Romenesko

Cleveland Plain Dealer
"I can't think of anything that has less significant news value than a campaign appearance a year and a half before the election," says one Plain Dealer editor. Yet Barack Obama's visit to Cleveland made the PD's front page last week. Ombud Ted Diadiun explains why: "No politician on the national scene has currently captured the public's imagination like Barack Obama. ...Generally considered to be the first black candidate with a legitimate chance to win the presidency, he enjoys a unique place in history. That means our readers will have more interest in his early campaign than in others." More editor/ombud columns:
> Express-News names blackmail victims, ethicist advised it not to (E-N)
> Photo of student sitting by covered body sparks editors' debate (HT)
> Walter Reed investigation was Reporting 101, says Post's Hull (WP)
> Indianapolis Star develops policy on crime suspect descriptions (Indy Star)
> Naples Daily News editor wishes he had VCR taping "Frontline" (NDN)
> Campbell: "O'Reilly exposed himself as the charlatan that he is" (HC)
> Seattle Times readers want negative news kept in perspective (ST)
> Courant decides to put more Connecticut-based stories on A1 (HC)