Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4A
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2023
Opinions
“Private opinion is weak, but public opinion is almost omnipotent.
Henry W a i d Beeche r
This week, and every week, newspapers are for you
By Dean Ridings
CEO of America’s Newspapers
Americans have more media op
tions than ever. We are inundated
with stories, memes, videos and pro
motions 24 hours a day. Most of us
are on social media, which is built
to provide an endless feed of con
tent to keep us glued to our screens.
And unfortunately, misinformation
is prevalent and much of that con
tent isn’t fact-checked, verified or
professionally produced. The result
is that we’re not always shown what
we need to know, or the informa
tion that is most likely to impact our
lives. That’s where local newspa
pers come in. Your local newspaper
takes a different approach.
National Newspaper Week is a
good opportunity to recognize the
commitment that local newspa
pers make to the communities they
serve. Your local newspaper is just
that - local. It hires reporters who
are trained to provide reliable infor
mation about the issues that matter
most. Whether it’s the latest hap
pening from the local school board,
changes in real estate zoning, high
school football scores or a review
of that new restaurant you’ve been
wanting to try, newspapers deliver
what’s important to you.
Your local newspaper is far more
than just print. In the ever-changing
media landscape, local newspapers
have evolved to true multi-channel
content providers. From websites
to apps, emails, newsletters, video
and podcasts, local newspapers are
delivering news in innovative ways.
As a reader, you get to choose when
Dean Ridings
and where to get the news you need,
and no matter the method, can al
ways be assured what you’re read
ing is credible and reliable.
Although the format or device
readers use to connect with their
local newspaper might vary, it’s
clear that newspapers are relied on
as the source for local news. A re
cent national study conducted by
the independent research firm Coda
Ventures shows that 79% of Ameri
cans use local newspapers to stay in
formed about their communities and
depend on them to feel connected
and to decide where they stand on
local issues and to find places and
things to do. Further, six out of 10
American adults use newspaper ad
vertising to help them decide what
brands, products and local services
to buy. It’s clear that local newspa
pers are vital to healthy communi
ties.
In spite of the new ways to con
nect with your local newspaper, it’s
true that the newspaper industry is
facing significant challenges. Rising
costs, national competitors and the
impact of Big Tech companies using
newspapers’ content without com
pensation have all impacted your
local newspaper. Now, more than
ever, we need their commitment to
journalism’s core values. As we rec
ognize National Newspaper Week,
let’s focus on the vital role that
newspapers play, and consider how
we can support them. Subscribing
or advertising in your local newspa
per not only supports the newspaper
but is also an investment in your
community.
On a national level, the Com
munity News and Small Business
Support Act (HR 4756) has recently
been introduced in Congress. This
bill would provide local newspa
pers with financial support for their
newsroom employees, and would go
a long way to providing your news
paper with support for the reporters
and photographers that are sorely
needed. Encourage your members
of Congress to support this bill!
Whether you access the content
from your local newspaper in print
or online, remember that it is pro
duced for you. And behind the ar
ticles, columns, and images your
newspaper produces is a team of
local residents who are committed
to making your community stron
ger! Join me in thanking your local
newspaper - during National News
paper Week - for the good work it
does to keep your community in
formed.
Most agree banning books is a waste of time
The EveryLibrary Institute, a public policy think tank for
libraries, and Book Riot, the largest independent editori
al book site in North America, announce the results of a
comprehensive survey of parents about their perceptions
of public libraries and the current issues that libraries face.
The “Public Libraries and Book Bans — Parent Percep
tion Survey” gathered insights from 853 parents and guard
ians with children under 18 during September 2023. The
survey asked parents and guardians to share their experi
ences and opinions about book bans, their trust in libraries
and their understanding of librarians’ book selection pro
cess, and their feelings on sensitive subjects in children’s
books, such as sex, LGBTQ+ characters and themes, race,
and social justice issues in reading and literature.
The survey results are detailed in a new report from Ev
eryLibrary Institute and Book Riot.
Top-level findings are:
67% of respondents agree or somewhat agree that “ban
ning books is a waste of time”.
74% agree or somewhat agree that book bans infringe on
their right to make decisions for their children (42% agree;
32% somewhat agree).
92% of all respondents say that they feel their child/chil
dren are safe at the library.
58% think librarians should be primarily responsible for
what books are selected in the public library.
57% say that reading opens children up to new ideas,
new people, and new perspectives, and 44% say that teens
should have access to books on controversial subjects and
themes.
43% report that their local library has age restrictions
on children’s library card borrowing privileges; 19% report
that there are no restrictions on the child’s card; and 37%
are unsure.
A majority of respondents (53%) do not know how li
brarians decide what books should be in a library collec
tion.
A supermajority (66%) of respondents said ‘no’ when
asked if a book that their child checked out made them
(the parent) uncomfortable; 67% said ‘no’ when asked if
their child has ever been uncomfortable with a book they
checked out.
Parents and guardians are more comfortable with a
child accessing age-appropriate children’s books related
to “social justice” and “race/racism” than they are with a
child accessing age-appropriate children’s books related to
“LGBTQ+ characters” and “puberty and sexual education”
themes.
Findings suggest that parents feel their children are safe
at the library and believe they should be the ones to make
decisions about what books their child reads. Most parents
do not support book bans and believe they infringe on their
rights. Parents are more comfortable with children access
ing age-appropriate books related to social justice and race
than LGBTQ+ themes and sexual education. Respondents
are largely unaware of how librarians decide what books to
include in the library collection. Many respondents believe
that some books in children’s sections are inappropriate.
“Our report sheds light on the perceptions of parents re
garding public libraries and the current issues they face,”
said John Chrastka, EveryLibrary Institute Executive
Director. “Together with Book Riot, we are dedicated to
empowering libraries to provide exceptional services that
meet the unique needs of parents. The results of this survey
can be used to improve library services and address par
ents’ concerns, ultimately leading to better experiences at
the library for parents and their children.”
You can download a copy of the report at:
https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/parent_percep-
tions_survey_2023
Shutdown would
have been harmful
Dear Editor:
Democrats, in bipartisan fashion and with a full under
standing of what governance means, sided with the Speak
er of the House to pass legislation that avoided once again
a MAGA Republican shutdown of our U.S. government.
If our government had shut down, there’s no question
whose fault it would have been. The usual MAGA extrem
ists took the weakest Speaker in American history hostage
and brought us to the brink of irreparably harming our
economy and standing in the world.
The MAGA GOP wanted without compromise, painful
cuts to life-saving social services, to completely end our
support in Ukraine, and to advance outlandish far-right
policy priorities.
A government shutdown would have entirely been of
their own creation. They knew it and were okay with it
because the MAGA Freedom Caucus is full of politicians
more interested in being Twitter celebrities and enriching
their portfolios than governing. In fact they are clueless as
what governance means. We need better choices than these
clowns.
Sincerely,
Peggy Perkins
In a country obsessed
with youth, how can
America face old age?
By Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues
University of Kentucky
In a little over a decade, America won’t be a beacon of
youth and strappy upstarts. It will be old.
“By 2034, there will be more Americans over the age
of 65 than children. . . . It’s time to prepare,” advises The
New York Times editorial board in its opinion piece, “Can
America age gracefully?”
“Thanks to falling birthrates, longer life expectancy and
the graying of the baby boomer cohort, our society is be
ing transformed. This is a demographic change that will
affect every part of society. Already, in about half the coun
try, more people are dying than being bom, even as more
Americans live into their 80s, 90s and beyond. In 2020, the
share of people 65 or older reached 17 percent, according
to the Census Bureau. By 2034, there will be more Ameri
cans past retirement age than children.”
A country with a significant aged population has particu
lar needs, but American politicians and policy writers need
to be faster to address the shift.
The Board writes, “The strains are showing in every
thing from health care and housing to employment and
transportation. With an average of 10,000 boomers turning
65 each day, these pressures are steadily intensifying and
will continue to do so, especially if current immigration
policies hold.... By 2053, more than 40 percent of the fed
eral budget will go toward programs for seniors, primarily
Social Security and Medicare ....
“There are many pieces to this puzzle, including who
will care for older people, where they will live, how our
cities are designed and how businesses will adapt. Many
older people in the United States say they feel invisible in
a country that has long been obsessed with youth, avoiding
the inevitability—and possibilities—of old age.”
Your one- ^
stop site to
search your ^
community's 1
public notices
as well as other
notices from across
i the state.
GEORGIA
PUBLIC
NOTICE.COM
The Barrow News-Journal
Winder, Barrow County, Ga.
..Co-Publisher
Scott Buffington
..Co-Publisher
Morgan Ervin
Editor
Stephen Cromer
Advertising
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to:
The Barrow News-Journal
PO Box 908
Jefferson, Ga. 30549
Published 52 times per year by
Mainstreet Newspapers, Inc.
Periodicals postage paid at
Winder, Georgia 30680 (USPS 025-132)
Subscriptions:
$45/yr., $40 for seniors.