“Don’t say that, there’s a reporter here.” In the two years since I started working at the paper, that’s one of the phrases that I’ve heard numerous times, and although I usually find it laughable, it’s been one of the constant reminders I’ve seen that the power of the press is a very serious thing, even in a small town.

In the United States, the news media has tremendous power. They can expose scandal, fret out corruption and examine the politics of war without blinking an eye. The press has been able to report on numerous scandals involving politicians all the way up the White House. The press has been able to question policies made by national and foreign leaders and to expose scandals like Watergate and White Water. With all that power, it’s no wonder that people often think that the newspaper can help them solve many of their problems.

I love to help people, and usually, if I can do something to help, I will. But, in my office, on a regular basis, we get calls from people who have complaints and issues they feel should be exposed in the paper, and quite a few of those people walk away unhappy. It’s not because we refuse to help them or that we don’t want to try, it’s because our hands are tied by nasty legal phrases like libel and lawsuits.