Hello, John, and thank you for the topics of your recent editorials. Keep standing up for what's right.
No, thank YOU, Barbara, and all the legions of other people who continue to support journalism with their readership, their subscriptions, and their words of encouragement for the work done by everyone at MLive Media Group.
Earlier this year, I reflected on changes to the news industry as I entered the 40th year of my career. There have been many, some monumental.
But one thing that has not changed is the relationship of service that the journalists have with their communities, and the very real connection we have with readers, sources and the people featured in our work.
That work does not happen in a vacuum. We hear every day from citizens, from public officials, from people who are offering news tips, feedback on our work, and even complaints. I’m not talking about drive-by snark on social media. We get thoughtful communication daily, and it informs the way we do our work for you.
In this week where Americans pause to count blessings, I am extremely thankful that bond is still strong. I’m glad you notice that work, and I’m always grateful for those who write.
For instance, I heard from quite a few readers about the powerful package of stories we published last week on sexual assaults and deaths at the Faster Horses music festival, outside of Jackson:
Thank you for having the guts and courage in today's media-bashing climate to tell the truth about the crimes that have occurred at Faster Horses. Noble. Power of the 1st Amendment on full display. Your reporting may end up saving lives and keeping lives from being shattered. Joe
Or the state’s latest lead-in-the-water environmental crisis:
Thank you for continuing to lead in bringing local and state issues to the forefront. RE: The Benton Harbor water crisis and how the legislature cannot seem to pass any laws to benefit ALL the people of Michigan! Jody
Or what has become the story of our lives over the past two years:
I wanted to thank you and your staff for good, informative reporting with COVID. This is my first year as a paying customer, as the pandemic of misinformation was the knock on the head that I needed to finally realize that real journalism costs money, and I need to do my part to support it. I plan on keeping my subscription indefinitely - I now realize that's a low-hanging duty of a responsible citizen. Jerry K.
The topics of this column vary by week, and I never quite know what kind of response to expect from readers. One of the most surprising of this year – and gratifying – was from my column two weeks ago discussing our commitment to improving our printed newspapers.
I was surprised because it prompted one of the largest outpourings of emails I’ve seen this year. I was gratified because of the passion readers expressed for their paper.
Just wanted to say that I subscribe and regularly read MLive and the Sunday Saginaw News. Last Sunday’s paper was a great read on a lot of locally reported news. TBH, it’s been a while since I’ve said that about any local paper. So, kudos. Jeff
There's something about sitting here in the morning drinking coffee and holding the paper in my hands that a smartphone cannot even come close to duplicating. I hope the paper version continues to be published and delivered far into the future. Thank you, Jerry E.
Not everyone writes with compliments and praise. We need readers who challenge our work and set the bar high for what they expect and want from their news provider. Constructive conversations lead to a better relationship with our readers, and sometimes, mutual appreciation.
That dynamic is evidenced by a recent exchange I had with a regular critic, when I wrote him back and said I appreciated that he took the time to share his thoughts with us:
And thank you for the very conscientious job you do as editor. And a Happy Thanksgiving as well. Ed
Thank you, all of you. And Happy Thanksgiving from MLive.
Editor's note: I value your feedback to my columns, story tips and your suggestions on how to improve our coverage. Let me know how MLive helps you, and how we can do better. Please feel free to reach out by emailing me at editor@mlive.com.
John Hiner Executive Editor Vice President of Content Mlive Media Group
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