Chronicle appoints Dick Rogers as reader liaison

SF Chronicle 14oct01

While readers have rarely been shy when expressing their opinions about The Chronicle's coverage, their thoughts, suggestions and criticisms often land in different parts of the building.

Starting tomorrow, they will land on the desk of editor Dick Rogers, who has been appointed the newspaper's readers' representative.

"As big as this newspaper is we are not everywhere and we don't see everything," Rogers said. "We don't know everything. We have blind spots because we're human, and we need the public to be keeping us honest and keeping us informed. We depend upon it."

Rogers, 55, has worked at newspapers in the Bay Area for 27 years, most recently serving as The Chronicle's assistant managing editor for metro news. He lives in San Leandro with his wife, Maureen Sirhall.

In his new job, he will report directly to Chronicle Executive Editor Phil Bronstein.

As readers' representative, Rogers will:

-- Write a once-a-week internal newsletter that will communicate the public's feelings to reporters and editors.

-- Make sure that the paper reacts to correction requests in a timely manner.

-- Investigate how newsroom decisions come to pass and make judgments about whether The Chronicle did its job properly.

-- Write an occasional column, when public reaction or issues dictate. It may explain how a newsroom decision occurred, relay public feedback the paper has received or even contain an apology.

"If we screw up big time and need to acknowledge that, we will," Rogers said.

Bronstein said Rogers' experience, expertise and insight have always been directed at advocacy in the readers' interest.

"I can think of no better person in the country to demystify our profession and be an antidote to the common perception -- based too often on reality -- that journalists are aloof and arrogant," Bronstein said.

Reader representatives and ombudsmen are a growing trend in journalism, said Bob Steele, director of Florida-based Poynter Institute's journalism ethics program. An ombudsmen is a close cousin of a readers' representative, but is typically more focused on refereeing disputes in the paper.

Steele said the systems aren't always perfect, but "it's a reasonable, legitimate step in addressing a newspaper's obligation to its readers and its connection with its community."

Rogers will have help. He said the readers' representative will head a department with two other workers. And he's also planning on establishing a reader panel to help gauge what readers like and don't like.

"This is a big newspaper with a lot of departments and a lot of people," Rogers said. "It's intimidating. It's built like a fortress, so it's very hard for the public to feel comfortable about gaining access to us.

"That's the great thing about (the readers' representative) department. It offers a door that people can come through when they want to communicate with us."

or addressed to Readers' Representative, c/o San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103.

For information on delivery, billing or how to become a subscriber, call (800) 281-2476.

Readers can reach Dick Rogers at (415) 777-7870 or by e-mail at readerrep@sfchronicle.com.