Editor Wagar’s Journalism Decisions Defy Logic - Nisqually Valley News:
Posted: Friday, September 26, 2014 9:30 am
Editor,
I never continue to be amazed at the lengths that Michael Wagar, publisher and editor of the Nisqually Valley News, will go to in order to curry favor with JZ Knight and her followers. Three recent stories defy logic: One regarding Knight’s world bilking tour, “Ramtha World Tour Nearing Its End,” which was nothing more than an advertisement for the organization. I have no problem with Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment putting ads in the NVN but at least the paper should be responsible enough to label it an advertisement instead of trying to pass it off as credible news. Under the picture of Knight the NVN captions, “Ramtha through channeler JZ Knight.” To be respectable journalists you really need to write, “Knight who claims to channel Ramtha.” Instead, you reported this nonsense as if it were fact. Your tabloid journalism didn’t stop there.
In a subsequent article, “Knight reports seeing UFOs,” I do understand that if Knight wants to look ridiculous you don’t mind helping her out, but not to put forth the fact that Bologna’s major tourist attraction is hot air ballooning, and not posting the other photos Knight submitted where it is clear that these were hot air balloons, is irresponsible.
Further, let’s talk about your titles: Steven Wyble (NVN reporter) did an excellent job of describing the latest in Knight’s case against the Freedom Foundation. He reported that cross motions for summary judgment were denied and that Judge Settle went so far as to say that it “defies logic” that JZ Knight, Inc. thinks they can keep the subject video out of the record. Judge Settle is unsealing the vile videos at which time all of the world gets to see what Knight has spent millions trying to suppress. Your title was “Judge Denies Freedom Foundation’s Motion To Dismiss Lawsuit.” Why would you not title it “Judge Denies JZ Knight’s Summary Judgment and Unseals Video”?
Since Knight has an expensive public relations firm and two huge law firms on retainer and our local commissioner’s support, why does the NVN feel they need bend over backwards to help her as well?
Perhaps you guys can return to reporting facts and not propping up a charlatan. Part of a newspaper’s responsibility is to its community. You are not informing the community about Knight, you are helping her perpetrate a fraud on this community.
Tragedies typically happen when community leaders fail to protect the public. And what about the commissioners who have taken Knight’s money in exchange for a blind eye? They recently lost a $12 million judgment against them for illegal and corrupt activity. The jury remarked that their actions “shocked the conscience” yet not a word from the NVN.
What happened to journalists outing the dangerous and corrupt? I am not asking for Woodward and Bernstein but perhaps try to report facts and not work so diligently to cover for the nefarious people in our community.
Virginia Coverdale
Editor Wagar’s Journalism Decisions Defy Logic - Nisqually Valley News: Letters To Editor
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