Quick solution caused brief uproar
Fewer than a dozen readers called or e-mailed complaints last week when we made a last-minute decision to omit the Markets Page from our Thursday edition in favor of more space for sports coverage. It was, after all, the first game of the 2009 World Series.
Although we’d love to keep all of our readers happy all of the time, sometimes that’s an impossibility. We have to make difficult decisions. We knew some readers would be unhappy with our choice, but we made it anyway. All who called to complain had their reasons for being upset, but I thought the most significant of the complaints came from a business teacher who said she used the market page in her classroom — something we’re always glad to hear.
The readers seemed relieved to know that it wasn’t a long-term plan, but rather a quick solution to an unforeseen problem.
Will we do it again? Maybe, if circumstances warrant it. But we currently have no plans to make it a regular occurrence or a permanent omission.
In making such decisions, we always consider whether information in question is local and available in a better or more timely form through another source.
•
Enterprise reporters and editors spent a day last week learning about investigative reporting using public records available through Freedom of Information requests.
Guest speaker Brian Collister, Emmy-winning investigative reporter for WOAI-TV 4 in San Antonio, visited The Enterprise to conduct the all-day sessions.
An active member of the national Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and a member of the board of directors of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, Collister has spent most of his career as an investigative reporter.
Although our processes in general might be less formal than in some other professions, we make an effort to continue learning how to improve our skills on a regular basis.
In a changing profession, the need to upgrade our skills is unrelenting.
•
Both our print readers and Web readers might have noticed that we have started to publish advertisements for a new book, a collection of columns by longtime Enterprise columnist Jane McBride.
“Grace, Gratitude & Generosity: A Family Portrait,” offers fans the opportunity to re-read favorites or to share them with friends and family.
Go to janemcbridebook.com to order online. Online orders also include free shipping.
•
Sudoku fans continue to call and e-mail with complaints about the size of the squares in the new version of the puzzle we began to run last month.
We DO have plans to change the puzzle and make the squares larger, but, just as we don’t make quick decisions, sometimes we aren’t able to move quickly in making these kinds of changes.
Bear with us for a couple more weeks and we’ll get the puzzle back to a more usable form. Meanwhile, several Sudoku fans have offered seconds on the comment from the reader who dubbed it “absolutely useless” in its current form.
•
If you didn’t cast your ballot during early voting, don’t forget to vote today.
A big part of my job is handling complaints from readers who object to virtually any change we make in the paper, but the reality is our whole world is awash with changes these days.
One of the negative changes is a growth of voter apathy. Don’t become part of that apathy. Today’s election is about amendments to the state constitution. Although we encourage every citizen to vote and express their own opinion on the issues, if you need more information, The Enterprise has made suggestions on its editorial page and Web site: tinyurl.com/BallotAdvice.
Reporter Mike D. Smith also wrote an informative article about the election in Monday’s edition. That’s available online at tinyurl.com/StateAmends
Take the time to become educated about the issues and vote today.
Although we’d love to keep all of our readers happy all of the time, sometimes that’s an impossibility. We have to make difficult decisions. We knew some readers would be unhappy with our choice, but we made it anyway. All who called to complain had their reasons for being upset, but I thought the most significant of the complaints came from a business teacher who said she used the market page in her classroom — something we’re always glad to hear.
The readers seemed relieved to know that it wasn’t a long-term plan, but rather a quick solution to an unforeseen problem.
Will we do it again? Maybe, if circumstances warrant it. But we currently have no plans to make it a regular occurrence or a permanent omission.
In making such decisions, we always consider whether information in question is local and available in a better or more timely form through another source.
•
Enterprise reporters and editors spent a day last week learning about investigative reporting using public records available through Freedom of Information requests.
Guest speaker Brian Collister, Emmy-winning investigative reporter for WOAI-TV 4 in San Antonio, visited The Enterprise to conduct the all-day sessions.
An active member of the national Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and a member of the board of directors of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, Collister has spent most of his career as an investigative reporter.
Although our processes in general might be less formal than in some other professions, we make an effort to continue learning how to improve our skills on a regular basis.
In a changing profession, the need to upgrade our skills is unrelenting.
•
Both our print readers and Web readers might have noticed that we have started to publish advertisements for a new book, a collection of columns by longtime Enterprise columnist Jane McBride.
“Grace, Gratitude & Generosity: A Family Portrait,” offers fans the opportunity to re-read favorites or to share them with friends and family.
Go to janemcbridebook.com to order online. Online orders also include free shipping.
•
Sudoku fans continue to call and e-mail with complaints about the size of the squares in the new version of the puzzle we began to run last month.
We DO have plans to change the puzzle and make the squares larger, but, just as we don’t make quick decisions, sometimes we aren’t able to move quickly in making these kinds of changes.
Bear with us for a couple more weeks and we’ll get the puzzle back to a more usable form. Meanwhile, several Sudoku fans have offered seconds on the comment from the reader who dubbed it “absolutely useless” in its current form.
•
If you didn’t cast your ballot during early voting, don’t forget to vote today.
A big part of my job is handling complaints from readers who object to virtually any change we make in the paper, but the reality is our whole world is awash with changes these days.
One of the negative changes is a growth of voter apathy. Don’t become part of that apathy. Today’s election is about amendments to the state constitution. Although we encourage every citizen to vote and express their own opinion on the issues, if you need more information, The Enterprise has made suggestions on its editorial page and Web site: tinyurl.com/BallotAdvice.
Reporter Mike D. Smith also wrote an informative article about the election in Monday’s edition. That’s available online at tinyurl.com/StateAmends
Take the time to become educated about the issues and vote today.
posted by Sheila Friedeck at 1:17 PM
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