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Whether a newspaper has a circulation of more than 3,000, such as the Craig Daily Press, or a circulation of more than 300,000, such as the Orange County Register, when it comes down to brass tacks, these publications face the same problems when it comes to readership and credibility.

I had an incredible opportunity over the weekend to attend an Associated Press Managing Editors program in Evanston, Ill., at which editors from all over the country, from small to large publications, came together to discuss the topic of credibility and what could be done to improve it.

Also within the group were "real people" -- those who are readers and aren't affiliated with the industry.

The program, funded entirely by the Ford Foundation, was created after a group of journalists, called the Committee of Concerned Journalists, met in 1997 to discuss the "crisis of conscience" that faced the industry.

The committee launched thousands of interviews and multiple studies over the next three years, which eventually evolved into a book called "The Elements of Journalism."

It's a book that paints a rather grim picture of the state of journalism not only for those who practice but those who consume it.

One of the main points that came out of the program and is emphasized in the book is that newspapers, no matter how much integrity they have, are biased. They are biased in the stories they choose to run, in the stories they choose to pursue, in the sources they choose to interview for those chosen stories, and in how they choose to play those stories.

The readers also see the bias in newspapers, whether they are factual or not. Perceived bias may include that the newspaper is toeing the corporate line of the company that owns the publication. Some readers might believe the newspaper has a liberal slant based on the politics of its leadership. And other readers might think the newspaper is a "scandal sheet" and, therefore, is biased toward the sensational. A newspaper can be seen as "pro-growth" or "anti-growth."

Whether or not these biases are true doesn't matter if the perception is out there because, as with most other issues, perception is reality.

What the newspaper has to do then is look to its readers to find out what these perceptions are and do what it can to to reflect a product that is closer to the publication's belief and mission.

A newspaper also can have internal biases that may occur below the radar screen. Biases that become so second nature, such as a reliance on government sources for almost all stories, that definite action to break bad habits needs to occur.

So if bias is rampant in newspapers because it occurs naturally in human beings, how can a publication combat it? Does it necessarily have to fight against it?

Many editors I spoke to came to the "If-you-can't-beat-them-join-them" conclusion. Meaning, if a newspaper realizes the biases are out there, it can recognize those biases, see how they work in the newspaper and consider whether biases are serving or not serving the readers.

Newspapers, if they are going to survive, must be held accountable to readers. They must be open to their readers and allow readers to take part in the news-generation process. Readers must know why a newspaper does what it does -- the newspaper must explain its "rules" to them.

Walter Dean, a member of the Committee of Concerned Journalists, seemed to hit the nail on the head when he said, "In a lack of explanation, readers assume motive."

In the coming weeks, readers of the Craig Daily Press will read about and participate in a credibility roundtable we will be hosting so readers and the newspaper can get to know each other better.

In the meantime, we would like to start a telephone/email database for those who would like to get more involved in their community newspaper -- people who would give feedback on stories and issues or provide story ideas and others who might be used as sources in stories. If this is something you might be interested in, please call or send an e-mail using the information provided below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

"Bleeding the Black Ink" is a weekly column that aims at getting readers better acquainted with the Craig Daily Press, the First Amendment and the newspaper industry. Do you have a question or an issue for an upcoming column? Call Terrance Vestal at 824-7031 or email him at tvestal@craigdailypress.com.