Our driving force
Four months ago on Jan. 1, this paper announced it had changed hands and that a new group was stepping into the stewardship role of The Signal.
Over the last number of weeks the new team has been introduced to both elected officials and civic leaders. It has met with advertisers and subscribers and has toured the campus of College of the Canyons and met with more than 50 business leaders.
In the course of those meetings new leadership has outlined it plans for The Signal and its other key assets.
It explained that while fiscal management needs to be the cornerstone of any business — and keeping a business profitable while paying all of its bills in full is an indispensable prerequisite — money cannot be its sole driving force.
That is especially true of media companies, which have a greater responsibility to their communities.
If at the end of the day the choice comes down to making a difference or making a dollar, this team will choose the former and sacrifice the latter.
In the past four months members of the new team have joined the boards of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Industry Association, the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley and the Sheriff’s Foundation.
They have approved sponsoring seven political debates in late summer and a Domestic Violence Summit in September, along with a Latino/Latina Leadership Summit later this year – also committing the efforts of The Signal staff to these important issues.
Stepping up to help support the nonprofit community, they have also sanctioned the donation of more than $100,000 in advertising space to 501c3 charities, the sponsoring of more than 20 events including the launching of high school/junior high school journalism awards and have seen The Signal publish countless articles in support of community projects.
Management took the unprecedented step to create the position of Director of Veterans Affairs. No other newspaper in the country to the best of our knowledge has committed itself in this way.
Being a responsible member of this community is at the center of this new team’s mission. However, this new team will not be bullied by the likes of politicians, Hart school board bureaucrats and/or individuals who are self-described community leaders nor will we allow others to defame our staff or make false allegations without rebuttal.
Specifically, in an article published by the Gazette, the owner Doug Sutton made unwarranted and unsubstantiated accusations about The Signal ownership and staff.
He alleged that by reporting a maladroit attempt to recognize his bankrupt small local business as somehow exemplary, we were executing a hit piece on that business, the Gazette and Free Classifieds publication.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The story was written to inform readers about a politician and his staff’s apparent lack of judgment for naming as a stellar business one that was in serious financial trouble.
A statement from the politician’s office says the award is to “highlight and honor small businesses in the community that hire locally, give back to local nonprofits and promote growth and investment in the community.”
Does anyone believe a business leaving its creditors receiving just 15 cents on each dollar it owes them is acting to “promote growth and investment in the community”?
Since this exchange over a week ago, new articles and editorials have appeared with even more baseless charges. Two Hart School board members chimed in using their board titles to amplify their shrill voices. The president of the Hart board Robert Hall, after learning of the unauthorized use of their title, was quick to correct the record and assured The Signal that the remarks of the two board members were their personal opinions and not that of the district. Mr. Sturgeon and Mr. Messina may want to bone up on California law as it relates to matters concerning their official capacity or be more careful to make it clear to a reporter that they are speaking merely as individual citizens.
Mr. Sutton’s remarks in the Gazette are taken as a warning to The Signal and to its leadership. Our message to Mr. Sutton is clear and simple: Knock it off. This isn’t personal, it’s business. More importantly the name calling is beneath you and your position.