Otterblog

Two calls in quick succession today. First caller complained that we don’t have enough stories out of Iraq on the front page. Too many features on leaves, smoking issues, etc. She said Bush et al. have made a hash of it, and the media (i.e., the Journal) need to do something about it. Why don’t you be more like the New York Times in your approach to the front page. Second caller, literally 30 seconds later, said she wanted to praise us for our coverage of the stranded ponies in the Netherlands. With all the bad stuff happening in the world and filling up our front page, she said, the good news that you all print is more welcome than ever

So which is it? It’s probably a little of both. Despite what some of our critics say, we have no desire to be the NYT. We’re happy being the Winston-Salem Journal.

First, of course, is how we present the news. We’ve chosen a look that squeezes fewer stories onto the front in favor of better presentation and packaging. We believe presentation drives readership. Stories that are attractive to look at get read better than those of equal value that aren’t. Second is content. We choose stories based on what we think is their importance to our readers. The smoking referendums story that we published Saturday is important in Winston-Salem. As governments make it more difficult and expensive to smoke, there is an impact on a major employer here. Finally, is the mix. I like a variety of news on the front page. Hard news. Soft news. Good reads. Good art. Sometimes it seems like the brochure for the Museum of Strange Bedfellows, but that eclecticism is part of the charm of a local newspaper. It’s edited locally, hopefully by journalists who understand what their readers want to know and also should want to know.

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