I’m sure I wasn’t alone in my suspended terror last month when Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air. Two years earlier, the same Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair who pulled him off was quoted supporting freedom of speech. It sets your head spinning, no? Luckily both sides of the aisle quickly came to his defense, and he’s back on the air.
Still, it’s a slippery slope: the risk of freedom of speech being taken away as well as the fear of retaliation remain a topic of concern — particularly for those of us in the media industry. For instance, the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ (non-profit, US-based org) released a report in April noting a “significant increase in the number of newsrooms seeking safety advice, concerned that the changing national political environment could threaten their ability to report without fear of retribution from authorities.”
All of the above is why I’m continually grateful for the independence we have here at Marin Magazine. We’re small potatoes compared to most media outlets, but for 20 years, our only allegiance has been to this community. We get to highlight the quirky stories, celebrate our artists and entrepreneurs, and sometimes ask harder questions that might not make it past the filters of bigger outlets.
Of course, we can’t please everyone, and over the years we’ve lost a reader or two along the way. But our articles are never intended to stir a pot — only reflect the conversations and issues that are most important to you, our readers. Our ability to share authentic, community-rooted stories feels like its own act of democracy.
But independence doesn’t mean isolation. We can publish our pages, only because of the local businesses that choose to advertise with us. And when you see these establishments in these pages or on our website, you’re seeing more than just ads — you’re seeing neighbors who are investing in keeping local journalism alive. They make it possible for us to remain independent so we can cover the stories that matter to you, without second-guessing if a sponsor somewhere “up the chain” might object. Stories like contributor and political advisor Nathan Ballard’s piece on the evolution of social media in politics or Mark C. Anderson’s reporting on Regenerative California that looks at how regenerative farming practices are on the rise in California (and special shout out to Andy AIM CEO Naja-Riese and his team for finally securing funding for a permanent location for the popular Farmers Market).
On a much lighter note, what’s a November issue without an entertaining guide by caterer, cook book author and photographer extraordinaire, Lynda Balslev? In this beautiful feature, Balslev helps ease our minds with simple to follow entertaining tips to get you fully prepped for the holiday season.
Finally, kudos to Managing Editor Ashley Lane and Digital Associate Editor Emma Robertson, for making sure everything we publish is both enjoyable to read and factually accurate — a difficult skill they make look easy.
At the time of print, Jimmy Kimmel is back on the air, and we can cross our fingers that this was a “don’t touch the hot pan handle” lesson for the FCC. And while we know the discussion of freedom of speech will continue, we’re also looking forward to November in Marin County and getting the holiday season started. And speaking of speech, as always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
