A few calls this week questioned our choice of stories for the front page of the Post-Dispatch.   Three complained about the story Wednesday on parents deciding whether to circumcise males, and the changing trends there. It was a richly reported story, with depth and numerous voices.

Today a reader left a voice message saying we erred in not having on Page One the story about North Korea helping Syria build a nuclear reactor.  (It ran on A3, with a “Top News” rail item on Page One directing readers to it.)

Today’s caller did not offer a story to remove from the page, but I am guessing the Pew study on teens and technology and writing skills might have been her first one off. Maybe not, because that story did have a “news peg” — an event or reason why the story appears on a particular day. The Pew study was released yesterday.

The circumcision story we ran on A1 Wednesday lacked that much of a news peg. “More parents opt not to circumcise their sons,” read the headline at the bottom of the page. The story described the questions parents face over whether to circumcise, and noted that the decision is not nearly as automatic as before.  In the 1960s, circumcision rates peaked at 85 percent. Now, it’s about 50 percent.

We thought the story reflected a trend that would interest many readers — since most of us encounter the subject at some level during our lives. (Making the decision, having the decision made for us.)

Why was it on the front Wednesday? Because that’s when the “enterprise” article (an issues or trend story reported with some depth) was completed and ready to publish. (Sometimes, an issues or trend story is penciled into a front-page lineup but “dated over” a day or more because other, more pressing news stories develop.)

The three readers who called to complain about the circumcision story each said it wasn’t front-page news. If I had to guess, I would describe them as two elderly men and an older woman.  But one of our younger male staff writers also questioned the placement of the story, saying it was better-suited for the Healthy & Fit section.

As stated before, we try to offer a mix and variety of stories on Page One. Stories that are interesting, informative, useful, relevant, entertaining, important, timely, surprising, sometimes fun. We want stories that reflect readers’ lives and communities. The more of these elements a story has, the better its chance of making the front-page lineup. But if a story scores high in even a particular category or two, we might consider it.

Health and medical reporter Blythe Bernhard — who wrote the circumcision article —  has received dozens of calls and emails from readers wanting to share their thoughts and experiences. Clearly, the story connected with many readers. Many others probably found the debate helpful as they consider — or reconsider — their own decisions.