Blade bias - #7

While we are no longer surprised, in any way whatsoever, by the bias shown in our local newspaper, The Blade, I will continue to point it out - hoping that either you will learn to recognize it yourself, or that they will stop doing it. I'm more confident of the former than the latter.

But with so many prior posts on the issue, I've had to start numbering them.

Today's story on the indictment of several Lucas County Sheriff employees, including Sheriff James Telb, is the third version of the article since the news broke yesterday.

Despite mentioning his age (70) and how many years he's served in elected office (25), the article does not mention his party affiliation - which is Democrat, by the way.

Contrast that how often the party affiliation is used in any other story and you'll see that their omission on this one is glaring, particularly in light of the fact that this is a 'scandal' story about a Democrat. Would a Republican have been spared the party affiliation?

While they do have a side bar about his lack of campaign opponents, it's on page 9 and the note on the front page referencing the additional information only says "James Telb's first campaign for public office was in 1984. Page 9."

That side bar does give his party affiliation, but there is no reason to exclude it on the front page main story about the incident.

This is what we've all come to expect from our paper. But just because we can anticipate it does not mean that we have to tolerate it without comment.

UPDATE: This issue is now a story at NewsBusters, thanks to fellow Ohio blogger Tom Blumer at Bizzy Blog.