Thin paper, thin skin?

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After 43 years, the Washington Post has eliminated the position of ombudsman, but getting to the bottom of why the struggling daily dropped the readers' champion slot requires the services of, er, an ombudsman.

According to an item by The Wrap.com, WaPo Publisher Katherine Weymouth said the paper will replace the position with that of a reader's representative. Unlike the ombudsman, however, the reader's rep will be a WaPo employee and will not write a weekly column about issues of interest to the readership.

Patrick Pexton, whose WaPo ombudsman contract just expired, described the change as a cost-savings measure, which the paper's management has not done.  The Wrap quotes a spokesperson for the Organization of News Ombudsmen (O No?!) who noted that nationwide, 20 members of his group are working as ombudsmen, reader's editors or reader's representatives.

Subscribers can share their concerns at readers@washpost.com beginning this week.