Will Corbin, editor of the Daily Press in Newport News, Va., likes nothing better than a lively debate about journalism and the performance of his paper.

In March 1999, Corbin asked his newspaper’s readers to join him in such a discussion every day in the Feedback column on page A2.

The Daily Press invites readers to call a voice-mail line or send an e-mail with their comments about the newspaper. A clerk transcribes the calls and a senior editor, usually Corbin, prepares a daily summary of 10 inches or more (occasionally it grows to a page). Corbin responds in print to some comments but lets most speak for themselves. Names are optional.

Corbin said it’s a fast, low-resource way to make the newspaper and its staff more accessible to readers and to let the newsroom know what readers think.

“Mostly it has empowered readers in ways they never imagined before.” Will Corbin Daily Press

“I think we all recognize that an awful lot of people consider the notion of calling the editor a painful act, a frightening act,” Corbin said. “What we’ve done is open this door, (saying) ‘I don’t know who you are, but you get to yell at me and you don’t have to leave your name as long as what you’re talking about is the newspaper.’

“The responding editor has an attitude and a sense of humor, a mixture that mostly works but also occasionally blows up,” Corbin said. “But it’s unpredictable: Some days the editor is gracious and accommodating, and others he’s a cantankerous wise-ass.”

Here are a few excerpts from Feedback:

• Bob Jensen, White Stone: Jeff Long did an outstanding job on the piece in the Local section on Tuesday about the crab sanctuary. My compliments to him. Keep the good work up and hats off to Jeff.
• Pam Pouchot, Yorktown: Unless you were trying to demonstrate man’s inhumanity to man, I do not understand why you printed the story on the Emporia businessman who had witnessed 14 executions. Giving six columns heading page C4 to this story is like giving Ted Bundy a merit badge.
• You had to spoil my day by putting the picture of the poor oil-soaked penguins on the front page. I can just hear the editor’s response: “If that’s all she has to spoil her day, she’s pretty lucky.” I guess I am.

Editor’s response: Nice job. Thanks.

• Love the Road Guy. His columns show that things that seem ridiculous to us have reasons behind them. Having all the facts helps.
• How many times are you going to re-run the letter by Douglas Wood defending his longtime friend Paul Jost in the election? This is at least the second time you have run the same letter.

Editor’s response: We think twice is enough, especially since the second time was a mistake. Please see the correction on this page.3

You’ll find more examples of the Daily Press Feedback column at:

http://192.216.191.112/news/stories/feedback.htm