Local news will eventually lose out

Regarding “Broadcasters, papers get OK to merge”:

Our freedom of speech is already tenuous at best. We don’t need more big media buying up local news outlets and blocking inconvenient stories from getting the exposure they deserve. Too many of these large media outlets are owned by corporate interests who profit directly from war. We need a platform that can be independent and address all the sides of an issue.

Not only is this a problem for national issues, but local as well. Large media outlets have, and will continue to, outsource local news to non-local reporters. Without a local reporter base with close ties to the community, very important stories and events can go unreported or under-reported and lives can be lost as a result. How many lives are risked when a reporter from New York is attempting to report on a natural disaster in Snohomish when he/she has limited or no community ties and cannot accurately report conditions and shelter information?

A local reporter would know which shelters are open and how to contact them. They would know who to talk to and what’s the most likely infrastructure to be effected. They would have friends and neighbors, trusted contacts in local government and emergency responders. Someone from New York would have the press secretary’s office number. Maybe.

The Herald is already owned by The Washington Post Co., a media conglomeration, just not an extremely large one. If The Herald was owned by News Corp., it’s highly unlikely my letter would see the light of print. Think about that.

Please contact your representative and the FCC and let them know this needs to be stopped.

Matthew Lander

Everett