Reader critical of Advertiser's approach

Letters to the Editor - Dear Editor:

I read with great interest the editorial by David Newell in the July 7 edition of the Advertiser.

I used to think David was a fair reporter but I guess his article this week and one last week has me beginning to doubt my original belief.

Last week, David had a great article about the school sports situation and the fact that they don't want to take part in a three-hour seminar dealing with abuse and harassment, which is required by Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador. The article was quite informative and interesting until David took a swipe at Premier Danny Williams. David referred to him as "King Danny" and why he even brought the premier into his article is still puzzling to me.

Well, actually it is not because it is a common trait of the reporting style of the Advertiser. All one has to do is read the numerous articles condemning the present day government since they took office, while the vast majority of the province has been very supportive.

However, back to the July 7 editorial. This article dealt with the rally to support our health professionals in Grand Falls-Windsor last Thursday. David's focus was that MHAs Clayton Forsey and Ray Hunter were not at the rally. In fact, they were both at the meeting with the minister of health and other community leaders. I don't suppose David was suggesting that if Clayton and Ray were at the rally that he or the Advertiser would have taken the time to interview them...nah.

I took exception to his tone though, as it insinuated the rally was not important to the two MHAs and that they really should have been there. Funny thing about reporting though is that one can put a particular spin on something and make it seem more than what it really is.

What struck me about his editorial was that the mayors of Botwood and Grand Falls-Windsor were not at the rally either. However, they did have other council members go there on their behalf. Does it mean that because Rex Barnes and Jerry Dean were a no show at the rally that they didn't support the cause or the intent of the rally? Far from it.

As well, the mayor of Bishop's Falls wasn't at the rally and to my knowledge neither was any other council member from Bishop's Falls. In fact, there was nobody from the Bishop's Falls town council at the meetings with the minister either. Does this mean that they don't support the cause?

Maybe Mr. Newell could have highlighted those points but no, he just focused on Clayton Forsey and Ray Hunter. Well, as it was, Clayton Forsey and Ray Hunter did not attend the rally but their colleague, MHA Susan Sullivan, did attend. All three MHAs were at the meeting with the minister and MHA Sullivan joined the rally representing the three central MHAs. Is that any different from councillors representing their municipal governments instead of their respective mayors who were meeting with the minister? I don't think so. The absence of Mayors Barnes, Dean and Fancey wasn't so conspicuous as to warrant a blasting in the Advertiser's editorial section. Funny thing about that isn't it? However, the absence of Forsey and Hunter was terrible, according to Mr. Newell, and it showed complacency. What a total load of foolishness. David's editorial could have focused on the positives of the rally but instead he decided to play petty politics and focus on something that lacks credibility when compared to the big picture.

If Mr. Newell was so intent on fair reporting and commentating, he would have or should have taken the time to check that certain constituents and even municipal leaders suggested and recommended that Mr. Forsey be at the meeting with the minister. However, Mr. Newell didn't bother to do that and instead chose to use the lowest form of journalism and print what he wanted to print without considering all angles. Another funny thing about his editorial was that David Newell did mention that MP Scott Simms wasn't at the rally and nobody from his office was there either. However, Mr. Newell didn't dwell on that fact and just gave it one sentence in an "Oh, by the way" fashion near the end of the editorial.

This type of journalism or lack thereof has been very common with the Advertiser. They all too often hide many of the facts and paint a picture of something other than what it really is. It is too bad that this type of journalism has to prevail in our paper because many of us look forward to fair and credible journalism and not the low ball, demeaning and unwarranted reporting of some of the Advertiser's articles.

It strikes me strange that nobody on the editorial staff thought of any of the points I mentioned in this letter and it is even stranger that David Newell would allow himself to print such a disheartening commentary after all of the positives that existed because of the rally and meeting with the minister.

I find it very disheartening as well that a reporter such as David Newell for two weeks in a row has taken public swipes at PC politicians. All politics aside, it is not fair reporting and we the readers of this paper deserve much more. Not sure why this attitude exists at the Advertiser, even though I have my thoughts, but I certainly hope this letter might open some eyes and get the reporting back to being credible, responsible, accountable and most importantly, fair.

Brian Tremblett

Exploits District PC Association