CHANGE IS THE DRUMBEAT IN OUR INDUSTRY, OUR DAILY LIVES AND EVEN OUR POLITICS. Americans are truly living in extraordinary times, and whether you see it as a blessing, a curse or both, change is inevitable.

In facing the challenges ahead, it should come as no surprise that the American Society of Newspaper Editors also is transforming, as is The American Editor. As we lead through change this year, we hope ASNE and the magazine can become more accessible and useful to a broader spectrum of editors, print and online, and provide a forum for new voices and ideas.

Our cover story takes a critical look at public service journalism on the Web — who is doing it right? And what do we mean by “right”? Nancy Andrews of the Detroit Free Press writes about what viewers find compelling in public service reporting across the nation and how newspaper Web sites can make their hard work deliver greater impact.

Academia is dancing as fast as it can to fill the journalism needs of a rapidly evolving industry. Warren Watson looks at what journalism schools are doing to turn out graduates who are flexible enough to do it all.

Building a better-equipped reader or viewer is the aim of news literacy, and Rex Smith examines a recent Poynter conference on the movement. “We need to train the next generation of journalism consumers,” said Howard Schneider, a leader in the effort. “Quality journalism can only be sustained by a public that recognizes it.”

ASNE’s new webinars are sparking interest and participation. Motivating and leading innovation in the newsroom was the topic of the first online session, while the second webinar traced how the Web has evolved from static, reader-oriented sites to personalized social networks. Stay tuned for more.

This issue profiles Diana Fuentes, editor of the Laredo (Texas) Morning Times, who finds that multitasking is a way of life at a small daily newspaper.

Edward Miller gives some succinct advice about how to keep your best staffers in difficult downsizing, while Mike Jacobs delves into the dizzying world of circulation audits and why editors need to pay attention to them.

As newspapers shift from print to online efforts, can newsrooms afford to shed layers of editors? Kurt Greenbaum takes a closer look at some trends around the country.

Legal Counsel Kevin Goldberg examines the hazards of selling mug shot reprints, while Jody Calendar chronicles a New Jersey newspaper’s experiment with a virtual newsroom.

Dave Rosenthal writes about the critical role of Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act in the Detroit Free Press investigation of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Matt Erickson wraps up front-page coverage of the historic 2008 presidential election, while Mark Mahoney compiles industry tidbits in the On Deadline feature.

We hope you will enjoy the Fall issue of The American Editor. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

See these examples of public service journalism and others discussed in our cover story. And share work from your Web site by clicking on the comments link found at the top right of the story by Nancy Andrews.