Global Journalism Review

Organisation of Newspaper Ombudsmen

In welcoming visitors to the web site of the Organisation of Newspaper Ombudsmen its president, Sanders LaMont (September 17), explains its origins and aims. It was the idea of the late Philip Foise, while working at the Washington Post in 1969, who proposed an ombudsman for that paper. Now, after years of growth and development worldwide, the ONO's web site is supported from the Foisie Fund, set up by Philip's family and friends.

Mr LaMont explains: "Our primary goals are to provide the public with access to our organisations and to promote fairness and accuracy in gathering, delivering, publishing and broadcasting the news. ONO members are news ombudsmen, reader representatives and public editors, as well as academic specialists in journalism ethics and standards."

The readers' editor on censors and sensibilities

Stephen Pritchard, readers' editor of the Observer (London), writes of the censorship of his newspaper when it is delivered to certain countries. He cites a report by Reporters Without Frontiers about Arab nations, in particular, which it says are becoming increasingly skilled at it.

"Some readers in Saudi Arabia, tired of having their intelligence insulted, contacted us when the leader page was removed from an issue of the Observer last month, asking to know what was in it. A leader on Iraq seems to have been the culprit.