JOHN REID

Fredericksburg’s Finest

John Reid & PD16 Perspective

by jenna elizabeth Edwards

"As a journalist, I have a responsibility to see people as God created them - in his image, with our similarities outweighing our differences."

A window into the faith-driven and solutions-oriented perspective of local author, publisher, media consultant, and youth minister John Reid, whom I'm honored to be teaming up with on PD16 Perspective, a new platform for addressing news deserts and promoting inclusivity in the Greater Fredericksburg Region. PD16 Perspective expands upon PW Perspective's success in elevating the voices of Black, Hispanic, Muslim and immigrant communities in Prince William County.

What is a News Desert?

"Filling these local news deserts is the last great hope for journalism to survive," Reid says.

Promoting Inclusivity for the Benefit of All

As John and I collaborate on PD16 Perspective, we envision it as a platform to promote the inclusivity of all voices and experiences - especially those that have been historically ignored or marginalized for the benefit of all.

"We have a responsibility and obligation to make sure that whoever you are, wherever you are, you have the opportunity to be heard with dignity. That is what justice looks like," Reid says.

As a Black man, Reid is attentive to the experiences of persons of color and the atrocities they've faced. "But Black media needs to stop calling everyone racist. It's part of the problem because while there are certainly bad apples that need to be called out, we also need to celebrate the elected officials, police members, and church leaders who are making a difference. And we need to remember that we've all experienced hurts. Let's try to help each other find healing."

"Enough silos. Let's dissolve boundaries based on race, religion, or any other factor. Journalism should be about connecting EVERYONE with a common mission to create solutions," Reid adds, "Talk with someone you think is different than you. You'll leave the conversation realizing how much more you have in common than meets the eye."

Special thanks to the LCPM Network and Executive Producer Princess Frynchie. Follow PD16 Perspective on FB and stay tuned for the launch of its digital newsletter on Juneteenth. E-mail jreid@pwperspective.com to join the solution. Fun fact: For John, coffee shops epitomize a space where people show up for a common purpose (to be caffeinated) without thinking twice about their differences.

Jenna is a local realtor . Her facebook, The Writing Realtor, highlights local business owners & community members showcasing why FXBG region is an amazing place to live

A news desert occurs when community members have limited access to the credible and comprehensive information necessary to being a fully engaged citizen. Over the past two decades, various technological and economic factors have 'destroyed the forprofit business model that sustained local journalism in the United States for two centuries.' (Source: USNewsDeserts.com).

Virginia has six counties without a newspaper and 68 counties with a single newspaper. The entire Fredericksburg region depends on one newspaper - The Free Lance-Star, which has experienced its share of hard times in the past decade.

The Free LanceStar was revered for being a family and communityo r i e n t e d newspaper meeting the highest standards of the industry for nearly five d e c a d e s . Beginning in 1926, it was owned by the Rowe family. In the late 1980s, the publication received national recognition for its 'determined efforts in the area of freedom

of information,' by Time Magazine and by the University of Missouri - Columbia School of Journalism, respectively (Source: Time, The Free Lance-Star).

FLS owner and publisher Josiah Rowe III (1928-2018) was intimately connected to the region. As a two-term Fredericksburg mayor, he served the best interests of the city through initiatives to preserve and protect the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers. He was also devoted to being a representative for all people, like when he joined the local procession following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr - an action Rev. Lawrence A. Davies, the first local elected Black official, credited as protecting Fredericksburg from violence and destruction that occurred elsewhere. In 2014, the Free Lance-Star Publishing Co. filed for bankruptcy. The Rowe family forfeited ownership and involvement with the newspaper, and it has been subsequently owned by a succession of corporate conglomerates Sandton Capital Partners (2014), BH Media (2015), and Lee Enterprises, Inc. (2020), respectively. Lee Enterprises publishes 77 newspapers in 26 states, and currently ranks among the top five 'newspaper goliaths' in the United States (Source: US News Desert).