By Jeff Wennberg
With meager resources The Vermont Daily Chronicle is accomplishing the impossible by filling the black hole created by lopsided leftist news coverage in Vermont. Other commenters have cataloged the failures of most of Vermont’s legacy and new media outlets, and I will not bore the Chronicle’s readers by repeating them, but as someone who has served in public office over multiple decades, I can assure you that it was not always like this.
For as long as I can remember the Rutland Herald always tilted, then leaned, then collapsed left, especially on the editorial page. To their credit, of all the media outlets I have dealt with the Herald provided critics and those with a different perspective the opportunity to state their case on their pages. The same cannot be said of the once proud Burlington Free Press, and Vermont Digger mostly publishes unapologetic propaganda.
The imbalance of perspectives available to Vermonters is abysmal, and despite heroic efforts the Chronicle cannot fully right the scales on its own. But with growing readership and engaging content thousands of Vermonters can now see what has been missing, and perhaps as a result a chorus will demand that other outlets offer a more balanced perspective. One can hope.
In the interest of full disclosure, my wife and I have recently relocated to North Carolina, principally to be near family. But I would not be honest if I didn’t also admit enjoying living in a place where Republicans and Democrats are all treated as nice folks who happen to prefer the other party. You know, the way it used to be thirty years ago in Vermont.
The author has held many public leadership positions, including Vermont Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation and Mayor of Rutland. He now lives in North Carolina.
Publisher’s note: we welcome public reader testimonials like Jeff’s – the more the better, from both the well-known and the lesser-known. Email to news@vermontdailychronicle.com. We also welcome encouraging support of the financial nature. Subscribing Readers may mail $108 checks annually to Vermont Daily Chronicle, P.O. Box 1547, Montpelier VT, 05601.
Categories: Testimonial
So true. Even more troubling is the fact that so many are comfortable with this cozy censorial arrangement. The overwhelming majority of the state seem absolutely hypnotized by the soothing propaganda peddled by VPR/NPR. In short, too many are willing participants in this one-sided narrative and show no real interest in opposing viewpoints or being challenged to think for themselves.
Beautiful commentary, Jeff! It is tragic to realize that the DEM-PROG Group Think just about owns the media in the state. Beyond the VT Daily Chronicle the only other conservative-leaning Vermont publication I know of is the Caledonian Record. Unfortunately it does not have broad circulation outside of the NEK and nearby New Hampshire.
Yes, Mr. Wennberg, It was different thirty years ago. I can attest to that. The Burlington Free Press and the Barre Times/Rutland Herald were not left-leaning yellow- propagandist pamphlets to be handed out on campus or thumbtacked up as you entered or left the Student Union at UVM, Johnson or Goddard. The VT. Digger?! All these newspapers exist in a biased and evolved vapid vault of condescension where the Great Satans are our first two amendments, anti-abortion advocates, USA, Israel and Republicans.
After contributing op-eds for decades, I was blacklisted by two of the aforementioned “newspapers” for backing Israel with unpopular quotes made by Arab journalists, historians and leaders. “Before the Balfour promise, when the Ottoman (1517-1917) rule ended, Palestine’s political borders as we know them today did not exist,” stated historian Abd Al-Ghani on Palestine Authority TV, 11/1/2017. “There was nothing called a Palestinian people with a political identity as we know it today.”
Thanks to the Vermont Daily Chronicle for putting balance back into Vermont journalism.
Under the guise of journalism, the others have pushed their own social agenda and have lost their integrity in the process. Their “truth” only sees a narrow distorted view. This has no place in journalism.
Please retain your integrity, regardless which side is impacted, and continue on your good work .
We are counting on you!
Yes, thanks always VDC & Guy!
If only the extremists amongst us in this state would take their OWN advice and treat “alternate” news & information sources “equitably”, be “tolerant” enough to attain knowledge and facts from such “diverse” sources, and to become “unprejudiced” enough to judge situations from an “impartial” viewpoint.
If you really want the willies, just pick up the latest copy of Seven Sins….oops Days. It’s horrifying. I’m amazed people advertise in that trash.
Jeff, I know what you are feeling when you mention the neighborly climate down there in the Carolinas. We wintered in FL for a few years, and what a breath of fresh air. It was great. Speaking of the Left Wing Local, The Herald. I have to say, they would be miles ahead of where they are now if the likes of David Moats was back there. Now David was about as opposite from me politically, as could be, but I could reason with David, and we most always came to some agreement that left me as a writer in better place than before we visited. And many people around Rutland would comment about getting my letters printed. Which of course, is not happening today. The Chronicle is the outlet for my work, thanks to Guy and his willingness to cover the bases.
MR Pappas has other ideas that do not include me, so we do the alternative run, which is working well. The news print business is becoming a thing of the past, it will soon be all online I believe. Best to you Jeff, and thank you for all your service to the area and the State of VT.