POSTSCRIPT: EDITORIALS OFFER CONTEXT, PERSPECTIVE
I was distressed to learn that Gannett has decided to scuttle the traditional editorial page in its papers. Gannett, the largest newspaper company in the United States as measured by total daily circulation, has more than 250 daily and weekly newspapers in 46 states. That includes the Aberdeen American News, Sioux Falls Argus Leader and Watertown Public Opinion.
Last month Gannett told its publishers to cut back opinion pages to a few days a week and to refocus on community dialogue. Time will tell what that will look like, but it’s a trend that troubles me.
While regular editorials vanished from the opinion pages of the Argus Leader years ago, the daily continues to publish letters to the editor and occasional staff columns. It’s far cry from the vibrant editorial pages I came to appreciate over the years and I miss them.
I’m in no position to judge the motivations for – and merits of – Gannett’s decision on editorial pages. But I’m pleased that the Courier continues to devote space to opinion every week.
It’s a local tradition as old as the paper itself.
When the Courier was established in 1901, editorial commentary was sprinkled across the front page. It was typically not identified as “editorial,” but clearly the editor’s opinions were there for all to read. When Jacob J. Mendel took the helm of the weekly, he continued the tradition of offering his perspectives.
In the Nov. 6, 1902 issue, which bears his name as editor for the first time, he wrote, “In taking charge of the Courier … we shall endeavor to publish a live, up-to-date newspaper and shall ever labor for the upbuilding of Freeman and surrounding country.”
He unapologetically identified the political viewpoint of the paper as “Republican”
Mendel was politically and socially conservative. Those themes emerged in commentary – typically a short rant – interspersed randomly with the news of the week on a variety of subjects as part of his commitment to that “upbuilding” he referenced in 1902.
In 1920 he offered this:
“The vote cast Monday on the question shall a separate high school be built in Freeman showed that 49 were for that plan and 119 against. While some will look upon this result as an indication that there is no sentiment in favor of building we can hardly draw that conclusion. The high tax this year certainly discouraged some. It’s is no easy thing to face a high tax, it takes moral courage. But Freeman certainly doesn’t want to stand below neighboring towns in any respect. This matter will no doubt be taken care of, even if it has to be postponed for a year or two. It is no reason to lose hope.”
Here’s an observation from 1944:
“At this time when the election is just around the corner, our mind is naturally concentrating upon questions of election. The nation is afraid of communism and many who would like to vote for Roosevelt fear he is communistically inclined. It’s an open secret that all communists are Roosevelt supporters. So just from a basis of reason, you cannot help but classify him as communistically inclined.”
Also in 1944, he wrote, “Last week we said Freeman should and could have a hospital that would serve the demands of this community adequately. The writer has been very hospital minded for the past 10 years or more. On our annual vacation trips we’re always fishing for information and found many towns the size of Freeman have hospitals … We need a hospital and can have a hospital like so many other towns this size.”
I have no doubt that his editorial comments helped drive community conversations that led to civic pride and progress.
When brothers Glenn and Vernon Gering purchased the Courier in 1960, they elevated the editorial to official status, with a standard position and heading on page 2. And that space was filled every week. Sometimes it was commentary from another source, but their commitment to editorials was solid.
When Glenn gave me the title of editor in the early summer of 1973, that included writing an editorial. It was gutsy move on his part; our political perspectives were not aligned. He leaned right and I leaned left. While he never exercised control over my editorial comment, he insisted I put my initials at the bottom of every editorial. In the decades that followed, my editorials always concluded with “tlw”.
Providing objective, fair and reliable information for our readers is at the heart of our mission as community journalists.
But I believe the soul of the newspaper is found on our editorial pages.
Newspapers have a responsibility to provide the communities they serve with a public forum. The newspaper should be a place where a community can talk to itself, where anyone can share an observation, a concern, a challenge or a compliment. Without that public dialogue, the citizens are deprived of an essential tool for participation in the affairs of the community. Not only do individuals suffer from the absence of public dialogue, so do the communities themselves.
The newspaper has a responsibility to lead by example by setting aside a portion of every issue for that dialogue, which should include letters from readers and columns from local residents. And the newspaper has a responsibility to lead by example with a local editorial regularly and consistently.
Contrary to what some may think, the primary purpose of an editorial is not to change people’s minds or tell them how to think. Rather, an editorial should encourage people to think, offering context and perspective that helps them explore ideas in ways that they might not have considered.
Editorials help readers connect with their communities.
Editorials provide context, insight and reflect a commitment to thoughtful conversation rather than short rants and retorts on social media.
Editorials help explain issues in a way that transcends the news coverage.
Editorials help lead community conversations that are essential to democracy.
Our communities deserve them.
Our democracy requires them.
Tim L. Waltner began his career as a community journalist with the weekly Freeman (S.D.) Courier in the spring of 1973. Over the years he has written more than 2,000 editorials. Although he retired in 2020, he continues to write a monthly column for the Courier’s opinion pages that also include other local columnists on a weekly basis.
