08-27-2010 READERS' REP POST IS REALLY A NO-WIN JOB Being the Kansas City Star's Readers' Representative is one of those "can't win" kind of jobs. Virtually every decision you make is second-guessed by some people. Your role is to try and explain why many of the decisions were made at the newspaper. When there is a mistake you often take the hit since you are the most visible target. In addition, just like in any business, Star management does not like its dirty laundry aired for all to see. At times the position must feel like being between a rock and a hard place. However, Derek Donovan has been able to handle the tough position successfully now for more than six years. His actual title is "Director of Research and Information," but it is the RR post that is the one that takes the heat. Mirriam Pepper had the Readers' Rep job for six years until becoming vice president of the Star's editorial page. Doug Worgul then had the job on a part-time basis briefly in 2002, and then Yvette Walker took it for a year until becoming news editor. In 2004 Donovan took it over. Lately he has taken some heat over the entire Jason Whitlock controversy. (Ironically, insiders report there has been more reader interest over changes to the paper's comics than over Whitlock departing.) That hasn't stopped some critics from asking, "Why didn't he report what was going on with the newspaper's narcissistic sports columnist?" There is a relatively simple explanation. Very likely the ongoing negotiations with Whitlock fell under the category of a "Personnel Decision" and were considered confidential. Any comments could open the paper up to potential lawsuits. Recently an "anonymous" reader (8/26) criticized Donovan for even choosing the topics he discusses in the paper. Donovan could have ignored the criticism, but didn't. Instead, he responded honestly. Here is just a part of his overall response: "Yes, the reader's concern is perfectly valid. I do my best to reflect the good input I hear about how The Star covers the news -- but my own personal point of view can't help but color that. Feel free to let me know if you've contacted me about something that you think merits a public mention, but I haven't done it." Ironically, Donovan does not have a journalism background. He graduated with a double major (communications/French) at Northeast Missouri State University and then got a Master's degree from Stephen F. Austin in theater history, theory and criticism. He joined the Star in 1995 as the nightside supervisor in the newspaper's library, overseeing the daily archiving of the paper and then began contributing to arts criticism the next year. In 1998, he became director of research and information. These might be the most challenging times in the history of newspapers. Donovan is doing a masterful job of trying to explain all the complex issues transpiring at the Kansas City Star.
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