The following guest commentary is part of a new campaign from the New England Newspaper & Press Association Press Freedom Committee and Granite State News Collaborative called Know Your News: Understanding Press Freedom and the Value of Local News, which kicked off on Constitution Day, Wednesday, September 17. Don’t just read this; share it with one person who doesn’t usually follow local news. That’s how we make an impact. Learn more at www.nenpa.com/press-freedom-and-local-news-collaborative .

When I worked as a reporter for a local newspaper, people would sometimes ask (or complain) about something that had appeared in our opinion pages. “Why’d you endorse that guy for Select Board?” “Does that columnist have to be so mean?”

My answer was always simple: I’m the wrong person to talk

See Full Page