Several weeks ago, when I sat down with my boss to discuss my goals for 2008, I suggested making a more concerted effort to use and expand our Reader Advisory Network this year.

The RAN group, if you aren’t familiar with it, consists of individuals willing to share their e-mail addresses with us in return for the opportunity to play a role with their local newspaper.

Since the first group was recruited in 2003, we have relied on members for their assistance in any number of ways: helping to set policy, participating in national journalism surveys, suggesting questions to ask candidates for public office, participating in a roundtable discussion on bias and credibility at Rivier College, and even serving as sources for news stories when appropriate.