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I am one member of a five person board. The opinions I express on this forum are mine only, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Escambia County Staff, Administrators, Employees, or anyone else associated with Escambia County Florida. I am interested in establishing this blog as a means of additional transparency to the public, outreach to the community, and information dissemination to all who choose to look. Feedback is welcome, but because public participation is equally encouraged, appropriate language and decorum is mandatory. Although this is not my campaign site for re-election--sometimes campaign related information will be discussed, therefore in an abundance of caution I add the following :








Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Town Hall Audience to PNJ: We Don't Trust You, and You Don't Represent the Values of Escambia County Citizens.....OUCH!

A "Sea of Red" comment cards fly into the air when the following statement is made:  "I believe what I read in the local newspaper, the Pensacola News Journal".....at the D1 Perdido/Innerarity Town Hall 1-22-2022

It has got to sting.  The blistering, unabashed distrust and dismay everyday, ordinary Escambia County Citizens willingly express toward the Pensacola News Journal.  It is somewhat shocking how a local daily newspaper can be so disconnected from the community they (purportedly) serve.

But disconnected they are, apparently.


To a white cartoonist who uses the "N-Word" and is unapologetic about it and is not held accountable....but is actually REWARDED with lucrative, syndicated cartoon opportunities

To what stories and op-ed submissions get no coverage.....

To the blatant pandering expressed to certain so-called influential "community" leaders.....(who also spend heavily on advertising with the PNJ)

To a nonstop bashing of locally elected and statewide elected conservative public figures which the community supports...

and the list could go on.

But people see it.  They spot it.

Monopolies are good for folks like this, folks like the PNJ who do all of these things, yet still reap the monetary rewards from huge national advertisers and local advertisers who have no hard-copy daily news alternative with which they can do business.

But cracks may be forming.  So many of us are increasingly disappointed with the ever shrinking content in the PNJ, that people are starting to point it out.  Saturday PNJ papers here in Pensacola are soon going digital only.  Midweek papers are wispy-thin with content swiped from USA today or other "partner" publications from other parts of the state and country.

It's weak, lazy, lacking credibility and they shouldn't be rewarded.

It's a real disappointment.   

If only we had a local paper that represented our values and our community's ideological slant (center right, PNJ, not left).  But we don't.  We get what we get, and with the dollars we spend on this paper, we not only accept but CONDONE this subpar "news" outlet.

Sad.

I asked for audience input on the following two statements as a part of my townhall last night:

1.         Our local Newspaper, the Pensacola News Journal, is in step with our community’s values.

2.          I believe what I read in the local newspaper, the Pensacola News Journal. 


These statements were specifically about the PNJ---to which both elicited OVERWHELMINGLY  Red, Disagree comment cards held high in the air.  Overwhelming.  (95%-5% Disagree.)

It was a very basic message to the PNJ from our town hall audience:  PNJ, we don't trust you, and you don't represent the values of Escambia County Citizens, period.

Ouch.

Watch this portion of the meeting here at minute 52:41 of this video.  Don't just take my word for it---see it for yourself.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who wouldn’t agree with a question such as that? You would have gotten the same response if you had asked if the sky is green and the grass is blue. I don’t trust everything the PNJ publishes but I trust you and three of your counterparts less. I watch the meetings and read the follow-up stories not only from the PNJ but also your blog and dare I call him a reporter Outzen. Stories seldom add up to what was clearly stated during meetings and on video. I wholeheartedly believe one of you gentlemen referred to Childers as a “bitch”. With one member’s past track record and his explosive words during shade meetings, I can think of only one person. To gloat that citizens agree with you that the PNJ is not completely trustworthy doesn’t help your or other BOCC member's credibility. You’re just as dishonest. These attacks against the PNJ are only because they are not propping up your ego.

Jeff Bergosh said...

Anonymous-You can't argue with the visceral, eager way in which the red cards came flying up when I made the statement "The PNJ represents the values of this community". That was their reaction and it was nearly 100% unanimous and this was not a room full of audience "plants." So cling to your opinion if you want to, I saw the room's reaction when they felt strongly about something, and this was a question they obviously felt strongly about. If they were a room full of staunch supporters of the PNJ---which I wouldn't have known unless your accepteed position is that "everybody knows" like the sky isn't green or something silly like that---then there was an equal chance the green cards would have been dominant on this question. Didn't happen. So again, you can say you don't trust the locally elected commissioners yet trust the PNJ--that's your right and your opinion. Be that as it may, however, in that room that night, I believe you'd be in the minority on that stance. In the community, I believe you would be in a minority of folks with that opinion. But it is your opinion, so go ahead and believe Cartoonist Marlette and Lisa Savage and everything they print. LOL

Anonymous said...

to @February 1, 2022 at 12:23 PM

This commenter sounds like one of those ECW talking points for Doug who has issues or JAR ditto.

See if they will let you post this link or kick you off if you do. That's how that sire rolls.

https://ricksblog.biz/inweekly-art-of-the-deal/

Anonymous said...

What a way to try and discredit the reporting of the PNJ on the 401a issue. The problem, the PNJ got the reporting correct on the 401a issue. They may miss the mark on a lot, but they got the 401a correct.