Dear Editor: Unbelievable is the best word I can conjure to describe a myriad of thoughts and emotions I experienced when I looked at the Wednesday, November 5, 2008 edition of The Covington News. A defining moment in history was totally downplayed as if it didn't matter. What a sad commentary for your newspaper and your reporting of national/world news.
I admit to being unaware of your staff composition of writers or your ties to the Associated Press or other means of gathering headline news. Even so, the manner in which you presented coverage of the results of this national election is inexcusable and offensive to me as a voter and an American. Even if you had no picture on file that could have been published (hard to believe since anybody with a computer could easily secure one from the internet), you certainly could have given the President-Elect proper recognition in large, bold print on the front page. Instead, you opted to use a sidebar print consisting of two, count them, two sentences and his first name was misspelled.
What a contrast from your coverage of Bush having won in 2004. When I researched to see what type of coverage you normally provide the citizens of Covington and Newton County with national election news guess what I found. Here's what I saw in your November 5, 2004 newspaper: "Bush, GOP Sweep Newton" in big bold print headlining the front page along with "Bush support in Newton tops state numbers" and detailed information was given with the article continuing on page 5A.
It should be within your purview to note that Newton County supported the election of Illinois Senator Barack Obama in the Presidential Election. Whether one likes it or not, it is what it is. The people of this country have spoken and he IS the next President of The United States of America. Show some respect and report the news in a fair and equitable manner to preclude subjecting the paper to criticism. Readers deserve reliable and trustworthy reporting and when you fail to do so it makes a mockery of one's intellect.
I admit to being unaware of your staff composition of writers or your ties to the Associated Press or other means of gathering headline news. Even so, the manner in which you presented coverage of the results of this national election is inexcusable and offensive to me as a voter and an American. Even if you had no picture on file that could have been published (hard to believe since anybody with a computer could easily secure one from the internet), you certainly could have given the President-Elect proper recognition in large, bold print on the front page. Instead, you opted to use a sidebar print consisting of two, count them, two sentences and his first name was misspelled.
What a contrast from your coverage of Bush having won in 2004. When I researched to see what type of coverage you normally provide the citizens of Covington and Newton County with national election news guess what I found. Here's what I saw in your November 5, 2004 newspaper: "Bush, GOP Sweep Newton" in big bold print headlining the front page along with "Bush support in Newton tops state numbers" and detailed information was given with the article continuing on page 5A.
It should be within your purview to note that Newton County supported the election of Illinois Senator Barack Obama in the Presidential Election. Whether one likes it or not, it is what it is. The people of this country have spoken and he IS the next President of The United States of America. Show some respect and report the news in a fair and equitable manner to preclude subjecting the paper to criticism. Readers deserve reliable and trustworthy reporting and when you fail to do so it makes a mockery of one's intellect.
Nita Thompson
Covington
Editor’s note: The paper traditionally has covered local races on the Wednesday after the election and returned for the Friday edition with a larger, national scope. A review of The Covington News’ election coverage in 2000 and 2004 reveals the same treatment. The Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 edition, the day after the election, has "Student finds gun in bookbag" as the main headline and "GOP wins big in Newton" as a secondary headline. Nov. 5, 2004 was the Friday edition. All are welcome to examine the matter further in the library at our office.
