Readers highly value newspaper investigate efforts. It's one of their top four news priorities. But television is more likely to be relied on. We need to reclaim our superiority in this area. And while we're investigating, let's not forget to investigate solutions.
People know their world is awash in trouble.
What they don't know is how their community might take on its problems. Let's be sure we're reporting on the neighborhoods which have experienced the greatest drop in crime. Let's be sure we tell people which schools have raised test scores the most. Readers want information that helps the community deal with its problems. Newspapers have a slight lead over television on credibility, but not enough to make any of us comfortable.