A Difference of Opinion

Our town is one of the last "two-newspaper" towns remaining in the country. While the Journal Gazette and News Sentinel share a building, printing press, sales staff, circulation department and toilet paper supply, the news rooms of each compete for readers and are totally independent editorially. When the Maven uses the word "editorial" it means more that just the opinion pages. Each news operation works to serve the needs of their target audience. Each is independently owned. Each shares an ownership stake in a separate company that operates the facility and buys the toilet paper.

Today's reporting on the Jeremy Washington case is a prime example of the editorial differences between the papers.

The Journal Gazette has a long history of being a "democrat" or "liberal" newspaper. The stories they choose to report and the manner in which they are written all cater the the audience they desire to deliver. That can be seen in their Tweet announcing the jury decision in the Washington case. 

Even the kids in the WOWO news room will notice that the JG leads with Washington being acquitted of the most "serious" charges. The jury did find Washington guilty of reckless homicide which, apparently, the Journal Gazette must feel is a minor offense. 

Why does the Journal do this? It's to cater to what they believe is their audience of enlightened NPR-listening liberals who don't want to portray members of the minority community in a less than favorable light. 

Contrast this with the News Sentinel which is proud of their Republican-leaning heritage. True to playing to their audience, the NS takes a more "law and order" stand and reports the trial outcome this way:

The News Sentinel report is also factual and correct. They chose to present the story in their style for their audience. 

Contrast this journalism with the news product churned out by the towns TV news operations. Usually a rehash of what the daily newspapers report and some cut and paste media releases thrown in for filler. 

In the final analysis, Fort Wayne is most fortunate to still offer print readers a choice, and in this case, a very discernible and easily understood difference.