We recently finished our third year hosting a Reader Advisory Board.
The idea behind forming the board was that every month we would join community members in a conversation to talk about how and why the newspaper conducts business. We usually begin meetings by seeking input on local issues-then discussion turns to local happenings, issues and/or ideas the newspapers should look into or adopt.
Past conversations have been wide-ranging and healthy, allowing both sides of issues to be voiced. Talks have included —AP coverage of the presidential election, how we report on drug overdoses, why addresses and names, including the middle initial, are included in the police beat and any number of school issues.
Some have asked what we gain by hosting the meetings. We are quick to say that much like a pebble in a pond — we ask those board members to talk about their experience because we feel like the more the community knows about its local newspaper, the more it can use that paper as a resource to build a stronger community.
We have also used several ideas which originated from board discussions. The box you see on the editorial page today explaining our policies is one of those ideas that arose in a Reader Advisory Board meeting.
We invite anyone from the community — subscriber or non-subscriber — to apply to be on the board. Members of the board meet for an hour, once a month for five months. Meetings are usually held the last Wednesday of the month. The next board will begin in January. An application for those wanting to participate in this important board is located on page 2 of today’s edition.