[Vision2020] Lewiston Tribune Under Focus

[Don Coombs]

  Ted Moffett wrote:
>  
> 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.

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

You're overlooking the fact that the Trib -- and almost 
every other daily newspaper -- is not in the business 
of publishing only what's significant in the historical 
sense. It comes down to news values.

The first time American troops died in Iraq it was big 
news. The second time, it was big news, but not quite 
as big. Sadly -- and I think it's just as sad as you 
think it is -- it's not news now because it happens so 
frequently and has happened for so long.

If a newspaper decided it was in the business of 
publishing only what was historically significant, it 
wouldn't be in business long. And who would be to 
blame? Not you, I guess, but the vast majority of the 
rest of the subscribers, who would have cancelled their 
subscriptions.

I, of course, would like to see reports of U.S. deaths 
in Iraq not published anywhere in the paper, because 
I'd like to see us get out of there -- so there 
wouldn't be any such deaths to report.

As to the U.S. government not allowing pictures of 
flag-draped caskets being returned to this country 
(because that would "dishonor" the troops), that's just 
Bush-league.

Don Coombs