The phone calls and emails roll in every so often. Readers want to complain about the opinion pages.
Yes, even though it may shock some of you, I receive complaints about the pages leaning both far-left and far-right. It may be more surprising for some of you to learn that if you’re reading the opinion pages at all, you’re in the minority.
Research and our online analytics show that the editorials and nationally syndicated columns and cartoons are among the newspaper’s least read content.
So we are making some significant changes.
Beginning this week, opinion content will appear in print only two days – Wednesday and Sundays. There will be no opinion pages Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
The Canton Repository has no use for divisive political columns preferring “locally written guest essays … educational and inspiring stories …thoughtful editorials and columns.”
Though they have signed up for a weekly cartoon from local cartoonist Jerry King.
Another change involves the political cartoons. We have contracted with Stark County cartoonist Jerry King to produce an editorial cartoon each Sunday for the Repository that will focus on state and local issues. We hope that you enjoy his sense of humor.
© Jerry King
Read managing editor Rick Armon’s column about the changes.
(The Canton Repository is a Gannett/Gatehouse newspaper.)
So a newspaper which relies on the first amendment denies first amendment rights to its citizens?
The only opinion which should matter to the community is the publisher?
SMH
As stupid and self-defeating as this newspaper’s new policy is, the First Amendment doesn’t mean a newspaper has to print everything its readers want. It means that the readers can buy their own press and make their own newspaper to print whatever they want.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
It applies ONLY to government.
There is actually, shockingly, a nugget of victory in this massive dung beetle wad of cowardice: they hired a local cartoonist.
Granted, it is freelance, it is only one day a week, the cartoons are softballs, and they are probably paying Jerry King in dung, but still — THEY ARE RUNNING A LOCAL CARTOONIST*
*Offer of congratulations rescinded if we find out they are only paying in “exposure.”