Published: Sun, Nov. 25, 2007 12:00AM

Modified Sun, Nov. 25, 2007 04:57AM

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Q What are the biggest issues facing our readership -- the Triangle and the state?

A Clearly, from a lifestyle standpoint and a public policy standpoint, how this region handles growth is the No. 1 issue. It affects almost everything that we do. It affects schools, it affects transportation. Recently we've seen how it affects the water supply. That's the issue that the community faces, and that's the issue that an awful lot of our reporting is focused on.

Q How do you cover that issue?

A I think growth lends itself to great journalism, because there is this change, and some of the change most people would say is good and some of that change is bad, and writing about that change is an opportunity for us.

Q I was thinking about it in terms of resources, staffing, organization of your staff.

A We are constantly changing areas of coverage to reflect this community and to reflect the demand for more online news. For staffers who want the newsroom to stay the same every day, every month, every year, I have to get them used to the idea that it's not. We're going to be constantly changing all the time to adjust to what our readers want from us.

Q We're in a state capital. The News & Observer has a reputation for coverage of state government and politics. How do you see that being covered in the future?

A It's been a strength for maybe more than 100 years. I'm absolutely committed to it. When I go out and meet with people in the community, that's one of the things that people are talking about -- this historic watchdog role that The News & Observer has played. I get excited about that kind of journalism. I think we're doing it now as well as we ever have, and we're going to keep on doing it well.

Q It won't be more or less?

A Actually I'd like to see more. Not so much in state government and politics. Of course, if we have a great story I want to see us take it. But our investigative reporting tends to come from a pretty small number of people on the staff, and I would like to see it come from all corners of the newsroom, including sports, business and features. That will be something I'll be talking to the staff about.

Q Newspapers tend to have personalities, characters that are distinct to individual newspapers. How would you describe The News & Observer?

A I think The News & Observer is a tough, hard-hitting newspaper. I think we give people a lot of news every day both online and print. I think news organizations that have forgotten that news is job one have paid a price for it.

Q I get complaints occasionally that The N&O doesn't give enough attention to "real" news, that we play up crime, human interest and feature stories at the expense of more consequential issues. What's your response?

A I think that criticism is aimed mostly at our front page. I want a mix of news on the front page. I don't understand why crime news isn't news. But news can come from all kinds of places -- not just from elected bodies but from religion, from business, from schools and universities, from the arts, from fashion, from science, from sports. I disagree that The N&O doesn't consistently write about consequential issues. We're a very serious newspaper -- too serious, sometimes. While I want us to be newsy and hard-hitting, there's also room for stories that inspire, delight or explain.

Q Related to that, some readers complain that we give too much attention to local news relative to national and international news. What's your thinking?

A The N&O has become more local on our front page. Part of our mission is to provide readers with news and information you can't get anywhere else. That means local news is our franchise. We give a substantial national and world report on Page 3 and throughout the A section.

Q What are the strengths of The News & Observer.

A I think the strengths are the watchdog journalism that it does, the large amount of news that it delivers readers every day both online and print. We have an absolutely superb photography department. We're a very well-designed newspaper.

Q Where are the areas of potential improvement? What are the weaknesses?

A I don't know that I'd call them weaknesses. I think clearly we have to keep on getting better online. Writing for the print paper in a way that acknowledges that it's a different news environment than it was 20 years ago -- that's clearly something that we have to get better at. I'd like to expand this kind of investigative impulse into other departments that traditionally haven't done as much as that kind of work.

Q Tell me something that readers don't know about John Drescher.

A I hope that they don't know much about me, and I can't think of anything they'd be interested in knowing about me. It's really rare for a journalist to grow up to be editor of their hometown newspaper. It's been a dream of mine for a long time, and it's just very gratifying. I care a great deal about this place. I'm fortunate that my parents are still here and read The News & Observer every day and give me some unsolicited feedback. I feel very lucky to have this job.