Gerber: Opinions differ on content

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Thanks for the feedback. Keep it coming.

Last week, I asked readers to share their opinions on the Times Free Press' content. The comments are still coming in. Opinions are so varied it's hard to believe people are reading the same paper.

More national news. Less national news.

More sports. Too much sports.

"There are other sports besides stick-and-ball sports," one reader scolded.

The Times Free Press is "formatted along the lines of small-town paper" with "sophomoric" headlines, one reader said.

Another thinks the paper "is darned near perfect."

One reader complained about "excessive front page coverage of the shoot 'em ups."

Still others want more crime news.

And some see good and bad in the paper.

"I love reading the newspaper every day," one reader stated. "You have some excellent writers and journalists, and a couple of morons."

Hmmm. Thanks, I think.

Last week, I wrote that the Times Free Press has created an email address specifically for readers to provide feedback. Send your thoughts on what we cover in general or on a specific story, photo or headline to readerfeedback@timesfreepress.com.

Your feedback will be used by a newsroom committee that's reviewing the paper's content and determining what we do well, what we could do better and what we need to overhaul completely.

Most readers who wrote in, even those critical of the paper, were pleased to have the opportunity to offer their opinion.

"Hooray! I thought you'd never ask," one wrote.

To all of those who gave their feedback, thank you.

We also heard from many readers this past week suggesting a caption for a cartoon by Times Free Press editorial cartoonist Clay Bennett. He drew the cartoon, which ran last Sunday, but left off the caption.

So far, 250 people have submitted a caption online, and an additional 100 or so have mailed their entries. A panel of Times Free Press newsroom judges will review all the entries and select a winner and some runners-up to be featured in the Life section next Sunday.

Entries must be received by Monday, so you still have time to enter.