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Food Politics reports that Rick Friday, a long time cartoonist for Farm News, was dismissed for offending "a large company affiliated with one of the corporations mentioned in a cartoon." The political cartoon is critical of Big Ag CEOs, which earned more than 2,000 Iowa farmers combined.
In a Facebook post the cartoonist, Rick Friday, explained:
I am no longer the Editorial Cartoonist for Farm News due to the attached cartoon which was published yesterday. Apparently a large company affiliated with one of the corporations mentioned in the cartoon was insulted and cancelled their advertisement with the paper, thus, resulting in the reprimand of my editor and cancellation of It's Friday cartoons after 21 years of service and over 1090 published cartoons to over 24,000 households per week in 33 counties of Iowa.
I did my research and only submitted the facts in my cartoon.
That's okay, hopefully my children and my grandchildren will see that this last cartoon published by Farm News out of Fort Dodge, Iowa, will shine light on how fragile our rights to free speech and free press really are in the country.
The Des Moines Register explains further:
The CEOs at the ag giants earned about $52.9 million last year, based on Morningstar data. Monsanto and DuPont, the parent of Johnston-based Pioneer, are large seed and chemical companies, and Deere is a large farm equipment manufacturer.
Profits for the three companies, all with large operations across Iowa, also have declined as farm income has been squeezed. After peaking in 2013, U.S. farm income this year is projected to fall to $183 billion, its lowest level since 2002.
It seems like in the U.S. you free to say what you like, but if you offend the wrong people you're free to lose your job despite the protections you are provided and encouraged to use.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by GungnirSniper on Thursday May 05 2016, @04:05PM
Which editor approved this cartoon, and will he be fired for it? Too often we let the safety-valves get away with failure and solely blame the content originator.
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(Score: 5, Insightful) by physicsmajor on Thursday May 05 2016, @04:33PM
His Facebook post (which is viewable without an account, from a sandboxed browser) states the chain went:
- Cartoon published
- CEO butthurt
- Ad cancelled
- Editor reprimanded
- Cartoonist fired
To me, the breakdown happened at step 4 in the editorial process. The paper should have stood firm and backed content their editors, writers, and cartoonists created AND which they approved for publication. In fact, they should have gotten angry themselves and written some longer form pieces detailing exactly what happened, pointing directly at the specific company, and stating they are standing firm.
That would have been the correct approach. In the short term, it seems scary because you might lose ad revenue. Long term, though, they probably just signed their death warrant - because farmers are an independent bunch that value integrity. If I were a subscriber, I'd cancel immediately due to ample evidence of compromised journalistic and editorial process.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Lester on Thursday May 05 2016, @06:20PM
The magazine is not NGO, it's a company that wants (needs) profits.
Next step should be subscribers cancel subscriptions, so magazine steps back. But that is not going to happen.
And that's the whole problem. That's why corporations win, they are few and committed to reach their ends and we are a lot and we don't want not even the slightest annoyance. This product costs 0,05$ less, let's not wonder why or who manufactures and how. Just buy it
We complain, but we don't do any thing. Why in the earth should the editor be a hero?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Thursday May 05 2016, @11:28PM
"Farm News," an advertising supported publication takes a stand against Big Agriculture.
"Farm Report," an advertising supported publication takes the side of Big Agriculture.
Which one goes on to report the news next year?
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