Dear Editor:
Most newspapers publish a “letters to the Editor” policy. The Idaho World policy limits length to 400 words and requests letters must be written by an individual with their name, address and phone number included. Good taste and inoffensive material is also understood.
The Idaho World has the legal right to refuse to publish any submitted material, but at the same time has an obligation to protect the free speech rights of the public. The letter by Kati Ward defending her mother is in good taste, well constructed, coherent, and lacks any threats or false accusations. It also appears to be entirely composed by the writer. Indeed, that letter meets all the criteria for publication. The IW should publish this letter in a future paper. Failure to do so would not only show preferential bias in this controversy, but I submit such action would offend the constitutional rights of the writer.
Rich Smith
Garden Valley
I agree with your comments. It appears Kati's letter did meet all the criteria and should have been printed. Yeah, Teri needs to stay unbiased as editor of the paper. I hope she prints the letter at a later date. Kathleen needs to also remain unbiased. Since Kathleen lives in that zone, her actions and letters in the paper show how biased she is. If you look in past IW editions you will see that there are no other resignation articles for previous board members. She should have left the article to someone else that wasn't in JW's zone.
ReplyDeleteI no longer subscribe to or read the Idaho World. I have quit watching channel 7. I suppose, due to freedom of the press, these new media’s can print and report anything, but I don’t have to read or listen to their lies.
ReplyDeleteThe real shame for Boise County residents is that the IW could and should be a nice county paper of local news. But it is only a business for its City of Boise resident owner(s), editor and publisher.
ReplyDeleteThe IW folks are seldom if ever seen at Idaho Press Club events, they contribute nothing to journalism in the state, and simply make a living off of legal notices, ads and supscriptions.
And yes, it gives them a vehicle to dig the super on behalf of their friend.
More telling than this letter not being accepted is the apology of Mrs. Elmore a few weeks back. The apology was printed, and then Hart discounted it alongside in bold . Regardless of "sides" this should be seen as very low class.
The journalistic way would have been to print Elmore's apology, and on another page offer an editorial opinion. But then the IW has of late shown it is not about journalism and more closely associates with the sensationalism that graces some blogs.
Thank you, Rich. You and boisewriter make *very* good points.
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