ABOUT THIS INTERVIEW

National Newspaper Week is being marked Oct. 6-12 this year. 2024 marks the 84th celebration of National Newspaper Week. Since 1940, Newspaper Association Managers has sponsored and supported National Newspaper Week, a week-long promotion of the newspaper industry in the United States and Canada. The theme this year is "Telling Our Stories." Everyone has a story about how they got into the industry. Here is Vince's story.

Briefly explain your role:

Group publisher since 2021 and co-owner since 2023

Why did you get into this industry?

I enjoyed journalism in college at Samford, whether it being writing, editing, hosting or producing. Initially, I wanted to be a SportsCenter anchor, and I got as far as being a finalist for ESPN's Dream Job while in college, but, ultimately, I got my first job in local news after graduation. It's certainly evolved into a lifelong passion.

What's your newspaper/journalism journey to today?

I've worked for various family-owned local news companies throughout my career, from Georgia to California to South Carolina and now to the Alabama Gulf Coast. My roles have been ever-changing, from producing digital content and writing sports to creating new products and evolving local advertising options. Local news will be important forever, but the way it's delivered continues to change. It's been a mission of mine to drive meaningful transformation that helps people and communities.

What's something you've learned in the process?

People matter most. We're all multi-faceted people before we're journalists or employees.

How has working at a newspaper changed you?

More than 2,500 newspapers across the country have closed since I've joined the industry. More than 50% of local journalism jobs across the country have gone away. Knowing how much these realities negatively impact local communities and our world strengthens my resolve to find solutions and a path forward. Baldwin County has a wonderful opportunity to lead that local media transformation the world needs, and that's what we strive for each day.

What's something you wish more people knew about your role or newspapers in general?

Local news is not a right communities have. We're a local business that's important to our communities, but as it has been proven across the country, local news can go away if communities do not support the products. A few years ago, the term "news desert" was created to represent those communities without a local news source, and more and more news deserts have been popping up across the country. The impacts, though still relatively new in most communities, are increasingly catastrophic without local news. You will hear about more news deserts across the country in years to come.

What's something completely non-newspaper related about yourself?

Everly, our first child, is six months old, so life has changed dramatically recently. She's a joy and our greatest blessing.