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In shorthand form, here are my notes from our meeting with Mark Trahant last
week. Sorry for the delay in getting them posted, and for any inaccuracies
in my paraphrasing of what I heard.
1 The Daily News will begin covering issues rather than individual
events, in other words, events only in a broader context. This kind of
coverage will be more labor intensive, so the newspaper will inevitably
cover fewer topics. Greater emphasis will be placed on how policy affects
people, especially in local community.
2 Low salaries are a serious problem at the Daily News and make it
difficult to keep good reporters. Trahant is considering the option of
reducing staff by one position and using the savings for pay hikes.
3 Reporters will have a variety of new beats -- and new versions of old
beats -- that touch on large numbers of people, including religion and
spirituality, electronic communication, and higher education (expanded from
administration issues to include science, research, instruction angles),
environment, western issues, more emphasis on women's sports.
4 According to Trahant, the most important role of a newspaper is to
increase the level and quality of public discourse. One way to achieve this
is by being less snippy and cynical. One meeting participant noted that
Pullman and Moscow are woefully apathetic and that the newspaper can do a
lot to motivate community involvement. Several people made a plea for the
newspaper to somehow draw more local residents into the public policy process.
5 New editorial policy: Editorials will be more thoroughly reseached
than in the past. Editorial meetings are now open to the public (**and to
public involvement**) at 10 am each morning. Plan is to have a board that
consists of the editor, and one resident each from Moscow and Pullman.
Editorials are again anonymous.
6. What image would you like to have 5 years from now? Would like to be
known for great stories, great reporting, evocative editorials, and fairness
(meaning everyone has a say).
7. A person at the meeting argued for more objectivity ( not fairness, not
passion ) but a simply a mirror that reflects who the community is. But
Trahant believes objectivity is impossible. Rather, he wants the paper
needs a soul and reporters who care deeply about the issues they cover
**fairly**.
October 18 will be a "Come home to the Daily News" open house with blue corn
pancakes courtesy of the editor.
Priscilla Salant