Howard County Blog

A Blog on what is going on in Howard County

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Howard County Issues newspaper

The latest issue of the Howard County Issues newspaper has hit the news stands.

I mention this paper for different reasons. This is a fairly new news paper, devoted to issues in Howard County, and it is my believe that promoting it will benefit the residents of Howard County. At this point it has some growing to do. It bills it's self as "A civic publication from the Independent Voter Group". One editor is an Independent, the second is a member of the Green party, but it seems to favor the Republican Club this month as it did last month with what amounts to a full page free ad. I mention this because free space in a news paper is a donation, even if not reportable. As I said it needs to grow a little, and I believe with growth there will be more independent dissemination of the news and opinions.

As a member of the Howard County Farm Bureau, I appreciate the front page coverage for our Farm Bureau President's comments.

I do wish the address of the Java Grande Coffee Cafe would have been included with the interesting article about this new business.

A very good sign is the news that Howard County Issues is planning to be at the Main Exhibition hall at the Howard County Fair. From my personal experience, the cost of renting and manning a location at the fair calls for honest commitment.

This free paper can be found at the local Howard County libraries.

8 Comments:

Blogger Mike Milligan said...

Jim, thanks for that last sentence, because it answered both questions that developed in my mind as I read your description.

4:59 PM  
Blogger B. Santos said...

Jim,

To call the Howard County Issues a "newspaper" is a stretch. The Issues does not delineate as to which articles are opinion and which are news. The Issues tends to represent a single point of view and gives very little to no space to an alternative point of view. Each issue contains misinformation and at best partial information to support a particular viewpoint.

I caution anyone who comes across the Howard County Issues to question the conclusions reached in this publication.

5:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

b.santos

Thanks for your comment. The use of the word "newspaper" is a stretch, and it is also mine, not Howard County Issues.

Also i agree with you on the remainig points that you have made.I was being too soft, and you have taught me a lesson, thanks again.

6:33 PM  
Blogger B. Santos said...

Jim,

Please don't take my comments so hard. Although I take exception to the material in Howard County Issues, I find it wonderful that people are out there care enough to dedicate time and resources for their cause.

This also extends to you and work you put into this blog. We may have differences in opinion, but you have done a much better job than I at posting regularly, and you have been very good about presenting your material.

What I am getting at is that I do not believe that there are lessons to be learned. Keep up your good work, and I will try to be a better at smoothing out my rough edges.

11:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

b.santos, there were no rough edges. By soft, I mean I had come to the same conclusions as you had, but failed to offer constructive criticism as you did.

Thanks again

8:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

b. Santos:

If you disagree with issues printed in any publication, do you write a letter to the publication?

If there's a medium to express your viewpoint, why not take advantage?

8:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please allow clarification: The Howard County Issues publication contains data and commentary, not news. All political parties are encouraged to submit notices and some obviously do.

Also, a publication that took on the Chamber of Commerce and developers should be (and was) balanced by highlighting the legitimately acting Republican party in Howard. Imagine what it would have looked like had the contents included voting records of prominent developers, a claim that the Chamber despises capitalism, and then went on to put the Democrats on a pedestal.

This publication is balanced. If you don’t like it, then write a letter.

8:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am looking for clear understanding, with two remarks made by anon 7:33.

What is meant by "highlighting the legitimately
acting Republician party in Howard County" What was legitimately highlighted. This honestly sounds partisan, not objective.

Where were Democrats placed on, or even thought of being placed on a pedestal.

I am not being a smart ass, I am looking for substance, and nopartisanship here. I don't see it.

I made the mistake of refereing to this publication as a newspaper, I was thinking in too general of a thought pattern, I was wrong. Sorry, my fault.

The comment is made by anon 7:33 "This publication is balanced"

But the last two publications provide one full page to the Republican Party. Forget the Democrats, this publication didn't even provide this support to the Green Party, or any other party. A reader would think the only political party in Howard Co. was the Republican party. I don't see the balance here.

For this publication to suceed, it is going to have to offer balance in it opinion, and advertisement. If not it is going to look like the Communist rag the Harvey Lee Oswald handed out.

One thing that gives me confort with this discussion is that I am aware of Republican tactics, they well eat their own to win.

If this publication continues to side with the Republicans, the number of readers will not increase.

Our county residents want to be informed, not misinformed, and the readers will see though this weak attempt to provide alternative points of view.

11:12 PM  

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