After careful consideration and reflection on the exchanges between Steve Blewett, our new and part-time ombudsman, and me
and other members of the staff, I’ve decided to terminate our agreement with Steve. Our contract with Steve had a built-in Dec. 3 expiration with an extension possible if both parties agreed. But given a profound disagreement between us and Steve over standards and practices (particularly over the need to speak directly with people about whom he was writing) it seemed better to end the relationship now. If you’re interested in a better understanding of our disagreement, you can review some of the earlier threads on this blog where the issue was debated. I’ll begin looking for a replacement immediately. And will keep you all posted as that process progresses/
Steve Smith
, News Is A Conversation.