Dear Mr. Sherman,
There is no wonder why newspapers are failing. They too often misspell, misprint, misquote and misguide the readers. In addition, it seems small newspapers are often on the mission to divide, rather than unify the community.
You never thank, only slam: Mr. Sherman, your editors often fail to print ‘letters to the editor? that support or thank citizens, businesses, or local employees for contributions to the community, despite your solicitation of those letters. Yet, editors print petty letters that slam other community newspapers for their references and style. This kind of selective, unprofessional printing and reporting does not bode well for newspapers.
Printing letters that berate other newspapers only demonstrates insecurity.
Printing inane letters that insult the new township supervisor, for what she viewed as legality, is diminutive. I have to wonder for what The Citizen is beholden to Ron Lapp and others in the ‘Good Old Boys Club?? Certainly, the change, either way, in Ms. Thurman’s salary was not going to change her life.
‘Best? section divides community: Additionally, your Best of the Best contests by your newspapers and others certainly gives a false impression of quality. These contests ultimately cause more division, as well as hardship in our community. Discriminating in the news does nothing to promote local businesses, especially in this barren economic time.
‘I find it counter-productive? Clearly, The Citizen aims to promote its own agenda through the contest. You appear self-serving when you include a newspaper category in the contest, enter your paper in the contest, and claim to have one. Permitting employees of Sherman Publications to enter their businesses in the contest is conflicting and raises suspicions when they win. I question whether employees of Sherman Publications were permitted to vote.
In this very small community of businesses, some have no competition. In other areas of service, there are several choices. Often, each option is a worthy option fulfilling its own separate and unique mission. Often, each of those options is serving an important sector of the community in a very effective way. The public is not necessarily getting information as to the ‘best? of anything from these contests. I find it counter-productive for The Citizen, or any other newspaper, to run biased contests that, in reality, blatantly seek only to promote the efforts of their advertising departments.
I understand your letter policy. However, I know your routine and you will not run this letter without a name, so why include a name? It should be run, and it should not matter who I am, woman, man, prominent or not, in ‘the old club? or not.
A newspaper reading
Brandon citizen
Publisher’s Note: Dear Newspaper Reading Brandon Citizen, how does your letter look in print? Thanks for writing. We thank you for your interest and for reading The Citizen. If you would like to have a conversation about these or future concerns, our office is having coffee and other goodies on the morning of May 29. We’re located in downtown Ortonville. Jim Sherman, Jr., publisher
P.S.’You will not run this letter.? Wrong.