Rutland, VT – The November 19, 2024, issue of the Rutland Herald has drawn criticism for a lack of balance on its editorial page, which features content overwhelmingly aligned with left-leaning perspectives. The page includes an editorial titled “Influence”, a series of letters to the editor, and a commentary on Vermont’s forest conservation efforts. Together, these pieces represent a single ideological viewpoint, leaving readers questioning the diversity of opinions within the newspaper’s pages.

A One-Sided View of Local and National Issues

The letters to the editor section is striking for its lack of ideological diversity. Every letter criticizes former President Donald Trump, RFK Jr., or conservative policies. One letter even compares Trump to Adolf Hitler and his supporters to “gullible followers,” while another misrepresents RFK Jr.’s position on vaccines by labeling him a “vaccine skeptic”—a term that oversimplifies and mischaracterizes his nuanced stance on vaccine safety and efficacy. Notably, there are no letters supporting Trump or his policies, despite the fact that he won both Rutland City and Rutland County in the recent election.

What many readers may not realize is that letters to the editor are not always published verbatim. Editors have the authority to edit submissions for clarity, length, and tone, or even to fact-check and remove inaccurate statements. By choosing to publish the letters in their current form, the Rutland Herald’s editors made a deliberate decision to let inflammatory and hyperbolic statements, such as the Hitler comparison, run unchecked. Ironically, this mirrors the very behavior the “Influence” editorial criticizes in social media platforms, where content is often left unregulated for the sake of engagement.

Environmental Commentary Tied to Larger Policy Goals

The page also features a commentary on forest conservation titled “Importance of State Lands”. Written on behalf of activist organizations such as Audubon Vermont, the Vermont Land Trust, and The Nature Conservancy, the piece praises Vermont’s forestry management policies. While it focuses on state-owned lands, these groups are deeply tied to broader initiatives such as Vermont’s 30 by 30 and 50 by 50 goals. These legislative efforts aim to place 30% of Vermont’s lands into state ownership or conservation easements by 2030 and 50% by 2050, in line with the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act (Act 59) and other climate-focused policies.

Though the article acknowledges state ownership, it omits discussion of the potential economic or local land-use impacts of these policies, presenting only the environmental perspective. This further reinforces the perception that the editorial page lacks balance and fails to represent the full scope of community concerns.

The Implications for Local Journalism

The lack of balance on this page underscores the challenges faced by local newspapers. While the Herald critiques social media influencers for spreading misinformation, its own editorial decisions demonstrate a failure to foster constructive dialogue or reflect the diversity of its readership.

This disconnect is particularly significant given the political realities of Rutland City and County, where Trump secured a majority of the vote. It’s likely that a substantial portion of the Herald’s readership and paying subscribers align with more conservative or right-leaning views. Yet, the November 19 editorial page exclusively features letters, commentary, and editorials reflecting progressive positions, alienating a large segment of its paying audience.

If newspapers like the Rutland Herald continue to overlook the perspectives of their local communities, they risk eroding trust and financial support. For local journalism to remain relevant and trusted, it must embrace inclusivity—not just in demographics but in the range of ideas and voices it chooses to amplify.

Dave Soulia | FYIVT

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