Congratulations on reaching milestone

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Well done Jeremy and members of the Muir family who have maintained a standard second-to- none over such a long period of time.

I have spent much of my lifetime in parts of the country serviced by provincial newspapers of similar quality but sadly, almost all have allowed their publication to deteriorate to a position where it is unrecognisable as the standard-bearer they once were.

I guess it is somewhat ironic that The Gisborne Herald has survived in a competitive climate where journalistic quality has become a thing of the past.

You have allowed contributors like myself to debate the issues in an environment where those of different political persuasions can (within reason) freely voice opinions on matters that should concern us all.

As a result, you have retained a loyal readership while others (including most of the major dailies) are in rapid decline. In such an isolated part of the country, many regard their brief time of solitude reading the latest edition as equivalent to a daily “fix”.

It helps to take us out of ourselves at a time when every other talisman we hold dear is under threat.

I am personally grateful for the opportunity to be part of that iconic communal process.

Unfortunately, it is a sad commentary of the MSM in this country and throughout the Western world, that so few outlets remain as bastions of free speech where all views are expressed without fear of censorship — although my own personal contributions may have stretched the boundaries of what qualifies from time to time.

We are in your debt.