Frequently asked questions about ombudsmen

Q. How do you deal with angry callers?
A. Let them vent for a reasonable amount of time, then let them know you have listened, you understand the complaint, you will share it with the staff and indicate what action might be taken. Try to avoid getting into a rapid-fire exchange. When the heat starts rising, hold the phone away from your ear, lean back and let the caller have the floor. You may have to politely, but firmly, end the call. You will have to judge whether you want to get into a disagreement with a caller; it may not be worth…

The future of ombudsmen and journalism

(Ian Mayes, ombudsman for The Guardian in London, is 2005-2006 president of the Organization of News Ombudsmen.)

By Ian Mayes
The Guardian

I spent some time recently in Madrid at a conference on self-regulation in news organisations, convened by the Federation of Press Associations of Spain (FAPE). Its main purpose was to launch the country’s first nationwide ethical code for newspapers, to listen to practical advice from a panel of members of the Press Complaints Commission of the United Kingdom, and to consider other forms of self-regulation including that of ombudsman.

Some form of self-regulation is considered necessary in more and more countries, and…

An ombudsman works on two levels: Outwards and inwards

By Avraham Tirosh
MAARIV

Outwards

The ombudsman handles readers’ complaints and comments, some of which are addressed directly to him and some of which arrive from editors to who these were addressed.

Complaints come from readers who feel hurt by something published in the paper, or who believe that the paper is wrong about something. The common complaints claim a prejudice to their reputation; an invasion of privacy; ethical offenses (for instance, failure to seek the reaction of the subject of a story, or publishing an abridged reaction); factual or interpretation errors; inaccuracies and improper balance in coverage, or what readers usually term lack…

Birth of a reader representative in L.A.

By Narda Zacchino
American Society of Newspaper Editors © 1999

The concept of a newsroom liaison with the public was batted around for years at the Los Angeles Times, to no avail. Top editors weren’t fond of the idea; they were hesitant to publicly acknowledge mistakes and misjudgments or to incur negative reaction from the newsroom.

But Editor Michael Parks believed the newspaper was too distant from its readers. He asked me last fall to see what other newspapers were doing to connect to their readers. I contacted virtually all ASNE editors, and scores responded (thank you!). We learned what worked and what…

The Organization of News Ombudsmen

By Gina Lubrano
American Society of Newspaper Editors © 1999

Officially, the Organization of News Ombudsmen is a professional organization. In reality, it’s a lifeline and a resource for journalists who deal with readers, viewers or listeners on a daily basis.

Say you are the editor of the Daily Bugle and you decide the time is right for your newspaper to have an ombudsman. No one else on the newspaper has ever held the position. In fact, no one at your newspaper knows how to pronounce ombudsman.

That’s where the ONO can be of most help. We can supply you with a sample job …

Ten commandments of ombudsmen

By Sanders LaMont
American Society of Newspaper Editors © 1999

1. Shut up and listen. The reason this reader called was because he or she had something to say about your newspaper, and they want it to be better.

2. Take even irritating callers seriously. He or she may have a valid point obscured by an obstreperous personality.

3. Respond, somehow, to every call or letter. An acknowledgment may be all that is required, but avoid lectures or sarcasm.

4. Assure each caller that the message they bring will be delivered to a person in the newspaper management who has the authority to do something about it.

5. Deliver all the…

Lending an ear

Whether called … public editor, reader advocate, reader representative or ombudsman … more and more papers are listening to readers. Should yours?

By Sanders LaMont
American Society of Newspaper Editors © 1999

Some newspapers call them reader advocates. Others ombudsmen, reader representatives or public editors. The titles vary.

The concept, though, remains constant and the numbers are growing.

In Atlanta, Akron, Jackson, Los Angeles, Riverside, Miami, St. Louis and Mobile, daily newspapers have appointed journalists whose primary assignment is to listen to readers, make sure editors hear what was said, and use that information to help improve the newspaper. At least two more newspapers are…

Address to The Association of Turkish Journalists

By Michele McLellan
Public editor, The Oregonian

Michele McLellan delivered this speech to the Association of Turkish Journalists on Sept. 13, 1999, at an all-day conference in Istanbul on “Quality and Self-Control in the Media.”

Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today in Istanbul.

The first time I visited your city, I stayed three days and it wasn’t enough. Now I am here for 10 days and it still isn’t enough. So I am thinking perhaps next time I should stay for a few years!

I am equally honored to be invited to speak to you today on important topics of journalism:…

Ombudsmen and the bottom line

(This article is reprinted from the October 1995 issue of The World and I.)

By Lynne Enders Glaser

From a newspaper’s standpoint, having a designated person on staff to hear and respond to readers adds more to its worth than good will.

It boosts the bottom line.

Now, I can’t prove that through time-and-motion studies or court-case analyses that I’ve read. But, using an empirical base, I believe that valid economic argument exists for the news ombudsman, and it’s my hope that the financial types who control most of this nation’s dailies will someday wake up to that fact.

If they don’t on their own,…

Interacting with newspaper readers

This presentation was made in June 1994 at a symposium entitled “Press Regulation: How far has it come?” in Seoul, Korea. The symposium was presented by the International Communication Research Institute, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and the Citizens Coalition for Media Watch. The Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. and Korea Press Center were hosts. Among the participants were Joann Byrd, ombudsman for The Washington Post; Richard P. Cunningham, professor, New York University; Lynne Enders Glaser, ombudsman, The Fresno Bee; Arthur C. Nauman, ombudsman, The Sacramento Bee; and William Morgan, ombudsman, Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

By Lynne Enders Glaser
All rights reserved

I am pleased and…