We periodically publish our Purpose Statement as a reminder to you, and us, as well, of what is expected and required of us in our service to you.
It is important that we do this because trust in the media has fallen off so dramatically over the last few decades; we need to understand the reasons for this, and work to ensure that the causes for the fall-off in trust are not at work in us at the Herald.
May 2022 be a healthy and prosperous year for you and yours.
Purpose Statement of the Cape May County Herald
The Cape May County Herald’s news pages exist to accurately cover and impartially analyze events and trends, which impact the lives of our readers. We endeavor to report not only events but, where applicable, to give wider focus to the events in order to make our reporting relevant to our readers.
We believe that facts are facts, not points of view. In reporting the facts, independence is essential, as we cannot sacrifice our credibility in order to avoid offending an advertiser, a political figure or others known or unknown. We recognize that truth is sometimes painful and thus does not always please everyone.
Our editorial coverage exists to filter events through our philosophic and moral screen, and then to express our opinion; these expressed opinions are not influenced by our news coverage. The tenets that govern us are based upon our belief that a God-given moral compass must guide us all.
Being a community newspaper is a trust that we take very seriously. We are blessed beyond measure to live in a nation where the people govern themselves. What makes it work is the people’s ability to speak freely, enabling ideas to be tossed about with the best of them rising to the top. Media which facilitates this provide an important function in the preservation and advancement of our county, our state and our nation.
An indispensable component of the foundation of our nation is respect for others who may hold different points of view; the notion of “shouting down” or “dis-inviting” others with differing ideas undermines the foundation of a free society.
Media is not held in high esteem currently, because of its failure to honorably perform the functions entrusted to it. We recognize the failure within the profession, and strive to ensure that we are not also guilty. We will be the first to admit that free speech can be a messy and offensive matter, and we come under ongoing criticism for our execution of it. I can assure you that we strive to do our best, and we don’t exempt ourselves from the public criticism which flows to and through us.
Any business or profession worth its salt is not in place first and foremost to make money. By doing one’s job with the best interests of persons being served in mind, the one providing that service can usually find a way to make a living and stay in business. If one puts what is in it for himself first, his service usually suffers, and the one being served is short-changed, and pulls away over time. If that is true of any business, it is doubly true of a newspaper. The public’s expectation of us is that honesty, integrity and fair play are our highest priority; this is rightfully so, and you deserve nothing less.
Cape May County’s citizens cannot solve all the world’s problems, but gratitude for our heritage compels us to bloom where we are planted. We all have a role to play, and we thank you for the support you accord to us in our role. Ways which you could help are to shop at our advertisers, to subscribe or purchase the Herald for $1 at establishments which are structured to receive it. We thank you in advance.
