing. Be glad
you still have one.
Lucie Jensen is a Healdsburg resident.