'Wash Post' Metro Columnists to Lose Left Rail Home to Section Index

By: Joe Strupp Starting next week, readers of The Washington Post may have a harder time finding the paper's three metro columnists. As part of a revamping of the metro section front, the left rail where the columns have routinely appeared will be replaced with a section index.

Due to the changes, which have already occurred in the Post's business, style, and sports sections, the metro columnists will have no permanent home, appearing in different areas of the section front and occasionally inside.

"We love the columnists," said Bob McCartney, assistant managing editor/metro, who said the changes will take effect on Dec. 20. "The main goal here is not to reduce the visibility of the columns, it is to give readers an index for one-stop shopping of local coverage."

But for metro columnists Marc Fisher, Courtland Milloy and Donna Britt, the change will likely mean some disruption in readership. McCartney said the columns will now "float around the metro front" and, on occasion, be published inside the section.

Currently, the columns run on the section front in each of the Post's three zoned editions -- Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia. But, McCartney said, there could be occasions, if a column focuses specifically on one of the zones, that it may run inside the section in the other zones. The columns also will most likely jump to an inside page instead of running, for the most part, completely on the section front.

"No writer would be happy about being displaced by an index," said Fisher, a 19-year Post veteran and a columnist since 2000. "I worry about toying with reader habits at this difficult time for the industry. But I love writing the column and I am hopeful readers will look for it elsewhere."

Fisher, whose column runs Tuesdays, Thursdays, and alternate Sundays, said there is a danger of losing readers by not providing the columns in the same location. "It is not what I would have chosen and it remains to be seen whether readers will be upset," he added. "None of us wants to do anything that would diminish readership."

Milloy, whose column runs alternate Sundays with Fisher's, as well as Mondays and Wednesdays, has stopped writing his column, penning his last one a week ago. But he says the upcoming changes were not the reason. "I've been writing the column for 22 years and this is just a good time to try to do something else," he said. But, he did show puzzlement at the change, adding, "I just have to assume that the people who made this decision have some reason for it, but I don't see it. It doesn't make sense to me."

Milloy did not elaborate on what his future role at the paper would entail. McCartney declined to comment on why Milloy gave up his column, but said, "I would go with whatever Courtland told you. We are in discussions with him and I don't want to speak for him."

Britt, whose column runs only on Fridays, did not return calls seeking comment.

Steve Pearlstein, a business section columnist whose column was similarly relocated last spring, said he has experienced a drop-off in reader e-mail, which is likely attributed to the change. "It might be better for the paper, but it is not as good for me," he said.

McCartney stressed that the institution of the index, like in other sections, is aimed at better guiding readers, not displacing columnists. "We found through research that occasional readers have a hard time sometimes figuring out where everything is," he said. He added that the index will give more promotion to inside section news, as well as obituaries, "which are becoming more and more popular."