Tony Dodero -- From the Newsroom

Last week, I sat with several local community members at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club to cheer on the Academic All Stars of Newport

Harbor and Corona del Mar High schools.

Attending the chamber of commerce-sponsored event were school board

and city council members, a county supervisor and even U.S. Congressman

Chris Cox

Like them and the others in the room that morning, I marveled at the

stratospheric grade point averages and experiences that these students

have achieved at such a young age.

Seeing kids like these always reminds me of, ahem, my not so stellar

high school activities, but better yet gives me great hope for our

future.

I think that was the point Newport Harbor Principal Michael Vossen was

trying to make when he uttered something that’s been gnawing at me ever

since.

As he took to the podium to speak about his students and their

high-caliber academics, he used the media to make a point.

He bemoaned how media members will call him for comment when tragic

events happen on school campuses, like the shooting at Santana High in

Santee.

“The media emphasizes the negative,” he said. “That’s what they like

to do.”

Pardon me a moment as I get a little defensive and maybe a teeny weeny

bit negative.

After hearing that, I wondered if Principal Vossen had read the front

page of the Daily Pilot that morning. If he did, he must have missed the

banner headline across the top of the page announcing that Ensign Middle

School had been named a distinguished school.

And maybe he didn’t have time that morning to open up and look inside

the paper, but if he did, he would have seen a full page devoted to those

very same Academic All Stars that he was praising.

And of course, he must not be aware of the entire page 2 that we

devote to school coverage each week in addition to our regular coverage,

or our sports pages that concentrate almost entirely on youth and prep

sports and our extensive graduation and back-to-school stories and

photos.

OK, I know we don’t only write about the great achievements of our

students.

Many might point out we also reported a bomb scare this week at a

local high school and the arrest of a man suspected of trying to trap a

young girl in an elementary school bathroom.

Unfortunately, our community has an ugly side as well.

Still, I have to believe our readers expect and look to us to provide

them with information about what is happening in Newport-Mesa, both good

and bad.

In truth, Vossen’s shot at the media is hardly unique. Heck, we rank

right up there with lawyers these days.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m the first to admit that sometimes we go

overboard. Sometimes in our zest to tell a good story, the big picture

gets a little fuzzy. And sometimes, because we’re human, we just flat get

it wrong.

But I assure you, most journalists I know didn’t choose this career

because they “like” to be negative. They did so because it can be an

exciting and rewarding job and because they believe the freedom of the

press to bring the news to the people is sacrosanct in a democratic

society.

And whether you are learning of the good or bad news, think about what

your life would be without the media.

How would you know about the Greenlight initiative?

How would you know who won the city council races?

How would you know that the Fish Fry is in jeopardy?

How would you know that Measure F first won at the polls, then lost in

the courts?

How would you know about polluted beaches and urban runoff?

How would you know who finally won the Presidential election?

How would you know about President Bush’s tax plan?

How would you know who took home the Best Picture Oscar?

How would you know that the Chinese released our Navy spy plane crew

so they could come home?

How would you know who won the Super Bowl or the World Series?

How would you know what a great golfer Tiger Woods is?

The list could certainly go on.

I guess I’ve made my point.

Actually, I’m pretty positive about that.

* TONY DODERO is the editor. His column appears on Mondays. If you

have story ideas or concerns about news coverage, please send messages

either via e-mail to tony.dodero@latimes.com or by phone at 949-574-4258.