Seems to be going around my family lately...writing to the local paper. Mine was the least contentious of those from my family (a family where each and every one of our pushy personalities contends to be least contentious!). But the editor asked for feedback, and I love our new paper...
<p> Mr. Gibson - I admit to be a weak reader of the Opinions section of our paper, but I did read your last article with interest. You asked for for feedback, and here it is. </p>
As a new mom and less-then-avid reader, it takes me a full week to read the Sunday paper...and I dont give it the time I wish I could. But I will tell you that you have a GREAT paper in The Tennessean! We recently moved from Maine, and have found your paper to be a very nice upgrade in our weekly reading.
My main criticism of the coverage is more cultural than editorial. As Yankees, we see things very differently than native southerners. As over-educated New Englanders, we are often frustrated by many things that somehall fall under "southern charm". Our cultures, our people have some subtle, but very strong differences...and I believe both sides have much to learn from each other. My family is enjoying the process...partly with the help of your paper. Based on the little I know of local culture, your paper seems to reflect its constituency...and I believe that is partly a good thing. I think it also propagates a certain "closed" way of thinking that pervades this area.
Down here politics are very, very different from any other part of the country I have every lived in (ME, AZ, MD, PA, MA). The people and culture are different. Things get done in a different fashion. To our neighbors, we -the Yankees- are the ones who do things differently. And for our neighborhood, this is true...we are fish out of water. While I do not mind this (we all learn together), I wish my neighbors could know the outside world better. Comparisons to only their like-minded neighbors -while strengthening comfort and community- fails to expose them to the outside world. I worry that our paper sometimes does the same thing.
I could exemplify this concern with an example from an article on the front page of last Sunday's paper. In the ethics article ("Ethics experts call state's bill a step forward" 12 Feb2006, p.1) comparisons are made mostly to southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina. All of these states are in the deep southeast of our country, with Wisconsin being the one exception. I believe it is not coincidence that Wisconsin appears to be at the other extreme in terms of regulations. I do not know the facts about other states (even after reading the article), but I suspect states in other parts of the country might reveal a certain clustering effect. The chart "ethics across the states" is misleading in implying this is a fair cross-sectional view of the country. On the contrary, its looking next door to Alabama, a state of similar culture and approach.
I believe the southern heritage is a great gift to be celebrated. I have been delighted with your paper, and the education it provides. Your staff has held local lawmakers and wrongdoers to task. I sense a great perseverance in the research of the articles, likely to the pain of those in the spotlight (which I believe is a right part of accountability). Your publication has challenged many of my cocky New England biases...seeing better coverage than we have in our old paper. But I would challenge your staff to expose your readers to the greater worldliness of our country as well. But in the meantime, you are providing us with great local perspective. Most of all I want to commend everyone at The Tennessean for producing GREAT product...well done.
Thank you and keep up the good work!
Meg R
Sometown, TN
Meg,
Thanks so much for the kind words!
Your letter is very thoughtful and I appreciate the feedback. It's always nice to hear positive comments, but at the same time hear some things that could have been done better.
Please feel free to write to me any time about what you like and don't like about The Tennessean. Thanks again for your interest and viewpoints about the newspaper.
Best regards,
John Gibson
Reader Editor
The Tennessean
Posted by: meg | February 15, 2006 at 02:30 PM
Very nice. If I ever need someone to write to my paper for me, I know who to call. ;-)
Posted by: Monolith | February 25, 2006 at 03:23 PM