Many Are Wondering ...

Since the Spokesman-Review made the severe cutbacks a while back, those of you that are used to seeing a column about Bayview or Athol or both, every week, are not. This doesn't mean I was replaced by another writer, but that in some cases to stay under budget, they are reprinting those articles from Spokane or other areas adjacent to Idaho. By reprinting them, they only have to buy the story once. I have been approached by numerous people asking why.

Editors are like anyone else, except for one thing. They choose what news to disseminate, but don't get much feedback, if any. I am not soliciting cheerleaders for my column. that would be unprofessional. There is, however,a list of editors and writers in every issue of the Prairie voice, along with ways to contact all of them by either E-Mail or phone. They do respond to reader input, but seldom get any. Usually, the only time they get a call is when someone doesn't like the story they just read.

So then, the bottom line is it is useless for you to approach me with things like,"I wish your column was still published all the time." If you feel strongly about it, call or write an e-mail expressing yourself to the editors. They are the ones that make these decisions.

Many of my friends that were staff reporters are now out of work. It isn't a pretty picture, and with advertising revenues certain to go down further, the future isn't bright. Whether neighborhood news survives depends on whether readers support the effort. If they don't, it's gone.