I am very pleased that the Press Herald and its sister publications will continue to keep me and my fellow Mainers informed under its new ownership. I was also happy that your many fine reporters will stay on the job.

As a onetime reporter and longtime letter writer and opinion columnist, I am well aware of the importance of the press in a free society. We are experiencing, across the nation, the death of many hundreds of newspapers, a good number of them the sole source of news in their communities. This is a very sad, if not dangerous, turn of events.

A true democracy should not and cannot operate successfully in the dark. Of the many positive ideals in our Constitution, the freedom of the press ranks high. It is the main job of the press to shine a light on those dark places, and to keep the citizens informed. It is our job to keep informed, and to raise our voices when the situation calls for action.

I look forward to a long and meaningful relationship.

Norman Abelson
Moody

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