EDITORIAL The Weekly: our cooperative venture (10/21/01)

EDITORIAL

The Weekly: our cooperative venture

Every so often, it seems we must write an editorial addressed to our readers (plus potential readers) and community leaders to set out what we do, how we do it and why we do it, as well as to describe in general terms how this paper functions. Usually the need is felt by the editors here at The Ukrainian Weekly when confronted with reactions of community members that are based on erroneous assumptions, misunderstandings or just plain old misinformation.

In recent weeks we have heard some of our "favorite" rumors repeated. For example, there's the one about how The Weekly does not publish information about SUM, the Ukrainian American Youth Association. Frankly, thanks to the hard work of dedicated SUMivtsi, The Weekly has never carried more news about this vibrant Ukrainian youth organization. While there may have been a lacuna in the past, for reasons that had nothing to do with The Weekly itself, today that is no longer the case.

Incidentally, the SUM example illustrates how any of our community organizations, be it a national organization or a local community group, can use our newspaper. Yes, the word is "use." So if your organization has a press person (popularly known in Ukrainian as the "presovyi referent"), why isn't he or she sending us information? If your group doesn't have such a person, surely there is someone who can act as your contact with us, who can send us stories about your community's events and achievements that you would like to share with fellow Ukrainian community members across North America.

A most recent manifestation of the "oh, we didn't think you'd be interested" genre of false assumptions is another reason for this editorial. Queried by a Weekly editor about why it had not sent any information on a major cultural/community event in Chicago, a spokesman said it was considered a local event. Well, our answer to that is: Former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill once said "all politics is local"; so, too, for the most part, is the news. But what's local to you may be worth sharing with others, i.e. non-locals, and it may have significance beyond its apparent geographical borders. Consider this also: publicizing your "local" story raises the community profile of the sponsoring group and increases its reach.

There are also those readers who expect us to be everywhere all the time - mind you, that's with our staff of three editors here in the United States and a fourth in Kyiv, who ostensibly covers all of Ukraine (quite a beat that is...). Unfortunately, we are not The New York Times or the network news, which have huge staffs that can be sent anywhere at literally a moment's notice. That's why we count on you, dear readers, to work with us in getting the news out to fellow community members. Let us know what's happening in your part of the world. We already have a corps of dedicated community activists who contribute to our paper, as well as some free-lancers who cover events in their communities. Why not join these ranks?

Another misunderstanding about what we cover stems from a miscomprehension of our editorial mission. For example, you did not need us to rush out to the scene at the World Trade Center to cover what everyone else was covering. However, you should have expected us to look for specifically Ukrainian angles to this horrible story (which is exactly what we have tried to do and are continuing to do). It's like our motto says: we offer "the Ukrainian perspective on the news" - in others words, something that you can't find anywhere else.

Please allow us to use this space also, now that we are chatting, to share a pet peeve: information or messages sent to the editors without a phone number (preferably a daytime number). Certainly you'll agree that it's just must easier and more efficient to pick up the phone and handle any queries, comments, suggestions or complaints right away. And it doesn't help when you provide a mailing address, but your phone number is unlisted. A formal written reply inevitably takes much more time, which means that you'll have to wait much longer for a response. And, if we should require additional information from you about a story you sent in, well, now you've held up publication of your own story. So, please do help us be in touch with you.

Thanks for listening. We look forward to making our relationship stronger and to improving this cooperative venture of ours.

Any questions? Please call (973) 292-9800 to speak with one of our editorial staff members, or e-mail [email protected]. (Please don't hesitate to leave a detailed and specific message on our voice mail.)

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