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LAN LIEN) NJ SOAS) i 2 Sn SILUIN OY oat Nay AH SIAN ESE y. ie ARPA RRA RANA ey ¢ oe os a ae \ Sm " FATHERS SURE ARE puma / MINE SAYS WERE LUCKY 70 BE CALLED BACK TO Work' * ol Td x -- ~ChatterBox- I had lunch with Constable Ed Laas one day last week. Ed is with the Ontario Provincial Police, Whitby detachment, and he is often on patrol in Scugog Township. He's been on the force a few years, and like all - policemen these days, his job brings him a fair amount of contact with the working press, both reporters and photographers Our conversation that day over coffee and a sandwich got around to the way in which the press covers such things as accidents, disasters and Personal a) tragedies, especially when there is loss of life involved. In bringing the subject up, I don't think Ed was necessarily being critical in a specific sense. He has, after all, been around for a while, and in his job he's seen a few things that would turn the stomachs of most of us. : Rather, he was raising some questions; tough questions, for which the answers, if there are any, are #2 . even tougher to come by. i Does a newspaper, for example, have the right to photograph and publish pictures of dead bodies at the scene of an accident? Why do scenes of disaster and death get such prominent and sensational coverage by 'the modern media? Are there indeed, any restrictions, legal or otherwise, on what newspapers can and cannot publish? Having been in newspapers for a few years, I have from time to time thought about these probems. But I must admit to a lot of difficulty in coming up with absolute answers, While there are some legal constraints on what newspapers can publish, it really comes down to two things; the nature of the individual newspaper and those who publish and edit them, and the nature of the people at whom that paper is aimed, At the Port Perry Star, Which we consider to be a community newspaper, we have an unwritten policy whereby we Sttenpt to reflect the values and attitudes of the ty. And that Mar there are occasions when we must exercise self-restraint, and make a completely sub- by John McClelland not. We are conscious of the right to privacy and dignity of the individual and his or her family and friends. ' At the same time, however, we are a newspaper with an obligation to report events and facts as they occur, without bias or prejudice or favouritism, But unpleasant, often tragic events do occur within our reading area. If we didn't cover the bad with good we wouldn't be doing our job. How we cover the bad is the point I've been trying to make. : b We don't feel we need to sell newspapers y publishing "'sensational" photos or stories which will cause undue hardship, strain and embarassment to those involved. Nor do we feel (I hope) that our readers are demanding or e that we should. These are the two arguments so often used to justify "sensationalism" in the press. With certain publica- tions in certain areas of mass readership there is some merit in the argument that it sells newspapers and that the readers (and advertisers) demand it. In large urban areas, the competition between two afternoon papers, for example, can be ferocious. I've heard stories about some of the tactics used by the "Toronto Star and the now defunct Telegran to "out- sensationalize'" each other back in the fifties and early sixties. And I met some hard-nosed, crew-cut editors and desk-men from the old school who thrived on this kind of competition. But Scugog Township is not Toronto, and the Port Perry Star is not in head-to-head competition for readers every day. And even if we were, I would personally find it very difficult to be associated with a publication that purposely sought to sensationalize tragedy and death. We make mistakes, we make errors in judgement. We have even offended people from time to time. ~ We're not running in any popularity contest to be "good we make a consistent effort to keep within the somebody. disagrees, give me a call and we'll talk about it, : Editorial Comment jective judgement on whether to publish comething or . guys" of the year, But I think we can honestly say that standards of taste and ethics of our readers. If Another Increase I'm getting mad. Not [ust run-of-the-mill angry...but damn good and MAD. ' The AIB (Anti Inflation Board) has allowed yet another increase In the ever rising cost of gas and oll products. The latest increase, last Monday midnight, 3.2 cents for a gallon of gasoline, almost automatical-* ly ended up at four: cents at most stations. And don't hold your breath, come next March, another 3.2 cent increase has already been given the go-ahead by the board. : Since the AIB came into existence two years ago, figures . Indicate that the price of crude oil has Increased by 34 per cent, and with the next price Increase just around the corner (March 1978), the total increase will rise to 47 per cent. Fits These Increases are far above the 8 per: cent guide lines set by the board only two short years ago. Why do they continue to permit the already profitable oil companies price increase after price increase? The latest set of figures available shows the profits of most major oil companies up by staggering amounts. Texaco are reported to have a 66 per cent increase, compared to last year. BP is up 60 per cent, Gulf up 20 per cent, and Shell up 18 per cent. The latest increase will boost profits even further and add estimated $75 - $100 to the cost of running a car and heating a house. : The government increase of $1 per barrel to the oll companies has been costly to the consumer. Each 'time there Is a $1 Increase In the price of crude oil, government figures show It costs an average family an additional $20 per year to heat thelr home, and $32 to operate their car. Ey In effect, homeowners in Scugog can look forward to an additional $40 to heat their homes this winter on the average, and $64 to operate each vehicle sitting in the driveway. ~~ =. : "1-would guess that this estimate will be low, by the time you get around to figuring your costs out next September. ; ; It has always been my conterition, that the price increase in gasoline can be accepted, as much of the driving done in this country is unnecessary. How often do you see cars driving up and down the street for hours, a Sunday drive with nowhere in particular to go. These things can be cut down. We do not have to jump in the car and drive three blocks to the store to get a quart of milk. We could walk, if we weren't so lazy. But...everyone is effected by the rising cost of heating our homes. This is not a luxury in our Canadian climate. Sure, we can cut our thermostats back to 68 degrees and put on a sweater, but regard- less, the cost 'to keep warm during those cold winter months is getting out of hand. Something has to be done, but what is a difficult question. J.P.H. We Need A Change The Canadian dollar is at a dangerously low level on the American and European money markets indicating among other things, that the international community has little confidence In the Canadian economy. hooey A AN A RR controls, inflation still nags the consumer for essen- Hal goods and services. Unemployment remains depressingly high and with another winter coming, the situation can only go from bad to worse. While other economies (namely the United States, Japan and West Germany) in the western . industrialized world appear to be healthy and flourishing, Canada Is sinking. Where is the political leadership in this country? Where are the decision-makers who should be taking action to right these wrongs? How far do we slide before the Canadian economy becomes the laughing stock of the western world? 1% Well, leadership and the décision-makers are out camping for the summer and unavailable for com- ment. The only action out of Ottawa recently has been the appointment of (another) National Unity Commission. As for the slide of the economy, in some circles Canada already Is the laughing stock of the western world, burdened as we are by our own lack of direction, Internal "crisis, and inane bumbling. Go ahead, Mr. Trudeau, call an election. Because we sorely need a change. < $ * After nearly two years of wage and price