Mark Trahant: Announcing my last regular column

Monday, January 14, 2008  

"This year I hope to write less. And more.

The "less" part is this column. I've been writing a regular column for most of the past 15 years. But because of changes in technology -- and the way we reach readers -- I find less time to report and think about what to say for a Sunday essay. I'll still write a column on occasion, but this is the last regular one.

Last year I wrote about the changing nature of my job as more and more readers shift to the Web. A big part of that change is managing the interactive nature of the medium.

Let me open the veil and reveal the daily editorial process.

Early in the morning one Editorial Board member -- most often me -- writes the Virtual Editorial Board for the Web. That blog starts by commenting on an interesting story or two from the newspaper, the germ of an idea that will be debated later by members of the Editorial Board at our daily morning meeting. I then look through the comments from editorials and highlight comments from readers. If a reader posts a comment about an editorial, it will be read (and often considered in the discussion). Some days readers post comments on the VEB before our meeting -- more ideas to toss into the mix.

On Monday I figured Lisa Stiffler's story in the P-I on urban forests would be a topic for our meeting. A link was posted on the VEB with a few paragraphs."

Get the Story:
Mark Trahant: Interactivity informs our opinions (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 1/13)

More Mark Trahant:
Mark Trahant: Financial system rivals natural disaster (12/3)
Mark Trahant: Groups under siege in Pakistan (11/19)
Mark Trahant: Kicking democracy in the ... (11/12)
Mark Trahant: Those who know don't really know (10/29)
Mark Trahant: It's time to let the workers win (10/15)
Mark Trahant: Standing at roads not traveled (10/8)
Mark Trahant: An antidote to the ways of war (10/1)
Mark Trahant: Everyone still interested in the money (9/17)
Mark Trahant: Election system presents few choices (9/10)
Mark Trahant: Deflation a threat to U.S. economy (9/4)
Mark Trahant: 'Prez on the Rez' forum a success (8/27)
Mark Trahant: Is America turning inward? (8/20)
Mark Trahant: Democrats pass on Prez on the Rez (8/13)
Mark Trahant: Bush tax cuts come with a price (8/6)
Mark Trahant: Real estate crisis really about credit (7/30)
Mark Trahant: Science still clear on global warming (07/02)
Mark Trahant: Sacred sites must be saved (6/25)
Mark Trahant: Society is being numbed by dumb (6/18)
Mark Trahant: Creating a world with less garbage (6/11)
Mark Trahant: A boost of the unambiguous (6/4)
Mark Trahant: Economics of immigration reform (5/28)
Mark Trahant: The changing face of America (5/21)
Mark Trahant: Agree to disagree about warming (5/7)
Mark Trahant: Optimism for the newspaper business (4/30)
Mark Trahant: Tribal colleges effective and essential (4/23)
Mark Trahant: The global warming debate (4/16)
Mark Trahant: America's cycles of boom and bust (4/9)
Mark Trahant: Spring cleaning for the government (3/26)
Mark Trahant: The state of the changing news media (3/19)
Mark Trahant: Mismanagement of the Indian trust (3/12)
Mark Trahant: More gloomy prospects for economy (3/5)
Mark Trahant: An important vote for Seattle (2/26)
Mark Trahant: America headed toward credit meltdown (2/19)
Mark Trahant: Doom and gloom on global warming (2/12)
Mark Trahant: Americans unsettled over economy (2/5)
Mark Trahant: Too hard to ignore global warming (1/22)
Mark Trahant: Women finally take their place (1/15)
Mark Trahant: Raise taxes to pay for war in Iraq (1/8)
Mark Trahant: President Gerald Ford and Indian health (1/2)