I've watched with interest the particular string that probably ultimately resulted in the most recent demise of the Herald site: the Ola football controversy, I suspect. I have been appalled and revolted at this particular string of comments, however it clearly shows the state of our society. Football is an EXTRA-CURRICULAR activity. It is a GAME and most who play in high school will never play in college (if they get there) much less the NFL. High school is for LEARNING and preparing for a productive life. It is not a farm program for the college game or the NFL. The vitriol spewed on this particular topic highlights the misplaced priorities of many who posted there. Oh for the days of the old forum with the likes of HCCynic and others who posted literate and insightful (even if acerbic) comments. If the quality of the grammar, spelling, and syntax exhibited in the Ola and other posts is indicative of the quality of schooling, then we are in dire staights indeed.

The cult of celebrity is destroying this country. I see it even in the 3rd grade classes I regularly visit. When I talk about our founding fathers as Patriots, I have to distinguish them from the football team of the same name. When talking about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, specifically the 1st ammendment right of free speech, I use the illustration of a candidate pledging to enact a law that prohibits talk of football.....as one who would not be a good candidate to vote for. I use it because it is the only thing that the kids can relate to, and very few make the connection to free speech. (I assure you they get it when I'm through.)

As for the Herald itself, add to your list of shortcomings the fact that they have yet to cover the Appeals Court ruling regarding the Meeks legal fees as a glaring failure to cover local happenings.

Election coverage was particularly abysmal. On election day and in the days immediately preceeding, I received several calls from individuals asking where locally there was any information on the candidates for Stockbridge City Council. I could only refer them to the AJC as an online source........ I sure don't know what the answer is but it would seem that Henry County would be a good place to start a NEWSpaper.........

Newspapers aren't doing so well lately. Circulation is down; as well as ad revenue. Henry County newspapers have never created the "buzz" they are capable of. In fact, one of those newspapers was partially owned by a former BOC member. She did everything in her power to get the county to "buy in" to it. It failed miserably.

Here are some suggestions:

1.) Bring back April Towery! She was always objective and went after the "story."
2.) Hire Larry Stanley and Jason Pye and others ( who are in the know). Don't laugh. Ted Strickland once told me that the only thing he reads in the Herald are "Larry's letters."
3.) Ask our elected representatives to chime in with a weekly column and a "question and answer" column.
4.) Have an editorial policy and articulate it in a timely and consistant. Help the public understand the issues and give an opinion of them.
5.) Endorse candidates when the time comes. This also helps educate our citizens.
6.) Work with the community by partnering more on civic and social events. Get out to the public.
7.) Have a "kidspeak column" and reach out to the high schools to let our young folks know that their voices are important.
8.) Market the paper better by having more places to buy it.

Just some of my suggestions.

Mike

Thanks, Mike. But hiring people who actually want to write about hot topics in a timely manner would violate the PR mission of the Herald.

Like you, I want writers who compliment, sometimes offend - but always make you think!

Had Ms. Pratt been interested in fielding a blog or forum, her webmaster could easily moderate offensive posts. We do it here; TheVent does not even allow posts to appear before they are moderated. Journalism requires absence of malice and due diligence. It does not include cessation of a published medium because someone "didn't follow the rules."

Printing articles with Buzz stopped when Jaynes was fired, and the few people who actually dug into stories are gone. I give credit for the newbies but it is clear that their work is edited in Jonesboro before we Henry Countians see it in print. My point is that eager and aggressive reporting will never replace homespun, feel-good, offend nobody wastes of ink and newprint.

Alas the Herald has once again confirmed its journalistic value. Not unlike the AJC where Henry.Talk writers were actually Henry folks who quit rather than being hounded and edited to death.

The fact that newspapers aren't doing so well is simply explained. The internet is taking over!

The previous comments have mostly hit the nail on the head. Having spent 13 years working with suburban newspapers (4 with the Herald in the early 1990s), I don't think the type of coverage we all desire is economically feasible anymore.

This is NOT a criticism of the current staff, but a paper the size of the Herald is typically staffed by young, inexperienced, underpaid people. Ninety percent of them will be with a larger paper or in another line of work in five years. Those are just the economic facts of life. I earn as much in 12 hours a week of free-lance work as I would if I were at the Herald full-time. It doesn't take a slide rule to figure that one out.

I left the best suburban newspaper in metro Atlanta, the Citizen in Fayette County, and a group of coworkers I loved because I had to get out of the industry. The money's just not there. Printing and distribution costs will continue to rise, which is why the Internet is taking over, as Larry put it.

This site is the first step. We will be getting all of the important news in the county in this manner before much longer.

The realistic approach to the economics of publishing, I think, would be to encourage online participation. As blogs replace small newspapers, and the big boys charge fees for online access, the path of change is not hidden.

There are some legal requirements that newsprint must fill, such as legal notices, court proceedings, etc. But the county & cities pay for those services.

Homespun tales of Aunt Martha's day at the tree farm are not the stuff "news" is made of. Nor is poltically slanted editorializing sold as news.

The future is now.