That costs additional money. Not many smaller newspapers can afford to do that. To this, we ombudsmen respond, yes, if it were a perfect world, if every journalist had sufficient time in his or day, if every journalist had a commitment to tact and understanding, then definitely, a paper would not need an ombudsman. But we all know the world is otherwise. The world and all its people are indeed imperfect.
Journalists are no different.
They often are harried. Their interests aren't always the same as that of readers. The pressure of deadlines and other professional obligations often leaves them little time and inclination to spend with readers. These journalists are therefore too often disconnected from their readers, which only makes worse the perception that they are aloof and arrogant. We must also face squarely the fact that many journalists are simply defensive by nature.