Nothing wrong with a little 'new news'

By Gabriel Stovall

There’s a fresh but familiar voice for news in the city.

Or shall I say, “voices.” Because there will no doubt be more than one.

Say hello to the Newton County Journal — the newest news publication dedicated to covering the news that matters in Covington and Newton County, Georgia.

But it’s more than just that. The Journal is also going to become an industry leader in producing the next generation of journalists and media professionals looking to inform and impact local communities across our nation with the stories they tell and the reporting they do.

Newton County, Georgia is on the “grow” and has been for quite some time now. And as it grows and changes, so too must its infrastructures, including the way news is told in this area.

A fresh set of eyes creates a fresh perspective and approach that, we believe, is necessary for where this county is and where it’s headed.

Contrary to popular belief, journalism isn’t dying. It’s just changing — shifting, if you will, according to the way people choose to consume their news.

Getting the “what” and the “when” is easier than ever, thanks to social media. You don’t even have to have a press pass anymore for that. Just show up to an event with your cell phone camera, snap a picture or a video, post to your social media platform of choice, and voila. Instant “who-dun-it.”

But journalism has always been about more than just the what and the when. Good, effective journalism takes you beyond the obvious and begins to answer the more pressing questions that can potentially shift readers’ lives.

We’re talking about the “why” and the “how.”

Why does that new ordinance passed by the city council matter to my family and me?

How will new leadership in our local school system directly impact my child’s educational experience?

Take me beyond the bluster and bravado of a County Commissioner squabble, and give me an unbiased understanding of what all the legislative mumbo jumbo really means to this community that I truly love.

That’s what readers really want, because readers are citizens. And that’s what citizens desire.

That’s what The Journal will provide.

Throughout my 20-plus years of award-winning journalism, I’ve prided myself as a storyteller who gets beyond the surface and rises above polarizing agendas to tell you what really matters. A newspaper’s job is never to try and influence thought — subtly or not-so-subtly — as much as it is to inform thinkers.

Give people every possible side and angle of a matter. Present it as factually as possible. Go deep and unearth every imaginable perspective and point of impact you can find. Arm readers with that information, then step back and let the reader decide how to think and respond to the facts provided.

That’s news. That’s real journalism.

No, it doesn’t mean everyone is going to agree with, or even like, what you report. Even the most well-balanced publications and most fair scribes will have detractors swearing that there’s inherent bias in the sauce.

But my father once told me years before his passing that you can’t control what people think is true. You can only control what is true. You do that by your own actions. And then you stand on them, regardless of who compliments or crucifies you.

That’s the job of a true reporter who deems him or herself as a scribal advocate for the community they serve.

That’s our job.

And the journalists, media professionals and content creators who make up the Newton County Journal will work double time to renew your trust in our industry.

There’s more to talk about regarding this initiative. Lots of ground work has been done and some more to do. But I hope you’ll come along for the ride as we give a new Newton County a new and fresh media voice with a touch of familiarity since I’m no stranger to this area.

It won’t just be my “voice” you hear. In fact, though there will quickly come a time when my byline won’t be the predominant one you see in this publication, you can rest assured that my heart for Newton County and solid journalism that treats this area right will always be present in The Journal’s work.

Get excited! Get skeptical! Get annoyed. But whatever you do, get ready. The Newton County Journal is here to stay and grow with its beloved community.

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