It’s an open secret that Phil Beckley will be running this year for mayor on the Republican ticket. We congratulate Phil, a nice guy, on what we assume will be his departure from journalism and his entrance into politics. For the first time ever, he’ll have the opportunity have his ideas tested by the electorate at the ballot box. But he’ll have to give up control of the Finger Lakes Times’ perspective on reporting local news. Of course, Phil has left a long paper trail of opinion. At least there’ll be no mystery where he stands on the issues. His life is an open newspaper.
We wonder, though, how the Finger Lakes Times will handle these ‘rumors’ about his candidacy. Beckley has multiple associations with the paper: former publisher, long time editor and reporter, current editorial board member, and weekly columnist. He shouldn’t, in the interest of fairness to all candidates, be allowed to continue his column, unless the Times wants to extend an equal opportunity to the others. How will they handle endorsements? As an editorial board member, he is responsible for many of the opinions they have issued, so to not endorse him would be to repudiate that which has been the very soul of the Times. But to endorse him would be to risk accusations of bias. We are interested to see how and when the Times will deal with his candidacy because they must know that he’s running.
Friday, April 13
Beckley to Put Down Pen and Take Up Sword?
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5 comments:
Please note, there is a slight lag between the time we compose posts and the time we complete the editing/posting process. In the interim, Phil Beckley's name has been removed from the 'editorial board' header in the Finger Lakes Times. Perhaps there is an explanation of this change forthcoming in the paper?
They do know he is running. An article is supposed to be in tomorrow's FL Times.
So much for your stated, "no gossip policy". I think it is quite presumptuous to assume that Phil will no longer be able to write his own column at the Times. Since when has any other Councilor had to give up their job in order to serve the City in that capacity (a thankless job, by the way) due to a percieved conflict of interest by the opposition party? I assume the Times will be handle any issues of fairness. I assume Phil will give the Democrats a run for their money.
Perhaps worry less about Phil Beckley and what the Finger Lakes Times is or is not going to do and worry more about what's happening now in the city.
I think that Capraro and/or Augustine bring up an important issue. A free press has a check-and-balance function for the government. If a member of government (or future member of government) has any control over the press, the press loses its integrity as a means of keeping the government in check.
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