Inside Apple Valley
Touchy times
October 29th, 2008, 6:09 pm · 2 Comments · posted by bedwards
This is my first election cycle as a journalist and let me tell you, it’s exhausting. Of course nothing like Obama and McCain’s two years of 24/7 campaigning (how DO they do that?), but nevertheless exhausting.
Most of that pressure, however, is exciting. The constant flood of juicy stories vested residents are interested in throwing my way each day keeps me on my toes.
But one aspect of election reporting that’s not so fun is the over-analysis of every adjective, of story order, of headlines and more by those who are certain we journalists must have a hidden agenda. Since this person had this many words, I must like them more. Since the photo department mixed up a photo, I must be endorsing another candidate.
Let me set the record straight: I have no personal or professional connection to any of the Apple Valley Council candidates (or Victorville for that matter, but that’s fodder for another blog). I don’t live in Apple Valley and have no vested interest in who wins or loses, aside from wanting what’s best for the readers I’ve come to feel incredibly loyal and responsible to. I hope this gives me an advantage to be truly objective when looking from the outside in, though it also means I can fall behind on the inside gossip (that’s where you tipsters come in, thank you very much).
What I do want is to treat each candidate fairly. To report on what’s most interesting and relevant to readers. To share facts that may influence voters’ decisions one way or another. If that means disclosing who has endorsed who or who has a sign permit, I’m willing to do that because I think voters deserve to know.
No Apple Valley candidate calls and feeds me stories and I don’t call some candidates for stories and not others. It’s always been all or none — usually tending toward the latter, with no room for quotes from eight candidates in each story.
I do hope that impression comes through to readers, though it may not always read that way to admittedly hyper-sensitive candidates. If you ever feel I am being unfair to a candidate or showing favor to someone, rest assured it’s not intentional and please feel free to call me on it: 955-5358.
Let’s us all hope that whomever is elected continues the clean-up of the rest of the dead wood in the ToAV. It seems the council has moved in the right direction so far with getting rid of the Deputy Town Manager and restructuring the town staff. Now if they would only get rid of the Napoleonic ego-maniacal director of Code Enforcement!
It is ever apparent that some of the “public” employees are so arrogant that they believe they are untouchable. Someone should remind them that they work FOR the citizens not for their own personal gain. I second the motion to complete the clean-up process.