In my view, the Herald's use of the USA Today section fails the 100 Day Test.
(I don't know if the Herald has been using the section for 100 days, but given the media's obsession with President Trump's first 100 days, it seems appropriate.)
Speaking of Trump and his administration, it's hard to find a positive headline about them in any of the USA Today material. A recent edition was a classic example, providing these headlines:
▇ Senate sharpens scalpel to carve up health bill
▇ Shoppers aren't buying 'Buy America'
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▇ Conservatives find Trump's religious-liberty order lacking
▇ Senators hesitant on House bill
It's bad enough be bombarded with negative news from major media outlets. I'd hope the Herald could find a national-news product that has a more positive attitude, or better yet expand the paper's local and regional coverage instead of this canned garbage.
Or maybe hire local correspondents and pay them by the column inch? Years ago, the Devils Lake World did just that: it paid writers a dime per column inch for local news.
As one of those writers, I soon learned it was better to write, "Bob and Myrtle and their children Suzie, Joanie, Freddie, Mikey and Johnny Jones motored to the local church supper, where they enjoyed a sumptuous meal served by the Saints Peter & Paul Ladies Aid Society," rather than "The Jones family attended the church supper."
That said (with tongue in cheek), I'd really appreciate the Herald admitting it has flunked the USA Today 100 Day Test.
Mike Connor
Starkweather, N.D.
