Marty Goodnight, the publisher of the Springfield Business Journal in Missouri, writes about the role of such a publication in a region.
Goodnight writes, “That doesn’t mean we shape the news to make things look better than they are. Our newsroom is independent. Always has been. Coverage decisions are based on the story, not the relationship. Advertiser, sponsor, subscriber, vendor, friend – even family – it doesn’t move you up the list. And yes, for the record, Shallina and I are married. If the last name didn’t give it away, citing our marriage in stories certainly has. Transparency matters. So does trust.
“Our job is to get the news right. To cover what’s newsworthy. To do so ethically, truthfully and with integrity. Because the trust we build isn’t just with readers – it’s with the region.
“But I also want to be clear: Our role in the community doesn’t stop at coverage. That newsroom independence doesn’t preclude us from being proud of our place in the local economy. I’m not saying this to sell you something. I’m saying it because I believe in what we do. Supporting SBJ – reading us, returning our reporters’ calls, engaging with our coverage, stapling a name list to the cover and routing it through your office – isn’t just helping our newsroom. It’s helping your community.”
Read more here.
