LA Times creates readers' interactive blog

I was looking over Romenesko when I saw a link to an article about a new blog launched today by the Los Angeles Times, called the Readers' Representative Journal, which explains the paper's editorial decisions. I couldn't believe what a good idea this was and that I had never heard of any other paper creating a similar blog. Readers can ask questions about stories, the story behind the story and even be grammar snobs by critiquing the paper's grammar usage. Reporters and various editors respond to the readers' questions. I think this is an awesome resource for readers' to get more information on the stories they read, and they might be more likely to ask questions on an online discussion board rather than personally contacting the reporter. Other newspapers need to pick up on this important forum and incorporate their own forms of it on their Web sites. Already there are two interesting and informative question-and-answer entries on the blog. They were: the use of "he said" after a quote obtained through e-mail, and the Times' naming of an undercover cop who was run over by a suspect. Several reporters and editors, often with different views, respond to these concerns, giving the topics a multitude of expert opinion and information. This is an awesome resource for copy editors to see what kinds of issues readers are concerned about and even how to avoid pitfalls in the field. Everyone should check it out!