Is Front Page Political Advertising Appropriate?

I was very disappointed with the Medina Gazette’s cartoonish front-page photograph of Republican State Representative, William Batchelder in Tuesday’s (April 10th) free edition.

A newspaper’s front-page is traditionally reserved for serious hard news headlines, photographs and content. It is truly the hallowed ground of the fourth estate. Wars begin and end there, Presidents are elected and die there and all of us look there first when we pick up our newspaper. When I first saw Batchelder appearing in his super- hero like pose on the stoop of the Medina County Courthouse, I laughed out loud when I realized that the photographer must have had to actually lay on the ground to get this particular front-page so-called news shot.

I believe that the Gazette’s choice to print this photograph, which appears to show Rep, Batchelder in a comic book hero’s pose is a disservice to the Gazette’s readers. Traditional newspapers are struggling, and the future of the medium is actually in doubt. The Gazette is no exception, and I do have some business advice.

Pandering too blatantly to a particular local political party, even one as historically successful as Rep. Batchelder’s, could prove to be a poor business decision – a decision that could cause yesterday’s newspaper to become today’s newsletter and tomorrow’s pamphlet.

I am disappointed in Representative Batchelder for abusing the Gazette’s readers by using the front page of our local paper for what amounts to a political ad.  I am even more disappointed in the Gazette’s lack of journalistic integrity for allowing the abuse. I am a customer of the newspaper and a resident of the 69th district and I encourage my Representative and my paper to raise their standards and take the high road when they use the front page of my local paper.

John Galish

Brunswick, OH