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While dining at a restaurant in downtown Andrews, a pleasant server came up to me and asked if it was possible for the Cherokee Scout to do one edition or – even better – an entire month’s worth of editions that only contained “good news.”
However, when asked to define “good news,” she paused and struggled. That’s because one person’s good news can be another person’s misery.
For example, John Doe being arrested is good news for anyone he stole from, as they have a chance get their belongings back. But it’s most certainly bad news to Mr. Doe, who would likely prefer not to have his misdeeds shared with the general public.
In real life, every member of the Andrews Police Department being suspended is not good news by any definition. However, it’s hard to imagine anyone in town not wanting to know why patrols aren’t occurring.
In order to get a more diverse, well-rounded perspective, I asked members of the Scout’s Advisory Group on Facebook, “How would you define ‘good news’ in the newspaper? And is it really possible, or even desirable, to even try to publish an all-positive newspaper, when doing so might leave out information that is essential for local residents to know in a timely manner?”
As usual, I was grateful for all the responses. Here are just a few.
“A newspaper’s job is to print the news, good or bad. Factual news that effects the community.” – J.M.
“You can’t give everyone what they want every time. The Scout does a fair job with sharing the good and bad.” – C.B.
“At the end of the day, what the lady inadvertently was asking was for ‘fake news,’ of which we probably have all had our fill already. News will always be about the good, the bad and the ugly.” – C.L.
“The Scout publishes positive stories all the time. No need for a good news-only paper here.” – C.A.
“The best you can hope to do is to try to include an uplifting story in each edition about a person or organization deserving of praise and recognition. Other than that, all you can do is be as factual and unbiased as possible.” – K.H.
“The world offers what it offers. You have to cover it all as best you can.” – S.W.
Several folks also made solid suggestions for future additions to the local newspaper, like more items on local outdoors activities and little things going on around town that can make a big difference. Since the wise King Solomon once wrote there is nothing new under the sun, we won’t hesitate to steal any idea you throw at us.
As another reader put it, the Scout is Cherokee County’s primary source of local news – good or bad. To try to fit everything into one category or the other would, in essence, mean we are no longer reporting reality but editing it to fit a particular viewpoint.
When you put it like that, it’s a pretty bad idea. On the bright side, Celebrate Cherokee County magazine is included inside this edition, which really is 100 percent of nothing but local things worth celebrating – otherwise known as good news. Thanks for reading.
– Publisher & Editor David Brown