Before I begin this piece I want to make sure it is clearly understood that I have no official, or unofficial, position or role with ValpoLife, or PortageLife.
I have been accused by some of writing for ValpoLife. I do not. I have my own blog site -- www.donaldasher.blogspot.com -- where my thoughts and musings first appear.
ValpoLife Chief Chris Mahlmann, my good friend, asked permission to re-post my blogs on his site. I said yes. Sometime he and I may work together. Presently we do not.
That said, here goes.
As a journalist for more than four decades it was always a struggle to reach deep into a community to REALLY share with readers all of the good happenings taking place in a neighborhood, or down the block, or even next door.
It wasn't the newspaper's fault. No one realizes the labor intensiveness -- translate cost - of gathering news in the first place. Add to that bad news generally trumped good news mainly because -- sorry folks -- it has a higher readership.
Make no mistake. I have the greatest amount of respect for quality journalism. It is foundational for democracy. If it goes away, our liberties are likely to follow.
But that doesn't address what Chris Mahlmann is trying to do with his "good news only, please" internet site. He'll be the first to admit it's not true journalism.
What it is is a reflection -- a mirror -- of our community from a perspective newspapers haven't been able to accomplish. Maybe they will sometime, but not yet.
Sure, pick-up the newspaper and more often that not it's news about this crime, that accident, a burglary, etc. You get the point. And it's good reading. But how many of us find that other perspective to the degree Chris has been able to compile on his site?
It's refreshing to watch that video of Stu McMillan from Task Force Tips. Or see tons of photos of the small children running in the Popcorn festival race. Those people are usually our neighbors. Probably not the guy who was arrested for battery, or DUI.
And yes, the Times of Northwest Indiana does its share of fostering journalism efforts for the betterment of Northwest Indiana and its communities. As I've said over and over during my 40+ years in the business, a newspaper has a responsibility to be a catalyst for positive change. To its credit The Times has done that many, many times. I've been fortunate to have been a part of a lot of those projects.
What's missing is the depth of community news coverage, which is the foundation of Mahlmann's vision. Not competing with the newspapers.
And really, ValpoLife doesn't not have the vitally important role in society that journalism does. It is not big competition to journalism, as some in the newspaper business believe.
Sure it needs money to survive. What business doesn't? But it also needs the help of people in our community. Help in the context of contributing information and photos you'd like to see published on ValpoLife.com. Send it also to the local newspapers.
As a member of this community, I for one am proud that we have ValpoLife. And I hope that the people of Portage will embrace the newly launched PortageLife. I suspect they will.
And for the flack I'm going to get for daring to write this piece, having spent four decades as a journalist I can't help but write the truth, at least as I see it.
Recently I was told the newspaper business made me. To that I say, I believe it's the other way around. I helped make the newspaper business through quality journalism and by always practicing these simple principles --honesty, integrity and always tell the truth. I apologize if this sounds arrogant. I don't mean it to be.
