Welcome to the Omblog

There was a time when readers mailed letters to the editor and those letters appeared in the newspaper days, or even weeks, later. Today, readers are accustomed to registering their complaints, concerns and compliments in real time. Thus, the creation of the Omblog: the blog of the Washington Post's ombudsman. We hope it will serve as a place for discussion about what's in The Post, both in print and online, as well as questions that news media more broadly are grappling with. I'll try to keep it topical and timely by posting regularly, raising issues and inviting your thoughts.

The blurb that accompanies my bio on washingtonpost.com describes The Post's ombudsman this way: "(H)e serves as its internal critic and represents readers who have concerns or complaints on a wide range of topics including accuracy, fairness, ethics and the newsgathering process. In his role, he also promotes public understanding of the newspaper, its Web site and journalism more generally."

The Post's internal staff policies say the role of the ombudsman is to make editors and reporters "think about their audiences, their standards and the quality of their journalism."

Those definitions provide a good starting point for the Omblog. But to make it work, I'll be relying on you. I'd be grateful if you would serve as constructive critics. Let me know when you spot something that could have been done better in newspaper or on the Web site. And don't be shy about pointing out journalism in The Post that you find exemplary. You can do that by commenting on this blog. Or e-mail me at: ombudsman@washpost.com.

The ultimate goal is to produce the best possible journalism for you, The Post's readers. Let the discussion begin. . .