
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 5, 1994                    TAG: 9406030012 
SECTION: COMMENTARY                     PAGE: C4    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Medium 
DATELINE: 940605                                 LENGTH:

NEW EDITOR IS OUT OF TOUCH

{LEAD} Until I read the new editorial page editor's views and plans for The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, I did not fully realize how very much I care about Norfolk - our salty seaport and most ``liberal'' city in Virginia.

Because we are networked to the world, because of the great military presence here and our lively academic, cultural and medical communities, Norfolk has a population representing a rich variety of experience and viewpoints. There is a diversity here that is lacking in many other parts of the state. The Norfolk newspapers, until now, have been the voice of all of us.

{REST} A tight conservative point of view on the editorial page cannot help but permeate the entire paper. Staffers who do not ``fit'' will go elsewhere. Men and women who might make great contributions to our area will not come. Even the selection of which letters to the editor to print can be affected.

To impose a ``conservative'' point of view on our excellent newspapers' editorial policy in my opinion demonstrates an appalling lack of understanding of what this city is all about. ``Out of touch'' does not begin to describe it.

JULIA BRISTOW

Norfolk, May 20, 1994

\ \ I am disturbed by the change in the editorials on the op-ed page. Until recently, there was a mixture of liberal-conservative Democratic-Republican columnists, indicating an unbiased editorial policy trying to offer a level playing field to the public.

The new editorial page editor has stated his intentions quite clearly, so this change is what we may expect. But I feel that an impartial policy is what any open-minded reader would prefer.

SALLY ABELES

Norfolk, May 26, 1994

by CNB