Overkill?

Business reporter John Stucke wondered if the coverage of Robert Swalstad’s sentencing wasn’t overplayed. Today we ran a front page centerpiece package with two photos and a video , on an issue we had already covered with an extensive story on Sunday in an area we don’t typically cover.

It’s a fair question, and editors acknowledged that reader interest was a primary driver for the level of coverage. “If your readers are talking about it, your newspaper needs to be on that story,” city editor Carla Savalli said.

But there’s more to it than that. Editor Steve Smith said the story does move in directions we haven’t covered before, such as balancing the needs of Swalstad’s and Finley’s child with the need to ensure justice prevails. Also, child sex abuse is an issue that’s come up quite a bit in recent years, and it something we’re devoted to drawing attention to.

Smith also said the small size of today’s A section may have created the impression that the coverage was disproportionate. On another day with more space available, the story wouldn’t have seemed quite as dominant.

Praise for the new crossword puzzle

After hearing hundreds upon hundreds of complaints (some of them downright nasty) about the New York Times crossword puzzle, we’ve now added a second crossword puzzle, and the response from readers has been overwhelming. Here’s a sample of the two emails and one phone call we’ve fielded so far today.:

Do you plan to supply a tiny pencil with which to work your new tiny crossword puzzle?

You’re welcome!

Actually, in seriousness, we recognize that the new puzzle is too small, and we’re working on redesigning the page to make it bigger. We may even move it to page 2 with the Times puzzle, but since that page has already been redesigned three times in the last couple of weeks, that won’t be happening anytime soon.

News is a Conversation blogger Doug Hughes says he is “saddened for Spokane” because the reaction over the crossword puzzle and the Jumble has far outweighed reaction to even the biggest of news events. Smith said this isn’t so – this type of reaction could be expected anywhere (Smith admitted he’s been through the New York Times crossword gauntlet before and should have known better). It’s an indication, he said, of the disconnect we sometimes have with readers. While we tend to look at the newspaper through the lens of front-page coverage, many readers see it as a wide range of content in addition to the news.

Imagine what will happen if we ever change the comics.