Editor, Don Holland
VV Daily Press
Victorville, Ca. 92393
September 2, 2009
Gentlemen:
This regular reader of your newspaper is informing you of my dissatisfaction with your newspaper. Possibly other readers have a similar complaint. You should ask, why are our efforts being ignored? Your paper is in financial distress, why? For any media to navigate these changing times has to be difficult. It is my belief that it would be more prudent to examine the editorial policy than to remain content to blame the stressors.
The problem is that there is very little follow up coverage of happenings that matter to your on the street readers. Your reporters do an excellent initial story but many probable reader questions are left dangling and unanswered. We do care to know the answers. Keeping your readership better informed long term with appropriate story follow up would seem to be fundamental to a win, win for the paper. Please, let me be specific.
Spring Valley Lake Politics
Your coverage of SVL politics is very superficial. An article about a petition drive, a fight on the beach, possible financial mismanagement but no ongoing follow up. This reader and resident was in attendance at a recent meeting with the new accounting firm. The presenter asked if the Daily Press was represented but your newspaper didn’t show. The new accountant says that he is not responsible for the past system. We were given to believe or allowed to assume the opposite by management. When will an independent audit happen? Will the SVL assessment payers ever know if their funds were stolen? Where does the current board stand on full disclosure and how responsible are they for the ambiguity? What is being hid?
Spring Valley Lake Crime
The security budget for SVL continues to skyrocket all because of crime. Management and the board will use such fears as justification for even more increases. Your newspaper has reported on two invasion robberies in SVL in the last three months, three overall. In these cases security was impotent. The fight on the beach at SVL was reported without appropriate questions being asked. Again, security was unable to keep the peace. What is the root cause of these incidents? Were the people involved property owners or tenants? What was the motive for the robbery, to steal a few guns or drugs again? These are the questions your reporters should be dogging the sheriff to confirm. The answer is of critical importance to we property owners.
Accidents ?
On July 20, 2009, a non accident occurred on Bear Valley Road, taking the life of a Victorville innocent woman. Highway accident fatalities are not a rare occurrence in the high desert, we all assume as drivers that there is a risk. However this case is blatantly criminal regardless of the excuse. Your newspaper to this date has made no attempt to keep your readers up to speed on the investigation. Is murder by suburban just a youthful indiscretion? Was the young man a legal resident? Did he have a driver’s license and insurance? Was the suburban registered and to whom? Will your paper ever report upon the ongoing investigation? The answer to all these questions would increase the level of involvement in your readership and your reader’s want some answers.
This reader attempts to be a realist. The complaint is a long standing issue with your paper and positive change is probably wishful thinking. Does your editorial policy cozy up to police and political influences? Are you trembling for fear of a lawsuit? You bucked the system with the exposes of financial mismanagement in Victorville. Your readers expect more consistency. At least this one reader, has gone on the record.
G.Goslaw
Gentlemen:
This regular reader of your newspaper is informing you of my dissatisfaction with your newspaper. Possibly other readers have a similar complaint. You should ask, why are our efforts being ignored? Your paper is in financial distress, why? For any media to navigate these changing times has to be difficult. It is my belief that it would be more prudent to examine the editorial policy than to remain content to blame the stressors.
The problem is that there is very little follow up coverage of happenings that matter to your on the street readers. Your reporters do an excellent initial story but many probable reader questions are left dangling and unanswered. We do care to know the answers. Keeping your readership better informed long term with appropriate story follow up would seem to be fundamental to a win, win for the paper. Please, let me be specific.
Spring Valley Lake Politics
Your coverage of SVL politics is very superficial. An article about a petition drive, a fight on the beach, possible financial mismanagement but no ongoing follow up. This reader and resident was in attendance at a recent meeting with the new accounting firm. The presenter asked if the Daily Press was represented but your newspaper didn’t show. The new accountant says that he is not responsible for the past system. We were given to believe or allowed to assume the opposite by management. When will an independent audit happen? Will the SVL assessment payers ever know if their funds were stolen? Where does the current board stand on full disclosure and how responsible are they for the ambiguity? What is being hid?
Spring Valley Lake Crime
The security budget for SVL continues to skyrocket all because of crime. Management and the board will use such fears as justification for even more increases. Your newspaper has reported on two invasion robberies in SVL in the last three months, three overall. In these cases security was impotent. The fight on the beach at SVL was reported without appropriate questions being asked. Again, security was unable to keep the peace. What is the root cause of these incidents? Were the people involved property owners or tenants? What was the motive for the robbery, to steal a few guns or drugs again? These are the questions your reporters should be dogging the sheriff to confirm. The answer is of critical importance to we property owners.
Accidents ?
On July 20, 2009, a non accident occurred on Bear Valley Road, taking the life of a Victorville innocent woman. Highway accident fatalities are not a rare occurrence in the high desert, we all assume as drivers that there is a risk. However this case is blatantly criminal regardless of the excuse. Your newspaper to this date has made no attempt to keep your readers up to speed on the investigation. Is murder by suburban just a youthful indiscretion? Was the young man a legal resident? Did he have a driver’s license and insurance? Was the suburban registered and to whom? Will your paper ever report upon the ongoing investigation? The answer to all these questions would increase the level of involvement in your readership and your reader’s want some answers.
This reader attempts to be a realist. The complaint is a long standing issue with your paper and positive change is probably wishful thinking. Does your editorial policy cozy up to police and political influences? Are you trembling for fear of a lawsuit? You bucked the system with the exposes of financial mismanagement in Victorville. Your readers expect more consistency. At least this one reader, has gone on the record.
G.Goslaw
