Akron Beacon Journal whines they don't get enough back-pats from gunnies

Mar. 14, 2004
Akron Beacon Journal By Mike Needs, Public Editor

They call me Mr. Negative.

At least a few newsroom colleagues do because of my daily reports on reader comments. They see them as being too negative too often.

In this space on Sundays, you've seen phrases like "chorus of complaints'' and "firestorm of feedback'' to reflect how some of you have reacted to Beacon Journal efforts.

Clearly, part of my role as public editor is to give voice to your opinions about what you read and -- appropriately -- the vast majority of your comments are critical. I say appropriately because you expect a high level of quality in your newspaper and feel compelled to comment mostly when those high expectations aren't met.

That's also how it is with the newspaper and the community. A newspaper's purpose is to shed light on those areas that need improvement, with the underlying assumption that most of the world around us performs quite well. Too often, though, many view that approach as focusing on the "negative.''

But my emphasis on reader complaints also has led to assumptions that the paper must be failing somehow because praise is so seldom seen. Fact is, quite a number of you call and e-mail to say thanks. You rarely see those comments in this column or in the Voice of the People because the paper doesn't want to appear self-congratulatory or self-serving.

In addition, many at the newspaper, including myself, believe it helps promote a fruitful discussion of community issues when reader criticism gets aired. After all, the paper had its chance when it published the material; then you get your opportunity to sound off.

That said, and risking an avalanche of acrimony, allow me to share some positive reader reaction.

(At this point, Needs publishes several comments)

However, two recent efforts failed to register on the praise-o-meter. The top of Wednesday's front page featured a flattering photo of President Bush. All those radio talk-show listeners who have claimed that never happens remained silent.

On Monday, the dominant item on the front page highlighted the increase in shooting lessons by the elderly and the disabled as a result of Ohio's new "concealed carry'' law. Not a peep from firearm fans who regularly blast the paper's editorial stance.

That's OK, though. A day without disagreement means your expectations for quality have been met, giving me the opportunity to be Mr. Positive for a change.

Send your own comments about the Beacon Journal to Public Editor Mike Needs. Phone: 330-996-3860. E-mail: [email protected].

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Commentary: After the Beacon Journal ran "Some unlikely candidates are ready to carry firearms" last week, several letter writers CC'd OFCC on letters they sent to the Beacon Journal, thanking them for the story.

After reading Need's complaint in "Mr. Negative", we notified him of these letters.

----- Original Message -----
From: Chad D. Baus
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 12:44 PM

Mr. Needs -

You might want to check the status of your internal communications. I had several people CC me on letters they told me they sent to the BJ editor last week, thanking them for the article.

On the other hand, one neutral article in a the wake of years of blind negativity may not have the overall effect you are hoping for. Should this type of fair reporting continue, you might just succeed in convincing readers it is more than just a one-time act of throwing a few crumbs to the "little people".

Chad D. Baus
Northwest Ohio Coordinator and Spokesperson
Ohioans For Concealed Carry
www.OhioCCW.org

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Needs
To: Chad D. Baus
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 1:07 PM

Mr. Baus:

As I've explained many times in my column, there is a strict separation between the department responsible for the editorials and the news-gathering part of the newsroom. I do not have any access to the letters to the editor. No one offered feedback directly to me last week, unlike in previous weeks when I received many calls and e-mails about editorials that criticized the concealed carry bill.

I also believe that your reference to "years of blind negativity" must be in regard to the Beacon Journal editorial stance. I haven't seen any evidence of such a thing in the news coverage.

Mike Needs
Public Editor

There is a reason Mr. Needs doesn't want to discuss the Beacon Journal's editorial stance on concealed carry. But we can play his game. Listed below is the more recent evidence, which Mr. Needs says he hasn't seen:

2/2/04 - Restaurants, county keep guns at bay

1/9/04 - Firearm plan gets mixed reactions

Had he said he hadn't seen any biased coverage in 2003, we'd have believed him. In fact, last year their anti-gun bias was shown more in what they did NOT print:

11/19/03 - To Akron Beacon Journal, 'Defense' Walks (almost) never happened 3/13/03 - Is no CCW news good news for these Ohio newspapers?