Journalism vital to community, keep The Herald robust

By Jared Mead and John Lovick / For The Herald

In an age of instant information sharing, The Daily Herald and its staff have consistently shown up for our community to share trustworthy and credible news.

As local leaders, we rely on publications like The Herald to share news about legislative changes, local events, and community issues. The same can be said about how we as local leaders learn information about the communities we serve. That is why we are saddened to hear about the lay-offs of The Herald staff. In our experience, The Everett Herald and its local reporters have brought integrity, truth and dignity to the stories they produce in Snohomish County.

As many are aware there has been a concerted effort in Snohomish County to mitigate the impacts of political polarization and bring our communities together, and we would be remiss if we didn’t highlight the formidable role that local journalism, as opposed to national media, plays in this effort. Local journalism and journalists are a vital part of a healthy democracy- especially at a time when national media has become more profit-focused and politically polarized. As a source for credible information, The Everett Herald and its staff hold leaders and organizations accountable to the constituents we serve. Over our years as government officials, we have relied on the staff of publications like The Everett Herald to share information about policy, events, and people that are important to our communities.

By focusing on localized issues that matter to Snohomish County, The Everett Herald ensures that our constituents are aware of the issues and developments that directly affect their daily lives. When our community is more aware of the issues that they are impacted by, they are more empowered to make informed decisions, participate in local government and care about the events happening in our community. Local journalism and publications like The Everett Herald play a critical role in fostering an informed and engaged community which benefits us all in Snohomish County.

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Jared Mead is chair of the Snohomish County Council, D-representing District 4. State Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, represents the 44th Legislative District.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-journalism-vital-to-community-keep-the-herald-robust/