RECENTLY, some readers have been questioning why we would print in the paper a photo of college students sitting around a keg in a front yard with a sign that said “U Honk and We’ll Drink.”
These readers’ concerns really call into question the role of a newspaper in a community. Is it to print just positive stories and images of our community by censoring the bad, or is it to accurately document the events of the day?
We know some news people who will tell only the positive but, from our perspective, this is doing an injustice to the community. Since William Allen White purchased the paper 113 years ago through today, The Gazette has been documenting the day’s events, good and bad.
In over a century of doing this, we have learned that it does not make us popular on some days. But if people don’t like the community that is represented on their news pages, then we hope they will open a public discussion and bring change.
Just because we do a story on a subject or run a photo about something does not mean we support or condone it. We are simply documenting the community events.
People respond to what we do because of its lasting impact. Local businessman Larry DeBauge was in last week and hit the nail on the head.
“The spoken word gets lost in the wind but the printed word lasts forever,” he said.
Although 113 years is not forever, it means it is possible to go to the library and look at every issue of The Gazette on microfilm and learn about the issues facing the community for that day. Being an archive for the community and knowing that our work will represent our community for generations to come is something we take seriously and take great care in producing the paper each day.
The newspaper is here to report the good with the bad, cheer the positives of the community and be a public forum for community issues that need to be addressed.
If citizens don’t like the image of college kids sitting around a beer keg with a sign encouraging drinking on one of Emporia’s busiest streets, then perhaps — instead of blaming the paper — citizens should be calling on city leaders to bring about a change in our public drinking policy.
Christopher White Walker
Editor & Publisher
Comments
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Posted by crackinsack (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 2:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the main issue is that it wasn't very "front page worthy". I always thought the front page was reserved for the top story. By putting this image on the front page, it's like you are saying all Emporia has going on is college kids drinking. I'd like to think there are more important things happening in this town that could have appeared in that space instead. I think most people didn't like it due to the implications associated with the front page.
Posted by create (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Right on, Chris, especially your final sentence!
Posted by Observation (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 3:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with you Chris. Your job is to report the news, not to make the news.
Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I often disagree with editorials The Gazette prints, but in the case of this photo of some silly college kids having a good time, The Gazette did nothing wrong. It happened, and their photographer was on the ball and captured it. That's what he/she gets paid to do. If The Gazette ever sinks to the position of only printing "good" news or what more sensitive segments of the community find satisfactory, then it will no longer be a viable and credible source of information. Good editorial, Chris.
Posted by crackinsack (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Your job is to report the news, but when you put something on the front page you are trying to accomplish one of two things.
1. Inform people of a major story. The front page article is more important than everything else in the paper and if there is one thing people should get out of the paper it is that first story.
2. Sell more newspapers. Find some way to “stir the pot” and get people to buy the newspaper based on the image on the front.
I’m guessing you went with reason 2 on the paper in question. You knew that this picture would get people talking. Unfortunately, people starting talking about how it was tacky that you chose such an image to appear on the front page. After thinking about your last sentence, I’m guessing someone at the Gazette took offense to the site of the kids drinking outdoors and decided to do an article on it. The goal was probably to get the townsfolk in an uproar in hopes that they would move to make such acts illegal. I guess the readers didn’t “take the hint” so you had to come right out and say it in the last sentence of your response.
By all means, please print the good with the “bad”. The fact that these kids were drinking outside is neither shocking nor particularly useful information. I agree that it does have its place in the paper. All I’m suggesting is that you put a more significant story on the front page next time.
Posted by jcwhit232 (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You say, and I quote, "We are simply documenting the community events." What community EVENT was taking place? I don't think two kids sitting in their front yard drinking would be classifide as a community event.
Posted by slipandslide (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 4:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
whats illegal about drinking in your yard? if the boys in the photo are of legal age and they arent drinking and driving why encourage a change in the laws? i didnt like the image in the photo, but its part of the emporia community, we have college kids who like to drink and some of them like to drink and call attention to themselves, its part of the town
Posted by goodoleboy (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Proof positive that people here whine too much, if do not agree with the Gazette's articles, stop taking it. Else just shut up please, its a bunch of kids having some honest fun(at least they were not driving). Those same kids fuel our local economy, plenty more drunk ADULTS out at the fair or at beefest that should be focused on instead of these folk. Excellent editorial Chris!
Posted by gayzettesux (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Walker. Please don't try and pretend that you're trying to uphold the same standards as William Allen White. The modern Gazette is nothing like what White intended it to be and I believe he would be ashamed by some of the ethical problems with the current staff.
Posted by ntmidtrfan (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As one of the first people to comment about the picture I feel I need to respond... my comment was wasn't there a better picture of the days events celebrating the return of the students. One pic showed some girls getting some t-shirts and the other was the keg boys. What was your intent with the pics...I dont believe you were trying to show the "bad" with the good. I dont for one minute think you were trying to start a public drinking discusion. If you were trying to show a possitive pic of the students returning then another pic of students at the celebration would have been much better. Then we get to the editorial about spread the good word about ESU well one should practice what one preaches don't you think. The story wasnt a "bad" story it was just a poor choice of pics my opinion. Thats basically what the editorials are peoples opinions and it looks like you took it as a personal attack.Sounds to me like your a little touchy. I didn't see any pics of people from the fair who were drinking, I didnt see any pics of the drunks at Beefest,,,why didnt you report on both sides of those events as well, good with the bad.Now, like I said earlier...no one was attacking the views of the newspaper, of course you have to report the good with the bad, the comment was wasn't there a better pic of the day for the front page which I am sure there was you just failed to pick it for print.
Posted by gazette_reader (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 10:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In a town this size, sometimes the major news is as small as a bunch of college students sitting around a distasteful sign.
It was what, a couple of years ago, when many people were criticizing the Gazette for talking about the negative attention some of the posters make on the web site. The message from the readers to the Gazette was that it wasn't their job to make Emporia look like Mayberry, it was to report the news. Similarly, it's not about showing how great the university events are, it's about showing what various students are doing to kick off the beginning of the year.
If I were a parent of a college student or a university administrator, I'd be more concerned about the fact that these students were drinking in the middle of the day instead of participating in any of the wholesome back-to-school stuff that the Gazette was apparently supposed to focus on.
The real issue here isn't the newsworthiness, it's how uncomfortable that photo made people feel. No one writes the Gazette questioning the newsworthiness of fluffy pictures like a little girl blowing dandelion seeds or a man playing with his dog in the park, even though pictures like that are often feel-good filler on slow days. But a picture of a bunch of college kids drinking mid-day and proud of it reflects on our town and our local university, and by saying the picture (as opposed to the action) was inappropriate seems like we're saying we'd rather just not see it to have to acknowledge the event happened and decide how we actually feel about it.
Posted by Kujiin (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I honked they drank and had some fun. I got a laugh. Have we come to the point in Emporia where there are to many stuffed shirts to allow people to have a little fun? Some people in this town have torqued their springs way to tight.
Posted by Happiness08 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As I said before.....next time just give us another picture of a dog taking a crap like you did a few years ago. Same distasteful difference.
Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good grief! What a bunch of whining, stuffy, puritanical, judgemental fuddy-duddys! You people have WAY too much free time on your hands if you have to make a major issue of some college kids drinking a beer in their front yard. Get a hobby. Get a sense of humor. Get a life.
Happiness08: You must have a real bubbly personality and be as much fun as roadkill to compare some kids having fun with "a dog taking a crap". What a sad life you must lead.
Posted by crackinsack (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just in case anyone is referring to me... I don't think it is a big deal that the kids were drinking. I fully support that. I'm only sad I wasn't invited to partake.
I just don't think putting that picture on the front of the paper was very wise. When I think of Emporia, my first thought is college kids drinking. Suppose someone who doesn't live in Emporia sees that paper. They might think, "wow, Emporians sure like to drink outdoors." They might also think, "Gazette, huh...must be some sort of college newspaper." Put those kind of articles in the back of the paper next time for both Emporia's and the Gazette's sake. Otherwise, outsiders might think that’s what we’re all about.
Posted by Happiness08 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it was the Gazette who lumped the dog crapping and the drunk kids together. They were both front page headlines! By the way....thanks for the laugh. I could definately use one.
Posted by Happiness08 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oh yeah......exept the dog got a bigger picture then the kids did. Matter of importance I guess.
Posted by emporian (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 2:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All the do gooders in this town are gonna ruin it for the rest of us that aren't uptight and like to have some fun.
Posted by LifeGoesOn (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 4:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
crackinsack, sometimes I think your smoking to much crack in a sack.
You say "Suppose someone who doesn't live in Emporia sees that paper. They might think, "wow, Emporians sure like to drink outdoors."
LOL what?
If the Gazette posts a car wreck on the front page, do you suppose people who dont live here will start to think, WoW those Emporians sure like to have car wrecks!
Posted by crackinsack (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LifeGoesOn,
A car wreck IS news and probably would be the top story of the day. That would fall under reason 1 for putting it on the front page; to inform people of a major story. People would want to know what happened and if everyone involved in the accident was ok. There’s a reason for this to be on the front page.
My comment was a bit over-the-top, but I was trying to point out that the front page is seen by a large number of people. A picture like that might give a bad first impression of Emporia. It's fine to be in the paper, but don't put it on the front page. "Extra Extra. Read all about it! Emporians drink beer outside!" Come on now...that’s just not a worthy headline. If we have nothing else to put on the front page, we must all like drinking outdoors and feel it’s more important than everything else in the paper. (some might think)
Posted by Happiness08 (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I also enjoyed the crack in a sack remark. Laughter is good for the soul.
Posted by mythoughts (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wanna see the dog picture...
Posted by lancemountain (anonymous) on September 9, 2008 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Come on folks lighten up! That's what college is all about.
Posted by jayhawker (anonymous) on September 9, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good editorial, Chris. You are absolutely correct. Thanks.
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