As of this month, the Washington Post ombudsman position is no more, replaced by a saccharine-sounding “reader representative” to be named later. It’s the end of a 43-year tradition…or is it?

“We know that media writers inside and outside The Post will continue to hold us accountable for what we write” Post publisher Katharine Weymouth writes in her memo on the end of the ombudsman. As a service to Post readers and the District at large, then, Washington City Paper is happy to take up Weymouth’s invitation and announce that we will be providing our own ombudsman for the area’s newspaper of record: me.

Starting today, I am your new Washington Post ombudsman. Concerned about a potential plagiarist? Mad about the Post‘s search engine? Something about Ezra Klein just rub you the wrong way? Email me at postombudsman@washingtoncitypaper.com, or call me at 703-594-9142. (It’s a 703 number because the Post these days feels a lot like a suburban paper.) Check back for my first column later this afternoon.

Inspired by the legacy of my predecessor, Patrick Pexton, I will continue to report hard on the Post, treat readers with respect, and wear mustard-colored sport coats. Unlike Pexton, though, I’m not committed to keeping people from  canceling their Post subscriptions. In fact, even if you aren’t mad at the Post, you should probably ditch your subscription and hold out for a better deal from LivingSocial or Groupon to roll around—-and I will tell you as much. It’s the least your ombudsman can do.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery