One-sided gossip posing as news

I received another issue of the Lake County Gazette, a printing that Paddock Publications was wise to distance itself from. It had a front-page article challenging critics that if they find anything incorrect in the Gazette, they will print a retraction. The big article right next to it said some really awful things about Gov. Pritzker. The implication of course is that these bad things about Pritzker are completely true.

However, reading the opening paragraph carefully will show how they wiggle out of any claims of telling the truth. It says " ... according to ... investigative reporter Chris Rufo." All the controversial statements that follow are attributed to Rufo. Rufo could have said that winter is hot and water is dry, and the Gazette would not consider their story incorrect, since they didn't make the claims, Rufo did.

We don't know who Rufo is, or if Rufo even has a paying job as a reporter. The Gazette made no effort to fact-check Rufo's story and they didn't reach out to any of the people or organizations named for their comment. It's just one-sided gossip dressed up as the news.

That is what distinguishes yellow journalism from a reputable source such as the Daily Herald, and it is important that people know the difference.

Rob Neff

Lake Zurich