THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 25, 1995 TAG: 9510250026
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
Editor Cole C. Campbell indicated that The Virginian-Pilot planned to refocus its public-affairs coverage between now and Election Day from reporting ``who is currently ahead of whom'' aspects of the election to the substantive issues, and which candidates are most likely to produce the best long-term results for Virginia.
The Virginian-Pilot and the local television stations should return forthwith to the traditional roles that were fulfilled so well until the mid-1980s by reporting both state and local news in depth throughout the year.
The goal of the media should be creation of a well-informed electorate and continual improvement and strengthening of our state and its localities. This task may require a larger staff, but it is essential to the missions of both the print and electronic media. People want and need to read and view material that is relevant to their lives and future.
There is no short-cut, inexpensive, election-time-only system of covering public affairs that will create the informed electorate that is essential to good government.
GLENN B. McCLANAN
Virginia Beach, Oct. 13, 1995 by CNB