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I don't think The N&O should be judged on its business and economic coverage so much by whether the news is positive or negative, but by how useful it is to readers. As Roush says, we're looking for news now that helps us navigate the economic turbulence.

There are two kinds of stories that can help readers in that respect: consumer information that helps us cope with the direct impact of the economy on our lives, and in-depth coverage and analysis that helps us understand the broader winds buffeting the economy

In the first instance, I think The N&O is doing a good job. Last Sunday's Work & Money section featured a woman struggling with rising mortgage payments, trying to avoid foreclosure on her home. A series the previous week focused on people dealing with rising gas prices. Retail writer Sue Stock regularly delivers shopping advice on how to save on daily living expenses.

I haven't seen as much help with the big-picture stuff. The paper reports the breaking news such as the Fed bailing out Bear Stearns, the Treasury secretary proposing regulatory reform, Congress approving mortgage relief. But for the in-depth stories that put that news in context, I have to go to other information sources. A recent front-page story headlined "Can we fall farther? You bet" was an attempt, but it struck me as more alarmist than informative.

A local paper like The N&O is handicapped in that it has limited space for national and world news and relies mostly on wire services for non-local coverage. Our franchise is local news.

But with recent polls showing that the economy has risen to the top of people's concerns, coverage that explains, analyzes and educates seems to me the best service a paper can provide to readers struggling to understand forces over which they have little control -- but which have a huge impact on their lives.

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