CITY BEAT: HOW IMPORTANT ARE JOURNALISTS IN TODAY’S SOCIETY?

   

      • HOW IMPORTANT are journalists in today’s society? Since last week was National Newspaper Week and the subject of my “Viewpoint” column, I thought the findings of a recent Pew Research Center study were of particular interest — at least to me and, hopefully, you.
     According to the findings of the study that was recently released “In both the survey and the focus groups that were part of this study, we asked several questions to better understand how Americans think about journalists broadly, as well as the role they play – or should play – in society.
     “A majority of Americans (59%) say journalists are extremely or very important to the well-being of society. An additional 31% say journalists are somewhat important, while just 9% say they are not too or not at all important.
     “These findings mirror those from our focus groups, where participants largely agreed that journalists play, or at least should play, a critical role in informing society about what’s happening in the world. One woman in her 50s said,      “I think [journalists’ role is] to make sure that we are informed … to open the door for more questions, more answers, and a deeper understanding of what is happening, whatever it is, whether it’s medical or political or whatever’s happening.”
     “A woman in her 20s said the role journalists should play in society is of a “watchdog and informer, to let the public know when something’s wrong, to raise the alarm, raise the alert … even things that aren’t an alert, but just things that we need to know to function.”

     • WHO IS a journalist? The Pew Research Center also found out who people believe is a true journalist:
“Americans largely think of people who work on news content in “traditional” media as being journalists, while there is less consensus about those in “new” media.
     “Majorities of U.S. adults say they consider someone who writes for a newspaper or news website (79%), reports on or hosts a TV news show (65%), or reports on or hosts a radio news show (59%) to be a journalist.”

     • THERE IS no doubt in my mind that freedom of the press is more important now than ever.
The need for accurate, verified information from true journalists is badly needed in a nation that has so much “misinformation” grabbing the public’s attention.
     Thanks for supporting this newspaper. I do not take that trust and support lightly.

     • RETAIL DELIVERY TAX? The NFIB has issued the following alert: “The Illinois General Assembly is considering a range of tax increases to bail out the Chicago-area public transit systems. These systems have been relying on federal COVID dollars to fund their operations, and those dollars are running out.
     “This spring, a bail-out bill passed the Senate but not the House that would have provided for a $1.50 retail delivery tax. The House could take it up this month when legislators return to Springfield for the fall Veto Session.
     “Many legislators from both parties are hesitant to raise taxes again, but they are under significant pressure from special interests to vote for this tax-increase package.
     “It’s important that they hear directly from their constituents on this issue. Take action NOW and tell your state lawmakers to reject a retail delivery tax!”

     • MEMORIES – John C. Aymer of Mattoon shared some memories generated by a recent “Scrapbook” article.
John wrote: “After reading your article about the old Millikin Bank building, I thought I’d share my thoughts on attending classes there when Rich-land Community College was in it.
     “I remember having a Econ class on the 3rd floor in the southwest corner of the building. Karol Roche was the instructor. Some of the interior walls’ plaster and lath under the windows was missing, with bare (plaster) wire sticking out.
     “Since we were just down the street from the firehouse, the fire truck sirens could be heard as they were heading to an emergency. She would look out and yell what color the truck was, since they had a few yellow ones back then.
     “We were on our own for parking, but most of us parked in the lot two blocks south, where the law enforcement center is now, without having to pay thankfully. I remember one winter day, with icy conditions, on having difficulty getting out of the parking lot to Macon Street and sliding down to Franklin!
     “I could not get any traction to get out onto Franklin until a friend of mine, who was coming up behind me at the top of the hill, could not stop and slid down. He bumped me just enough to push my car out onto Franklin, so I took off home. His car did put a small dent in the back of my car. However his insurance took care of it.
     “After I spent a year at the old bank building, Richland moved to Park 101, which is where I finished my education.”

     • CANDIDATE FILING — The following information for candidates for the 2026 General Primary Election has been released by the Macon County Clerk’s office:
     The candidate filing period for the March 17, 2026 General Primary Election will be as follows:
     October 27, 2025 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
     October 28-31, 2025 8:30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
     November 3, 2025 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
     All candidates wishing to be in the lottery for first position on the ballot must be in line by 8 a.m. on October 27, 2025. All candidates wishing to be in the lottery for the last position on the ballot
must file between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on November 3, 2025.
     Candidates file in the County Clerk’s Office at the Macon County Office Building, 141 South Main Street, Room 104, in Decatur.
     The County Clerk’s Office will not notarize any candidate forms and cannot give advice on how to complete the forms or the legal qualifications for office.

     • I JOIN Brian Byers on WSOY’s Byers & Co. every Thursday morning at 7:00 for the “City Hall Insider”. I always enjoy our conversations.

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