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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2020)
Opinion 4A Tuesday, April 28, 2020 The Observer OTHER VIEWS Newspapers should be included in stimulus efforts A s the world has been divided into essen- tial and nonessential businesses, local newspapers providing credible informa- tion in this public health crisis fall firmly into the essential camp. The industry is facing an unusual paradox, however. Some essential businesses, such as gro- cery stores, telecommuting software companies and manufacturers of medical masks have seen increased reve- nues as demand DEAN RIDINGS for their prod- CEO, AMERICA’S NEWSPAPERS ucts spikes. But while the appe- tite for local news is at a high, newspapers across the country have been forced to lay off a significant percentage of their staff and cut salaries, or in some cases close altogether. From a revenue standpoint, it doesn’t matter how many thousands more people are viewing a story on a newspaper’s website if the newspaper is removing the paywall from stories with important public health information about COVID-19, and no one is willing to buy advertising to go with it. In a time of canceled events, closed businesses and economic uncertainty, advertising is one of the first line items organizations cut from their budget. This confluence of the need for credible local news and plunging revenues for the companies reporting that news means Congress must make sure newspapers are included in stimulus efforts. The Paycheck Protection Program, which has gotten a refill, allows chain restaurants to count each individual restaurant as its own “small businesses” for the purpose of qualifying for a forgivable loan to cover payroll, rent and utilities. With the fund replenished, Congress should provide affiliation waivers for newspapers, allowing local newspapers owned by larger parent companies such as Gan- nett/Gatehouse to qualify as a “small business” too. Those newspapers may have a larger parent com- pany, but they are still expected to support them- selves through local advertising and subscription revenue. Community members are getting information about COVID-19 testing, local cases, closures, can- celations, resources for the newly unemployed, grants available for businesses, opportunities for free internet access for students, food giveaways and other crucial updates from news outlets, which often have a far greater reach into peoples’ homes than a government agency’s website. That’s a vital public service that needs to continue. In addition to affiliation waivers, Congress should look at other grant options that will help newspapers weather this storm. Federal, state and local gov- ernments also need to set aside advertising dollars to put out public service announcements through newspapers and other local outlets. If the State of Oregon can pay Facebook and Twitter to put spon- sored “Stay Home, Save Lives” posts into your newsfeed, they can pay Oregon businesses that are helping give Oregonians the specific local and state- wide information they need to stay safe. News outlets were already doing “more with less,” and now they’re being forced to do with even less. That hurts everyone. Call or email your federal and state elected officials and ask them to provide the rule change, grants and advertising dollars nec- essary to protect a vital public service. About the Author: Dean Ridings is CEO of America’s Newspapers, an alliance of newspaper establishments and advocate for First Amendment rights and the protection of the free press. OUR VIEW Criminal Justice Commission should follow law O regon’s Criminal Jus- tice Commission does important work to analyze and try to improve the state’s criminal justice system. And it’s actually not been fol- lowing the state law for two years. Too many Democrats are on the commission’s board, according to Willamette Week. Gov. Kate Brown and the com- mission need to ensure that gets fixed. But that’s not the only problem the commission’s board has, either. What happens at its meeting needs to be readily available to the public. It is not. The commission’s website is a great source of statistics about Oregon’s criminal jus- tice system. Want to know about recidivism rates? Want to know if there are disparities by demo- graphics or race in police stops? Those are the types of issues the commission analyzes. It’s important information for the public and policymakers. The commission’s board was established by law to help insu- late the commission’s work from partisan influence. For instance, of the governor’s appointments to the board “not more than four members may belong to the same political party.” Five of Brown’s seven appointments since 2018 have been Dem- ocrats, as Willamette Week reported. The governor’s office said it was a mistake and is working to correct it. The commission has backed Write to us Mail: The Observer, 911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850 Email: news@lagrandeobserver.com • The Observer welcomes letters to the AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon denounces a walkout by Republicans in the state Senate that prevented a quorum Feb. 24, in Salem. A panel responsible for formulating Oregon’s criminal justice policy has been operating in violation of state law for the past two years. reforms of the justice system designed to reduce the number of prisoners in Oregon. Does the composition of the board under- mine the reforms? Not necessarily. But it does call into question the deci- sions the commission’s board has made to direct the work of the commission, what the com- mission studies can direct, and influence changes in the crim- inal justice system. Another issue for the commis- sion’s board is openness. Many state and local government boards in Oregon make a real commitment to disclose to the public what they are doing. They put online complete agendas with staff reports and minutes of editor. We edit letters for brevity, gram- mar, taste and legal reasons. We will not publish consumer complaints against businesses or personal attacks against private individuals. Thank-you letters are discouraged. • Letters are limited to 400 words and must be signed and carry the author’s previous meetings. Nothing like that is avail- able online for the commission’s board that we could locate on its website. There is just a cursory agenda with a list of items that may be discussed. No minutes are posted of previous meetings. If there are more complete back- ground staff reports sent to com- missioners before meetings, they are not available. We have no evidence the commission’s board is intention- ally hiding anything. But while Oregon law states that govern- ments actions — the public’s business — is supposed to be open and available to the public, far too often it is not. address and phone number (for verifica- tion only). • Letter writers are limited to one letter every two weeks. • Visit The Observer’s website, www. lagrandeobserver.com, for more news, opinion and other content.
