Nikole Babb, Editor
nbabb@cherryroad.com
During a heated discussion during the BCFBA Legislative Coffee series in Andover, House Representative Kristey Williams found herself discussing taxes with her constituents. As the conversation progressed, she briefly spoke about her own agitation with Butler Community College’s (BCC) taxes and how they affect her bottom dollar. She told the story of how she had gone to BCC’s board of education meeting to practice her civic duty to protest – and was successful.
Her story of civic success is one many should take note of and practice themselves when they want to see change happen. What she said next was cause for concern. Williams said there was a conflict of interest between the Times-Gazette and reporting on Butler Community College taxes and budget due to the college placing advertising in the Times-Gazette.
Advertising through the Times-Gazette in no way dictates our news coverage either in what news we cover or whether we cover it. No individual reporter at the Times-Gazette is incentivized to decide what news is or isn’t reported and will not be. We hold to basic journalistic ethics and transparent reporting. In addition, the individual who sells the advertisements is different than the news reporter to keep journalistic integrity and avoid those instances from happening. The news reporter is not notified of who purchases advertisements through the Times-Gazette. The two departments work independently by nature but work together at the end and beginning of each week to create a paper and online product.
Although the Times-Gazette is grateful for those that do advertise with the paper as it’s one part of the revenue stream for a newsroom of three, it doesn’t influence news coverage decisions.
The Times-Gazette doesn’t play political games as it’s a hometown, hyperlocal newspaper. There is no room for games at the Times-Gazette, nor is there any time to play them. As a matter of fact, playing those games would result in one-sided media coverage that you can receive from a major news source but is not part of our local reporting. As a reporter, I have always held myself to objective reporting and have mentors with years of experience that ensure my coverage is fair and balanced. What is covered in the paper is based off what we feel is important, not who the advertisers are.
You can’t buy local media. If you could, it would be the biggest and most sought-after news source available. Since it’s held to a higher moral standard and you can’t sway what’s written, it isn’t popular.
Furthermore, the Times-Gazette staff implores anyone willing to make assumptions about such ethical standings to contact the staff first before spreading misinformation. If there is a topic someone wants to see covered and wonders why it isn’t covered – the newsroom is open to receiving that opinion and willing to listen to them. If there are any news stories or tips readers are interested in hearing about, please contact the news office via email at news@butlercountytimesgazette.com or by phone at 316-402-1415, option 7.
