sussexcountywatchdog

Entries in letters to the editor (2)

Thursday

Oct262017

Why won't the Herald print letters from Republicans?

Again and again, we are hearing from very credible people that the New Jersey Herald has ignored letters to the editor that they sent in to be published. Some have said that the Herald continued to ignore their letters even after they re-submitted them.

While the Herald has printed letters from Democrat Party politicians who hold or who have held political patronage jobs, local politicians connected through legal dealings with Democrat candidates, and vendors on the make for some county contracts -- the Herald has ignored letters from local town council and committee members, local philanthropists, community activists, and ordinary subscribers who support Republican candidates. The Herald was quick to print a letter from the former Democrat Party Chairman of Warren County but ignored a letter from a sitting Warren County Freeholder who wanted to correct a falsehood printed in the newspaper! We hope he remembers that when taking those votes on where to publish notices next year.

And that raises an important point. The Herald is not a blog. It is a newspaper that is underwritten by the taxpayers of Sussex County. The State makes taxpayers underwrite the private corporation that owns the Herald by mandating that county and local governments spend property tax revenues to advertise government notices in the Herald. In the era of the Internet, most argue that forcing taxpayers to spend money on print advertising is out-of-date, inefficient, and a waste of taxpayers' money.

So you do have skin in the game. And as the Herald gets your tax dollars to support its private, profit-making enterprise -- you have every right to complain if you feel the coverage you are receiving isn't fair or if you feel you are being ignored.

Here's how to make your voice heard.

You can write to the publisher of the Herald:

Mr. Keith Flinn

Publisher

New Jersey Herald

2 Spring Street

Newton, NJ 07860

kflinn@njherald.com

Or you can write to the out-of-state corporation that owns the Herald:

Mr. Ralph M. Oakley
President/CEO

Quincy Media Corporation
130 South 5th Street

Quincy, IL 62306
roakley@quincymedia.com

Please let us know if this helps to resolve your problems.

Is the Herald censoring letters to the editor?

Sussex County Watchdog

Several people have complained to our contributors that the New Jersey Herald is refusing to print letters to the editor that they submit. From the complaints it appears that the letters blocked are those that oppose the Democrat ticket this year -- especially Democrat Freeholder candidate Dan Perez -- and those that discuss school consolidation.

We don't know why the Herald would do this, if indeed, they are doing it. At the same time, those doing the complaining are very solid citizens, so we have no reason to doubt them either.

The Herald is not a blog. It is a newspaper that is underwritten by the taxpayers of Sussex County. The State makes taxpayers underwrite the private corporation that owns the Herald by mandating that county and local governments spend property tax revenues to advertise government notices in the Herald. In the era of the Internet, most argue that forcing taxpayers to spend money on print advertising is out-of-date, inefficient, and a waste of taxpayers' money.