Another reason for rural journalists to report on health-insurance reform: You're more believable

Tonight on their main newscasts at least two major television networks did stories that fully debunked the contention by people who should know better that a Democratic health-insurance reform bill would push euthanasia. The reports were well done and even-handed, but we wonder how much such reports in "mainstream media" will be accepted by people who have become suspicious of the MSM, for whatever reason. The same goes for reports clarifying or dispelling other allegations and beliefs about the complex legislation. The MSM have lost too much audience, and too many Americans prefer to get their information from sources that fit their prevailing ideologies or politics. At least that's what we think.

This is where journalists in smaller markets, including rural areas, should come in. They and their news outlets generally enjoy more trust from readers, listeners and viewers than do metropolitan and national media. They can and should do stories like this, looking at claims on both sides of the issue, especially with the protests at town-hall meetings of senators and House members. As we've mentioned before, good starting points are the online services that fact-check political commercials, FactCheck.org and PolitiFact.com. Each list additional sources. Go for it!