Petrelis Files

Where's Sulzberger's Blog; Keller Promises Online Forums. When?

Arthur Sulzberger Jr.
Chairman
The New York Times

Dear Mr. Sulzberger:

I watched your chat with Charlie Rose last night and was glad you made reference to Al Siegel's report in May to Bill Keller--Preserving Our Readers' Trust. You claimed that many recommendations from Siegel and his committee have been implemented, but a few recommendations of keen interest to me have not been turned into reality.

Siegel wrote:

"III. Nytimes.com should conduct frequent Q & A forums with department heads and other senior editors and should set up mechanisms to give readers greater access to key source documents, interview transcripts and databases used in stories and graphics. The Web should also explore the possibility of creating a Times blog that promotes a give-and-take with readers while satisfying the standards of our journalism."

First, the online forums would be an excellent new method of communication between the Times and its audience, but the idea has not made it past the drawing board. Why is it taking so long for the Times to hold online chats with readers? In my opinion, you could easily follow the example of the Washington Post and its web forums with editors and reporters, which include live chats.

Next, the issue of interview transcripts needs to be addressed, and quickly. Right now, the transcript of an editorial board meeting on September 12 with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is not available on the Times site, either for free or behind the TimesSelect wall.

However, the State Department posts its transcript of the meeting, for no cost, on the web. It's at State's site.

What's your reaction to the fact that the Times is not sharing a transcript of Rice's September 12 meeting, but the U.S. government is?

On the matter of a Times blog, it is odd, given the paper's deep and expanding interests in blogs (you yourself mentioned the blogosphere last night and its role in shaping current political discourse), that the Times has not yet created NYTimesblog.com.

Is the idea of a Times blog, maybe even a blog for you, dead and going nowhere?

I also wish to inquire about a promise executive editor Bill Keller made on June 23 in his response to the Siegel committee's recommendations.

Keller promised that, "On a regular basis -- every other week -- senior editors of The Times will be available to the public for Q & A forums on our website. (These will not be live, raw chat sessions, but thoughtful answers to serious questions.) 'Senior' means department heads on up to the executive editor, who herewith volunteers to take the first turn. We will announce these sessions in the paper and on the Website. We will designate someone at the Website to handle logistics, and someone in the newsroom to play choreographer."

Four months ago Keller promised he would start the forums, serving as the pioneer, and so far, he hasn't kept his promise.

Did Keller mean that the forums would start next year? By the time of midterm elections in 2006? When, exactly, did Keller expect to catch up with the Washington Post and hold online chats and forums with readers?

As always, a prompt reply is requested and appreciated.

Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
NYTCo Stockholder