Mon, Nov 09 2009
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Published August 30, 2008 08:40 pm - At times among readers there is confusion about the distinction of news items, columns and opinions, and to my chagrin, sometimes uncertainty about what constitutes news and what constitutes opinion. What is the difference? By KEITH PONDER Glasgow Daily Times At times among readers there is confusion about the distinction of news items, columns and opinions, and to my chagrin, sometimes uncertainty about what constitutes news and what constitutes opinion. Definitions of news have remained largely unchanged — “Man Bites Dog” is the classic — where events and activities in the life of the community constitute news and calls for news coverage and news space.
In the past generation, the lines between news and opinion have gotten cloudier. The bomb-throwers of talk radio, bloggers, spinners and the “fair & balanced” folks at Fox News have moved us from a discussion of politics and public policy to news with an agenda. It’s my view that news has no agenda. We run between 110 and 120 pages of the Daily Times each week. More than 100 of those pages contain news coverage or advertising for and about this community. Our team of reporters generates much of this coverage; other news and information is submitted on your behalf from other sources — obituaries, birth announcements, anniversaries. Throughout the week we also have a number of talented local writers who write columns — a story told from their perspective. We are blessed to have several outstanding columnists writing on a regular basis: Ronnie Ellis, Jimmy Lowe, Golda Walbert, Jennifer Moonsong, Joel Wilson and James Brown are among those that I never miss. We also have some talented and faithful columnists telling of the important work of groups and organizations in the community. The best columns often take a moment in life and tell a beautiful story, as Joel Wilson’s tribute last week. (If you missed it I commend it to you http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com /opinion/local_story_ 235094843.html) Columns are written from the perspective of the columnist and, as such, contain opinions of the writer. As we publish columns, some appear on the sports pages, some on inside pages and some — like Ronnie’s, James’ and mine — are on the opinion page. For columns that appear outside the editorial page, we identify them as columns with the name, and often the photo, of the columnist. The editorial page, or opinion page, is a hallmark of American newspapers. The best pages offer a perspective on a local, national or world issue as a newspaper editorial. They also usually contain syndicated columnists — writers of national stature who appear in multiple newspapers nationwide. Our local editorials appear on the far left column of this page and are clearly identified as the Daily Times opinion. These editorials are most generally the work product of an editorial board consisting of the editor, the managing editor and the publisher. From time to time others participate as well. While they couldn’t possibly represent the personal position of every employee of the newspaper (and sometimes not even the position of everyone on the editorial board), they do represent our best effort to convey the newspaper’s opinion or perspective on an issue. Newspaper editorials, at least in this newspaper, aren’t intended to be lectures but rather to provoke discussion and thought in the marketplace of ideas. We may advocate. We may praise. And we may condemn. But it is always our intention to bring light to issues that we believe are important in the life of our community. And while you may not agree, or think we’re not right, I trust you believe we have arrived at our position by and for the right reasons. We take this opportunity and obligation seriously. Keith Ponder is publisher of The Glasgow Daily Times and vice president and Great Plains Division manager for CNHI. 
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