Lewiston Tribune...

[Charle5170@aol.com]

Hello Visionaries:

Some of you noticed that I was selected to serve on the Lewiston Morning
Tribune's Citizen Advisory Committee.  I'd like to take this in a bit of new
direction.

I'd like to be a sounding board for our communities and take your concerns
forward to the LMT each time we meet (about every 60 days).  See something in
the paper you don't like?  Clip it and send it to me with your justification. 

Here are just a couple things I ask.  Try to make sure you understand the
difference between news and opinion.  I'd be unlikely to carry complaints
about an editorial forward unless they are factually incorrect.  

Realize the CAB is just that.  It is not a control vehicle but instead it is
more of a focus group.  It would be very unusual for the paper to make major
changes based on the CAB's input.  We can coax, but I doubt we can compel.

Know that all worthy newspapers put out a "gripe sheet" each day internally.
This is the mechanism by which misspellings, wrong names, wrong dates, etc.,
are often addressed to the staff.

So what needs more coverage on the Palouse? Even better, what do we need less
of?  Think about the paper's sections, features, special tabloids like Golden
Times and the Ag special, columns, and hard news coverage.

Finally, I reserve the right to not take something you send me forward if I
feel it is inappropriate, redundant, or less than sincere.  The goal here is
constructive criticism, not just rock throwing.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charlie Powell
244 N. Lilley St.
Moscow, ID 83843-2143