The Moore You Know

By Tammy Moore Teague
I couldn’t let National Newspaper Week slip by without calling attention to it. The theme this year is “Journalism Matters.” I want you to think about that for a moment, and ask yourself, does it matter? Does it matter to you? The short answer is yes, it does, or should, matter. I’m not just saying that because this is what I do, but it truly does. Fake news, its a real thing. Dishonest media, its a real thing and media in general gets a pretty bad rap. So just on that statement alone, you see how it does matter.
Let’s bring that thought on down to the community level. Your son or daughter is recognized, but the newspaper doesn’t bother to get the spelling of their name correct. They report rumors with no fact or over-sensationalize stories. Truthful, wholesome journalism–it does matter!
So this is our week! I celebrate its history, recalling the smell of the musty old newspaper office in Mansfield, and the lights being on all hours of the night as Mr. Frank Boyd hammered out the details of his latest story. The black stained finger tips as the feed came across the old type-set press, the days when journalism was done right.
I celebrate our community focused news, and the people who make it. Lastly, I celebrate in hope for it’s future. I realize it’s ever changing. Just this morning the AP released a standard for quoting emojis! I never dreamed that I would need to learn to quote “poop emoji” in accepted AP style!
I’ve been hearing for years that the newspaper is a thing of the past and is no longer relevant. I shutter when I hear that! The way the paper is delivered to you and the format may have changed, but nowhere else will you find road closures, school calendars, county and city meetings, sports and the musings of a modest editorial in one place.
Resident Press and Resident 22 News strives to bring you positive and good news about our school and community. Our reputation is important to us, so we handle the hard news stories with care. We aren’t big media, and we are proud of that! In celebration of National Newspaper Week, lets make a pledge. If you’ll keep reading, I’ll keep writing! Journalism matters, and I am grateful to be a part of it!