From the Editor's Desk

When I bought this paper, I’ll admit I did not come into it with a journalism background. My experience was on the design side, in graphics and layout. Covering hard news and sensitive issues has been a learning curve and at times an eye-opener.

One thing I came to realize early on is that owning this paper means I had to give something up. On November 14, 2024, I gave up my right to have a public opinion on local matters. It is not that I do not care deeply about what happens in Albany. I do. But if I am going to serve this community fairly, my job is not to insert my personal views into the news. My job is to listen, gather the facts, and present them as clearly as I can.

That challenge has never been more real than with the current discussions around the Sanctuary for the Unborn ordinance. This is an emotional subject, and I have heard from people on both sides of the issue who want to know where I stand. The truth is, where I stand does not matter. What matters is that you, as readers, can trust that the coverage you see in The Albany News is based on what actually happened, what was said, and what the record shows.

Leaving emotion out of it is not always easy. None of us are robots. But I believe that is part of the responsibility of this role. Albany deserves a paper that reflects its community honestly and fairly, not one that pushes a single viewpoint. My hope is that even if you do not always agree with what you read in these pages, you will know it was written with fairness and respect for everyone involved.

At the end of the day, I see The Albany News as belonging to the community, not to me. I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me to carry that responsibility, and I will keep working to earn it.

—David H. Waller, Editor