Tt post sep 4, 2017

"I think people like Randy Oostra and Joe Napoli who are actually making positive things happen in this town are likely having some influence on JRB and how the paper is approaching local issues."

If true, that's disturbing.

In theory, a newspaper should be independent. What it reports and does not report as news, and what it states as opinion should not be influenced by outsiders. Otherwise the newspaper becomes a propaganda tool.

ProMedica and the Hens related entities should never get free passes from possible future warranted investigations because of their past good deeds. Constructing or renovating a building today should not buy a newspaper's turned blind eye in the future.

A problem could occur when someone has the audacity to criticize one of the hallowed gems of this area even if the criticism is justified. The public mob may fiercely respond with claims of negativity, squashing true investigative journalism when it's warranted.

A newspaper should be militantly independent, but that might be impossible when it relies on advertising from businesses.

It seems strange to me when newspaper editors and newspaper higher-ups schmooze amicably with business owners, developers, and politicians who are the people that the newspaper should investigate some day.

Even if this quote still applied today, someone higher up in the chain could kill the story, which would be unfortunate.

"When a reporter sits down at the typewriter, he's nobody's friend."