Don’t cancel Gazette subscription over print changes

Many people are talking about canceling their subscriptions to The Gazette in the face of its latest effort to stay afloat. I’m not crazy about the change, either, but let’s look at the alternatives.

Without local and state news coverage, many small towns, especially in western Iowa, depend on local radio stations, frequently owned by biased news entertainment companies who have a vested interest in what and how they report the news. They learn about the statehouse from the newsletter sent out by their (usually) Republican state legislator. They take to social media where their newsfeed has been determined by an algorithm to maximize ads and a certain political perspective. Misinformation is rampant.

The result is now a political and cultural landscape that looks like something out of, say, “Brave New World,” or “1984” or “Fahrenheit 451.” If you are unfamiliar with these books, read them now, before they’re pulled from the shelves of our libraries and bookstores. How ironic.

The Founding Fathers knew that democracy depends on a free press and the dissemination of accurate information. Dictators know this, too, and is why they seek to quash it however they can. We are going down that road now. Check out the book “Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present.”

Do not cancel your Gazette subscription! Instead, consider adding subscriptions to some small town papers, to help them stay afloat. Our democracy depends on an (accurately) informed citizenship, from local to national news. Stay informed and use your critical thinking skills!

Anne Salamon

Cedar Rapids