Newspaper readers interested in what took place at Lancaster General Hospital’s sole public board meeting of the year on Thursday’s afternoon won’t find a single word in the Friday Intelligencer Journal –New Era. Nor will they see accounts on the complicitous WGAL-TV or Fox 43.
Apparently writing about the activities of LGH and comments from the public is off base for the monopoly Lancaster Newspapers. LGH belongs to local institutions that are part of the untouchable class. For the favored few, Intell’s policy is to ‘hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil.’
LGH is Lancaster’s dominant institution and center of community wealth. Almost every person in the county has either been born, had their children born, received treatment, or will die there. The cost of health insurance is tied to what LGH’s charges. Its mission “To advance the health and well-being of the communities we serve” impacts many aspects of county life, especially as it applies to the social safety net and education. LGH’s activities and derelictions should receive continuous and in depth coverage.
One has to go back to the failure of the Lancaster Newspapers to report without bias on the Convention Center Project during its development stage to find an equivalent ethical lapse on the part of the local press.
Fortunately NewsLanc had a representative present and reports on aspects of the meeting will be posted over the course of the next few days.
Perhaps in response to NewsLanc, we will yet see a belated report in the local newspapers. They are welcome to share our copious notes.
