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Truth is Essential in the News Business

Today’s audiences don’t have time for fakes and partisanship

By Mark Green

The Lane Report embraces its role as a trusted provider of news and information to the Kentucky business and economic development community. More than ever in today’s changing media landscape, trust is essential to staying in business. But truthfully, it always has been.

It’s why we’re still around 35 years down the road from our founding and going strong.

We make a point of focusing on Kentucky-specific business content because, yes, your peers elsewhere do very similar work but do it in an environment with different competitors and customers and costs that mean your solutions are different. However, our niche focus loses its worth if the information isn’t credible or slants left or right politically.

We know your time is valuable. If we waste it with unreliable information or material pushing a partisan viewpoint, you will go elsewhere in search of data that reliably benefits your decision-making.

Back in the previous century, when The Lane Report’s journalists learned the news craft at journalism school and from experienced elders on the job, accuracy and objectivity were first and foremost. Presenting truth is not only the right thing to do, it is the cornerstone of our business plan—collecting dependably true facts and presenting them understandably is what brings together an audience advertisers value.

There is a symbiotic relationship between news, which gathers the audience, and advertising, which pays the bills for gathering the news. It is not quite a chicken-or-the-egg relationship, however. Truthful, reliable news came first.

Beyond earning a financial payoff by what we do, there is the satisfaction of playing a constructive role in the Kentucky business community. The deal announcements, success stories and best practices we present as news are interesting, but their bigger significance is to provide our readers benchmarking and solutions.

The information in our pages each month and on our website each day give everyone—well, those who invest their time in consuming the material we present—a reality-based frame of reference to assess their operation and strategy and the strength of our Kentucky economy.

Not long ago, within my lifetime, creating and running a news platform was a big undertaking, complicated and expensive. Whether print or broadcast, there were multiple steps with specialty operations, raw materials, technical skills and equipment. The cost of entry was high.

News media today have fractured into a thousand pieces due the technological revolution of the past generation. The internet allows anyone anywhere to project their information to you or, vice versa, you to go to anyone anywhere for information. Literally anyone with a computer, an internet connection and basic skills can go into the information business.

The key question, however, is whether that news is significant and accurate. Ironically, with more news options than ever, it is harder to find information worth the investment of your time to consume.

There are more news sources today than ever, but the majority seem to be pushing an agenda. The Lane Report’s agenda is Kentucky business growth. That’s it. We want our state to succeed and grow. That grows our business. And it makes us part of something bigger than ourselves and beyond the financial.

When it comes to Kentucky business news, The Lane Report, our website LaneReport.com and FasterLane email blasts are a prequalified prospect with a 35-year track record. We’re here for the long run and want you to come with us.