[Vision2020] Lewiston Tribune Under Focus

[Art Deco]

Ted, et al,

The same problem exists with the LMT's little, forlorn sister, the Daily News.  Human interest stories, sob-sister stories, sports stories, etc all have interests for various readers of newspapers and it is fine for the newspapers to appeal to a diversity of reader interests.

However though, isn't it most important for a newspaper to give prominence, front page or otherwise, to those stories with the most significant impact on our world, country, state, region, etc, and to subjects which describe ongoing processes we as citizens can attempt to do something about?

The Presto-Log story was interesting and a good read, but front page?  Has the newspaper industry, local and otherwise, became so whorish, that they have forgotten the importance of their role of informing the public on vital matters and instead sell themselves using puff pieces?

Perhaps the news production staff and culture at both the LMT and the Daily News needs a through review and housecleaning.


Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com



----- Original Message ----- 
From: Ted Moffett 
To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2006 11:50 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Lewiston Tribune Under Focus



All:

I was amazed and dismayed to read the Friday, Feb. 3, 2006 edition of the Lewiston Morning Tribune, given the choices made regarding what deserves front page focus, and what does not.  Four articles dominated the front page:  one on wolves delisting, Bush seeking 120 billion more for wars, Orofino teenagers, and something about a Lapwai man and Pres-to-Logs... 

Then I was astonished to read on the left hand lower corner of page 3 a small article, with a tiny headline, notifying us that 5 more US soldiers had died in combat in Iraq in the past week.

I know that many Iraq war supporters think the US media focuses too much on the negative news from Iraq, but does putting notice of the deaths in the past week of 5 US soldiers, who gave their lives to defend us, deserve nothing more than a tiny article with a tiny headline in the left hand lower corner of page 3? 

Have we become that callous to the horror of the war in Iraq, to the ultimate sacrifices of our soldiers when they die in combat, that Pres-to-Logs are a more important subject?

Or did the Tribune make a decision that the deaths of US soldiers in Iraq are not the proper subject to best sell their newspaper at this time?  Has coverage of the deaths of US soldiers in Iraq become so easily accepted that they are not deemed newsworthy enough to be featured on the front page? 

Am I wrong to suggest something is amiss here in the Tribune's coverage?  What am I overlooking or overemphasizing?

Ted Moffett


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