washingtonpost.com Speaks

In a live chat, 'post.com's executive editor Jim Brady. I learned I am not the only one who has fits with the site's search engine--and Brady says they're working on it. Me: It's erratic. Some days I can type in a reporter's name and presto! Numerous stories in the last two weeks turn up in nice, tidy order. I can enter the same name the same way on the same day, and get nothing. Sometimes that makes my Air America harangues a bit of a cliffhanger. And you know. I just don't need that.

More important--I hope that Brady follows up on this encouraging news:

Ashland, Mo.: Do you expect to affiliate with someone to do a daily column that is as pro-Bush as Mr. Froomkin's column is anti-Bush?

Jim Brady: As a columnist, Dan does have the right to take the position he wants, so I don't have an issue with that. But we are always striving for ideological balance, and we are in fact looking to add some conservative voices to the Opinions area of the site.

As I've said before, all of the online columnists within shouting distance of politics or culture are on the left side of the aisle. Real life is more interesting.

One of my questions, familiar to PostWatch readers, got an answer, I think:

Manassas, Va.: I'm a blogger, so multiple kudos for your partnership with Technorati. Now on to my complaint--

I've noticed that some of your links morph in a very confusing way. On several occasions, a link that starts out pointing to one story ends the day by pointing to a different file on the same topic--for example, a wire story or short take later changes to a fuller, bylined story slated to appear the next day in the newspaper. Is this a bug or a feature?

Jim Brady: Thanks for the comment. I will pass it on to the proper folks here to look into. But glad that you're happy with the overall deal. We felt it was an interesting way to open the door to a larger conversation about the news of the day.

I think that means it sounds to Brady like a bug he wants to fix. He should.  Otherwise you've got yourself a memory hole, but with popup ads.

Comments

[Tabb King-Cahn]

I agree that The Post's online-only columnists are mostly liberal, excepting, of course, the right wing shill, Howie Kurtz. I'd also agree that some balance would be nice, if The Post can find a right winger willing to actually work for a living -- 99% of them are just cry babies.

Thinking about it, maybe this works both ways -- perhaps the Editorial board could shed some of their Politboro stiffs and get some lefties, huh? And maybe The Post could get a real leftist as a print columnists -- after all, that side of the page is mosting chatterbots with aches and pains -- George Will? Chuck K? Is that what passes for intellectualism on the far side of the moon?