OUR TURN: “”The only time a newspaper’s presses have stopped for
any length of time in Pennsylvania, one peculiar thing has
happened: People didn’t show up at funerals.””[neWLine]

For National Newspaper Week, we pass along comments from Kim
Strong, assistant managing editor of the (Harrisburg) Patriot-News
and president of the Pennsylvania Society of Newspaper
Editors.[neWLine]

Continuing: “”I marvel at that little detail. We’ve come a long
way in communications in the last couple of decades – teen-agers
can download a movie and watch it on a screen smaller than an
Etch-a-Sketch. Yet communities still rely on someone gathering and
disseminating information the old-fashioned way: the
newspaper.””[neWLine]

“”Sure, you can log on, dial up or change channels for a quick
hit of news. But the newspaper has never been a quick fix. It is
often the oldest, largest and most comprehensive communication
vehicle in your community, and we’re proud of it.[neWLine]

“”We tell stories about your neighbors, your school, your
favorite ball teams, your community, and your local theaters, banks
and businesses. Some of those are stories; some are honor rolls,
weddings, engagements, sports scores, team rosters, bankruptcies,
hirings, promotions, police arrests, fires and
accidents.[neWLine]

“”I’ve often wondered how long it would take anyone to reinvent
all those wheels because they’re well-oiled.[neWLine]

“”In fact, in the past 12 months, the presses ran hot month
after month throughout the state on legislative pay raises.
Newspapers told of the late-night bump in pay, and readers
responded with outrage. Newspapers dogged the story, of legislators
who backed down from their initial vote and others who held fast.
Readers wrote letters to the editor, and we printed many of them.
Our editorial boards hounded legislators about their secrecy and
greed. And voters knocked several politicians out of their ivory
towers.[neWLine]

“”Some call what happened ‘the power of the press.’ I
disagree.[neWLine]

“”The press has an obligation to tell the stories – ugly,
enlightening, entertaining or uplifting – in their communities. We
have an incredible responsibility to do it right and
fairly.[neWLine]

“”But the power is always in your hands. You voted. You wrote
letters. You responded.[neWLine]

“”We print the obituaries, and you show up at the funerals.
That’s how it’s always worked, and we’re proud of it.[neWLine]

“”Let those presses roll.””