pinion
By JAMES HUBBART
A widespread misconception persists among readers
that journalists must practice “objectivity.” We do not
and should not, and here’s why:
Pure objectivity would be to cover a news story by a
' recitation of the chronological order in which the
_ events occurred. A city council report would start with
the meeting being called to order, then proceed
through the agenda until adjournment.
If 15 citizens appeared during that meeting to
protest a recent increase in city water rates, the
account would appear deep down in the story where,
perhaps happily for the council members, fewer
readers would find it.
A professional wouldn't write the story that way. He
makes a subjective judgment on the most important
or interesting element of the story and puts that at the
top. Developments of lesser interest appear in dimin-
ishing order down through the story. That way, if the
article must be shortened, as often happens, the cuts
can be made from the bottom.
Thus the council story would start off:
“Fifteen irate citizens assembled at a city council
meeting last night to protest the recently announced 40
percent increase in municipal water rates.”
Now it could be that the mayor thought his
proclamation of City Cleanup Days was more impor-
tant. He might even complain that the paper ‘‘sensa-
tionalized”’ the watér rate protest.
The editor makes further subjective judgments
when the story reaches his desk. He evaluates the
council report in terms of reader interest in compari-
son with all other stories available for that particular
edition. Then, he decides where to place the story and
what kind of headline it will have.
For community journals handling mainly local
news, these judgment calls can become pretty sensi-
tive. On a daily, few would argue that the Tylenol
story or the siege of Beirut would rank higher in news
value than the city council. But if the city water is
your best story, you go with it, top of page one under a
headline that says:
‘Citizens protest water rate hikes.” :
These value judgments frequently get us into trouble
with accusations that we ‘blow things out of propor-
tion.”” The issue is not so much accuracy or impartial-
ity, which we honestly strive for; the question is really
one of emphasis.
Do we make bad calls in deciding what's important
and what’s not? You bet we do. We've overreacted on
some stories and missed the boat on others. On
balance, however, we probably do as well as most
baseball umpires.
(James. Hubbart is co-publisher of the Newport
(Wash.) Miner, where this column first appeared.)
THEY'RE RAISING OUR
PHONE BiLL AGAIN ..,
“. due to the enormous
costs incurred recently to
upgrade your telephone
service to its present
state of perfection!”
Only Yesterday
Letters
DEAR EDITOR:
1 want to take this time to applaud all those fine
people who have spoken out against the comments of
election will not be won on issues but on ethnic
background. :
I must say I am biased in that I am Chairman of the
Trinisewski-Phillips Campaign Committee, but I truly
believe that my position, like the many others who
have written on the subject has real merit. While the
young Crossin is inexperienced, his recent statement
shows immaturity as well.
well as Mr. Brominski, is in trouble with all people.
backgrounds. We are focusing in only on the issues of
Luzerne County. It is those issues that are going to
elect the Trinisewski-Phillips team and those votes
will come from everyone.
SINCERELY,
HAROLD E. TAYLOR
CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN
DEAR EDITOR:
Please know the people of Our Lady of Victory
Parish Community and myself are deeply grateful to
you (Dotty Martin) for your kinds words in your
newspaper.
The fact that you took the time and space to mention
our people’s splendid accomplishment is worthy of
more than passing notice. Be assured of our gratitude
as we work together to provide for the young people of
our community.
REV. GEORGE A. JEFFREY, PASTOR
OUR LADY OF VICTORY CHURCH
HARVEYS LAKE
DEAR EDITOR:
It was with great interest that I read the article in
The Dallas Post headlined ‘Gabriel firing,” written by
Staff Correspondent, Charlot Denmon.
Mrs. Denmon’s ability to remain objective while
reporting on the board meeting is admirable in view of
the fact that her brother-in-law, Board Member Tex
Wilson, voted to remove Mr. Gabriel.
It is also to her credit as a journalist that she could
report on a meeting she had not attended.
SINCERELY,
PATRICIA GREGORY
DEAR EDITOR:
Thank you for your coverage and
\
served by the Wyoming Valley
Society for Crippled Children and
Adults Association.
Your help in this endeavor is
The
(USPS 147-720)
(in the Jean Shop building)
_— i greatly appreciated by all con-
- cerned!
ROTARILY,
LEO F. MOHEN
PRESIDENT
Letters Policy
The Dallas Post encourages
and invites its readers to express
their opinions, complaints, and/
or criticisms in the ‘Letters to
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'§ the post office in Dallas Pa. under the act of March 3, 1889.
the Editor’’ column.
Letters to the editor should be
typed or written legibly and must
be received by Friday at noon
for publication the following
Wednesday.
All letters fo the editor must
include a name and a phone
number for verification.
Names will be withheld upon
request, however, letters
received with no verifying phone
number will not be published.
IUR Drops
Pennsylvania’s insured unemploy-
ment rate (IUR) has fallen to its
lowest level in 18 months, resulting
in the suspension of a federal pro-
gram that provides extended unem-
ployment compensation benefits,
the state Department of Labor and
Industry announced recently.
Only five states still have an IUR
that enables them to pay benefits
from
J Program (EB).
/
FIFTY YEARS AGO - AUGUST 25, 1933
A four-day rain drenched the Back Mountain area,
causing creeks to overflow, damaging crops and
making roads hazardous. Corn and late oats crops
were particularly hard hit by this record rainfall.
Mrs. W.L. Tracy of Shavertown, mother of film
actor Lee Tracy, attended the world premier of
“Dinner At Eight’ at the Astor Theatre in New York
City. Although her son was unable to attend, his
mother enjoyed the film which featured Lee Tracy.
Married - Lillian F. Geater and James Coolbaugh.
You could get butter 2 1b.-29 cents; fresh eggs 21
cents doz.; codfish 2 pkg. 25 cents; crabmeat 21 cents
can; sardines 2 cans-15 cents; Maxwell House coffee
31 cents lb; fruit salad big can 19 cents; pineapple 2
big cans 35 cents; raisin bread 8 cents-loaf.
FORTY YEARS AGO - AUGUST 27, 1943
Dallas Township opened the school year with five
new teachers. Cynthia Poad taught Home economics;
C. Jane. Nagro, senior English and French; Jean
Bogart, Latin and English; Frank M. Ferguson,
Science and Nancy T. Baldwin, first grade.
C.J. Brown returned after serving four terms as a
member of Lehman Township School. Board. His
father, the late Henderson G. Brown, served many
years on the same board before his son was elected to
office 24 years ago.
Married - Anna Hardisky and Sgt. Anthony Hudak;
Emma Parrish and Edward H. Miles, Jr
Anniversaries Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Drake,
Lehman Avenue, 25 years; Mr. and Mrs. Jonas J.
Nienius, Loyalville, 30 years.
THIRTY YEARS AGO - AUGUST 28, 1953
Dale Warmouth, former Dallas Post staff member,
was named director of public relations and alumni
secretary at Wilkes College. Warmouth was the son of
Mr. Elva Warmouth RD 2 Dallas.
Former ‘Dallas Borough teacher Rodney Edwards
had difficulty finding local landmarks when he
returned to the Back Mountain for a visit. The old
Raub Hotel in the center of town was gone. The trolley
station and trolley had been removed and even the
bank location was changed. Edwards had not visited
in area for 21 years, since he was a teacher during
1930-31 and 32.
Married - Phyllis Shields and Curtis F. Bynon;
Kathleen Ferenbach and Mortimer Ryon.
You could get sirloin steaks 89 cents 1b.; Long Island
Ducks 49 cents lb.; veal roast 49 cents 1b.; eggs 59
cents doz.; Swiss cheese 59 cents 1b.; white seedless
grapes 15 cents 1b.; honeydews 59 cents each; saltines
23 cents 1b.; peaches 4 cans $1.
TWENTY YEARS AGO - AUGUST 29, 1963
An estimated 800 teenagers jammed Hanson's pavilion
Harveys Lake to dance and listen to rock ’n roll singer
Freddie Cannon, national recording star.
Members of the Lehman-Jackson Teener’s League
copped their third championship in four years. Team
members were Pattie Harris, bat girl; Jimmy Harris,
Terry Jones, Charlie Kern, Kent Jones, Bill Kanasky,
Kunkel, Dave Jones, Don Burnett, Ed Dubil and
Gerard Harris, Manager.
Sarratt and Donald W. Bellas; Joan Elvira Schollen-
berger and Eugene Yanovitch; diane Bedmar and
George Edward Serhan.
Deaths - Mrs. Joseph Reid, Noxen; Benjamin Smith,
Mt. Zion; Albert Sutliff, Bloomindale; Dr. Kazys
Claude Cirtautas, College Misericordia instructor.
You could get turkeys 39 cents lb.; hams 49 cents
1b.; clams 3-b. bag 99 cents; Strawberries 3 pts.-$1;
Italian prunes 2 1b.-29 cents; Wincrest coffee 55 cents
1b.; Chicken of the Sea tuna 2-6, oz. cans 29 cents; 15
oz. box: Keebler pecan sandies 49 cents.
TEN YEARS AGO - AUGUST 30, 1973
A ‘“Mini-Twister’” storm roared through Dallas,
felling large trees. According to the National Weather
Service, ‘‘the intense thunderstorm with winds up to 50
mph had tornado strength.”
Approximately 75 persons were on hand for a
hearing variance request by Kingston Township resi-
dent Michael J. Kester who wanted to make perma-
nent the present site of a HUD mobile home park. The
majority of township residents were strongly against a
permanent mobile home park in that area.
pork loins 99 cents lb.; cantaloupes 3 for $1; macaron
& cheese 5 pkgs. $1; 48 oz. jar cucumber chips 38
cents; ground beef 98 cents lb.; sedless grapes 39
cents 1b.; » gal. ice cream 49 cents.
The recently enacted state budget included an
additional $100 million to set up a prescription and
medical assistance program for the needy elderly.
Rep. Frank Coslett said that lawmakers will spend a
great deal of time this summer determining the fairest
way to distribute the money.
“Lottery profits are used in Pennsylvania strictly to
fund senior ditizen programs,” he noted. ‘The over-
whelming success of the lottery, especially the
biweekly Lotto game, have created a substantial
surplus in the Lottery Fund.”
Coslett listed the following proposals now being
studied by the General Assembly as possible ways of
distributing the money.
/ House Bill 1301 and 1302: These bills establish a
residents age 65 years or older and single whose
annual income is below $9,000 or for married couples
with incomes below $12,000. J
Under the proposal, whose qualifying individuals
would be required to pay $4 for each prescription,
purchase of insulin, insulin syringes or needles. The
Department of Aging would pick up the remaining
cost, within reason, of the medical care items pur-
chased.
Those persons already covered in entirety by any
other pharmaceutical plan would be ineligible for this
program. Individuals covered by partial plans could
receive reduced assistance at the discretion of the
Department of Aging.
The program would be funded with surplus lottery
proceeds. The first year cost estimate is $100 million.
House Bill 1303 and 1304: These bills provide a one-
time grant to senior centers for the rehabilitation and
renovation of their facilities. ;
The grants could be used to comply with applicable
federal, state or local safety standards, to maintain
the senior center in a condition that provides for the
condition that provides for the health, welfare and
safety of senior citizens and or to make the center
accessible to the handicapped.
For the fiscal year 1983-84, $10 million would be
appropriated from the lottery fund.
House Bills 1305 and 1306: These bills appropriate
$50 million in Lottery Fund money to distribute to
Area Agencies on Aging to purchse or provide in-home
and community services. :
m The services would be available to those senior
citizens and handicapped persons who have insuffi-
cient income and suffer incapacities which restrict
their ability to carry out the activities of daily living
or impede their ability to live independently.
for increases in the property tax, rent rebate and
inflation dividend programs. The maximum property
tax or rent rebate would increase from $500 to $600
and the maximum inflation dividend would be hiked
from $125 to $325.
House Bill 1309: This measure would provide free
rides for persons 65 years or older for shared ride
transportation services. The measure calls for a 100
percent reimbursement to public transportation for
services to senior citizens.
“There are many bills, similar in nature to those
just reviewed,” Coslett said. “However, these mea-
sures are closer to a floor vote and have the support of
the House Health and Welfare Committee.
‘Nothing is easier than supporting a program to
help senior citizens. However, we must be careful that
programs that we do not have or may not have in the
future.
“There is no guarantee that the Lottery will remain
program or programs we enact must be geared to
fluctuations in lottery proceeds.” G
a