Press Journal remains silent of FPL proposed $1.325 billion rate increase
MARK SCHUMANN
It has now been 37 days since Florida Power & Light President and CEO Eric Silagy wrote the Florida Public Service Commission announcing his company’s plans to seek $1.35 billion in base rate increases over the next three years. Heavily supported by FPL advertising, TCPalm.com and the Press Journal have remained dutifully silent story. See related story.
Last fall, Treasure Coast Newspaper took one day to repot the company’s claims that lower rates are “just around the corner.” On Thursday, Sep. 3, one day after the release of an FPL announcement, TCPalm.com posted a story headlined, “Florida Power & Light Co. says lower electric rates coming in 2016.”
Meanwhile, Treasure Coast Newspapers, the Press Journal’s parent company, continues to run advertising promoting FPL’s low rates. (Treasure Coast Newspaper Publisher Bob Brunjes is married to FPL’s vice president of external affairs.)
See also: FPL’s proposed rate hike reported statewide – but not on the Treasure Coast
Indian River Guardian 
On Wednesday Larry Reisman wrote a front page story with the title BETTER WAYS TO GET NEWS OUT. We agree,however he was writing only about the water problem we experienced . If Reisman really wanted the readers to get all the news effecting them he could have written a story about the proposed FPL rate increase of 1.23 billion dollars 20 days ago, but he did not and never will. A news blackout has descended upon Press Journal readers which is not good reporting, nor in the best interest of the public. It may only be in the best interest of Brunjes and Brunjes. I hope the Press Journal sees the light and someday reports all the news pertaining to the electric sale and any other matter important to We The People.
If Reisman were to write a column about what really goes on behind the scenes at the Press Journal, that column could appropriately be titled, “A better way to get the spin out.”
The Press Journal cannot be trusted to deliver the news that we are entitled to. News blackouts, half truths , propaganda, and plenty of spin adds up to a terrible newspaper. All this and more compliments of B&B.