Readers sense the importance of the coming presidential election and the power of the Times-Union in covering it.
In recent weeks, the tension in the phone calls and e-mails of readers has increased. So I surveyed members of our E-Mail Interactive Group last week to obtain their reactions.
The consensus was that the Times-Union is doing OK in covering the election. This is no scientific poll, however, just a group of active readers. What interested me was the intensity and the contradictions of the opinions. Here is a sampling from about 150 responses.
Intensity: “I do not recall a campaign that involved so much vehemence and personal attacks.” Shukri Salameh, Southside. “I really believe that we will have the highest turnout since back when most eligible voters actually voted.” — Martha Shirko, Southside.
Viewing through GOP glasses: “Overall, I feel that Kerry gets more coverage than Bush. This may be because I’m for Bush 100 percent.” — Jake Lister, St. Simons Island, Ga.
Viewing through Dem glasses: “One has to be blind not to see the bias in reporting for the Republicans in the T-U.” — Mary S. Stickney, Ponte Vedra Beach
It’s obvious, No. 1: “The newspaper is obviously so Republican-slanted that it is hard to separate the reporting from the editorializing.” — Robert Moore, East Palatka.
It’s obvious, No. 2: “It is very apparent that the Times-Union is indeed a liberal newspaper. Kerry can do not wrong, and Bush can do no right.” — Jean Dowless, Westside.
Iraq body count, No. 1: “There is no comparable figure lavished on us so routinely as the number of deaths from AIDS, the number of traffic fatalities in California, the number of homicides in New York, the number of accidental deaths in the construction industry or any other number of deaths from various causes, which far exceed deaths in Iraq. I view this as just another tactic for undermining support for the democratization of Iraq, and a subtle suggestion we ought to cut and run.” — Dave Lovett, St. Marys, Ga.
Iraq body count, No. 2: “The deaths in the war are reported inside the A section. It’s almost as if it doesn’t matter anymore. Anything that hurts the average guy as a result of politics needs your paper’s attention. You are the only voice of the poor and disenfranchised. It hasn’t been heard much lately. Maybe reporting on the front page how the dead are piling up would be a start.” — Robert Taylor, Arlington.
Balanced: “I have been pleased with the coverage of the presidential elections in the paper to date. This is the first town I have lived in that the paper attempts to provide balanced coverage of the left and the right.” — Kevin Gates, Julington Creek.
“I think you include enough reporting and editorial/opinion pieces from both sides so that anyone should be able to read the paper and make up their own minds as to what the reality is.” — Lee Holland, Beaches.
“It seems that the Times-Union is making every effort to report the news without shoving any agenda down our throats. I appreciate that. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how one six-year term for president would spare us at least some of this vitriol.” — Susan Ivey, Palatka.
Summing up: “I just know I’m for a certain candidate and the other one is an idiot.” — Mary Lee Goethe, Southside.
Of course, there are some legitimate complaints about coverage that deserve to be addressed. I will explore several of those in next week’s column.
If you would like to join our E-Mail Interactive Group, send me an e-mail and I’ll forward you a questionnaire.
