If Lands' End were to decide against locating its new facility in Stevens Point, it's our fault. At least that's what some officials who are heavily involved in industrial development would have us believe. In fact, they told us so.
Their claim is that any publicity ahead of an official announcement from the company would mean Lands' End would select a different site. Apparently, it doesn't matter that no less an important figure in state government - Gov. Tommy Thompson himself - spilled the beans during his State of the State address, when he encouraged a Lands' End official he had just singled out in the balcony to build in Stevens Point.
After hearing that, most reporters worth anything at all would start asking questions. That's what we did, and over the course of a week or so, were able to piece together a story about the possible Lands' End plans in Stevens Point.
When we did the courtesy of checking our story for accuracy (not approval) from one of our sources - who happens to be in a position to know details about impending deal - not only did this person not correct anything we wrote, he actually told us our report was very good.
A little later that day, some other officials got nervous and made phone calls to us. While none actually asked us to withhold the story, they made it clear that they felt we were jeopardizing the deal by publishing our report.
Then a curious thing happened. Word of our efforts to run the story made its way to the daily newspaper, which hurried to put its story together. Because of the nature of publishing cycles, the daily paper was able to run its report shortly before our weekly paper came out. Those are the breaks of the game.
The Gazette feels the timing of our report is appropriate and that we have nothing to apologize for. First, we have the governor revealing the plans in a statewide TV and radio address. Then we learned that the Business Park Development Committee would take up the issue of a land sale last Friday in closed session, and that the full county board would vote on the matter Tuesday. Our paper comes out late Thursday and we think publishing a story the day before the county considers a land sale wasn't jumping the gun, and in no way could jeopardize the deal. The Wall Street Journal does that sort of thing all the time.
We'd welcome a firm such as Lands' End to Stevens Point with open arms. From all we know, Lands' End is a first-rate firm and good community citizen. If the company decides against locating a facility in Stevens Point, it will do so for reasons other than a newspaper story - reasons those involved in the negotiations may not wish to acknowledge.
But it's always convenient to blame to press. Our shoulders are broad enough to handle criticism. The staff of the Gazette has a cumulative 200 years of reporting experience, and a little intimidation now and then won't deter us from reporting the news.
In order to have the confidence of our readers, we must have credibility. We maintain it by refusing to cave in to pressure - well-intentioned or not. And that's the way it will continue to be.
-Jim Schuh