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Levsen: Media Helps Democracy and Government Work

Reflecting on the life of former Aberdeen American News executive editor Cindy Eikamp, Aberdeen mayor Mike Levsen recalls Eikamp was “a reliably fair-minded partner” in informing the public. From that respectful, cooperative relationship, Mayor Levsen learned that the free press serves democracy:

Mayor Mike Levsen
Mayor Mike Levsen

Government and the media are partners in serving the public and serving democracy. Mutual respect is not only appropriate, but the best path to effectively passing along day-to-day news and operating government efficiently [Mayor Mike Levsen, “Lessons Learned from Editor Eikamp,” Aberdeen American News, 2017.11.24].

Good local reporting matters as much as good national reporting in preserving and promoting our civil institutions. Mayor Levsen respects the vital role of independent journalism in our democracy. Leaders who don’t respect the Fourth Estate’s vital role should be viewed with the highest suspicion and replaced at our earliest opportunity.

7 Comments

  1. mike from iowa

    CNN fires back at Trump: It’s your job to represent the US to the world
    -0:47

    Former CIA and National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden on Saturday night ripped President Trump for attacking CNN and praising Fox News, calling it “an outrageous assault” on the First Amendment.

    “If this is who we are or who we are becoming, I have wasted 40 years of my life,” tweeted Hayden, who directed intelligence under the last three presidents and is a regular contributor to The Hill’s opinion section.

    Trump on Saturday took to Twitter to declare that Fox News “is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN,” adding that CNN represents the United States “poorly” to the world.

    The network shot back at Trump over his comments, tweeting that it’s his job to represent the U.S. to the world.

    Makes it impossible to be fair and balanced when the goofball in the White House doesn’t understand the potus role in the scheme of things. No wonder he wants CNN parent company to disband the operation.

  2. jerry

    IMPEACH trump! LOCK HIM UP!

  3. grudznick

    I realize this is off topic but I can’t find a good topic to put in on, but this seems as meaningless a blogging as any to ask:

    Why does Mr. Stan still pay to advertise here, but yet he never blogs on his blog and has nothing to say? Is this just self promotion, of which we all know Mr. Stan is a master, or is it a failure of Mr. Stan’s minions who pay his bills to cut down the payments for things like the electrical at his old mansion overlooking Mt. Rushmore or his other Mansion down by Crazy Horse?

    It just seems a very dated ad, but I don’t want any bacon taken out of the mouths of Mr. H’s kids.

    Has anybody asked that young Ms. Katie woman if this ad should be updated? I think the bloggings and ad should be updated. But it is Mr. Stan’s call.

  4. jerry

    Time Inc. sold to the Koch brothers. Another one bites the dust. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/time-inc-meredith-koch-brothers_us_5a1b5830e4b0649480753fe4?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

    Sinclair Broadcasting, Fox News and now Time. Add this all onto the loss of Net Neutrality and we will be back to sending one another drum messages and slinging feces to get our points across. Democracy is dying, should we just let it go?, this Levsen fellow says hell no, I think I agree with him and with Cory. We need more legit media not conglomerates speaking monotone lies?

  5. grudznick

    Mr. Stan will very soon own all advertising in the Rapid City market, except for the Epic signs. Mark grudznick’s words here.

  6. grudznick

    This fellow, Levson, is he also in the legislatures?

  7. Good journalism requires resources. Unfortunately, a lot of people with resources, like the Koch Brothers, want to turn journalism into their personal propaganda wing.

    Curious: when was the last time Time broke a big story?

    To Mike’s comment: it is hard for journalists to carry out the partnership to which Levsen refers when the head of government is an incompetent determined, it seems to destroy both journalism and the government. At that point, media’s “partnership” duty should lead it to rigorously cover and critique the head of government, if not help remove and replace that dysfunctional head. Journalism has a role to check and correct government’s errors.

    If Mr. Adelstein is buying up all the advertising in Rapid City, I hope he will use his platform to post “Impeach Trump” messages on every corner of the city.

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