Posted on 08/29/2005 12:39:06 PM PDT by Pikamax
My opinion David Stoeffler: Opinion pages get a makeover
More words. More letters. No more Ann Coulter.
Since my arrival here nine weeks ago, we've been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work aimed at making the Arizona Daily Star a better newspaper.
Today, we unveil some visible changes to your Opinion pages. More changes will come here and throughout the paper over the coming weeks and months.
First, the highlights of changes to the Opinion pages. Then a little about the process we're using to arrive at our plans.
When I first wrote to you as I assumed my duties here, I invited your comments about the paper.
Of an estimated 300 e-mails and letters, I'd guess one third or so have dealt with some aspect of the Opinion pages and a recent redesign.
Very few said you loved it. Some of you said you could leave it.
It's true enough that for some readers, the only way to win their hearts would be to reverse the longstanding editorial position of the newspaper on political and social issues.
But readers of all political persuasions said a redesign launched earlier this year on the Opinion pages had simply gone too far in emphasis on design. While strong visuals, including cartoons, can help pull readers into the pages, people ultimately turn to these pages for the commentary - ours, that of our local and syndicated columnists and that of other readers.
Beginning today, we're shifting the balance back toward more words. We'll still have photos and cartoons, but they will consistently run smaller. No more full-body photos of the letter-writer of the week or of people who contribute to our weekly highlights from local blogs.
The cartoons of David Fitzsimmons and others will run smaller - more similar to their size prior to the redesign. This will free up room for our two daily syndicated columnists, adding about 100 words to the average length of each column.
Fitz's Sunday "Tucson Boulevard" cartoon strip will move to Page 2 of the section each week, replacing his regular cartoon spot there. That will free up room for another columnist on the cover most Sundays. Sometimes, I'll have a column in this spot, but we're considering a variety of local and syndicated options for most weeks.
The design changes on the page opposite our editorial will mean more room for your letters. This was probably the No. 1 request of people who wrote to me. We've been publishing additional letters online, but now we'll get more of them into print, too.
Finally, we've decided that syndicated columnist Ann Coulter has worn out her welcome. Many readers find her shrill, bombastic and mean-spirited. And those are the words used by readers who identified themselves as conservatives.
Taking her place on Saturdays will be Tony Snow, host of "The Tony Snow Show," syndicated nationally on Fox News Radio, and "Weekend Live with Tony Snow" on Fox News Channel. He has worked at a number of daily newspapers and is a former speechwriter for former President George H.W. Bush.
We're also making a lineup change to the staffing of our Opinion pages. With the return of writer Sam Negri following a lengthy medical leave, Sarah Garrecht Gassen will resume her duties as a reporter on our Metro desk. Sarah will continue to coordinate Young Voices, the Friday roundup of opinion by local teens and young adults.
These changes are part of an overall effort to better serve our readers and improve our journalism.
Running a newspaper is something like building a three-legged stool.
We need to understand and satisfy a broad audience. Through a combination of market research and regular contact, we come to know what readers want.
We need a staff of reporters, photographers, artists, copy editors and others to gather and produce the content that meets the needs of those readers. Like any group of professionals, they do their best when they are engaged and excited about the direction of the organization. I've spent most of my time these past few weeks listening to them and getting them involved in building our future.
My role, and that of other top editors, is to serve as a catalyst to bring those readers and journalists together, to provide leadership and an overall vision.
With more or less equal legs, the newspaper can stand taller and reach higher.
As we make further changes, we'll keep you posted. Sometimes, I will write to explain our efforts. Other times, Reader Advocate Debbie Kornmiller will provide a guide to the remodeling or new features.
At all times, we welcome your feedback. You can write to me at the address below (or you'll find me listed every day on Page A2 of the paper). You'll also find Debbie's contact information there each day or with her regular Sunday column (on page H3 today).
Please let us know what you think.
David Stoeffler is publisher and editor of the Star. Contact him at dstoeffler@azstarnet.com or at P.O. Box 26807, Tucson, AZ 85726.
"equal legs"
Personally, I don't think Tony Snow's legs are "equal" to Ann Coulter's.
So it is with our local rag.
Tell me this guy isn't a dead ringer for Moe from the Three Stooges:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/stoeffler/
It is one word. And you nailed it. In one word.
People who "think of themselves as smarter than anyone" are intensely annoying to those of us who are.
It's easy to see, just watch Fox News on the weekend. Another example was the "sindee" coverage and lack of proAmerica coverage by Fox. The wonderful conservative owner of Fox has thrown his weight behind Hitlery which isn't exactly pro American/pro Bush/etc. Watch the continuing slide into leftist slant of the news.
True enough, but there are a fair number of conservatives who aren't really fans of hers. She's more fun if you're going to be in the minority, but I don't think she helps us become a majority. The liberals are pretty hopeless. But, IMHO, her tone causes too many of those in the middle to tune her out as well. No matter how well someone can reason, having them scream it at 100 dB's gets annoying after awhile.
I'd much, much prefer Mark Steyn. There is a guy who can rip the liberal viewpoint to shreds without appearing a fanatic. I'm a bit curious why he isn't syndicated more, because I don't think there is another writer who is as consistently excellent as he is.
My Dear Wormwood,
You ain't thoughtful in anyone's dictionary.
Protagoras
Intellectually, Coulter is to Snow as Forrest Gump is to Einstein.
She is the Republican equivalent of Sheila Jackson.
I thought the guy who owned FOX NEWs was a former Republican National advisor or chairman.
This is all news to me and a very serious issue of concern for all conservatives.
Good ol' Rupert M was conservative ubt he DID come out in support of hitlery in late June or early July and the Fox Weekend News is as leftist or moreso than CNN.
This editorial sucks big-time.
LOL, how would you know?
"Just another example of liberal inability to address a real problem."
That's the spirit, keep rearranging the deck chairs as the boat continues to leak like a sieve.
Seminar letter-writers.
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