From the Publisher’s Desk

Patricia M. Edwards

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I know those who read our newspaper think they know how one runs. Sure, they’ve seen newspapers portrayed on television, read about them in books, lived in bigger cities where the headlines screamed of crime, scandal and impropriety.

We have those sometimes but thankfully, they are the exception rather than the rule. If you find it difficult to believe I just said that, then, well, you don’t know me and you certainly don’t know this newspaper very well.

Last Monday, we redid the front page of The Observer to report that a man’s body had been found on U.S. 176. By Wednesday, we knew who the victim was and we reported it. By Thursday we knew who had killed him and how the two had met.

We chose not to lead our Friday story with that piece of information because to me, it had no bearing on the story itself. A man was dead. How he met the person who killed him was not the story, like some news organizations chose to highlight.

A man was dead. Shot and dumped on the side of the road. That was the story. Still is to me.

I’m not naïve. I’ve been in the newspaper business for going on 26 years now. I have seen just about everything a reporter could see when it comes to crime, death, scandal and impropriety. I’ve had my name attached to quite a few of those stories, been the editor on too many to count and publisher on even more.

Our jobs as journalists come with a certain responsibility – to report the news as fairly as we can, as accurately as we can and as unbiased as we can. Do we meet those three tests successfully in every single story we publish?

No. We don’t. We are human, just like you. We make mistakes and when we do, I try to own them.

On Saturday night, I got several texts about the wreck that killed Dr. Bennie Bennett, superintendent of Newberry County Schools.

It’s a small town. Word travels. The public would probably be surprised to know what we hear about sometimes. But just because we hear about it doesn’t mean we print it, report about it, Facebook about it or Tweet about it.

It was my decision to post on The Newberry Observer’s Facebook page on Saturday night that we knew about the wreck but were asking people to not post anything out of respect for the family. Why? I read a shared post from Sheriff Lee Foster: “Please be cautious of information on social media. The family has not been located and informed.”

I knew that either Sheriff Foster or Coroner Craig Newton would let us know as soon as they legally could – when Dr. Bennett’s family had been notified — and then we would let you know. And as soon as they did, we did.

I must admit I was a little nervous about my decision to post what I did. I was anticipating comments from people about their personal issues with the paper so I wasn’t shocked when several of those comments were posted.

What did shock me was the number of people who liked the status – nearly 230 people as of Sunday morning – and those who shared it – 270.

But I think the number of people it reached because of those numbers was what really shocked me: 21,577 people – nearly twice the population of the City of Newberry — by Sunday morning, a number that stands at more than 24,300 as I write this on Tuesday night.

Even more shocking were the number of people who responded when we asked for comments about Dr. Bennett. By Sunday night, we had received more than 90, a number that now stands at 111, with 272 shares, 404 reactions and perhaps the most shocking number of all: 34,283 people reached.

My deepest and sincerest thanks to all the people who posted something. Your comments were the basis for a story I hope showed everyone in this community — black or white — just what Dr. Bennett meant to us.

I feel certain that his legacy will continue to define Newberry County Schools and shape the path that this county takes.

We must also remember Lindy Richardson, another man who was well known in this community and an icon who helped shape the lives of a multitude of young men and women, both as a teacher and a coach.

I never had the opportunity to meet him in person, but from what I have been told, he was a man of great stature whose impact will continue to blaze a path for future generations.

I think we must also give a nod to the men and women who answer the call when help is needed. It can’t be easy for any of them, especially when the paths in small towns and counties cross more often than most people realize.

My hat is off to all of them for the work they do, day in and day out, to not only keep us safe but to be there when we are at our lowest, when we are broken and when tragedy punches us in the gut.

Patricia M. Edwards is the publisher of The Newberry Observer and group publisher of The Union Times, The Easley Progress and The Pickens Sentinel, all sister publications of The Newberry Observer. She can be reached via email at pedwards@civitasmedia.com or you can drop by to see her anytime.