News-Record.com

Looks like the papers across the state have failed again. Someone named Judson Cox is going to do something about it, too. He's soliciting money to start a statewide newspaper for conservatives. Here's what he wrote in an e-mail that Mark Binker, our Guilford County government reporter, received:

"A group of very concerned NC citizens have had it with the Liberal Media in our state. We are simply not being told the truth by the vast majority of NC's Media outlets, so our group has started the first statewide Conservative Newspaper."

Google Cox and he's all over the web, identified as the president of the Foundation for Conservative American Values. Here's a selection of his opinions.

His e-mail goes on: "In North Carolina, our greatest challenge is our press. NC has 110 newspapers, and all but three serve as the propaganda wing of the Democratic Party. The Raleigh "News and Observer" was founded by a Democrat, funded by the Democratic Party for the expressed goal of getting Democrats elected. They have been very successful over the last 200 years. The "N&O" dictates what news will and will not be covered in the NC press. They cover up for corrupt liberals, and they lie about Republicans. Our Republican candidates must run not only against their Democratic rivals, but against the press - this must stop.

"The only way to save North Carolina is to start a conservative publication with state-wide distribution.

"This is what we are doing! We have the knowledge, experience and name recognition. We have most of the staff in place and all the details of writing, printing and distribution covered. We have reporters already embedded in the Legislature, and some of the best columnists in (and out of) the state. We have an incredible mailing list of committed, conservative Republicans, compiled with the help of nearly every conservative group in NC. With the first issue, we're set to become the most widely read, largest circulation publication in the state!

"We will set the tone for news coverage. We will also see to it that the GOP candidates get a fair shot. The press is the only industry protected by the constitution. We are ready to do the first issue as soon as we get the cash raised. The paper should pay for itself after the first issue, but start up costs are substantial."

He doesn't identify which three newspapers aren't in the propaganda business. I have a pretty good guess how he'd rank the N&R.

I'm all for competition. The more voices the better. I hope that the NC Conservative feels the same way. I get the feeling, though, that it won't.