The press has a job to do

Dear Editor: Several people have put forward letters regarding the financial plight of Mayor Jakubeit. It is unfortunate that he finds himself in this situation.

These writers have cried foul; pointed fingers at those of the press whose job it is to keep people informed as to what is happening nationally; internationally; globally and yes, strange as it may seem, locally.

In this country that we know as Canada, we enjoy several freedoms. We all know how they came about so I won’t repeat the dialogue. However, there is one of those freedoms that many who have written to the editor condemning the press and reporters and editors seem to forget and that is “freedom of the press.”

Good reporters and editors are always on the lookout for press material otherwise their papers would be dull with mundane things such as Mrs. Flutesnoot’s tea party or Mrs. Snodgrass took a trip to Timbuk 5 and the Bumbleflidget’s prize winning Schnauzer had five puppies.

Just think if we just referred to publications as newspapers ask yourself how many would be sold. The answer to that is academic.

The world, as we know it, is changing at an alarming rate. What might be news today is history tomorrow. Without the likes of Joseph Pulitzer, Walter Winchell and Luella Parsons, icon reporters, where would we be as far as being informed is concerned? Although these icons are gone, there are thousands out there who have taken on the task of finding, researching and publishing the news. We are fortunate to have some of them here in our city.

As was pointed out by some readers, we all have “skeletons in our closets.” Some of these rattle more than others and make the news.

Without good reporters, we would have mediocre news reported. With good reporters, not only do we get a picture for what’s going on in our country, the world in general, but also news that may be just around the corner from us.

All of this thanks to freedom of the press! Ron Barillaro Penticton