A Transparent Observer

Participants and contributors to the Observer project wear many hats in the  community. There are different roles that we all have of employment, service on a board or commission, and civic involvement. Sometimes, the identification of one’s role when writing an article for publication is important to a reader’s evaluation of that article. The Lakewood Observer must establish a transparency policy.

In the last two issues of the Observer front page articles by Melissa Garret were published. Garret is typical of those whose citizen involvement contributes so much to our community.

However, in these two instances, she was wearing her hat as an employee of the City of Lakewood and the “articles” were press releases. It has always been the intention of the Observer project to learn more about our town and these articles may amplify that goal. It might have helped for the reader to know that these articles were not the product of citizen journalism but rather a paid publicist.

I would suggest that the Publisher, Editor, and Advisory Board meet and establish a policy of disclosing writer’s affiliations when it might affect the perception of an article. This policy should be published on the front page along with an explanation that in the two instances of Garret’s article that she was writing as an employee of the City.

Stan Austin

Editor’s Note:

For several years Stan Austin covered city council meetings for the Lakewood Observer. During this time, he reported the activities of council through his own spin. When members of the community complained about Austin’s biased writing, myself and publisher Jim O’Bryan advised those citizens that it is up to them to write the opposing view point. They never did.

The Lakewood Observer need not establish any such disclosure policy. This paper maintains an open door policy, allowing any agent (citizen, politician, advocate or bureaucrat) to frame, spin, protest, debate or explore any issues relevant to life in our city. We call it the “put up or shut up model of civic journalism.”

On one occasion (Volume 4, Issue 3), I did publish a list of my issues with one of Austin’s council reports. If Austin would like to examine specific points presented by Garrett, and offer an alternative, he is free to do so. We will gladly publish the material.

Best Regards,

Dan Slife
Editor in Chief