Maine’s Largest Daily Feeling The Heat From A Digital News Outlet That Now Far Eclipses Its Readership

By Ted Cohen/Maine Wire

124,000 vs. 92,000.

That would be the numbers of Facebookers who follow The Maine Wire and the Portland Press Herald, respectively.

So you can see why the Press Herald’s self-avowed Democrat political columnist felt compelled to take on The Maine Wire’s top editor in his latest dump.

Steve Collins got a few things right in his piece excoriating Steve Robinson:

He's correct that the wire “has risen from obscurity to become the dominant media player,” whether Republican or Democrat. (The Facebook numbers prove that The Maine Wire's readership comes from all folds.)

Collins is right that “the site’s influence is growing quickly.”

He is on-point that the Maine Wire is poised “to set the news agenda” across Maine, if not beyond.

Collins is correct that The Maine Wire is still, as it was at its founding, “a strong advocate for the liberty and prosperity of all Mainers.”

The Maine Wire is so influential, according to Collins, it has enough of a following to take down a U.S. senator, Susan Collins.

“The senator seems to understand, perhaps too well, that the Maine Wire could end her political career if it ever tried.” - Steve Collins

Wow, thanks Mr. Collins, for that! Who knew?

But when the Press Herald's political writer accuses Robinson of being a publicity machine for a gubernatorial candidate he seems to forget that his - Collins’ - employer actually gets paid to print news favorable to Democrat Gov. Janet Mills.

The Maine Wire, as Robinson points out, accepts unpaid op eds from anyone - Democrat, Republican, you name it.

When Collins writes that Robinson is promoting “a newfangled Republican agenda of picking on the weakest, poorest and often most troubled people in our society,” he apparently forgets that The Maine Wire’s diligent, nonstop, 24/7 efforts to expose the government corruption actually benefits those least able to fend for themselves.

Journalism at its most basic is speaking for those powerless to do so themselves.

Facts are stubborn things as John Adams said.

124,000 vs. 92,000.

The Portland Press Herald apparently believes that 124,000 readers are too stupid to think for themselves.