Every year, the Herald endeavors to convey its mission to the community, recognizing the pivotal role of informed citizens in sustaining a government by the people. I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to newspapers and have witnessed a disturbing shift in government dynamics. There is an increasing tendency of government entities to adopt a closed stance, assuming a paternal roll over the citizens whom government is there to serve.
To Illustrate, at the state level, our attempts to engage with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities regarding the electric rates associated with the transition to wind power were met with unresponsiveness, phone calls went unanswered, voicemails were ignored, emails were not accepted and the fax machine we were instructed to use would not accept faxes. Our efforts to communicate were unfortunately fruitless and extremely frustrating. If a newspaper struggles to communicate with the government, one can only imagine the challenges a single citizen might face in obtaining essential information. In recent years, attempts to gather information from some local public officials have been met with stonewalling, leaving our reporters feeling shut out and even iced out. Sometimes, the only recourse is to threaten to publish their unresponsiveness in the paper, as unresponsiveness raises suspicions of hidden information, fueling our determination to see what’s up.
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If a newspaper struggles to communicate with the government, one can only imagine the challenges a single citizen might face in obtaining essential information.
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In the face of these challenges, it is critical to recognize the indispensable role of an informed citizenry in a democracy, with newspapers serving as a vital instrument through which people are informed and their will communicated to elected representatives. We are inspired by the fact that in some foreign countries, autocrats seek to silence the media as one of the first actions upon coming to power, signaling a fear of the people’s access to information. This underscores the vital role that newspapers play.
Unfortunately, newspapers are grappling with increasing financial constraints, leading to a 27% decline in the editorial workforce over the last two years in the nation, and the closure of two newspapers per week. However, the need for reliable reporting remains unchanged. The Herald is actively seeking ways to grow and enhance our capacity to serve you. We are striving to increase revenue through online subscriptions and appeal to our readers to consider the value of a free press in a democratic nation, urging you to support our efforts whether through purchasing the paper at Wawa or Acme, or by subscribing to our website online.
This leads me to our annual statement of purpose, a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing the community with the information it needs and deserves.
Our Purpose
The Cape May County Herald’s news pages exist to accurately cover and impartially report events and trends which impact the lives of our readers. We endeavor to report not only events, where applicable, but to also give wider focus to the events in order to make our reporting relevant to our readers. We believe that facts are facts, not points of view. In reporting the facts, independence is essential, as we cannot sacrifice our credibility in order to avoid offending an advertiser, a political figure or others known or unknown. We recognize that truth is sometimes painful and thus does not always please everyone.
Our editorial coverage exists to filter events and trends through our philosophic and moral screen, and then to express our opinion, which is not influenced by our news coverage. The tenets that govern us are based upon our belief that a God-given moral compass must guide us all.
