One of the privileges and responsibilities of maintaining a blog is complete editorial control over its content. That means I write about topics which interest, inspire, and infuriate me, and hopefully the same topics and my essays on them interest a large readership. Once I have attracted a large readership -- which is now the case -- what responsibility do I have to become responsive to their desires in terms of coverage and tone?

I'm not asking this question lightly, because I take the views of my readers seriously. Earlier today, a CQ reader sent this thoughtful and critical e-mail to me:

You HAVE been one of the more refreshing sources of a viewpoint on the Net and have been my favorite blog to read. Your blog is quickly becoming, however, something that I no longer wish to read on a regular basis. I've been coming back hoping you were just going through a time. What I liked so much about your blog is that you used to give a very balanced opinion on the issues we see every day. I guess where I really saw where you lost it was with what you called Easongate (sorry very bad English). It's not that I didn't agree with a lot of your views, but it's like you were throwing a blog tantrum insisting on getting your way. Another thing that bothers me os that every time I come into your blog I have to look at the fool cartoon you have re-published. Alright, already! You got recognized by a national cartoonist. But, for crying out loud, Ed, that's old news now. It just makes it looks like your full of yourself. Now the latest item that you're jumping on is the Schiavo case. I know this is your blog and you can say whatever you like. But, you've lost your balanced approach. I wish you would take the approach of Glenn on this one - not to have a written opinion. I do not like how many people have been throwing accusations around treating them as fact, when in fact none of us have the full story, nor will we ever. This issue has been handled over and over again in the courts and I get nervous that when courts issue rulings that is not liked by a certain group it suddenly becomes tyranny. Please, step back from where you are and really assess whether you like where your blog has headed. As for me, if your type of writing doesn't change, I will remove your website from my bookmarks and just stop reading you. That would be a shame.

Let's not debate the Schiavo case specifically here -- we have plenty of that going on in the posts I've written on the case already. I'd like feedback from CQ readers about what you see as my responsibility to you, and the limits of editorial control. I'm not going to comment on it myself until I read your feedback in the comments section.

For the record, my editorial policy is fair game for criticism, as far as I'm concerned.

Note: I didn't identify the reader because (a) I don't feel it's germane to the point, and (b) he didn't post this in comments and it would be unfair of me to identify him without his permission.

UPDATE 21:55 -- Many, many thanks to all of you who have written in reply to this question, both in comments and in e-mail. I have read every response and appreciate it all, both the criticism and the encouragement.

My response to the reader who originally wrote -- and who, by the way, graciously wrote back during the day thanking me for taking him seriously -- falls along the lines of the overwhelming majority of your responses. I write about what interests and inspires me, for better or worse. I don't pretend to be a news service, although sometimes I believe I do provide original reporting. CQ readers should check my references and my assumptions, one of the reasons I try to provide links for all such support. If I'm wrong -- well, that's why I leave the comments open.

Sometimes I will blog once on a story and find that I got it out of my system. Other times, I feel obligated to post on updated information. In the case of Eason Jordan, I kept posting in order to highlight the lack of coverage the issue received from the Exempt Media. For Terri Schiavo, it comes from a frustration at the impotence and limitation of blogging, frankly; I see a non-terminal woman being slowly killed by dehydration in front of family members who want nothing more than to care for her, and I can hardly believe that this can happen in America. Other causes may come later, and I may choose to cover them extensively. Hopefully I will write in an engaging and thought-provoking manner and keep everyone interested in the topic.

At any rate, I plan on being myself and writing passionately, and I hope you keep reading. You have all been such a great audience, however, that I wanted to make sure I took the time and had the courtesy to ask for your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to provide it.

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» Captain Ed wants feedback on his editorial policy from The Anchoress
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