Stewart Doreen, Editor, Midland Reporter-Telegram

Congratulations to Stewart Doreen in his new post as editor at the Midland Reporter-Telegram. I had to look up "editor" to see just what that job might entail, and it's more than just proof reading and spell checking. It's a job at an even higher level than the managing editor job he just vacated.

We don't know whether anyone else was in contention for the editor's job, but Stewart had a a lot going for him. He was the first local news person to recognize the potential of blogging, and he even did some blogging of his own for a while. So from the Sleepless in Midland perspective, Stewart had to be the front runner.

He said he takes the newspaper's role of government watchdog very seriously, and that's an attitude we should all appreciate. A good politician can turn on the charm and sweep lesser newspaper people off their feet. And besides, those politicians are always good story sources. An entity in the business of selling stories wouldn't want to offend a good source. So we want to wish him the strength to resist those temptations.

As watchdogs of the watchdogs, bloggers want to help them get it right. Let's start with those newspaper editorials telling us how to vote. For example, in 2008 they told us to vote for Choc Harris. They took it offline, but here's my reaction from back then. The Constable is still awaiting trial.

More recently they told us to vote to reelect Mike Conaway, because he brings home the pork -- sigh, such a quaint notion from days gone by. It didn't die with Robert Byrd. (That editorial evades the search engines, too.)

Today's editorial (also not online) reluctantly endorses Rick Perry for Texas Governor hoping we've forgotten that the editorial page was in a quagmire of indecision during the Republican Primary when it might have mattered.

But nevermind.  Let's look ahead.  Stewart set the goal for the new job himself -- to be as good as his predecessors: ... it is our goal to live up to the standard of news reporting set by [previous editors]. That's too easy, Stewart. You can be better.

Meanwhile, the roster on page 2 of the newspaper shows some personnel changes with two old hands missing from the list, Ruth and Bob Campbell. Man, that new editor is tough.

Comments

[Stewart Doreen]

Thanks for the nice comments. As for Ruth and Bob they left for greener pastures. It didn't have anything to do with me.
As for the other comments. Of course, we will try to do better every day. You always raise fair points. We appreciate that.

[Geo]

Thanks for the kind words, Stewart.

I'm really glad you got the job. If anyone deserved it, it was you.