My brother sent me an interesting article from Andante (a site I noted in September but promptly forgot to keep checking). It is about John Rockwell’s stepping down as editor of the NY Times’ Arts & Leisure section. Respected internationally as the definitive source for commentary on the performing arts, Arts & Leisure concentrated on an audience of both amateurs and professionals with “love and passion for the arts.” But Howell Raines, the new executive editor of the paper, apparently wants to appeal to more general audience. The section does cover pop culture along with what may be considered the more sophisticated arts, but culture editor John Darnton would like it to be more mainstream and provocative. Some are worried that the leadership shift will dumb the section down. I hope they realize that covering trends and being trendy are two different things.