Oprah visit a shot in the arm, or too much?

We’ve received three calls from a reader, who didn’t leave a phone number or other contact information, complaining that Oprah got too much attention before, during and after her visit to Macon and that, contrary to what the newspaper might think, the talk show host doesn’t walk on water.

From the perspective of a newspaper editor, I'd say we had a nice few days in Macon covering Oprah’s visit. It was just the kind of story readers periodically tell us they want to see more of. Positive. Energizing. Fun. In the end, Oprah’s visit was a story about somebody doing something nice for somebody else. From all accounts, Oprah and her crew were very gracious guests who delighted hundreds of people by stepping out on the town and engaging with the locals. Frankly, some of the video footage made me wince because some eager fans seemed to forget that it can be frightening to be rushed. Everybody wanted a piece of Oprah, and she gave as much as anyone could have expected.

Does she walk on water? Of course not. She’s human, and that humanity was on display in fine form for a few days in our fair city.

By the way, if you did not visit macon.com during the visit, you can still find plenty of content related to Oprah’s visit. The photo slide shows and the videos are terrific. My favorite is video of the unscripted encounter between Oprah and fans outside her hotel Friday morning. If you haven’t already, check it out.

Race, race go away?

A group of residents representing various churches met last Thursday night at Cherokee Heights United Methodist Church to talk about what some say are social injustices that result from racism. According to The Telegraph news report, the group wants to form a governing body that will be responsible for encouraging church forums and other town meetings to talk about such issues.

Tonight at the Douglass Theatre, the Center for Racial Understanding is hosting a community conversation about race. The discussion, which is set for 7-8:30 p.m., is co-sponsored by The Telegraph and WMAZ-TV. A point person for the event is Catherine Meeks, director of the Center for Community Engagement at Wesleyan College, who says such a dialogue is long overdue.

Among the panelists will be Meeks and mayor-elect Robert Reichert.

In discussing the forum with a friend this morning, he was skeptical. “What can anyone say about race that everybody doesn’t already know?” he asked.

How then, I responded, do you propose we tackle this thorny issue?

Neither of us had answers that satisfied the other.

Folks inside and outside the newsroom have told me for years that, in Macon, race is the elephant in the room. While an elephant is hard to miss, it is also hard to move.

Tonight’s gathering is intended to start a conversation that will continue, eventually, in small groups. Maybe that’s the best way to take a conversation about race beyond talk: In small, manageable pieces.

For more information about "A Conversation on Race," can call 478-757-3800. If you are unable to attend tonight’s forum, you can read about the event on macon.com are in Wednesday’s Telegraph.

What do readers know?

For years, journalists have been party to discussions about community journalism and reader participation. The theme of these discussions is that plenty of interesting things happen in our own back yards, that readers are interested in these events - and even willing to provide information about them - and that readers are more engaged with the newspaper when they believe they have a voice.

By now, newspapers have plenty of experience with “reader involvement,” “reader-generated content,” and “hyper-local” news. Much of this content appears on opinion pages, in sections targeted at specific groups, or on pages published on certain days of the weeks (such at The Telegraph’s Neighbors’ pages).

Still, the cost of newsprint and other costs associated with producing a paper have prevented the wide use of reader-submitted content as well as the wide distribution of hyper-local content that some readers say they want.

The growing popularity of news Web sites, however, has made newsprint costs almost a non-issue when it comes to finding a place for readers to have a voice. Chat rooms, discussions boards, blogs and commenting functions have led to a wave of reader participation.

The Telegraph believes readers want to engage in community conversations that are empowering, enlightening, engaging and helpful, though there are those for which this clearly is not always the case.

As of last week, The Telegraph requires registration for readers wishing to comment on local stories.

Of course, if you still want to talk to the editor, e-mail me, or call me at 478-744-4340.