Monday, July 09, 2007

Waynesboro News Virginian ... could they dominate SWAC area news?

While catching up today with SWAC area news, I read that Bruce Potter, publisher of the Waynesboro News Virginian, is leaving his position to head to Northern Virginia with Media General, owners of the NV.

Would this be a good time for the NV to hire a conservative publisher and become a more conservative newspaper ... maybe in the same vein as the Washington Times?

After all, the SWAC area is overwhelmingly conservative. The Staunton News Leader has a mostly liberal slant on the news and especially on their editorial page. Could the NV become the reigning paper in the area if they were known as being more fair and balanced, more conservative?

Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County conservatives are hungry for news that tells the other side of the issue and doesn't just push a liberal agenda.

Readership would rise, subscriptions would rise (because many who have canceled their NL subscriptions over the years would sign on), and the NV's influence in the area would grow.

Many local businesses are conservative. Perhaps, if given a choice, they would be willing to drop advertising with the NL and go exclusively with the NV.

The NV's reporters appear to be more impartial ... Bob Stuart, Mike Owens, Alicia Petska ... they have covered Support the Troops rallies and other conservative events and reported fairly.

It would be nice to have a conservative voice on the local newspaper front and, while we're sorry to see Bruce Potter go, we will be contacting Jim Sacco (jsacco@newsvirginian.com) at the NV to make our suggestion.

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