RECENTLY, I extended an offer to a councillor to feature an editorial piece in our newspaper, providing coverage for a motion they had submitted to the Council. This is a service I have extended to numerous councillors on many occasions.
To be clear, the offer was for editorial news coverage.
Given that our newspaper reaches 55,000 readers per issue, including over 5,000 in this councillor’s division, I was surprised by their response and the level of misunderstanding from an individual in such a leadership position. The councillor replied by stating they had ‘little faith in my editorial credibility and ability to cover any issue in a balanced way’.
One might equally hypothesize that such a response demonstrates a lack of political astuteness, to the detriment of the councillor’s constituents.
I often receive negative feedback on social media regarding Publishers Point and perceived imbalances. It seems necessary to clarify a fundamental distinction in journalism: an editorial opinion piece and balanced news coverage serve different purposes and follow distinct journalistic standards.
An editorial opinion piece, such as Publishers Point, is intended to express the personal views of the writer. It is inherently subjective and is designed to provoke thought, debate, and critical reflection. This practice is common across all newspapers and online platforms in this country. The aim is to present a personal perspective, not to provide an impartial account of events.
Balanced news coverage, on the other hand, strives for objectivity and impartiality. It is committed to offering a full, unbiased view of events, incorporating all relevant perspectives, with careful research and fact-checking. Balanced journalism avoids taking sides, instead delivering facts and allowing readers to form their own informed opinions.
Over the past four years, I have interviewed countless individuals and written hundreds of news stories for the Hervey Bay Advertiser, often covering views that I do not personally share. This is the essence of news reporting, which is distinct from editorial commentary. It would benefit certain public figures to understand this distinction before raising unnecessary concerns.
Readers are always welcome to disagree with the opinions expressed in Publishers Point. In fact, that is its very purpose. For those who hold differing views, we encourage them to submit
a Letter to the Editor, allowing for a respectful exchange of opinions.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
