Independent. It is an interesting word with interesting meanings. I throw the word around a lot and stress how important it is for local media to be independent, but that’s just one definition. So what else does “independent” mean?
Some say it means not to be controlled by others, or to be truly self-governing. That can work for countries, for companies and for organizations that have the wherewithal to operate without assistance. Many say they are independent but still rely on funding from outside sources to exist. True independence, in this regard, is rare.
Others say independent means to not be affiliated with a larger controlling unit. That defines Big Green Umbrella Media. We don’t have a “corporate” office to report to. We don’t have a board of directors to approve or disapprove of our efforts. And we don’t have out-of-town shareholders to satisfy. We do have mentors, and one of them gave me some sage advice many years ago. He said that we would never be editorially sound until we were financially sound. That proved to be true, and it is valuable counsel for anyone who wants to get into this industry.
In a simpler sense, independent can mean not requiring or relying on something or someone. I often wonder if I could exist in the wild on my own, and how long I would last. I would still have to rely on many things including the land, animals, the sun, water and much more. Or how about living in an underground bunker? Could you do it, and for how long?
Some retired folks and financial planners define independent as being free from the necessity of working for a living. Most all of us would like to experience that form of independence.
From a political view, independent means not being bound by or committed to a political party. Independents or unaffiliated voters typically outnumber Republicans or Democrats, but their voices are rarely represented. In a weird way, that may be exactly how independents want it to be.
I am proud to be independent by many of these definitions, but I also fully realize how much I need others to exist. Human contact is a necessity for most of us, but we also want to minimize many of the other things we have become reliant upon. And the more we can do that, the more independent we will truly be.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman President and Publisher Big Green Umbrella Media shane@dmcityview.com 515-953-4822, ext. 305 |