The challenge of balancing news and opinion is difficult. Small town newspapers especially, are beholden to their customers like never before; the risk of offending readers threatens circulation and advertising.

All of which makes Ryan Winslett’s editorial in the Aug. 15 The Fountain Hills Times courageous.

In a town populated by a right-leaning, graying demographic, The Times editor takes jeopardy in going against the grain of the paper’s core readership. Confronting “fake news” vs. reputable reporting runs contrary to the political belief of many. To assert that combating “fake news” is the last line of defense is not just true, but brave and honorable.

Winslett writes, “We know that if something is said enough times and with enough volume, it starts to become the truth in the minds of many. It’s just another example of the power of words and why the abuse of that power is so very, very dangerous.”

Indeed.

Major props to The Fountain Hills Times for taking a valiant step forward. The easy, comfortable path would have been to stay silent. But then, that’s what the crowd who calls honest, intelligent information “fake news” would prefer.