Local news is not about Donald Trump. And too any media outlets don’t seem to understand this.
We usually watch the WCSH, TV6, local news show at 6 p.m., but I am getting increasingly frustrated by the fact they usually give us two or more Trump news stories in each newscast. That is not local news, and that is not why I watch that news show. I want Maine news, and only Maine news.
You probably read the news story about WGME, TV13, owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group in Maryland. That “local” news show now includes taped commentary from President Trump’s former special assistant, Boris Epshteyn, pushing the Trump agenda. Nine times a week, this commentary is included in their local news show. Sad. And unacceptable.
The Sunday that I wrote this column, the Kennebec Journal included 10 stories, columns, and editorials about the Trump administration. Now, I realize we expect local, Maine, and national news in our newspapers, but they are giving us far too much Trump and far too little good Maine news.
There are many wonderful things happening every day in our communities and state, and I want to read more about them, and less about Donald Trump and murder and mayhem in Maine and elsewhere.
That same Sunday, my Sunday Telegram included 19 stories, columns, letters, and cartoons about the Trump administration. Ugh. Ugly.
I did appreciate the wonderful Maine Voices column in the Sunday Telegram by Matthew Storin about Don Larrabee, a wonderful man and awesome reporter who was Maine’s primary news source in Washington, D.C., for more than 30 years. Don died in July at 93 years of age.
I knew Don. He was a D.C. reporter back in the ’70s when I worked there for Congressman David Emery. He was a friendly and fair man who covered the news in a friendly and professional way. As Storin accurately reports, “Don Larrabee was a significant figure in Maine’s history, yet his name remains virtually unknown today.” Well, I sure do remember him.
Now I must confess, in the 27 years I’ve been writing this weekly editorial page column, I wrote about many controversial issues, from here to D.C. But lately, I’ve written more columns about good things, for the wonderful work of My Brother’s Keeper to the project by local Methodist Churches to find out what gives us hope. And I’ve been pleased to receive many favorable comments and messages about these columns — lots more than I receive when I write about political issues.
Four years ago, when I was selecting some of my favorite columns for my book, “A Life Lived Outdoors,” I had a pile of more than 200 columns picked out — far more than could be included in the book.
Our youngest daughter Hilary was home visiting, so I asked her to go through the columns and help me get the list down to about 70. She got right to work, setting aside all the columns about politics and other issues. “No one wants to read these Dad,” she said. And she was so right.
The book has lots of columns about growing up in Maine, family, faith, yard sales, wild critters, and hunting and fishing. And I had to thank Hilary for that. The book is much better thanks to her insightful advice.
About six months ago, one of my favorite authors and editors was going crazy on Facebook over Donald Trump. And I counted 19 stories about Trump in the Kennebec Journal that day. On her Facebook page, I advised her to take a week off from watching, listening to, and reading the news.
That’s not what I want to do, so I am hopeful that my favorite newspapers and TV news stations will read this, and give us the positive Maine news we all seek. There are plenty of wonderful stories to be reported.
Just call me, you news reporters, if you need some suggestions.
George Smith is a writer and TV talk show host. He can be reached at 34 Blake Hill Road, Mount Vernon 04352, or georgesmithmaine@gmail.com. Read more of Smith’s writings at www.georgesmithmaine.com.
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