Since the Post-Star daily newspaper has continually failed to report on 3/5 of the candidates for mayor of Glens Falls while providing blanket coverage of the two Republican contenders, I am taking this opportunity to provide some information to citizens who actually want to be informed about all their choices in the upcoming election.
Every week throughout the summer, The Post-Star has run at least one (usually more) article on Republican candidates Bud Taylor and Peter McDevitt. Each was given a prominent profile article on the front page of the Sunday paper earlier this year; Democrat Roy Akins was profiled as well but I can only remember one other article on him. Independent candidates Esmond Lyons and Bill Berg have not yet been profiled and since the other candidates were featured in the winter, I can only assume they won't be profiled at all. I believe the paper has run one, possibly two, articles on Lyons (the same number the Republican candidates get each week); I don't recall seeing a single article on Berg.
It's unfortnuate that the influential paper has decided that Lyons, Akins and Berg are not worth reporting on, that they have nothing interesting or worthwhile to share with readers. Perhaps this policy isn't written anywhere, but the result is clear for everyone to see. The paper's only mention of these three candidates is a token sentence in each article about the Republican candidates that reads, "Democrat Roy Akins, Independent Esmond Lyons and Independent Bill Berg are also running for mayor." That's pretty much the extent of the paper's coverage of those three candidates.
What's worse is that the paper obviously doesn't feel the least bit of shame about this bias (conscious or unconscious). If they did, then they'd at least have run a few token articles featuring the other candidates to 'balance' out the dozens written about the two Republicans.
But since our 'Hometown Newspaper' is too busy dumbing down their product, writing poorly constructed editorials and whipping up a little hysteria about their crusade du jour, they apparently don't have time to report on the mayoral candidates.
Since they're failing in what most would consider a duty of a local newspaper, I will try to briefly fill in a few of the gaps.
You can learn more about:
-Independent mayoral candidate Esmond Lyons at his website (full disclosure: I endorse him).
and
-Democratic candidate Roy Akins at his website.
To the best of my knowledge, independent candidate William Berg does not have a campaign website. This is unfortunate since in light of The Post-Star's refusal to cover him, a website is the best way to get his word out.
Rather than simply complaining about the daily's abrogation of civic duty, some people have decided to pick up the slack themselves. the Glens Falls Labor Council and The Informed Constitutent monthly newspaper are co-sponsoring an all-inclusive mayoral debate. It will be held on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7:00 pm at the Charles Wood Theater in downtown Glens Falls. Admission is free. All five candidates have been invited and are expected to attend.
The Post-Star hosted a 'debate' earlier this week with only the two Republican candidates. The paper has promised a candidates' 'forum' with all contenders at some point in the future. It is not clear what the difference is between a debate and a forum.
Thanks to the GF Labor Council and The Informed Constituent for filling in the gap and sponsoring this event!
Update: Unfortunately, sources indicate that Akins and Taylor have refused to participate in this debate. Shame on them!
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