Readers need the stories that Herald’s journalists produce

Published 1:30 am Thursday, June 27, 2024

The Herald layoffs announced June 18 can be a day concentrated power can celebrate or a day of new beginnings to save local journalism from corporate defunding. Clearly, the last century’s business model for local journalism is unsustainable; when we need more government watchdogs, not fewer.

To quote open government journalist Heather Brooke: “At a time of information overload, good journalists are more important than ever. They serve as the public’s hired guns to collect information from various sources and challenge it for the purpose of distilling down what is important and true. They signpost issues that are worthy of our attention.”

When we have a school district in an existential crisis, now under a Superintendent of Public Instruction-led Financial Oversight Committee, we need education journalists. When two agencies in Everett Transit and Community Transit are merging, we need transportation journalists to dig through the spreadsheets and show a human face. Then, there is historically outstanding coverage of NAS Whidbey Island’s jet noise issues and Boeing’s turbulent presence.

I’m not sure what is next for the Everett Herald or for regional journalism, but if there was a time for new beginnings to preserve, fund, and nourish the public’s hired guns – it’s now.

Joe A. Kunzler

Sedro-Woolley