I met with members of the Erie Times-News Readers Advisory board last evening, and it's a most impressive group. Though I had addressed past boards in recent years, providing updates on the work we were doing in the departments I headed, this was my first session with the members in my new role as public editor.

It's a wide-ranging group -- in age, background and interests. The common thread is that each person is an avid newspaper reader -- the word "voracious" would not be an exaggeration. The group holds strong opinions about their daily newspaper, which is a good thing. I'd even go so far as to say that they're passionate about the paper.

We're still in the midst of prioritizing our goals for the coming year, so we've yet to get down to the nitty-gritty on any important subjects. But I can tell that the members are excited about diving in and seeing how they can help us make the Times-News better.

Mainly, I think the group has been a good sounding board for the newspaper. In the past, members have gone out and surveyed friends and family about various issues that are important to our coverage. Last night, some members pointed out stories, photos or even advertisements that appeared in the newspaper in recent weeks that they didn't care for. They wanted me to know, which I took as a positive sign.

I've developed a thick hide during my years in the newspaper business -- last week, a reader popped in to tell me he didn't think too much of me, and he thought even less of my father before me. That's OK. We're not in this to be loved. The goal of every newspaper is to deal in the truth, which can occasionally be hard or even brutal. Again, that's fine. You can't have it any other way -- not if you want to learn and get better.

Drop me a line or give me a call (870-1701) if you'd like to be considered when we next have an opening on our readers advisory board. If you love newspapers, I doubt that you'll have many more interesting experiences.

-- Kevin Cuneo