Taking A Stand: Behind the scenes at the newspaper
This week I’m going to change my normal routine and take you behind the scenes of what I do here. Instead of being enlightening, eye-opening and even life changing as most of my weekly offerings are, this column will merely be informative.
Ever since I’ve been working here, many folks have asked me questions that begin with “Why do you ?” and “How do you?” This column will seek to answer those questions. Let’s begin, shall we, with my column on Wednesdays.
Q: Where do you get your column ideas?
A: I make them up on Monday, sometimes from recent events and other times from rants I’ve gone on earlier in the week. In case you haven’t noticed, many of my columns sound like rants; however, I’m always sure to support my main rant point with evidence instead of just insults.
Q: Do your bosses ever tell you what you can and cannot write?
A: Not in columns. Aside from being made to apologize to the Baptists years ago, I’ve never been told what to write in my column. Rarely a story idea may be rejected, but otherwise, most of what you see with my name over it is stuff I’ve come up with.
Q: Is there a political agenda at the local paper?
A: As I’ve said before, most people here could care less about politics. However, it’s well known if you want to get a reaction, just take on politics in a column and readers always get their ire up. I’m a Republican but most of my fellow employees are Democrats. And yes, most, but not all journalists are liberals. I don’t know why.
Q: How and why does my boy Timmy’s name appear on the docket when he gets busted with a meth lab?
A: Unless I go to the scene of the crime, it falls to simply getting a court docket which any person can request at the circuit court clerk’s office. I simply report what’s on the docket, limiting it to cases where action was taken. That’s why you’ll see Judge Larry Ross hearing a 78-person docket but only see 44 cases. No one wants to hear what was continued or who got safety school for doing 10 over the speed limit. The stuff you get from court is stuff you could get by going to open court or getting a docket. I simply make it more convenient by doing it for you.
Q: Does someone call you when there’s a wreck or fire?
A: I wish. That’d make my job much easier. Instead, I have a scanner on 24-7. It’s my responsibility to catch it, but not all wrecks make it since I actually have a life. If I hear it, I go. If I’m not at your wreck, don’t think it’s because I don’t like you. It’s simply because I didn’t hear it.
Q: Why do you run wrecks in the paper?
A: Because we are a business and nothing sells bigger than wrecks.
Q: Does going to bad wrecks bother you?
A: Yes, I’m human. But I don’t take it home with me generally, otherwise I couldn’t do this job.
Q: Can you run the names of juveniles?
A: Yes, at any age, for any crime. State law limits who can give us information but if I can get it, we can run it. However, we generally limit it to serious or interesting crimes since they are kids.
Q: Do negative letters about you bother you?
A: Interesting point. I rarely read the editorial page because frankly I don’t care what other people think and usually someone else tells me the negative is in there. But no, it does not bother me.
Duane Sherrill is a reporter for the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].