Explaining, but also criticizing…

Speaking of his newspaper’s ombudsman recently, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Publisher Richard Connor gave a great definition: “Phil Record’s job is to explain what we do, not to defend it.”

Mr. Connor, host of the Organization of News Ombudsmen’s annual meeting in Cowtown last week, said he was “amazed at the few times a year Phil Record vigorously criticizes the newspaper” – and also “amazed at the number of people (who) say he ought not to be able to do it.”

One complaint may represent “hundreds or thousands of similar readers who don’t bother to call or write…