This week, Oct. 6-12, is National Newspaper Week. In 1940, 84 years ago, the newspaper world started celebrating this week by reflecting on the unique role newspapers play in our communities.
I have spent half of my life in the newspaper profession. I didn’t plan it that way, but rather I started with a desire to be in broadcasting. As a young boy I fell in love with those doing play-by-play of football, basketball and baseball games. Also, as a young boy I had my nose in the newspaper every day. My parents subscribed to the Courier-Journal and Corbin Times. Reading the newspaper and listening to the radio then influenced my future professions.
On Sundays, in the 1950s, at the corner of Second and Main Streets in Corbin you could purchase a Courier-Journal, Lexington Herald-Leader, Knoxville News Sentinel or a Wall Street Journal. Under Bissell’s Office Supply awning was the location of a news stand.
On our way home from church, we would stop and buy the Sunday edition of the Courier-Journal. That paper was huge with several sections. Each family member selected a section of the paper they liked. Mine was the sports section. Unlike today, when you only get opinionated talking heads on ESPN, then we had skilled journalists filling the pages with interesting information.
It wasn’t until 1977 that I entered the journalism profession. Previously, I had spent ten years in broadcasting and seven years in public relations with the Cumberland River Comprehensive Care Center. Jim Lee Crawford offered me a job in advertising at the Corbin Times-Tribune and I have now spent 45 years in the newspaper profession.
Al Smith bought the London Sentinel-Echo around 1980 and made me an offer that was too good to turn down. That is where I found the value of a weekly newspaper. I was amazed on Wednesdays to see lines of people standing at our press room door waiting for the newspaper to roll off the presses.
After Al sold the Sentinel, I wanted out and I met with Terry Forcht who owned the Whitley Republican. This was the best move I have ever made. That was almost 38 years ago and that is when he gave the thumbs up for starting a newspaper in Corbin to go with the one in Williamsburg, with me in the publisher’s seat.
As I look back, I was scared to death at the task that lay in front of me, but because of Terry Forcht’s backing and encouragement, it has been a dream come true.
The foundation of our democracy is facing difficult times, but with skilled journalists filling the pages of our newspapers with factual information our country will overcome adversity. There is power in newspapers reporting the truth. As we celebrate National Newspaper Week we thank you for supporting this newspaper.
