Strib hires City Pages gofer as Ombudsman

Starting next week, Snyders, a 23-year-old City Pages fellow, will take calls and letters from concerned readers and attempt to sympathize with their grievances.

The position opened up when longtime Reader's Representative Kate Parry was reassigned to the position of healthcare editor. The unorthodox decision to tap a green reporter from a competing publication was evidently made in light of the recent financial woes endured by the daily.

“Matt Snyders's proven track record of taking odd jobs with little-to-no-pay is consistent with the Star-Tribune's goal of providing local news on the cheap,” said Strib Managing Editor Scott Gillespie.

Snyders—who honed his work-for-no-pay skills as Jann Wenner's cashew-fetcher while interning at Rolling Stone—seemed excited by the new opportunity.

“It's a perfect match,” he shrugged. “They're a paper struggling to stay afloat in a cutthroat industry and I’m an inexperienced quasi-slave willing to do anything to get a leg up.”

Added Snyders: “You need anything? A coffee or something?”

Concerned Strib readers can call the new Reader's Representative with questions 612.372.3722 or email them to msnyders@citypages.com.