Conversation with Dallas Morning News Editor Bob Mong

The National Book Critics Circle has launched a Campaign to Save Book Reviewing. This post is part of the campaign's blog series, which features posts by concerned writers, op-eds, Q and As, and tips about how you can get involved to make sure those same owners and editors know that book sections and book culture matter.

As editor of The Dallas Morning News, Bob Mong sets the strategic direction of the paper’s news and editorial pages. He recently responded to the following questions about the paper’s recent cutbacks and how book coverage fits into the features package.

Q. Can you summarize how many cuts have been made and where they’re occurred, and the thinking behind them?

A. Like all major metro newspapers, we have reduced the size of our professional news staff and must do more with less. We continue to have the largest and most experienced news and editorial staff in Texas, and from my perspective, in the South. As for space and staff allocation, we are first and foremost a local and regional news and information company. We are best known for our strong investigative and enterprise reporting, for skilled local and state public policy reporting, for excellent border and Mexico reporting, for national-class education coverage, for our sports section, for an outstanding editorial page (and for its imaginative Points commentary section on Sunday), for solid business coverage, for national-class photography and videography, for thoughtful arts and entertainment coverage – to name a few areas of excellence.

Q. How much space and staffing is currently dedicated to book criticism – that is, reviews? How does that compare to a year ago? Five years ago?

A. We devote the same amount of space to book criticism that we did five years ago. The Dallas Morning News covers books in its Sunday arts and entertainment section as well as in its Business section and on its Religion pages on Saturday. We have one fulltime staffer assigned to books; we had two five years ago.

Q. How about space and staffing for book coverage over all?

A. Space for books coverage is comparable to what existed five years ago. Additionally, we have built a strong partnership with the Mayborn Institute at the University of North Texas as a top sponsor of the Mayborn Literary Journalism conference, now in its third season. This brings in outstanding authors to explore the craft of narrative writing. We send many of our staffers to this event, and others on our staff teach at the conference.

Q. Your book editor, Michael Merschel, has incorporated a blog into the paper’s book coverage. What kind of audience does it have? How does it replace or supplement print coverage?

A. Our blog appeals to readers who are passionate about books. One of the benefits of the web is its interactivity, bringing to a large institution like ours the capacity to be smaller and more intimate. I applaud Mike Merschel for developing this blog.

Q. The NBCC has launched a Campaign to Save Reviewing that was spurred in part because of the DMN’s decision to eliminate the post of book critic. From the group’s perspective, this decision seems a curious choice for a newspaper that has covered books conspicuously for the past half-century. How would you describe your paper’s legacy covering books and literature?

A. We have covered books for much longer than 50 years. Katherine Anne Porter’s early books were reviewed in our pages. Lon Tinkle was the voice of book criticism in the Southwest for many years. I intend to be opportunistic in finding first-rate folks to write about books in our pages. One of our most gifted reporters, Michael Granberry, wrote a beautiful appreciation of David Halberstam on the cover of GuideLive this week. This is a dynamic situation, and we are still adjusting to last year’s buyouts. I would encourage you to stay in touch with me on this subject.

Q. Former DMN book critic Jerome Weeks describes Dallas as an “aspirational” city – i.e., one that wants to be a player on the national stage. He argues that the paper is not supplying its readers with book coverage – and, more generally, cultural coverage -- that fits the city’s intellectual ambitions. What’s your response?

A. Debate is the fuel of democracy, and Jerome Weeks can argue with the best of them. I happen to disagree with him. Just look at our outstanding multi-day, front-page display of arts patron Raymond Nasher’s obituary and complementary material. It is emblematic of how we approach a cultural story of that magnitude. Media and pop culture writer Tom Maurstad hosts salons at a local museum on arts topics. I would put Lawson Taitte and Scott Cantrell against anyone’s theater and classical music critics; plus both of them are amazingly versatile. Our cinema critic, Chris Vognar, certainly covers the showier movies but specializes in raising the visibility of less well known movies that often convey more meaning and power. Our popular music critics are very good too.

Q. The NBCC believes book coverage in general and book criticism in particular is an easy target for newspapers that are trying to trim costs. Book coverage doesn’t generate advertising. Is this the primary reason it’s so vulnerable?

A. I consider coverage of books to be essential to our future.--Ellen Heltzel