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Chicago, IL —
Name: John Ford
Newspaper you work for: The Neosho Daily News (Neosho, Mo.)
What do you do? Managing Editor
Tell us a little about your career: I’ve been in journalism in one facet or another for 22 years, beginning in the press room as a catcher and general clean-up person. I was studying computer and information science at the time, but switched my major because I’d always enjoyed writing and listening to people tell their stories. After graduating with a degree in communications, I worked for newspapers in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and central Missouri before settling here at the Neosho Daily News, located less than 20 miles from my hometown. I started at the Daily in 1995 with two part-time jobs: reporter and darkroom tech. Those quickly merged into one full-time position. In 1999, I was named associate editor, a position I held until April of this year.
What do you do in your job? I manage a two-person news staff, make assignments, write stories (I try to have at least one byline a day), edit copy, layout pages, cover high school football, coordinate special sections, cover the court beat in two counties, take photographs, you name it. It’s a small paper, so we all wear a lot of hats.
What’s your biggest mistake on the job? It was a teaser on a photo of a Conservation agent giving a demonstration on Missouri wildlife, and he was holding up a skunk pelt in front of a group of local first graders. I was goofing around with layout a little bit, so I put “Gee mister, you smell funny” as my teaser, much to the merriment of the newsroom. But in my haste to get the edition out, I forgot to remove it and place one more suitable for print. It ended up going to thousands of homes, but we received no complaints, fortunately.
Proudest accomplishments? I think surviving 2007 is my proudest accomplishment. From a massive ice storm in January, to the shooting of two police officers, to a church shooting, to a missing girl who turned up dead, it has been a busy year. And I’m really proud of my staff for their work in covering these events. I’ve been in editorial nearly 18 years professionally, and have never had a staff like this one. These guys make me proud! From Rick Rogers, publisher, to reporters Wes Franklin and Todd G. Higdon, I’ve never worked with a better group of journalists. Todd became our “CNN special correspondent” in the church shooting, as he did several live audio feeds and a live on-camera interview for the national network. While the church shooting garnered a lot of national attention, I’m also proud of the work we did during the ice storm. The newspaper was without power for four days, yet we only missed one edition, although were able to post information on-line. Todd Higdon and I worked out of a storm shelter set up at a local church, where, incidentally, we lived for a week because our all-electric homes were without power, therefore, without heat or hot water. Todd was also without transportation, as a tree fell on his car, so he and I scoured the streets each day in my old truck, gathering information, interviewing electrical linemen and National Guardsmen, and taking photos. Buzz Ball coordinated efforts from his church, where there were two computers set up for us to file stories. Meanwhile, Rick Rogers laid out the pages from a home (not his own) that still had power. Wes Franklin, who lives seven miles away in a nearby town, had power but couldn’t navigate the treacherous roads, so worked out of his home, keeping us posted on developments in McDonald County. And we printed in Springfield, Mo., about 70 miles east of Neosho.
What's life like beyond the newspaper? I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend, Phyllis, reading (histories mostly, particularly anything to do with World War II), and playing my guitar.
Name: John Ford
Newspaper you work for: The Neosho Daily News (Neosho, Mo.)
What do you do? Managing Editor
Tell us a little about your career: I’ve been in journalism in one facet or another for 22 years, beginning in the press room as a catcher and general clean-up person. I was studying computer and information science at the time, but switched my major because I’d always enjoyed writing and listening to people tell their stories. After graduating with a degree in communications, I worked for newspapers in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and central Missouri before settling here at the Neosho Daily News, located less than 20 miles from my hometown. I started at the Daily in 1995 with two part-time jobs: reporter and darkroom tech. Those quickly merged into one full-time position. In 1999, I was named associate editor, a position I held until April of this year.
What do you do in your job? I manage a two-person news staff, make assignments, write stories (I try to have at least one byline a day), edit copy, layout pages, cover high school football, coordinate special sections, cover the court beat in two counties, take photographs, you name it. It’s a small paper, so we all wear a lot of hats.
What’s your biggest mistake on the job? It was a teaser on a photo of a Conservation agent giving a demonstration on Missouri wildlife, and he was holding up a skunk pelt in front of a group of local first graders. I was goofing around with layout a little bit, so I put “Gee mister, you smell funny” as my teaser, much to the merriment of the newsroom. But in my haste to get the edition out, I forgot to remove it and place one more suitable for print. It ended up going to thousands of homes, but we received no complaints, fortunately.
Proudest accomplishments? I think surviving 2007 is my proudest accomplishment. From a massive ice storm in January, to the shooting of two police officers, to a church shooting, to a missing girl who turned up dead, it has been a busy year. And I’m really proud of my staff for their work in covering these events. I’ve been in editorial nearly 18 years professionally, and have never had a staff like this one. These guys make me proud! From Rick Rogers, publisher, to reporters Wes Franklin and Todd G. Higdon, I’ve never worked with a better group of journalists. Todd became our “CNN special correspondent” in the church shooting, as he did several live audio feeds and a live on-camera interview for the national network. While the church shooting garnered a lot of national attention, I’m also proud of the work we did during the ice storm. The newspaper was without power for four days, yet we only missed one edition, although were able to post information on-line. Todd Higdon and I worked out of a storm shelter set up at a local church, where, incidentally, we lived for a week because our all-electric homes were without power, therefore, without heat or hot water. Todd was also without transportation, as a tree fell on his car, so he and I scoured the streets each day in my old truck, gathering information, interviewing electrical linemen and National Guardsmen, and taking photos. Buzz Ball coordinated efforts from his church, where there were two computers set up for us to file stories. Meanwhile, Rick Rogers laid out the pages from a home (not his own) that still had power. Wes Franklin, who lives seven miles away in a nearby town, had power but couldn’t navigate the treacherous roads, so worked out of his home, keeping us posted on developments in McDonald County. And we printed in Springfield, Mo., about 70 miles east of Neosho.
What's life like beyond the newspaper? I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend, Phyllis, reading (histories mostly, particularly anything to do with World War II), and playing my guitar.
