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Home  News Latest A synopsis of my 40 years as a publisher
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A synopsis of my 40 years as a publisher |
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Wednesday, 30 April 2008 |
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Page 2 of 2
I really don’t like to dwell too much on the changes from the old letterpress days compared to the present day fast-pace computer world of newspapers for a couple of reasons. For one, I have a lot of nostalgia for the old days. When you look back at all the challenges of putting out a product using your own capabilities like compiling an advertisement without any or very few graphics and making it look good so the customer is happy with it, or running the job press for commercial printing, you were really accomplishing something. It was all done by picking out type in a type case or set on the linotype. It took time, but in the end, you felt proud. Cranking up the old Kluge press and getting it to run smoothly without wasting too much paper was indeed a challenge in itself. There were days when it got a little ornery, but with a little patience, you got the job done. I had some good advice from an old-time printer, who made the comment that when you finish a job, take a good look at it and say to yourself, “Would I pay for this product if it were mine?” It was good advice I never forgot.
Now days, you have a quicker way of getting things done. With fast computers you can do almost anything and of course there’s bigger and faster presses to print your paper. I was a little reluctant of the change at first, but I adjusted pretty quick with the help of others. One thing about offset printing is that photos turn out sharper and you can make them bigger or smaller in a matter of seconds! It simply blows my mind how easy this is done. Yes, it’s called progress and if you want to stay in this business, you have to try and keep up with new trends. And believe me, we’re probably way behind what is already changing.
I can recall many times burning the midnight oil to get stories ready for my next issue. I tried doing everything myself; taking photos, covering meetings and sports, gathering advertisements and you name it. It didn’t take me long to wise up, so I started delegating some of these duties to others. I hired an advertising salesman and when I hired a new editor, I had him covering meetings and sports. It just got too much for me. I’m paying for it now with some health problems.
One thing about being in this business is that you never get bored. There is always something different to do, which makes it a little more unique than other types of businesses.
Conrad enjoyed becoming a boomtown in the early 1970s when the ABM rolled into town. Stores beefed up their inventory and just about every home was occupied. Restaurants, bars and retail merchants were doing very well until the roof fell in. President Nixon shut down the project much to everyone’s dismay. It was a treat for me at that time when reporters from The Washington Post called on me to guide them out to the sites to take photos of the progress being made. It was an experience I’ll never forget snapping photos of men pouring tons of cement, welding rebar together and a variety of other duties involved in the massive project.
The government reimbursed those who were left holding the bag with low interest loans through SBA to pay their suppliers off. There were some who extended themselves in other ways, which cost them dearly.
Due to the anti-ballistic shutdown, Conrad has been given the name of “the unwed mother of world peace.” I guess I can honestly say that the days of the ABM was my biggest highlight of my 40 years as publisher.
The newspaper business and the people and advertisers have been good to me throughout these years and I could not ask for a better place in which to live, work and raise a family. It’s getting close to retirement time, and when I do, there will always be a ton of memories to think back on in a business that was full of challenges, rewards, some heartaches, but a lot of accomplishments which were well-worth the effort.
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