Ask The Post

This Week: Debra Leithauser , editor of Sunday Source and TV Week, was online Wednesday, April 19, at Noon ET to field your questions about The Post's coverage of entertainment, lifestyle and television.

The transcript follows.

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Debra Leithauser: Hi, all, and thanks for joining me today. Now, fire away with your questions!

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi Debra! How do you decide on the destinations in the road trip column?

Thanks!

Debra Leithauser: We get ideas from all sorts of places -- we keep our eye out for events that are happening or strange spots we'd like to explore. We also get a lot of ideas from our regular Road Trip writers, who are always traveling around and sharing their adventures with us (and you). We aim for a good mix of Virginia, Maryland and D.C. spots in any given month. Our area is so diverse, and we want to explore it all. And we always welcome ideas from readers, who can send us notes at roadtrip@washpost.com.

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Washington, D.C.: What ever happened to LOCAL FAVE's where celebrities talked about their favorite thing to do in D.C.?

Debra Leithauser: The Sunday Source has gone through a lot of changes in the past year, and Local Fave was dropped to make room for other features. To be honest, we got hardly any reaction from readers who missed it. I would love to know what people think about any of the changes in the Source, including Kakuro, our new puzzle

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Washington, D.C.: Thanks for taking questions. Is there any chance that TV Week will reformat the program listings to more closely resemble the format used by the Express or the NYT? The number of networks covered in TVW is really inadequate. Thanks again.

Debra Leithauser: TV Week uses a "vertical grid" while Express, the NYTimes and many other papers use a "horizontal grid." Our readership surveys show loyal TV Week readers *love, love, love* the vertical grid. (I'm with you and prefer the horizontal listings.) We're considering changing the daily Style grid's format to horizontal to please readers such as yourself. As for the number of channels, we have done testing of the "horizontal grids," and we really wouldn't pick up that much space to add new channels. We would just be presenting the information in a different way. I'd love to hear from readers what they think about horizontal vs. vertical grids, especially for the daily grids in Style.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Your TV listings omit numerous channels, including ESPN2 and STARZ, making your listings almost worthless. It's time for a revamp to include most or all of the channels available in the D.C. area.

Debra Leithauser: We do list ESPN2 in TV Week -- on the Broadcast & Sports grid for every day of the week. (We revamped the TV Week channel lineups about 18 months ago to reflect the channels our research shows most people are watching most of the time.) If you mean the daily grid in Style, you're right -- no ESPN2 or Starz. But changes are coming for the daily grid, plus we'll have an opening in the grids when WB and UPN merge into the CW network this summer. But what we add in depends on what our research tells us people are watching.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: I am curious: "Teachers" is broadcasting commercials of its critical acclaim from The Washington Post and others. Do you have the full context of the one word quote it shows? I've always wondered if the full reviews are as good as what the commercial advertises.

Debra Leithauser: I haven't seen the ad -- what's it saying we said about the show? Generally, they're quoting Tom Shales, but I know he didn't like that show (and neither did we!).

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Arlington, Va.: In a recent TV Week, you asked for input on the crossword puzzle. Are you going to keep it?

Debra Leithauser: We're still gathering info -- but readers seem to really like our puzzle. Good to know!

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Generally, I always thought of the Source as geared towards women. But it seems that there have been more stories that catch my eye (I'm male), have you been making an effort to target the male reader?

Debra Leithauser: Oh, yes. We always want to attract both male and female readers. In the past year, we've hired two men onto what was an all-female staff. Their perspective is always helpful as we strive to appeal to many people.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: With so much new music being released regularly, how do you decide which new CDs and artists to cover?

Debra Leithauser: First you have to see what's being released that week. Then our Media Mix reviewers work with our editors to select what we'll cover.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: How does The Post intend to change its TV listings to accommodate the new Internet TV services that are being developed by Verizon and AT&T? Those services will greatly expand the universe of "channels" available.

Debra Leithauser: We're watching this closely and will see how many people sign up for these services. Verizon FiOS, for example, is only in a limited areas -- Fairfax and Howard counties right now. But that's sure to change.

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Arlington, Va.: I'm partial to the horizontal TV Week listings. Keep it as is! It's a great visual, particular to The Post.

Debra Leithauser: Good to hear you like what we have!

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Washington, D.C.: I think the crossword puzzle in TV Week is fun. Keep up the good work!

Debra Leithauser: We puzzled over what to do -- but thanks!

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Washington, D.C.: I used to hear your radio spots on Saturday mornings. Are you still doing them on The Post's radio station?

Debra Leithauser: I was on WTOP for about a year, and really enjoyed it. But on WTWP, I gave the spotlight over to Justin Rude, a Sunday Source staffer who has a background in radio. He's wonderful to listen to -- check him out around 10 a.m. every Saturday on WTWP (107.7 FM or 1500 AM).

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Washington, D.C.: The Sunday Source is one of my favorite parts of The Post! My only comment would be that for those in D.C. proper, the "local" attractions aren't much different than what's already in other weekend events listings. I wonder if there would be something more useful to D.C. residents that could fill that space.

Debra Leithauser: I'm open to suggestions -- send 'em my way! I think part of what the Sunday Source strives to be is a guide -- Weekend lists everything, the Sunday Source selects what we think is the best stuff around. To me, both are helpful.

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D.C. lament re: TV Week: The recent change in TV Week was a very negative one for those of us who can't afford cable or satellite TV service --You cut maybe by half the number of "highlights" descriptions for non-cable programs. The same is true for the daily listings in Style. Even a lot of new episodes now don't get a mention. PLEASE remedy this! Many TIA.

Debra Leithauser: We've been watching this closely, and we've found that we actually list about the same number of highlights for broadcast and cable shows as we used to. The difference is that they're in a different format. When we don't mention a new episode, it's often because the network hasn't decided which show it's airing yet -- so we just don't have the information to give to our readers. I agree -- it can be annoying!

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Washington, D.C.: Do you know if ABC's Commander in Chief will return next season?

Debra Leithauser: It's unlikely that President Mackenzie Allen will have a second term! But there's been no final word from the network.

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Washington, D.C.: I'm a rarity - no cable, no satellite, we only watch broadcast TV. And it makes me crazy that there are a number of channels that we get that are not shown in the TV Week or in the Style section daily grid. And I can't seem to get The Post's online TV guide to customize for me.

Seriously, there are still plenty of people out here with over the air TV and nothing else. Please don't clutter up the broadcast grids with too much cable. It's gotten very difficult to use the information that's there!

Also, I love crossword puzzles but hate the TV puzzle. So, I just ignore it and wish for a Sunday quote acrostic.

Debra Leithauser: Where do you live, and what channels don't we list that you get?

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Washington, D.C.: You must watch a lot of TV for your job. What are your own favorite TV shows of the current season?

Debra Leithauser: I'm a huge fan of the "Sopranos," "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy." I'm still watching "Desperate Housewives" but might not stick around for Season Three. Others on the TV Week staff have different favorites, so we get a great variety into our book.

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Washington, D.C.: Kudos on TV Week covers -- good graphic work

Debra Leithauser: Thanks -- most (really, all) of the credit goes to JoEllen Murphy, one of the Post's most talented designers.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Debra, I like the Interactive TV Guide the Washingtonpost.com offers. Do you work on this service as well? If so, has the Washington Post ever considered teaming up with the local cable stations so that people could select programs to record on their DVRs? Yahoo has a similar program with Tivo.

Thanks!

Debra Leithauser: I don't handle the listings on washigntonpost.com, but it's good to hear you're a fan. What do you like best about the system? (I don't know about any partnerships with local cable stations.)

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WDC: Road Trip: I really appreciate the Road Trips about getting places on public transportation, and I hope there will be many more of them. As one of thousands of local transplants from NYC, I don't drive, and I often find it frustrating to read about places that folks around here consider "near-by" but that I can't get to without paying a taxi-cab a sum equivalent to a plane ticket.

Debra Leithauser: Our Metro Road Trip series is one of our most popular! We're always open to other ideas for Road Trip, too.

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Germantown, Md.: How do you decide what products to spotlight in the Sunday Shopper?

Debra Leithauser: Shopper is going through a bit of a transformation since Janelle Erlichman left the Post for Baltimore Magazine. But the two people writing the column now spend time in local stores, scour through Web sites and sort out a ton of press releases in their search to find the right products to tout. They also are putting product to the test now in a way that's fun and helpful (check out this coming weekend's piece on self-tanners).

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Washington, D.C.: What is the "turnaround" on TV schedule changes? For instance, when CBS moved The Amazing Race from Tuesdays to Wednesdays, it remained listed on Tuesdays in the TV Guide for two weeks. How far in advance do you print your listing?

Debra Leithauser: Our book is printed 10 days in advance, as most TV books around the country are. We've looked at making this lag time less, but haven't figured out how to do that without changing the size of the TV book to a tab, which readers tell us they don't want.

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Arlington, Va.: I have become hugely obsessed with Sudoku, and consider myself fairly good with math, but I really don't like Kakura. I found it very difficult and not at all fun. It was more like homework.

Debra Leithauser: I've heard this from several people -- though others claim to love it. Maybe it's a right or left brain thing? :)

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Washington, D.C.: How come the TV listings show CNN, but not Fox News Channel? Fox News Channel gets twice as many viewers as CNN in primetime.

Debra Leithauser: I'd be interested in where your research is coming from. Ours shows that CNN overall does better than Fox. But we are considering adding Fox News Channel to the lineup this summer, when we have an opening created by the WB-UPN merger. Of course, we'll have to see what the research says then!

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Alexandria, Va.: After all these years I'm used to the vertical format in TV Week and the daily paper. I find it easier to follow with the time down the side and the channels across the top. The interactive guide on the web site does it horizontally, which is fine, but I'd like to see the print version stay as it is, if only to be different.

Debra Leithauser: Thanks for the feedback.

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Washington, D.C.: Has the Sunday Source consider giving a listing of new and interesting podcasts or blogs that readers should keep an eye out for?

Debra Leithauser: No -- but this is an interesting idea. Thanks!

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Washington, D.C.: What kind of buzz do you hear re the merger of the WB and UPN? Will any of the series survive the merger?

Debra Leithauser: We won't know until late May which shows will be picked up on the combined networks, but what we do know is that longtime WB mainstays "Charmed" and "7th Heaven" are definitely kaput. The shows whose futures are most unclear:

ON UPN: "Veronica Mars," "Half and Half" and "One on One."

ON WB: "Everwood," "One Tree Hill," "Related," "Pepper Dennis" and "Reba"

Stay tuned!

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D.C. with another road trip question: Do you send a staffer or staffers to find neat places along the way when you map out a road trip? Do they check out a lot of places that don't make the cut? Or do you more like send an e-mail to the whole Post staff asking if anyone has any recommendations of things to see, buy or eat on the road to (wherever?) Just curious.

Debra Leithauser: We often have an end destination in mind, and then the reporter checks out a bunch of places along the way -- and not every one makes it in to the story. Of course, we sometimes ask around, or the reporter checks in with locals for recommendations, too.

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Columbia, Md.: Here's a vote for the current format in the TV Guide. I've seen the other in out of town papers and find it confusing and hard to read. So does my dad with his aged vision. Just my 2 cents

Debra Leithauser: Thanks. Your 2 cents are valuable!

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Source archives on-line: I'm wondering, can I access all the different parts of Sunday Source online? Well, not the concerts that already took place, but the back Shoppers and Road Trips and such.

Debra Leithauser: You can -- washingtonpost.com/source will take you there. The Road Trips can be hard to find, but if you can't find something you want, email us at roadtrip@washpost.com. (And I've been working with washingtonpost.com to try to improve this terrible navigation.)

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D.C. re: TV: I've never been able to access the "interactive guide" to TV that others are mentioning. Does it require DSL or another high-speed connection? Could you post the URL? Thanks!

Debra Leithauser: Go to washingtonpost.com/TV and look for the second link -- Interactive TV Grid. I don't think you need a high-speed connection to use it.

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Washington, D.C.: Do you ever get feedback from readers who have tried your road trip?

Debra Leithauser: Sure do. Some like the stops we've picked, some hate them, and many just collect the Road Trips so they can try them someday.

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UPN-WB into CW: How do you figure that you will have an opening because of this? We will still have channels 20 and 50 broadcasting locally.

Debra Leithauser: Channel 20 will be MyNetwork TV, and be primarily telenovas during primetime. I'm not sure that will be a channel we will list -- though it might be. We'll be researching this over the summer.

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Washington, D.C.: It seems to me that the Sunday Source touches on so many topics that are covered by other sections of The Post, most notably Style. How do you keep from stepping on each others toes? Or put more positively, to what extent are you able to draw on the resources of the other sections?

Debra Leithauser: Well, I think the Sunday Source is different from Style, just as Sunday Arts is different from Style. The Sunday Source is designed to help you make more of your leisure time -- to tell readers about upcoming events, highlight local trends and fashions, and inspire you to do new things. Our aim is to give readers a fun section with the practical information you need to actually go to an indoor water park, find the best burritos, or pull off a trendy look. Style's goals are different, though you'd have to as its editor for specifics.

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Debra Leithauser: Thanks for all of the great questions and comments -- sorry I couldn't respond to every one of them. Thanks too for reading both sections, and I always welcome feedback -- e-mail tvweek@washpost.com or sundaysource@washpost.com.

Debra

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