Times-Dispatch introduces Bill Lohmann as new regular columnist
GLENN PROCTOR
TIMES-DISPATCH EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Published: June 22, 2009
Updated: August 5, 2009
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a fine group of local columnists.
All of our columnists have not retired, left the paper or ended up working on television or writing for the local mature American magazine.
One reason we're proud of our staff members is because they are not only good local columnists, but they are some of the best reporters and writers in the Richmond area.
Me? I am only borrowing this space this week to talk about our columnists.
Whatever opinion one might have about his columns, Michael Paul Williams makes people think about race, government failings and the human condition. His job is to grate on your nerves. Either way you nod your head or furrow your brow after reading Michael's columns or seeing his videos on TimesDispatch.com, the key is that he gets readers' attention.
Paul Woody, who has collected numerous national sportswriting awards over the years, brings home the nongame side of sports. His Friday column about fathers' roles in sports was a winner.
Melissa Ruggieri knows Richmond and the intricacies of pop music in the region and elsewhere. Her column runs Thursday in Weekend.
Jeff E. Schapiro, who can match punditry and government knowledge with anyone in the commonwealth, brings a biting wit and watchdog approach to his columns. In many conversations about state politics, Jeff's name seems to always surface. In a recent visit to Capital One's headquarters, one of the company's lobbyists introduced himself to me and said his job is to "stay out of Schapiro's column."
Added to the rich columnist mix are freelancers Stacy Hawkins Adams, a former Times-Dispatch reporter and successful author who writes about family, fitness guru Maria Howard and cooking expert and author Kendra Bailey Morris. For a glimpse at outdoor activities and policies, we look to Andy Thompson. Those four freelancers run on varying Sundays in the Flair and Sports sections. Andy's column also runs most Fridays.
Dana Craig, who weighs in on Thursdays in Weekend, gives readers a close-up of local restaurants. Her columns have bite, but they are not meant to be malicious. If her reviews cause a restaurant to spruce up, spice up or service up, all the better for the restaurant and the customer.
So, that's our lineup. Not really.
We have listened to readers -- again -- and we are expanding our group of columnists.
Veteran features reporter Bill Lohmann, most recently our food writer, debuts on Wednesday as our second Metro columnist. His columns will appear on the front of the Metro section on Wednesday and Friday, while Williams will continue on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Schapiro has the Metro front position on Sunday.
With that stellar staff lineup six days a week, the only question is "What about Monday?"
We have a fix for that as well. That day will belong to the community with the debut next Monday of the Guest Columnist. For readers, that means a new face and new voice each Monday on the Metro front.
For the guest columns, we have lined up about a dozen folks so far. We will cross the demographic, political and ideological spectrum in finding folks -- some known, some unknown -- to write columns.
The writer of Monday's debut column asked the most obvious question, "What do I write about?" My answer: "Have a point of view."
I told her and others who will be writing in the weeks ahead that we wanted three things: a point of view, a column about an issue of broad interest and that they not focus on their own organization or issues they are working on. We're excited about the prospects of having so many new, and hopefully varied, opinions grace our pages and our Web site.
It's obvious to me and my T-D colleagues that we're not ready to write our obituary. Despite the industry critics who are pushing our demise and local critics who are vying to be us -- the region's best edited news source -- we're facing our challenges with the future in mind. That is why we are adding columnists to the fold, focusing our coverage in the greater Richmond region and making TimesDispatch.com a site worth a number of return visits.
So, I ask our devoted subscribers: Don't give up on us. As you travel around the country, compare us to similar-sized daily newspapers. A good newspaper is good for democracy, government accountability, public debate, news and entertainment. You're reading a good newspaper right now.
Now, get ready for Bill Lohmann. He promises to be very good.
Glenn Proctor is vice president and executive editor of The Times-Dispatch. He can be reached at (804) 649-6265 or
.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
qhgirl, excellent analogy. That in a few words accurately summarizes what many of us who are dissatisfied with the RTD feel. I don’t read the newpaper for opinions; I read it for facts and news in a portable, relatively inexpensive daily format. I didn’t pay for a subscription for opinions and certainly not to keep having a cut reopened or a bruise made more painful, to use qhgirl’s apt analogy. Perhaps in times past the newpaper was an efficient way to draw widespread attention to opinions that were crucial to instigating societal change, but where I draw the line is when after such changes take place there are people who keep stirring the pot with their illogical and often unfounded “opinions” that offer no reasonable solutions nor understanding from where the opposing side derives its conclusions. Seek first to understand, then to be understood…a lesson that Michael Paul “Nothing Is Ever Good Enough” Williams would be wise to learn.
I cannot see that the addition of more columnists is a bad thing - it is understood that they are, usually, expressing their own opinions.
On the other hand, I do think it would be useful for the Times Dispatch’s editors to pay somewhat closer attention to ensuring that headlines accurately portray the “straight news” story with which they are associated and that reporters have not inadvertently implied an opinion by means of words they choose when writing straight news. Unintentionally using poorly chosen words can interject an opinion where the intent was only to portray facts.
qhgirl: “A business which is NEWS and INFORMATION.. I can draw my own conclusions and opinions.. thank you very much.“
I think you’re missing the point. Having “opinions” and other points of view posted in a public forum, such as in the print edition of the RTD and on the RTD website, is invaluable to stimulating public commentary. I really don’t think the editors, or the columnists themselves, expect you to take their words as any sort of truth. It’s one person’s opinion, and yes, you are welcome to form your own. But part of a functional society is hearing others’ points of view and taking them into consideration when forming your own.
If you don’t like MPW, fine. But he has every right to express an opinion different from yours. He makes people think, even if it’s thinking in the opposite direction of the point he’s trying to make.
And that’s the value of columnists. To make people think. Simply reporting only “news” and “facts” is important but doesn’t force people to think, necessarily.
I think not having columnists is doing a disservice to Richmond. Look at Style Weekly. They are full of opinion” and different points of view, and they too are invaluable to our city.
So to RTD AND Style: keep bringing us local opinions and we’ll keep reading. Kudos to good writers across the board.
Umm.. point of view? I really don’t need another point of view on the news. How about you report information in a factual manner without bias towards either side? MPW gets attention because he IS divisive and his racist rants only serve to polarize the people reading. To your credit, he does get attention, but I would question whether those are the kind of feelings/ideas you want to keep alive in our community. I will put it another way.. if you have a bruise on your arm.. it hurts.. but will heal with time.. if you keep hitting it.. it will hurt each time you hit it and take much longer to heal(if it ever does). I am not saying you should accept racial biases.. but by reading racial bias into situations where they don’t exist.. that is poking a bruise for no good reason.. other than for you to sell papers and it is a morally bankrupt way to operate your business.. A business which is NEWS and INFORMATION.. I can draw my own conclusions and opinions.. thank you very much.
Wow, it’s a “we know we’re dying—save us!“ column. Now there’s NO chance I’ll subscribe.
Razor has summed up the situation so well, no other comment is necessary. Thanks for the insights!
Here’s what I take from this:
1. Proctor is bitter about Style Weekly’s coverage (and superior writing and editing) of RTD’s slash and burn housecleaning of employees.
2. Proctor is aware that there is a lot of talk about RTD, the changes, the amazing drop in quality and particularly in objectivity.
3. Proctor sounded sort of bitter at some former RTD employees, particularly Mark Holmberg, who were smart enough to get out before the axe fell.
4. Proctor is aware that the RTD is losing subscribers at an alarming rate. He pathetically asks us not to give up on the RTD.
5. Someone finally realized that hiring freelance columnists will save the company money.
All this worrying and complaining from a vice president and executive editor…this isn’t leadership. It shows exactly the path the RTD is taking.
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement