Appearances are deceiving
County leaders took a left turn this week when they named the Free Press Extra as the official Marion County newspaper.
That doesn't bode well for an informed public.
Until now, public notices were published in the Marion County Record, Peabody Gazette-Bulletin, and Hillsboro Star-Journal — newspapers of general circulation in Marion County.
The public had easy access to county matters. Legal publications were presented in a timely manner, in easy-to-read type.
Now, only the 143 paid subscribers of the FPE will be privy to the legal publications set forth by county government — and only if they have good eyesight.
The argument that commissioners are concerned with fairness for all citizens of the county went right out the window with the 2-1 vote for the FPE.
What's fair about naming a newspaper with only 143 subscribers as the official sounding board for county business? Is that a fair representation of the county's population?
The commission was swayed by the promise of "wide distribution" of legal notices in the Free Press, a free shopper. They based their decision on distribution numbers of that publication — not the "official" newspaper, the 143-subscriber Free Press Extra.
The FP boasts a press run of 7,000 — not subscribers, not readers — press run. The FPE has 143 subscribers.
The Hoch Publishing newspapers have a combined paid circulation of 5,400.
Statistics show that on average, each newspaper subscription has 3.24 readers. That means Marion, Hillsboro, and Peabody newspapers are being read by more than 17,000 readers.
The FPE, by comparison, has about 460 readers.
Do the math. See the logic. Compare 17,000 readers with 460. Distribution doesn't mean subscriptions.
The commission may argue it came down to the dollars-and-cents issue. You get what you pay for. In this case, they'll get less coverage in smaller print. They'll get quantity over quality.
What do the residents of Marion County get? Legal publications that look like this.
— DONNA BERNHARDT
