My new column: a Give & Take with readers

I have begun writing a new column for the Register-Guard called Give & Take.

The idea is borrowed from Sound Off, the weekly column I helped launch at The Bakersfield Californian.

The goal of Give & Take is to have a conversation with readers about our mission, and to give them a place to ask questions about our content and coverage, and to share compliments, criticisms or suggestions about what we do. Over time I hope to the column becomes less about the nuts and bolts of producing and delivering news and more about the steps local media companies need to take to do a better job of connecting their communities at a time when trust in media is dissapating quickly. 

My first column generated a flood of responses, so I've been posting a few answers online-first or online-only to keep things moving while I settle into a regular publishing schedule. 

We're parking all the columns, long and short, in a Give & Take section at RegisterGuard.com. 

Let me know what you think. 

New job, new place, new priorities

I have taken a new job as Publisher and CEO of RG Media Company in Eugene, Ore. Here's detail on my hiring and here's my first article as publisher of the Register-Guard.

It's a great opportunity in a new place with a fantastic company.

What that means for you is even less time for me to post here. In actuality, given that my production has tumbled in recent years, it won't mean much at all. 

What stuff I do post moving forward in the near term will likely relate to my history of Marchbanks Speedway/Hanford Motor Speedway, whose stories continue to be the most popular section on this site. The project is something of a public service so I'll continue to make time for that as new information becomes available. 

So, check back here for updates on the Marchbanks/Hanford stuff, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for personal stuff. 

Cheers!

Interviewing Monsignor Braun on Californian Radio

I guest-hosted Californian Radio on Monday and had the pleasure to talk with Monsignor Michael Braun of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Bakersfield just a few hours after Pope Benedict's stunning decision to retire. 

Braun shared some sharp opinions about challenges facing the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict's legacy and what to expect in the papal selection process. 

In the last segment, I also touched on password hygiene in the wake of separate recent issues I've had this month with Chinese hackers and the theft of credit-card information. 

You can download or listen to the podcast here.