I was saddened and disheartened to read the “bad apples” editorial in the Saturday edition of the Great Bend Tribune penned by the paper’s special assignment reporter Andrew Murphy. It appears Murphy, and by extension the Tribune, chose to view our community through a negative lens, and that is not what community journalism means.

From my first day in a reporting class at Ellinwood High School over 40 years ago to my mentors Maggie Lee and Bob Fairbanks at the Trib, one thing was drilled into my skull – be fair, accurate and unbiased. These are the lessons that guided me during my four decades in the news business and during my 23 years as the managing editor of this storied publication. I would stress to cub reporters our job was not to connect the dots but just present the dots. We’d always opt to be right over being first.

I bring up ethics and integrity to make this point – journalists should go where the facts go. If this is to something nefarious then so be it. If this is to something positive and uplifting, that’s even better.

Sure, good people do bad things, bad people do bad things and bad things happen. But good people are more often doing good things, bad people get their comeuppance and good things that make this a better place happen as well.

It is a community newspaper’s job to cover the community, good and bad. It is there to be a champion for the city it covers.

During my tenure in the editor’s chair, we didn’t shy away from the bad news (believe me, we had our share) we just chose not to dwell on it. We also chose not to let that negativity define this place we called home.

I had both the trust of the common resident and the confidence of those in power. Both had faith that I would tell their stories fairly, regardless of where those stories led. I was both loathed and loved, so I figured I was doing my job right.

Great Bend Chamber of Commerce President Megan Barfield (whose social media post Murphy took issue with and sparked his Saturday tirade) was not being a Pollyanna nor being all rainbows and unicorns. She knows firsthand the myriad challenges this town faces, and I’m sure these weigh on her and everyone else out there trying to grow and improve our community.

She was merely trying to counteract that onerous negative vibe.

You see, a newspaper can be both the defender of truth and the voice of the people and a cheerleader for those it represents.

It is unfortunate the Tribune is taking this confrontational stance. Perhaps they believe they are speaking truth to power, but in reality, they are only going to alienate the community they serve.

Dale Hogg

Great Bend