Some people in Grants Pass like their news the way they like their family drama—unlocalized. They want their community stories to be wrapped in a neat little package, stripped of uncomfortable truths, and conveniently distant from their own backyard. That is, of course, until the very same truths they ignored start affecting them. Suddenly, they’re all too eager to pick apart the messenger, crying “fake news” or dismissing the facts as nonsense.
The irony is almost too rich to ignore. These are the same folks who scoff at mainstream media for being too corporate, too biased, or too detached from real people. Yet when a local journalist or editor digs into what’s actually happening in their own city—be it corruption, mismanagement, or just the realities of everyday struggles—these critics are the first to claim it’s all an exaggeration, a smear campaign, or an attack on their way of life.
Why? Because it’s easier to dismiss uncomfortable truths than to acknowledge them. It’s easier to attack a reporter than to confront the fact that their town isn’t as idyllic as they’d like to believe. And let’s be honest—many of these same naysayers enjoy their small-town echo chamber. They don’t want the reality of homelessness, economic hardship, or local government corruption to shatter their carefully curated perspective.
But here’s the thing: news isn’t meant to make you feel comfortable. It’s meant to inform you, challenge you, and sometimes, yes, even upset you. If everything you read in the news makes you feel good, you’re probably not reading real news—you’re reading propaganda. And if everything you don’t like in the news gets immediately dismissed as false, well, that says more about you than it does about the reporting.
We see it time and time again. A report exposes corruption, and suddenly, the journalist is labeled a liar. A piece highlights the struggles of the homeless, and immediately, the writer is accused of “making the city look bad.” A local figure is called out for unethical behavior, and somehow, the journalist is the one under attack rather than the wrongdoer.
It’s an old story. Kill the messenger, and maybe, just maybe, the message will go away. But it doesn’t. The truth has a funny way of persisting, no matter how many people try to silence it.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I don’t hold grudges against these people. In fact, I think they probably need a hug. Living in denial must be exhausting. Constantly dismissing reality just to maintain a false sense of security has to be a heavy burden. So to those who can’t handle the truth: we see you, we hear you, and we get it. But we’re still going to keep reporting, keep uncovering, and keep holding power accountable.
Because at the end of the day, journalism isn’t about making you feel safe—it’s about making sure you’re informed. And if that makes some people uncomfortable, well, maybe that’s exactly the point.