As expected, The Inlander has a piece today about the RPS review.

I have no particular beef with the piece which is presented as an editorial by Ted McGregor, The Inlander's publisher. I could nit pick a few details, but overall, there is no factual inaccuracy and Ted is certainly entitled to his editorial opinions.

But what continues to puzzle me is the tendency of other journalists in our community to weigh in on our newsroom's journalism without talking to me or other SR journalists. McGregor never called me about the piece in today's paper.

While more than pleased to hold us accountable for every big and little misstep, too many local journalists ignore one of the most basic rules of journalism...check it out, talk to the sources.

Bill Stimson, who has been a harsh critic and who has on several occasions accused me of dragging my feet on the RPS audit, has talked to me only once about RPS, and that was a get-acquainted lunch in my first few months here. He's never called before penning one of his Inlander screeds. And he teaches journalism.

The Camas journalists are notorious for reporting on us without ever speaking to us, although, commendably, Larry Shook, as followers of News is a Conversation know, did interview me for his most recent work. But it was the first conversation I've had with him in four-plus years at The Spokesman.

We're taking some important steps here to work on our credibility. There is no other paper in the United States that has opened its doors (and windows, and phone lines, etc.) to citizens in the way we have in the last two years. I don't expect such transparency from The Inlander or others in the local media community. It takes a lot of work and, frankly, professional and personal fortitude to persist in such openness.

But I do think it's appropriate to expect the practice of basic, ethical and professional journalism when it involves coverage of The Spokesman-Review.

Our critics certainly expect it of us.

Thus endeth the rant.