By Bobby Tingle

 

Recently Joel Steirman of Steirman – Whitfield Co., P.C. spoke of an article he read about news media trustworthiness.

According to Steirman, there is evidence from a report based on current research indicating the news consuming public trusts local hometown newspapers more than national and metropolitan newspapers.

I like it and I believe it is true.

I also believe The Orange Leader achieves trustworthiness much more often than it demeans itself to untrustworthiness.

News would seem to be a pretty straightforward proposition. What actually happens is news.

Reported news however is not always presented as what actually happens.

Sometimes reporters fudge the facts to match their agenda.

The Bible provides us with evidence of misleading reports since creation.

In Genesis, we find a report of what transpired at creation. Creation entailed the establishment of all; the universe, the planets, the earth, man and all other creatures.

The created man and woman had one rule; don’t eat the fruit from a certain tree.

As the story goes, the woman plucked the fruit, offered it to the man, they both partook and when the rule giver confronted the man he blamed his disobedience on ‘the woman you gave me’.

In one swift report, he blamed his Creator who gave him a woman who led him down the path of disobedience.

I doubt his Creator bought his story.

I suspect the woman was incensed by his story.

In II Samuel, King David’s son Absalom is attempting to take the throne.

Having left Jerusalem and traveling about in the land, David and his mighty men encounter a man who mocks David with accusations.

He accuses David of stealing the throne from Saul and in shedding the blood of Saul’s family in doing so.

The accusation does not concur with the narrative as reported in the Bible.

The accuser uses some truth in his report but pollutes it with lies.

Either the accuser is a historical revisionist, and is ignoring historical fact or is simply a liar.

Not much has changed unfortunately from these events recorded in the Bible.

Our president routinely reports his version of the happenings of the day to his millions of followers. He routinely accuses others of false reporting or treason or disloyalty.

But he is not alone.

This week a United States Senator, on a national stage, purported to fall on his sword and release information to the public he had been given in the confidence he would keep it private.

He justified his actions on the basis of contributing to the greater good.

He seemed to brag, as he announced his actions, which he boasted could cost him his senate seat.

But there was a big problem with his report.

The documents had already been released for public dissemination.

He and our president have stooped to the same level, it seems in their proclamations.

So what you ask?

Well, I hope Joel Steirman is right.

I hope trustworthiness among those who report the news is high among those who consume the news.

I hope The Orange Leader is counted among those who news consumers trust.

Let us know if we are falling short.

We have an open door.

Come see us.

 

Football or rodeo or both

 

This is September when many indulge in one way or another in high school football on weekends.

But this week there is an alternative.

Cowboy Church of Orange County will be hosting a Professional Rodeo at the T2 Rodeo Arena.

If you are five years old or younger you can bust a ‘mutton’ at this event. I don’t know what a ‘mutton’ is but I have run across some mean five year olds in my years. I hope the ‘mutton’ are tough.

The rodeo is Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 pm. You missed the Friday event if you are reading this on Saturday, September 8. But you may be able to make the Saturday competition of steer wrestling, barrel racing and tie down beginning at 7:30 p.m.

If you do, beware the mutton busting five year olds.

 

Bobby Tingle is publisher of The Orange Leader. You can reach him at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com.