What Does The Fargo Forum Have Against Alternative Media?

The letter-to-the-editor sent to me by potential Governor candidate Ryan Cunningham struck something of a nerve with me.
I think we’ve hit a pretty rocky spot in democracy when our newspapers, supposedly the “fourth estate” protectors of free speech and liberty, take to aiming name-calling editorials at those who would challenge an in-power politician. I’m actually not terribly impressed with Ryan’s policies as a candidate (I guess he’s not enough of a “wing nut” for me, to use Mr. Zaleski’s words) but he doesn’t deserve to be called names on the editorial page of the state’s largest newspaper.
What’s particularly interesting is that William Marcil, the CEO of Forum Communications which owns the Fargo Forum, is a big backer of John Hoeven (he’s contributed to Hoeven’s campaign in the past) and his son, Michael Marcil, is the CEO of The Marcil Group which just happens to be getting quite a few tax dollars in the form of economic development money under the Governor’s policies (you can see the smiling face of Hoeven’s Commerce Department director here on the Marcil Group website).
Recently posts on this blog have been pretty critical of Governor Hoeven’s policies, and I’ve also appeared on some talk radio shows making the same criticisms. Then, suddenly, Marcil’s flagship newspaper runs an editorial castigating blogs and talk radio as “wing nuts” in a blatant attempt to undermine the credibility of purveyors of “alternate media” like myself.
Is there some sort of conspiracy here? I think it’s more likely that Jack Zaleski is just a jerk, but I know there’s certainly the appearance of impropriety when the media company that owns a big chunk of the news outlets in the state starts casting aspersions at citizens who criticize, and challenge politically, incumbent politicians who in turn are pretty good for the business interests of said media company owners.