Muscatine

I guess ....

everyone has thier own opinions on what should be news and what shouldn't. I think there is more than enough in this town to keep the paper going but often we don't get the news of what is going on right here. And lately I have noticed a lot of news about the small towns around us such as morning sun and wapello to name a couple. Yes those towns are important also but I live in muscatine and I want to read about the muscatine news. And we all know it is there.

''News''???

Ok folks, I have a comment here, and, a question to ALL of you! First off though, I want to say, that I am neither a friend or foe to the Journal. You might be aware that the QC Times ALSO raised it's price. It sounds like a LOT of you are PO'ed at the Journal for their ''lack'' of reporting the news! Now, for the question. What SPECIFICALLY do you consider to be ''LOCAL'' news? WHAT do you really want to know about? Is the Wilton paper a better ''local'' paper than the Journal? Should they start reporting the daily police blotter like they used to? IF the paper is as bad as some say, would people volunteer to write FACTUAL stories (not hear say), on say, a weekly basis? Luckily, as far as I'm concerned, our sleepy little town of Muscatine doesn't have a lot of murders, rapes, drive by shootings, major gang activity. I guess, for the paper to change, they HAVE to know JUST WHAT YOU WANT! Maybe HERE is a GOOD medium for that to happen! JMHO.....Tom Milder.

Bravo tom

I think you hit it right on the nose with the ''factual'' story line. So many times we all hear what we take for fact and wonder why the Journal didnt publish it only to find out the facts are not as we heard them. We all have opinions and ''contacts'' at various places around town and tales get spread from here to there and are not usually all that accurate. I do think a lot of folks take some joy in reading of the police blotter and small claims reports of the old Journal. It gives those with nothing else to do fodder for gossip.
I do think the Journal is what it is....a small town newspaper. It is not all that bad if you think of it that way. Want more news, subscribe to the NY Times or the Register. I will continue to read all three and several more online.

Herman

What ''news'' isn't

I'm sure that what qualifies as ?“news?” differs from person to person, so I don?’t think that there is a definition beyond what you/I want it to be. But I also think that a front page above the fold story about someone who collects something or other isn?’t ?“news.?” It may be a story for a section of a paper that deals with such things, but it certainly is not front page news, because frankly, who cares?
I don?’t think the JOURNAL has any capability to gather news whatsoever. I think the ?“news?” they print is either handed to them, or they get it by having some so-called reporter show up at a government meeting and take notes. Anyone could do that, it takes no talent, no journalism skills, and certainly no ambition.
Sure, we?’re lucky that we don?’t live in a city ridden with crime and criminals like it was about 20 years ago?…maybe that?’s a potential news story, but I can not believe for one minute that there are things that are happening (or not happening) in branches of the government, especially at the County level that wouldn?’t be ?“news.?” I?’ve always gotten he impression that Journal reporters either do not know how or do not think it important to develop reliable sources within the government where most other news outlets get their stories. The Journal has even sunk so low as to report what turns out to be ?“gossip.?” They hardly ever have two independent sources for their stories as is the norm for legitimate news outlets, they just assume what a person tells them is the truth and that?’s that.
None of this deserves a rate hike. If you get more for paying more then fine, but just to raise the price so the bottom line gets fatter is wrong. They should give more if they want more.