Moral Decay   

Paul Farhi's First Person apology for our dying newspaper industry ("Don't Blame the Journalism," October/November) really blew me away. He said, "As newspapers shuffle toward the twilight, I'm increasingly convinced that the news has been the least of the newspaper industry's problems."

Hiccup! I worked once as night manager of a detox center, and I am very familiar with denial by addicts.

The recent presidential race is telltale evidence, like bleary eyes, shaky hands and gait, and even a touch of delirium tremens: the 90 percent negative coverage of Sarah Palin; the adoring puffery for Barack Obama; the constant crying about recession starting two long years before it might arrive.

Today our news media can be found at the cutting edge of liberalism, negativity and moral decay. We are taught to write that way from J-school to boardroom. Yes, this is hurting the nightly TV news too, and network news, much of it focused on grossly negative news and light feel-good features.

Let's wake up and recognize what our departing readers are telling us. They want to be informed and also lifted up and above all NOT manipulated.

Dennis Lombard
Editor & Publisher
Home Times Family Newspaper
West Palm Beach, Florida