The Same Face, but Different Title

Don't get me wrong. I'm not giving up my job, which I love.

Rather, my title.

I'd always heard others with my job refer to themselves as "reader representatives" and "public editors," but I never liked either. Reader representative sounds too formal; public editor sounds as if I have editorial control over the content of the paper, which I don't, aside from my own column.

And then my mentor, Chuck Stone, told me of his time as the "readers' advocate" at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

That title captured exactly what I have tried for the last semester to live up to, and what I will continue to be until my graduation in May.

Over the last semester, many of you have shared with me your comments and criticisms of the paper.

In cases of mistakes and inaccuracies, I am quick to phone the newsroom and alert the editors.

These calls might evoke groans and such questions as "What did we do this time?" (Once in the fall, I had to phone in a correction because of a mistake I had made when referring to the number of times the DTH has won/been nominated for a Pacemaker.)

Other times, your concerns are more serious. In these situations, I might suggest a letter to the editor or a guest opinion column.

A reader was very concerned over a Dec. 7 column written by David Povill that she deemed to be sexist.

I spoke at length with her about it. I assured her that her best bet was to write a column and not try to bar the DTH from the School of Public Health, and I think her column was a positive solution to her concerns.

I also spoke at length with Editor Matt Dees and Arts & Entertainment Editor Ashley Atkinson about the worth and purpose of the column.

These are the kinds of concerns I enjoy handling.

I am here to serve you.

And please know that I am not employed by the paper. I work for free. (Aside from food and drinks at DTH social events, where I do my best to eat/drink my worth.)

Now that I am officially your advocate, I am going to step up my efforts to learn and understand your concerns and feelings about the DTH.

I have created a survey covering some basic concerns with regards to how you view the paper and the dialogue between the DTH and the University community.

You may either cut out and mail the survey to the address shown, deliver it to the front desk at the DTH offices in the back (east end) of the Union, or drop it in the black box outside the offices.

Or if you'd like, you can go to www.dailytarheel.com/survey.html and fill out the survey online.

Thanks for participating and look for the results in the weeks to come.

Brian Frederick is a graduate student

in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He can be reached at 933-4611 or ombudsman@unc.edu.