|
There
certainly have been a record number of controversies in Lincoln in the
last six months: the downtown renovation project, the Grapes and
Grounds controversy, the Central School controversy, gas prices in
Lincoln, and the zoning controversy on Woodlawn Road which has brought
us those oddly colored buildings, to name a few. A person could
comment in retrospect that life in Lincoln these last months has been
a little more lively than usual!
In
each of these aforementioned cases, LDN has run well-researched,
well-founded stories that have presented both sides without leaning
one way or the other and presented the news in an evenhanded,
introspective fashion. We made a conscious effort to make sure it is
news that we are presenting and not our own opinions, prejudices or
inventions.
Each
controversy already brings with it a host of people who have varying
opinions on one side or the other that they are passionate about. We
ran stories about their passion, their opinions and their plea. But we
worked hard to merely present the news and not promote or take a side.
Even
though we have worked hard to present the news in an evenhanded way,
that doesn’t mean that LDN hasn’t take some lumps for some of
these issues. We have been scolded for not taking a particular side.
We have been accused of taking the wrong side. We have been chided
because it was thought that we did something covert to support the
other side. And we have even lost advertising revenue because we ran
letters to the editor from readers who have taken a side and voiced
their opinions. An outside observer might say that LDN just can’t
win!
[to top of second
column]
|
To
date, Lincoln Daily News has published about 180 days of news.
Our mission remains the same: to present the news of this community in
an unprejudiced manner to the public to build and preserve community,
rather than providing more fuel to tear it apart.
Although
Lincoln is a nice place to live, from time to time change, challenge
and even crime come to this little community, bringing with it
conflict, controversy and sometimes even a little chaos. This is
normal! When these kinds of events present themselves, LDN could
editorialize our own sharp opinions on our own front page. LDN could
take sides and rally people against each other. LDN could promote
certain businesses over others in town. LDN could take the popular
political side in the town or in the county and seek to derail the
opponents. LDN could even invent news or sensationalize the news in
order to promote readership.
But
we decided at the very beginning that we would never violate our own
principles and stoop that low. This community has adequate heart, mind
and soul to work through change, conflict, controversy and even crime,
and over time these things become resolved issues. We refuse to fan
the flames of enmity, sally forth with sensationalized news,
immaturely interject invention or cause conflict by callous commentary
masquerading as responsible reporting.
At Lincoln
Daily News, we feel that if we stick to the principle of fairness
and good ethics in reporting, adequate research without
sensationalizing, reporting news knowing that we are also part of the
community, and just being good neighbors, we will all be winners.
[Jim
Youngquist]
|
|
Our mission
The mission of Lincoln Daily News is to tell the stories of Logan County in a contemporaneous manner, with lively writing and a predilection for simple truth fairly told.
Lincoln Daily News seeks a relationship with the good people of Logan County that is honest,
neighborly and never patronizing.
Lincoln Daily News presents news within a full context that contributes to understanding.
Lincoln Daily News is more interested in the marketplace of ideas than the competition of personalities. Without shrinking from the bold delivery of unvarnished fact,
Lincoln Daily News operates from the premise that God's creatures deserve the presumption of right motive.
Lincoln Daily News eschews malice and cynicism; it approaches every person with dignity and every subject with equanimity. In short,
Lincoln Daily News informs, stimulates and entertains.
|
