PRESS MUST BE GUARDIAN AT GATE, NOT FOX AT THE HENHOUSE

WASHINGTON -- This is the nation's capital in the spring -- fullof power, babble and beauty.

It is also the gathering place for members of the AmericanSocietyof Newspaper Editors.

Many of the nation's editors meet annually under the ASNE bannerfor enlightenment and collegiality.Most meetings are predictable, but not this one.First, the beauty: The nation's capital was awash in cherryblossoms the second week of April. They extended from the Hill tothe Tidal Basin and places in between. Pansies and tulips rioted incolor by the Washington Monument, the Mall and many federalbuildings.The Capitol building itself, newly polished, shimmered white undera chill, blue sky. National pride comes easily as you stand in frontof that building.Students on spring break were everywhere, including a group fromVancouver's McLoughlin Middle School.A Vancouverite, Mark Reis, was in the cast of the musical"Chicago," playing at the National Theater.While most D.C. visitors were enjoying the sunshine, the editorswere inside a hotel. During the four-day meeting, we heard from fourmembers of Congress, one astronaut, a former astronaut turnedsenator, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and PresidentClinton.Luminaries aside, editors spent much of their time redefiningtheir role in this new world of infoglut.By week's end, the unstated became obvious: a lack ofunderstanding between new media (the Internet and World Wide Web)andtraditional media (newspapers).With newspaper circulation generally flat, challenges are clearand questions abundant.A recent telephone survey of 3,000 people conducted by Clark,Martire & Bartolomeo Inc. found that daily newspapers "remain astrong and vibrant medium, particularly on Sunday." Eight of 10adults read a daily newspaper in the past seven days, and nearly sixof 10 Americans say they are "extremely or very satisfied with theirdaily newspaper."Despite widespread readership, there are problems. Decliningpenetration (newspapers read as a percentage of the population) isdown.Newspaper strengths are local news, providing prices of products,information that helps the local community deal with problems andhelping readers save time.Newspapers received lower marks for holding reader attention,fitting easily into a daily schedule and weather coverage.Some issues are being addressed by changes we are making in TheColumbian -- on the editorial pages beginning last week and in newsenhancements unveiled today.Other opportunities remain. Can we do more to spark your emotion?Can we offer more information on health and fitness?Overriding these questions is the issue of whether readers will besatisfied with millions of bits and bytes of information deliveredthrough cyberspace.We think not, and that's the rub between us and new media. Wethink we do a better job covering the community because ourreportersare more experienced and more knowledgeable. We think you stillappreciate good writing and coverage that helps you cope with thechallenges of daily living.That doesn't mean we're smug. The anxiety level is pretty highamong editors.We also have another problem: Public trust of institutions,including newspapers, has eroded. We want to nurture that trust bybeing consistently accurate and by providing the right facts to helpour readers.The newspapers in ASNE are eager to regain the public's trust.Sandra Rowe, its new president, has launched a year-long projectto rebuild credibility. Rowe, editor of The Oregonian, has askededitors' help to put newspapers back at a high-trust level.We want you to continue to regard us as public watchdogs onimportant issues.When you think of newspapers as watchdogs, we want you to pictureus as a Rottweiler at the gate, not a fox guarding the henhouse.Tom Koenninger is editor and vice president of The Columbian.His column appears on the View page each Sunday. His e-mailaddress: Tom.Koenninger@ columbian.com