Letter writer thanks the Herald for local reporting, publishing letters and commentaries
Editor:
I have recently canceled my decades-long active newspaper subscription with the East County Times/Contra Costa Times/Bay Area News Group. Their recent 40% plus increase in the yearly subscription price finally caused me to do so, with other reasons involved also. That was on top of the previous year’s big increase of over 10%.
I started out over 50 years ago as an East County newspaper subscriber and had continued my subscription(s) throughout the years. I enjoyed holding the paper and reading the printed newspaper’s contents while relaxing, eating breakfast, etc. I also enjoyed being able to submit Letters To The Editor and Guest Commentaries, which in many years past occasions were published. The BANG/CC Times newspapers within the recent years has not even published my submitted Guest Commentaries in relation to local important area matters, even when I personally followed that up with their personnel. I even revised and/or expanded my submissions as they had requested in order to meet their guidelines (to no avail).
Their newspapers’ local area coverage also leaves a lot to be desired. Instead of, obviously, giving our communities’ submissions to them they instead very regularly give priority to already news broadcasts’ ongoing publishings from the very same outside commentators. We out in East County seem to be ignored and we just get fed the same ole, same ole, from their preferred outside submitters – who do not even comment on our areas’ events, opinions, or areas of concern. We may just as well just watch the television news broadcasts.
The Antioch Herald newspaper has been the exception. It has reported on, published, and covered our County and East County area news, events, opinions, etc., very well. The AH, as I perceive it, has not taken sides nor deprived our communities access to it and its availability of publishing submissions by its residents. It is to be commended for its journalism and fairness. We out here in East County should note that the AH has been a great source of news, even with its published advertisements no less. Thanks to you Mr. Payton and to your staff.
Ralph A. Hernandez
Antioch
