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I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE the readers' concerns. They have a proprietary interest in The N&O, as though it is their newspaper, which in many ways it is. Change in something so personal is unsettling. Think how it is for people who work here.

Here's the message I've been trying to communicate back to the readers who have contacted me. First, give it a chance. The Monday front page, the combined local news and business section and the consolidated Monday opinion pages do look different, but you may find some improvements, as did reader Nancy Healy of Raleigh,

"I'm a loyal reader who doesn't like changes to my paper. I still grieve the Raleigh Times (closed in 1989). But, much to my surprise, I like Triangle & Co. The other changes have worked well too. Good job."

Second, be aware that the changes are being done out of sheer necessity, for a purpose. This is not a situation, as some readers still suspect, that The N&O or its parent company is trying to squeeze more profit out of the paper.

Virtually every newspaper in the country is cutting space and laying off people to adjust to reduced revenues that no longer support the expenses of putting out a paper at the level we were.

The Los Angeles Times last week announced cuts of 150 news jobs and a 15 percent reduction in the number of pages.

I'm persuaded that the goal at The N&O is to make the painful changes while still preserving the paper's core public service mission. So, look at the stories last week on the travels and big salary of Mary Easley. See the stories from the previous week about the Wake County official spending $160,000 on 50 trips to destinations like Disney World.

The readers said it best: "For all its warts, for all its problems, The N&O has done a masterful job of getting under the skin of state government, helping to correct problems and make life a bit better in the capital city," wrote Richard Kiernan. "The issues of the idiotic spending by the Wake County staff was fantastic, as is the ongoing highlighting of the governor and Mrs. governor's travels using our taxes. In my view, the N&O should be GROWING the traditional print paper, not shrinking it!"

And Charles Becker, of Raleigh: "I may be a bit upset about what's happening to the N&O but, big or small, thick or thin, it is my newspaper and I will remain a subscriber. I do reserve the right to complain occasionally though."

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