Ombudsmen say readers want newsprint that won't dirty their hands, funnier comics, better crossword puzzles and accurate television listings. Readers also value fairness. Even in photographs, balance is key, as Joann Byrd discovered a few months after joining the Washington Post last year. Other ombudsmen say they heard similar gripes during the campaign.
Readers also have special needs, ombudsmen say.
In the wake of Hurricane Andrew, for example, the residents of northern Florida needed a dose of good news. Ombudsman Mike Clark patiently explained that because the contest stretched past midnight, there was little chance of getting the story in most editions, but he says few readers were pacified with that explanation. They expected better. That last one can be tricky. Consider the Halloween photo that led to the Sacramento Bee's first-ever front page apology last year.