See you in the funny papers
This newspaper business is a funny one indeed. And, of course, you know that I don't mean "funny, ha-ha." I mean "funny, bizarre." I had no idea when I signed on for this gig; no idea at all, just how strange it is to do this work.
The oddest thing of all is that people actually think I try to get things wrong just to make them mad. As if I would lie awake at night thinking of ways to misspell their name or print the wrong date for their birthday or anniversary. I recently got a message on the answering machine at the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin office, in which the complainant (a woman) told me in great detail why she didn't like a feature story I had written. Then she left me her phone number and said she would like to "discuss" with me what had been printed, and would I call her back? Oh sure, I just dialed her right up! I guess she thought I hadn't had enough of her criticism and would be interested in hearing her complaints all over again. Sheesh.
Another favorite is when someone sends me a message attacking an editorial or article I have written and reminds me that he or she has "freedom of speech," implying that it is my duty to print that letter, fax, or e-mail. Well, yeah, everyone does have freedom of speech. The problem is, this is a private enterprise. I don't have to print what anyone sends me. There is no law that says I have to. You publish at my pleasure. Period. Freedom of speech has nothing to do with it.
(I guess I should note here that there are some people in Marion who have the ability to override my veto. They have never done it yet, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.)
Another thing I love is walking into the grocery store, bank, or restaurant and having someone jump me because their child's team picture was not in the paper. C'mon, do you tell the president of the bank what interest rate to charge? Do you set the price of gas at Food Mart or aspirin at the drug store? No, you don't. So why do you think it is acceptable to tell me what you think should have been on the front page? Or the sports page? Or any page? We make an attempt to print everything we receive, but we have a small newspaper and often it is just not possible to get everything in. If we have to eliminate a photo that could have gone with a story, we don't do so lightly. Sometimes there just isn't room. It has nothing to do with liking or not liking.
Having said all of that, there certainly are some rewarding moments as well. There is the knowledge that this venture is a part of history once the printed copy comes off the press. With that goes a pretty healthy sense of responsibility. Of course we have our naysayers, what newspaper doesn't? We try diligently to record what we see and hear, the reports we are given, and the events of the day (important and otherwise). There will always be people who think we fail miserably.
But there also are plenty who think we have done a fair job. They are happy to have "the weekly wipe" arrive in their mailbox and they tell us so. Even after six years slogging away at this weekly task Janet Post and I agree that the positive comments that we get from unexpected sources go a long way in making the job worth doing.
P-p-p-h-h-h-t-t-t to the rest of you.
We no longer take your incessant criticisms to heart. We have been around this block a time or two by now and we know that some of you are not happy unless you are unhappy. As long as you are unhappy with us, the pressure is off the rest of the folks with whom you associate. And we are glad to be of service.
To those of you who enjoy the paper and laugh with us when we get things right (or even when we screw things up), thank you. You are the ones we hope to please. We want your grandchildren in the picture, your parent's card shower in bold type, and your garage sale in our classifieds. Thanks for being in Peabody and for being part of this community's history. We are happy to be recording it for you and your descendants. We will continue do our best to make sure you are in print.
— SUSAN MARSHALL and Janet Post
