Talk with the Editor: What do you like and dislike in our coverage?
We want to improve our news coverage, and I’m looking for your ideas.
What would you like us to do more? What would you like us to do that we’re not doing? What do you like about our coverage? What do you dislike? How can we be more useful to you? More enjoyable for you?
I’m proud of how much we’ve added in the past year. Below is a quick summary of the improvements in news. (Maybe what we’ve added recently can help spur ideas of other things you’d like to see. Or if nothing else, maybe you can let me know what you think the best improvement has been and perhaps how we can make it even better.)
-- Jake Griffin’s Suburban Tax Watchdog column, exploring each week how our governments are spending our money.
-- Gire & Sotonoff’s From Suburbs to Showbiz, a landmark column telling the story each week of one of our neighbors who has made a mark in the entertainment industry.
-- Ferrarin & Pohl’s Suburban Standouts, an innovative column devoted to brilliance of one sort or another — some young person from the suburbs whose achievements make us gasp.
-- Lester & Riopell’s Suburban Political Recount, a daily blog and weekly print column that provides the real-life glimpses of our local politicians in a way that no other media source is doing.
-- Anna Kukec’s People, a Monday Business column peppered with the nonbusiness stuff that people in suburban business are doing.
-- Marni Pyke’s The Suburbs in Transit, a fresh weekly look aimed at helping you navigate your commute.
-- Burt Constable’s Suburban Stories, a renovation of Burt’s Sunday column to emphasize what Burt does best — tell human stories.
-- Afternoon Alerts, a timely email aimed at helping you be the first on your block to hear the day’s suburban headlines.
— Moving Picture, a weekly photo slideshow getting behind the scenes of a story in the suburbs.
-- In print, we introduced our Monday Business section and made it the most local and lively one of the week.
-- In print, we added a Neighbor section on Saturday so we can increase the volume of community news.
-- A new e-edition, designed for you to take the newspaper with you when you travel.
-- Online, we’ve greatly civilized the Comments sections.
-- Online, Dawn Patrol, a summary of overnight and early morning news to get you started on your day.
-- Online, Battin & Stangland’s The Suburbs This Week, an offbeat video column meant to give you a smile and a look ahead at what you might do this weekend.
-- Online, Michelle Holdway’s Poll Vault, a chance to interact with the suburbs on the latest question Michelle tosses out to the group.
-- Online, John Lampinen’s Talk with the Editor. Ahem, need I say more?
Whew! I’m not going to do one of those back flips Kenny Williams would oppose, but gosh, I didn’t remember how much we’ve added in the past year. And no doubt I’m forgetting something. We’ll get into the improvements in sports coverage in another column. As well as all the new interactive stories we’re doing these days (The Cook of the Week Challenge) and all the events.
Meanwhile, take a look at this list and let me know what you like or don’t like. Mainly, tell us what else we can do. We’re looking to improve, and I want to hear your suggestions. If you don’t want to share them with everyone else, email me on Facebook.
Thanks so much. I hope you have a great weekend. Looks like the weather’s going to be fabulous.
Ÿ (We encourage you to talk with the editor by clicking on the Comments widget and providing your response to today’s column. We want a provocative discussion but one that also abides by general rules of civility ... We expect to publish some of today’s comments in the print editions ... Please also consider friending John on Facebook by searching John Lampinen Daily Herald and following him on Twitter @DHJohnLampinen)