Letters: Readers weigh in on Sun’s future

Friday, June 24, 2005 | 4:21 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

June 25-26, 2005

Pretty soon, there will be only one of everything left

It saddens me to see that the decision has been made to integrate the Las Vegas Sun into the Review-Journal. I have been a subscriber to the Sun for more than 25 years. It seems I must be one of those dinosaurs who still enjoys reading the evening paper when I get home from work.

I never have liked morning papers, probably never will. Aside from that, I personally don't like the politics of the R-J.

I've always felt that it's important for individuals to have a choice. With all of the constant mergers and acquisitions, I'm afraid that one day soon we will have only one bank, one grocery store, one casino.

And one paper.

ANDREW HATCHER SR.

Blue Diamond gets circulation boost

I am so delighted to learn that the Las Vegas Sun will, once again, become a morning paper. The fact that you will be delivered with the Review-Journal means that those of us with a Blue Diamond rural zip code will finally be able to have home delivery of our favorite paper!

For whatever reason, this was something denied to us after the agreement between the two newspapers several years ago.

It will be so refreshing to be able to have your full coverage of local events and Editorial and Opinion pages on a regular basis once again. And how fortunate for readers of the other paper to have the opportunity to realize that there is another point of view to consider.

The sooner, the better!

PATRICIA van BETTEN

Newcomer pleased to get Sun in A.M.

I moved to Las Vegas six weeks ago. On my second day I went to buy a local paper and found that the store was out of the Review-Journal (the only paper I thought existed in Las Vegas), and I ended up buying a Sun.

Imagine my surprise when I realized that the Sun had so much more of an editorial spectrum of opinion, superior features, including the New York Times' and Los Angeles Times' crossword puzzles and comic strips equal to and often overlapping those of the R-J.

So I quickly subscribed, even though I had no idea then that paper was published for afternoon circulation during the week. I have had to adjust my breakfast habits to include the previous day's edition of the Sun, but it's been worth it.

Although I am politically centrist I truly believe the Sun has a more fair-minded policy when compared to the almost stifling, right-of-center bent of the R-J.

Having the Sun delivered in the morning is something I look forward to with relish. Bacon and eggs with David Brooks, hotcakes with Tom Friedman, coffee with my crossworld puzzles ... oh joy!

SIDNEY H. GOODMAN

Fear of different viewpoint obvious

The venom spewed in the direction of the Las Vegas Sun by Review-Journal letter writers in the last week is very telling. Most are outraged that the Sun will soon have a couple of pages in the R-J.

It shows that their confidence in the conservative rhetoric is so weak that they are fearing an opposing viewpoint might challenge their entire belief system.

Why else would they oppose free speech or the exchange of ideas in the press? No, followers of the current presidential administration know that the only way they can sell their messages is to make sure that any conflicting viewpoints be silenced through any method possible.

It's currently happening in both houses of Congress and in the broadcast media through elimination of the Fairness Doctrine. And now, through these intimidating letters that have been published, there is an attempt to let it happen in the local press.

I never knew that the Sun had so much clout. A small eight-page section must represent more power to these people than the hundred or so pages in an average R-J.

All of you people who fear the Sun, please examine your convictions and determine why you are ranting about this addition to the morning paper. You might find that your ideals are built on shifting sand.

RANDALL BUIE

Sun will shed light on backward slant

Regarding the numerous readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and their criticisms of the Las Vegas Sun: I say "nuts!" to all of them. If they don't like the Sun and its liberal point of view, they can do what I did with my subscription to the backward Review-Journal -- cancel it.

I'm thankful there is another opinion besides the stagnant, conservative rhetoric of the Review-Journal. The Sun will shine, and it will give a more liberal view, which the Review-Journal has so long stifled in this town.

There will come a day, soon, when enough Californians will have moved here that subscribers will demand that both sides of the day's issues be heard. This state may be red now, but that will change to blue.

Conservatives must be so afraid of the liberals that they will do anything to prevent people from enjoying their American right to a media that presents contrasting points of view. How sad it will be if it comes to the Las Vegas print media offering only one point of view.

We're seeing this problem now with the current presidential administration -- there is only one way, theirs.

I believe that, in the end, the Review-Journal will not be able to sell its one-sided and backward views while shutting the Sun out. The Sun will shine, no matter how many backward conservatives there are in this town.

JOSEPH DE MEIS

Sun should join forces with Times

I think you would better serve the community by breaking off with the Review-Journal and establish a new cooperative venture with the Los Angeles Times.

The Times seems to carry a lot more meat in their reporting, as well as information on Nevada that we never seem to get in the R-J.

I see such a relationship as a win-win, because the Times already distributes here, and, at one time, offered home delivery. Perhaps an agreement with its owner would be of mutual enhancement to both papers, and I could read better news on a regular basis.

CHARLIE MICHAEL