From the editor’s desk: Reporting the news

By Pat Caldwell
Saturday, October 3, 2009 11:33 PM PDT

Despite attempts by many, especially in this digital age, to streamline the functions of a newspaper, the basic road map of a small town news organization like the Argus Observer remains varied and complex.

We are expected, and in fact often encouraged, to make local news our primary focus. That is how it should be. By virtue of our size, our leadership philosophy and location, local news must remain the highest priority.

We can’t, though, be an everlasting Pollyanna, constantly reporting only the news that some may perceive as “good.”

We simply do not adhere to such a dogma. We don’t make local hometown news. We simply report it.

If news is good, we’re pleased. We want our community to be seen in the best light as possible, just like anyone else. However, if the news is bad, then we believe it is our obligation to report it as well.

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While the news end of our operation is fairly straightforward, and there for all to see, other elements of our function often are overlooked.

We are, at heart, a newspaper. A news gathering organization. But we are also an intricate piece of the larger community and, as such, we focus a lot of time and energy on more subtle elements of our overall goals.

Those “goals” include an active participation in events. For example, the Argus Observer sponsors a number of area community events. The Ontario Air Faire is the latest event we co-sponsored and the Treasure Valley Community College Foundation’s annual event The Sting (set for November) will be our next.

We also co-sponsor Mud Volleyball — an event that benefits the food bank — and we also co-sponsor the School Supply and Coat Drive with Love INC.

Why? These are community events that are important and help in the effort to create a sense of unification.

Which leads us to another key point about local, or community, philosophy.

Partnerships, or coalitions, between community leaders, merchants and residents are the key elements to overall success in the future.

An excellent example of that is the Southeast Oregon Regional Food Bank. This local entity — thanks in large part to director Peter Lawson’s work — utilizes coalition building on a grand and successful scale.

The food bank provides an essential service locally, but it doesn’t do so in vacuum. Only through partnerships and coalition building does it succeed as well as it does.

None of what I’m describing is any secret or a news flash to most readers.

While the iconic image of rugged individualism is a great American motif, the truth is very little has been accomplished in our history by individual means. Teamwork, success through partnerships, has proven to be key to set the stage for triumphs.

I know I can speak for Publisher John Dillon when I say that while we take our job as a news watchdog seriously, we also are just as concerned about creating and maintaining partnerships in the community. That’s why such sponsorship of events like The Sting are so critical.

We believe in such events, believe that they are methods to help bring the community together and, at the same time, create a great foundation for future success.

We will also be dedicated to reporting the news — good or bad — in a fair manner.

But we will be just as dedicated to honing partnerships in our community with such programs as Project DOVE or Love INC or TVCC.

Partnerships are important.

Pat Caldwell is the editor of the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at PatC@argusobserver.com. The views and opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily represent those of the Argus Observer.