Carol Petersen says “Here’s a blueprint for Local news coverage” is the last of her monthly columns in the Lancaster Sunday News.
The following are excerpts of her many surprisingly critical observations of the Lancaster Newspapers and the local scene:
“After a recent public relations piece in the paper about all the glories and benefits of the Lancaster County Convention Center, I thought about writing a fact-packed article for the taxpayers in nothing but hard, cold figures.”
“Journalism, at its best, is the protector of the people, asks the hard questions, doesn’t take ‘No’ for an answer; keeps asking the question that the person at the mic during the press conference keeps dodging, and presses issues. Good journalism should make polite society just a little bit uncomfortable, because good journalism isn’t polite. Good journalism is bold.”
“Good journalism isn’t an arm for any administration or political party. Good journalism isn’t an extension of the PR department of the police department or the mayor’s administration – no matter what party holds the office – and shouldn’t run interference for local Big Business’s ambitions”
“A good investigative reporter ferrets out information, follows their own leads, and doesn’t just take dictation from official spokesmen or regurgitate press releases. Investigative journalism should always be seeking out sources, should be the very essence of integrity for ‘We the People,’ not with the goal of giving us salacious tidbits or tabloid sensationalism, but to hold to the fire the feet of those whose jobs it is to serve and protect the citizens.”
“Perhaps the answer to remaining viable in the Internet-driven world is not to go safe, to just aim at hanging on, being the Hometown News. Perhaps the answer is to go big or go home. Perhaps the answer is to find 21st-century ways to emulate Woodward and Bernstein, aiming to break big local stories and issues wide open!”
“I pray the reader will demand that their local press become the tenacious bulldogs that get the answers to their most pressing questions. It’s time to stop thinking of Lancaster city as just some sleepy backwater where the only thing readers are interested in are human interest feel-good stories. The feel -good stories Lancastrians are interested in are the back story on the fiscal impact of the convention center on taxpayers, the shocking disparity in sentencing in local courtrooms, and the arrests of the murders of 16 of our citizens.”
The welcome mat will always be out for Ms Petersen at Newslanc, be it as a columnist commenting on local affairs or as anonymous commentary. Perhaps with her ‘swan song’, her major contributions towards the good of our community are just getting underway.
Lets hope that Carol Peterson is not just a voice in the wilderness crying. I have always appreciated her thoughtful columns, although I have not always totally agreed with her on some of her positions.
She has always done more than superficial research and provided stimulating food for thought.
Now it is up to LNP ownership, management and staff to give serious consideration and reflection to her parting sentiments; and see if in fact LNP can’t become true journalists in every sense of the word; and not just mouth-pieces for an empowered few.
Carol has summarized and given voice to sentiments and concerns of many in Lancaster County…I wish her well in whatever she chooses for the future…a home at Newslanc would be a great addition to what you already do in keeping us fully informed.
Rats – I was looking for Mrs. Petersen’s last column on LancasterOnline and it appears to have been scrubbed. They seem to be a bit touchy over there. Your link above does not work either. Any chance you’ve cached it?
Thanks.
EDITOR: We searched NewsLanc under Carol Petersen and found the relevant article right away. Perhaps there was a glitch.
“Sunday News Columnist Carol Petersen’s Incendiary Swan Song”