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Libertarians worry about losing Register op-ed page
September 3rd, 2009, 1:46 pm · 15 Comments · posted by Peggy Lowe
As I’m sure many of TBuzz’s readers have heard, the parent company of the Orange County Register filed for bankruptcy this week. So what does that mean for the capital-L Libertarian slant on the editorial page?
Freedom Communication’s bankruptcy filing calls for the founding Hoiles family, which has owned the newspaper company since 1935, to give up control to the banks. Although the family will hold a small share, the bankruptcy opens the possibility of the lenders selling the company to another entity or entities — in whole or cut up in parts. That, depending on who buys the papers, could change the editorial direction away from the family’s longstanding Libertarian views that have been heralded in all 33 daily papers in the chain.
Although a sale doesn’t seem imminent, given the economy and the state of the newspaper industry, leading Libertaritans were dismayed at the news of the possible loss of a leading voice for their philosophy. Libertarians support individual freedoms over government intervention, focus on personal property rights and champion broad civil liberties.
Tom G. Palmer, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and author of a new book on Libertarian theory, grew up in Huntington Beach and read the Register and the Los Angeles Times every day. He had his first published piece appear in the Register — a letter to the editor when he was a teenager.
Freedom Communications taught me and many others one of the basics of clear thinking: politicians are not gods, they are just people like the rest of us, with no magical powers,” he wrote in an email message. “I would trade the plain wisdom of R. C. Hoiles, their founder, for all the academic sophistry I was exposed to in my academic career.”
But people who don’t subscribe to the Register’s views were hopeful that the bankruptcy would bring a change of editorial direction. Nick Berardino, general manager of the Orange County Employees Association, the county’s largest union, called for a more balanced editorial page, one that also allows a progressive viewpoint. He believes the Register has remained loyal to a narrow, niche viewpoint while ignoring the needs of a rapidly-changing county population.
“I think the Register has put itself out of the market by not having a more balanced editorial page,” Berardino said. “It’s OK to be Libertarian, but until they balance that editorial page, they will continue to lose readers.”
In Colorado Springs, home to another paper in Freedom’s chain, The Colorado Springs Gazette, a former editor said the community is concerned that it will lose a voice that reflects its own semi-conservative nature. Sean Paige, who was the Gazette’s editorial page editor from 2002 to 2007 and now has his own online interest dedicated to Libertarian thought, said the paper is much more in tune with the community than it’s own city government.
“I really think that at a time of mishy-mashy wishy-washy editorial voices, the Freedom papers had a distinctive and unique voice in American journalism that will be missed if it goes away,” he said. “My sense is certain publishers, now that the family is not there to ride herd on them, may be tempted to stray from the reservation under pressure from certain civil leaders who want to grow government, raise taxes, etc.”
So in the meantime, you will continue to get the liberal (ahem) dose of Libertarian editorials over on the op-ed page. How long that will last is anyone’s guess.
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DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
JENNIFER MUIR, County government reporter, 714-796-7813 or jmuir@ocregister.com
JOEL WALSH, Washington bureau intern, 202-628-6381 or jwalsh@ocregister.com
MARTIN WISCKOL, Politics reporter, 714-285-2867 or mwisckol@ocregister.com twitter.com/MartinWisckol
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Nice to see your byline again Peggy.
Hopefully you guys will emerge successfully. Peggy? Are you back?
This is proof that there is a loving God that answers prayers and wants us to be happy.
if there is a God— he/she would insure that there is NO more Register op/ed page. Those guys are a dumbed down broken record– seriously—- I hope mr. greenhut can find a good position at the DMV or something so he can lay to rest his huge government employment envy— ahhhh the irony…
You would be amazed at how many government workers share the idea of smaller government and lower taxes. They are just tired of being demonized by your editorial staff. I have dropped the Register twice over Mr. Greenhut’s writings, only to be contacted by your paper and restarted at a lower rate. The average government employee is not the enemy. Get rid of the hysterics and your subscriptions might just start going up.
The free market held so dear by libertarians is speaking.
The bankers that hold the debt don’t care about ideology. They care about returns.
This is the same group that is rarely if ever criticized by the Register. Those worrying about a change in philosophy should appreciate the actions by those who practice capitalism with a capital “c.”
I’m amused the irony of that potential action is lost on those who are concerned by that outcome.
Yes. The Free Market does speak. Quote from the LA Times: “The list includes Tribune Co., owner of the Los Angeles Times, which filed in December.”
I bet that comes as a great relief to those who work for the Reg.
This is my spin. I don’t hang out at the LA Times to criticise their opinions. There is no point in it. You guys on the other hand are obviously here to inhibit free speech and First Amendment rights. That’s what you freaky libs do. Ya know the Constitution should be “modified” right?. Not in your dreams. So why don’t you gay rights and Obamamaniac guys run along and get lost and pat Obama on the butt on your way so ya feel good and leave us alone.
If folks like the CATO Institute are so concerned about losing a libertarian voice there is nothing stopping them from putting up the cash to acquire a controlling interest in the Register so as to continue being that beacon of freedom.
I don’t have an issue with the Libertarian voice in the editorial pages, what bothers me is the total lack of opposing views. This is not about demonizing one group over the other but recognizing that the OC Register serves more than just Libertarian readers. Come on, there are over 500,000 Democrats in the OC.
And I would be bummed if the Libertarian bent was taken away because then I wouldn’t have anything to make fun of. The constant use of information out of context, cherry picking etc. to support one way of thinking goes a long way in the chuckles section for me.
It is true that the op-ed pages could run a column by such as
Clarence Page now and then, and a benchmark might be to run
such lefty columns as the LA Times, for example, runs columns
from the right.
In the meantime, Nick Bernardino calls for a “more progressive
viewpoint.” He should explain how getting money by force is pro-
gressive.
Proving you’ve never taken a class in Civics or the Constitution.
Maybe this transition for the OCR will also correct the gross bias in favor evangelical Christians in the news pages as well. It’s almost as though some of the “born again” reporters and editors are on missions to spread the good word via their coverage (at the expense of other more prominent religious traditions in OC, such as Catholic, Mormon, Judaism and Muslim). This is a complete disservice to the community and another reason the OCR is losing subscribers. Members of other faiths — and those of no faith — far outnumber born-agains in OC. It would be interesting to count the number of positive articles the OCR has run in the past 10 years about evangelical Christians vs. those from other faiths. I bet the number would be eye-opening. One example — a 20+ part series on Rick Warren.
If the Register loses the Libertarian Eds. they will lose me as a subscriber. You are a lonely voice of reason. However, I agree with Mr.Mosche on the over publicizing of Rich Warren, et al. Pastor Warren is just another Oprah selling books, CDs etc. He gets rich from self promotion. He doesn’t need your help.