The Salisbury Post’s readers are writing this column for me. They shared their thoughts on newspaper likes and dislikes recently, and they’re worth sharing.
Each reader knows what he or she wants; they might be surprised to see what others prefer.
I’ve published some excerpts in a previous column. Here are several more. The responses were so plentiful and thorough that quoting them in entirety is not possible. But here are bits and pieces from responses to the question, “What do readers want?”
Some are anonymous submissions from our Web site. Others are letters, e-mails and phone calls.
– Hugh Martin: “We need something to remind us how good life can be.”
– Joanie Hicks: More information like that found in Mary Hart’s Everyday Cheapskate, which the Post publishes daily. More stories on cooking, canning and history. She said she enjoyed a May article on the history of the Confederate Monument “more than anything for a year.”
– Susan from Kannapolis also commented on the Confederate Monument story. She said she’d like to see more follow-up on stories and events.
– Catherine Terry said using fewer large photographs would free up space for more information and in-depth stories. She voiced concern about all the paper used for advertising inserts.
– Catastrophe posted this: “I would be willing to pay $5/month to be able to log in and read the Post without seeing any advertising and to have the ability to customize the content delivery.”
– Carolinamom: “Enough of the National Enquirer already!!! I want real news and no more filler.”
– Gonzobukowski: “More maps to accompany stories that reference locations around the city/county.”
– Geekchic: “I would like it if there were less ‘old news’ stories, like the one that was printed this week about the wreck that occurred 10 days or so ago.”
– Jeff Brehm suggested more local sports, enterprise reporting, coverage of school activities, “real local coverage” ó and a daring step on the Web: “I’d like to see your paper use the Web to tease readers to the print edition, instead of the other way around. Give them a small taste and say if you want more, you’ve got to pick up the paper. And then devote the space in the paper to really telling the story (maybe by using less wire copy).”
– Michelle Condra: “Unbiased, fair coverage of stories affecting our lives. How to save money in the economy, news about new stores or even old businesses in Salisbury … I would love to see an events calendar that I could hang on my refrigerator to remind me of local activities.”
– Richard Jones: “I would like to see less or even no AP articles in the Post … more articles about the people in our county, our small business owners, our farmers, our workers and more about local activities.”
And he shared this insight: “We are living in the age of the Internet and high technology and most things have changed in the last 15-20 years. Everything, including business and newspapers, has got to get in the swing of how things are going into today’s times. Business as usual can’t be the norm anymore.”
– Clyde Overcash suggested more Q&A interviews on timely topics, like fiber to the home, with readers supplying the questions.
– A new subscriber from Concord said she appreciated the Post’s quality and would like to see more news about Concord and Cabarrus County.
– Brenda Forbis sent lots of suggestions and echoed a comment about former columnist Rose Post, mentioned in an earlier column. “I miss Rose Post too, but Katie Scarvey does a good job and so does Emily Ford and Shavonne Potts, Deirdre Parker Smith, Steve Huffman and Mark Wineka. But it sure would be nice if we had someone to follow in Rose’s footsteps. Big as they are.”
– Sue Davis of Cantiberry Drive: “Local reporting and analysis are very important, since the Post is the only place it is available. … Reporting on the arts, the historical districts, the hospitals, corporatons and the governments is important to developing and serving a well-informed community.”
– Barbara Thomason: “We especially appreciate your coverage of everything local, i.e., all area sports events, small and great accomplishments. All educational events … all Catawba events …. a page for cultural arts as well as Catawba events at the beginning of each month.”
– Salisburian: “I would like to see nothing but positive things that happen in Rowan County on the front page and within the front section of the paper. Our lives are so down right now … we need the positive outlook first and foremost!
– Vvet68: “the Post is cost-cutting itself out of business.”
– OnlytheTruth: “Readers want controversy! That’s what sells papers. That’s why there is IntenseDebate online. People love to express themselves over the most heated articles. … Make sure the quotes (in Post articles) are correct and all information is correct.”
– EllaMentree said she found it aggravating to call the Post and navigate through an automated system. Also: “I would like to go back to a time where the customer knows the name of their carrier. … I would like to see the Salisbury Post become more customer friendly and not a cold, faceless conglomerate. You can’t sell the news if you alienate your customers.”
– Uncommonsense: “1. Unbiased reporting ó too many times we have been subjected to articles which only give part of the story … 2. Report on all local issues possible.”
– Janet Dennis: “I would like to see a free job spotter alert … when someone spots “help wanted,” share that info as a service to the community.”
– Sam Morgan is tired of the liberal media and what he sees as the Post’s aversion to printing negative publicity. “It might make someone decide not to move here. It might prevent someone from starting a business here. It might even make someone think that there just might be other viewpoints and opinions, contrary to what they’re having shoved down their pie holes by the press!”
– Speechwriter: “1. More reporting, less political spokesperson. … 2. Publish longer articles on Sunday, particularly in the Style section. … 3. Stop running articles with no byline; somebody had to write it. … 4. You really do have a pretty good paper.”
– HisChild: “I don’t think it is right to charge for obits. The people who pass away have probably subscribed to and/or read the Post their entire lives …”
– Spyrob: “I’d like to see less sensationalism, less political slant and more honesty in reporting. These are reasons I no longer subscribe.”
– Ethel Jacobs: “I truly enjoy reading your articles. Tell all those who work for our paper to be proud of yourself. … The one thing I don’t like about it is too many advertising papers almost every day. I think about how many trees it takes to make all that paper.”
– Ann Shaver: “I think it would be interesting to have more local news. There are a lot of interesting people in the Post area. … It’s disappointing to see an interesting title, then it be (a story) on a state across the country.”
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Elizabeth Cook is editor of the Salisbury Post. Contact her at 704-797-4244 or editor@salisburypost.com.