Published: August 16, 2008 03:51 pm      

Class action? No, just class

Earlier this week I had decided to write a column about my plans to file a class action lawsuit and send subpoenas out to every person who has ever said anything bad about me. After several hours of research, I determined we did not have enough newsprint in stock to give you all the names. Plus when I started to get all their social security numbers — well you get the point. As far as all that is concerned, I have decided to just grow up, forgive all those people who called me carrot top or yelled “here pig” at me as I walked down the hall at high school because my family happened to earn its living raising pigs, called me “fat” because I happen to like food, or have ever called me the word that rhymes with “witch” more times than I can count.

Needless to say I changed my mind about what I want to write about. I have heard lots of rumblings, and by lots I mean two, about the News-Capital being compared to the National Enquirer. I even received lots, and by lots I mean one, phone call saying the News-Capital was reminiscent of “Yellow Journalism.”

Yellow journalism is a pejorative reference to journalism that features sex scandals, scandal-mongering, sensationalism, or other unethical or unprofessional practices by news media organizations or journalists.

I will admit to having some scandalous, sensational stories in our newspaper over the past few weeks. However, this newspaper is only the messenger. We are neither unprofessional nor unethical. We didn’t make up the stories. We went out, researched the facts, went to the court house to get official documents, went to the police station to get more official documents, made numerous phone calls, and presented the information. The line seems to be blurred between what is written for the editorial page, written by posters on a forum or blog and everything else. You may not like the facts. You may not like who the facts are about.

Just for fun I did some research and did a quick comparison between The News-Capital and the National Enquirer. The following is a quick rundown of stories, events and topics we covered over the past week. First day of school, teen pleads no contest to misdemeanor drug charge, local haunted house, city council meeting, local Web site host gets subpoena, altercation between Web site host and another man, policeman arrested for drinking and driving, a billionaire and the wind, downtown crazy days costume contest winners, a new casino, a couple of rodeos, cute pets, NASCAR news, MHS softball team, anniversaries, weddings, new babies, recipes, football season starts, tomato shaped like a candy peep, Web site host says he won’t give info to law enforcement, MHS baseball players get scholarships, deaths, water issues, Olympic updates, church news, comics, new VA clinic in Hartshorne and last but certainly not least mutton bustin’.

Here is a rundown of what was in this weeks’ National Enquirer — which did you know cost $3.50 for a single copy, by the way. This was the first and last time I paid for a copy off this paper; however, it was necessary for my research. Plastic surgery shockers, John Edwards with love child, Eva Longoria Parker desperate to have a baby, new twins and other children keeping Brad and Angelina awake, Lisa Marie gets baby shower, Jessica and Tony try to score a baby, Britney is furious, Pam is in a snit after Tommy Lee “hooks” up with a rock star, Mel tells Antonio to back off, barbarian bashes baby geese and feeds them to his dogs, Paul Newman has weeks to live, Willie Ames is flat broke, Robert Wagner finally reveals what really happened the night Natalie Woods died, Brian Austin Green forced to give up his beloved dog, lawyer gambles her life away along with her parents house and last but certainly least Hef’s new playmate creating major furor for “Girls Next Door.”

I can only assume the confusion is somewhere between the tomato and mutton bustin’. Perhaps it’s the cute photos of the first day of school children, or maybe the church news. Maybe the local sports, the kid’s page, the weather or the crossword puzzle.

The difference could not be clearer.

Amy Johns is the publisher of the McAlester News-Capital. Contact her at ajohns@mcalesternews.com or at 423-1700.