Letter: News Letter deserves credit for remaining true to the most fundamental journalistic values

This, for the News Letter, must at times feel like a lonely place given the extent to which much of the media has been willing to compliantly play along with that which Lord Dodds this week described as a “coordinated campaign to drown out the facts and obscure some inconvenient truths”.

If the media all become tools of the establishment, there to simply bolster and protect the agreed narrative of the day - regardless of its truthfulness or effect - then that is dangerous for the most fundamental tenets of freedom and democracy.

The News Letter, fairly and in an equitable way, has continued to facilitate and represent arguments which are shared by a large section of the unionist/loyalist community, challenging the claims which have been made around the deal arrived at between the DUP leadership and the NIO.

As is right and proper, this publication has also facilitated space for the arguments being made by those who have a counter view, and who support the deal.

That there are rather fewer people willing to put their name to many of the tall tales is hardly the fault of the News Letter, and perhaps reflects on the inherent weakness of the ‘deal’.

It is important that it is put on the record - which in decades to come people can look to back editions of this paper and see the stance it took - that whilst large sections of the media, particularly the BBC, have - for political reasons - sought to marginalise ‘inconvenient’ voices and conceal ‘unhelpful’ facts, that the oldest newspaper remained true to the most fundamental journalistic values.

For this, the owners, editor and entire team deserve credit. It is important someone recognises that, even in this small way.

Jamie Bryson, NI director of policy, Centre for the Union