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>> THIS ORIGINAL WSRE
PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> LEGENDARY NORTHWEST FLORIDA
NEWSPAPER MAN CARL WERNICKE ON
THIS EDITION OF CONVERSATIONS.
>> BY ITS NATURE, JOURNALISM
TENDS TO BE A TRANSIENT
BUSINESS.
REPORTERS CHASING THE NEXT STORY
OR THE NEXT BIG JOB.
NOT MANY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BECOME A MAJOR MEDIA FORCE IN
THEIR OWN HOMETOWN.
BUT CARL WERNICKE DID.
IN A RECENT COLUMN PENSACOLA
NEWS JOURNAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR
RICHARD SCHNEIDER SAID CARL HAS
BECOME THE FACE OF THE
NEWSPAPER.
INDEED HE HAD.
FOR 33 YEARS CARL HAD A PRESENCE
AT HISOMETOWN NEWSPAPER.
THE LAST 15 HE SERVED AS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR FOR THE
PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL.
IT'S NO SECRET THE MEDIA
LANDSCAPE IS RAPIDLY CHANGING.
THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS, WELL, IT
MAYBE THE MOST DRAMATICALLY
AFFECTED.
WITH THAT IN MIND, CARL HAS SAID
GOODBYE AND TAKEN AN EARLY
RETIREMENT WE AMONG OTHER THINGS
ALLOWS HIM TIME TO SPEND SOME
QUALITY TIME WITH US.
ON THIS EDITION OF
CONVERSATIONS.
WELCOME, CARL.
>> THANKS.
GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> HOW IS RETIREMENT SO FAR?
>> ALL THREE OR FOUR DAYS HAS
BEEN VERY BUSY.
>> VERY BUSY.
TAKE ME BACK.
WHERE DID THE INTEREST IN
JOURNALISM BEGIN?
>> FUNNY I THINK I WAS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND I
WANTED TO STAY FOR A SUMMER
SEMESTER BUT I THOUGHT I OUGHT
TO JUSTIFY BEING THERE, I DIDN'T
TAKE A FULL LOAD.
MY PARENTS WERE SACRIFICING TO
PUT ME THROUGH SCHOOL.
SO I THOUGHT ABOUT THE -- I
THOUGHT WELL, THE STUDENT
NEWSPAPER, I HAD WRITTEN A
LETTER TO THE EDITOR AND THEY
HAD PRINTED IT AND I GOT A
THRILL OUT OF THAT.
AND I REALLY HAD NEVER THOUGHT
ABOUT WRITING OR NEWSPAPER
JOURNALS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I WENT AND STARTED WORKING
ON THE FLORIDA ALLIGATOR AS A
VOLUNTEER AT FIRST.
I REALLY LIKED IT.
I SEEMED TO HAVE AN AFFINITY FOR
IT.
THAT BECAME IT, I DECIDED,
THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO, I'LL GO TO
JOURNALISM SCHOOLCH IT WAS THAT
SIMPLE AND EASY.
>> WHAT WAS THE FIRST
PROFESSIONAL JOB OUTSIDE OF
COLLEGE?
>> MOBILE PRESS REGISTER.
AS SOON AS I GRADUATAT I APPLIED
AT THAT TIME NEWS JOURNAL, THEY
DIDN'T HAVE OPENING AT THE TIME,
THEY WERE FRIENDLY BUT DIDN'T
HAVE ANYTHING SO I WENT OVER TO
MOBILE AND WORKED THERE FOR
THREE YEARS BEFORE I CAME BACK
TO PENSACOLA.
SHOW HOW DATED MY TENURE IS, I
WENT TO WORK FOR THE AFTERNOON
PENSACOLA NEWS.
I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE IT'S TRUE,
I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL I WENT TO
A APPLY AT THE NEWS JOURNAL THAT
THEY WERE REALLY SEPARATE --
CONSIDERED SEPARATE NEWSPAPERS.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP WE GOT A
MORNING PAPER AND AFTERNOON
PAPER.
I JUST ASSUMED A SUBSCRIPTION
MEANT YOU GOT A PAPER IN THE
MORNING AND THE AFTERNOON.
SO THEN I FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT
TO WORK FOR THE AFTERNOON NEWS
THAT IT WAS A SEPARATE PAPER, A
SEPARATE STAFF.
>> FOR THOSE WHO DON'T REMEMBER,
WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE CHANGES
JUST TO HAVE ONE PAPER IN THE
CITY?
>> WELL, IT'S -- NEWSPAPERS HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED BY CHANGE FOR A
LONG, LONG TIME.
AND GENERALLY SPEAKING WHAT YOU
STARTED TO SEE WAS A DECLINE IN
AFTERNOON CIRCULATION.
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WANTED
THEIR PAPER IN THE MORNING AND
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT IT
WAS.
I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY STARTING
THE RISE IN MORE TV NEWS, MAYBE
CABLE STARTING TO START UP.
BUT YOU HAD A STEADY DECLINE OF
SUBSCRIPTIONSCH PEOPLE WEREN'T
READING IN THE AFTERNOONS SO I
THINK IT WAS 1986 WE MERGED AND
JUST BECAME THE NEWS JOURNAL.
BEFORE THAT IT WAS THE NEWS IN
THE AFTERNOON AND THE JOURNAL IN
THE MORNING AND THE NEWS JOURNAL
ON SUNDAY.
>> AS YOU REFLECT BACK ON YOUR
CAREER, AND I'M NOT TALKING
ABOUT FROM A TECHNOLOGY
STANDPOINT, THOUGH I DO WANT TO
GET THERE IN A COUPLE OF
MINUTES, WHAT HAS CHANGED THE
MOST IN THE WAY NEWS IS COVERED?
>> JUST THE IMMEDIACY OF IT.
WHEN I STARTED OUT, LITERALLY
SPEAKING PEOPLE GENERALLY -- YOU
KNOW WHEN I WAS A KID HERE IN
PENSACOLA WE HAD THREE TV
STATIONS, ABC, CBS AND NBC AND
THEY TENDED TO COVER THE SAME
STORIES.
LOCALLY YOU KIN GET -- DIDN'T
GET MUCH, WCOA HAD AN ACTIVE
NEWS TEAM AT THE TIME.
>> JOHN PRIEST.
>> YEAH.
BUT YOU PRETTY MUCH WAITED TO
SEE IT.
TV IT WAS A NEW THING FOR TV TO
DO THINGS LIVE.
I HAD TO BE SOMETHING MAJOR LIKE
ASSASSINATION OF THE PRESIDENT,
THE CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS.
THAT THING, OTHER THAN THAT YOU
WAITED UNTIL THE 5:30 OR
6 O'CLOCK NEWS OR WAITED FOR THE
PAPER IN THE MORNING.
AND NOW I MEAN EVEN THE
NEWSPAPER, SOMETHING IS
HAPPENING NOW IT'S GOING TO BE
UP ON OUR WEBSITE AS SOON AS WE
CAN GET A PRELIMINARY STORY
DONE.
SO IT'S JUST THE IMMEDIACY OF
THINGS NOW.
IN PARTICULARLY IN NEWSPAPERS,
IF THERE'S A FIRE DOWNTOWN TODAY
THIS AFTERNOON, PEOPLE AREN'T
GOING TO BE SURPRISED TO PICK UP
THEIR PAPER IN THE MORNING AND
SEE THE HEADLINES THERE WAS A
FIRE DOWNTOWN, THEY ALREADY KNOW
ABOUT IT, THEY HEARD IT ON THE
RADIO, ON THE LINE, THEY HAVE
SEEN IT ON TV, GOTTEN IT ON
THEIR PHONE.
SO WE HAVE TO DO A WHOLE
DIFFERENT SORT OF ANGLE FOR THE
MORNING PAPER BECAUSE MOST OF
THE PEOPLE WHO GET THAT PAPER
ALREADY KNOW ABO THE STORY.
>> WHAT IS THAT DIFFERENT ANGLE
YOU HAVE TO APPROACH?
IT
>> YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING AT --
GOING MORE AS TO WHAT ARE THEY
DOING TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE.
YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING AT WHAT'S
THE IMPACT ON BUSINESSES AROUND
IT.
THAT SORT OF THING.
JUST THE DIFFERENT ANGLE, OTHER
THAN IF OUR HEADLINE IN THE
MORNING SAYS HOTEL SAN CARLOS
BURNS DOWN, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
GO, I ALREADY KNEW THAT.
>> DO YOU THINK QUALITY HAS BEEN
SACRIFICED FOR IMMEDIACY?
>> WELL, THAT'S A HARD QUESTION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD
JOURNALISTS WHETHER THE NEWS
JOURNAL OR TV STATIONS OR RADIO
STATIONS.
BUT IT DOES BECOME DIFFICULT TO
SPREAD YOURSELF THINNER AND
THINNER AND DO THINGS.
SOMETIMES THE ANSWER IS YOU GIVE
UP CERTAIN THINGS.
THE NEWSPAPER DOESN'T COVER AS
MUCH AS IT USED TO COVER.
THAT ALLOWS YOU TO FOCUS
RESOURCES YOU HAVE ON TO THE
THINGS YOU'RE COVERING.
I THINK NEWS JOURNAL HAS DONE A
REMARKABLY GOOD JOB WITH SMALLER
STAFF THAN IN THE PAST BUT
THERE'S NO ARGUMENT THE BREADTH
OF THE COVERAGE ISN'T AS WIDE AS
IT USED TO BE.
>> SPEAKING OF TECHNOLOGY, NOW,
HOW IS THAT AFFECTED THE
INDUSTRY FROM WHERE -- I KNOW
HOW IT'S AFFECTED ME AS READER
AND VIEWER BUT HOW HAS IT
AFFECTED FROM WHERE YOU SIT AS A
JURY
JOURNALIST?
>> NOT MANY YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T
USE INTERNET OR EMAIL, TODAY I
DON'T SEE HOW YOU COULD DO YOUR
JOB WITHOUT IT.
IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO THINK.
IT'S JUST THE SPEED AND REALLY
IMPROVED THE DEPTH.
WE'RE ABLE TO RESEARCH SO MUCH
EASILY.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE THE
NEWS JOURNAL WE HAD A LIBRARIAN,
PROBABLY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE IN
THERE AND IF I WANTED TO SEE
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED FIVE
YEARS AGO I GO TO LIBRARY,
DIDN'T THEY HAVE A FIRE AT THE
SAN CARLOS FIVE YEARS AGO?
NOW, ON MY COMPUTER I CAN ACCESS
OUR ELECTRONIC ARCHIVES WITHIN
MINUTES AND HAVE THAT MYSELF BE
ABLE TO READ IT, I CAN CUT AND
PASTE IF I WANT TO GET
DOCUMENTARY INFORMATION AND PUT
IN THE STORY, WHATEVER.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPROVED NOT JUST
SPEED BUT DEPTH OF WHAT YOU'RE
ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF RESEARCH
AND THAT SORT OF THING N. THAT
RESPECT, IT'S BECOME VERY
CRITICAL TOOL, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND WITH THE THE GROWING
PRESSURE FOR SPEED AND FEWER
PEOPLE, IT MULTIPLIED YOUR
ABILITY TO DO RESEARCH.
>> LEVERAGE.
WHAT ABOUT AS FAR AS THE NEWS
JOURNAL PUSHING PRODUCT OUT O,
HOW HAS THE INTERNET AFFECTED
THAT?
>> OBVIOUS WE HAVE OUR
WEBSITE, WE HAVE -- WE'RE GOING
TO -- WE SHOULDN'T VARIOUS APPS
FOR THE DIFFERENT PHONE, FOR
IPADS, IT'SES ALSO HELPED
DEFINE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT PRINT PRODUCTS
NOW.
THERE WILL BE THE BELLA MAGAZINE
T PELICANS, TT SORT OF THING.
SO YOU REALLY ARE ABLE TO HIT A
WIDER AUDIENCE BUT YOU HIT IT
WITH FEWER OR WITH MORE
PLATFORMS INSTEAD OF EVERYBODY
LOOKING AT THE NEWSPAPER BUT YOU
HAVE THE NEWSPAPER.
YOU'LL HAVE THE WEBSITE, YOU
HAVE BELLA, THE HOME AND GARDEN.
SO WE HIT A WIDER READERSHIP
THAN WE USED TO HIT BUT WE DON'T
DO IT ALL WITH THE SAME PRODUCT.
WAS THERE A PINT THE WEBSITE
BECAME WHEN YOU GUYS SAID THIS
IS IT, THIS IS POWERFUL, WAS
THERE ANY POINT IN RECENT YEARS?
I'M THINKING OF SOMETHING.
TELL ME, I WANT TO SEE --
>> DURING HURRICANE IVAN WE WERE
WORKING AWAY.
WE MANAGED TO KEEP A PHONE LINE
OUT AND WE WERE THROWING STUFF
IN THE EITHER.
WE HAD NO IDEA IF ANYBODY WAS
SEEING IT OR NOT.
AND WE WERE FEEDING OTHER
NEWSPAPERS BUT ALSO DOING OUR
WEBSITE, WE WEREN'T EVEN ABLE TO
SEE IT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
SO WE ANNOUNCED VIA
ELECTRONICALLY WE PUT IT
THROUGHOUT WHEN WE FINALLY GOT
THE FIRST NEWS JOURNALS PRINTED
AND THEY WERE GOING TO BE -- WE
WERE GOING TO BE HANDING THEM
OUT BASICALLY IN THE FRONT OF
THE NEWS ROOM, WE DIDN'T KNOW --
WE WERE AMAZED HOW MANY PEOPLE
SHOWED UP.
YOU SAY HOW DID YOU KNOW WE WERE
DOING THIS?
THEY HAD SEEN IT ONLINE.
THAT'S WHAT WOKE US UP.
THEN THE FLOOD OF EMAIL AFTER
THAT, WE WERE PUTTING UP
PICTURES AN WENT CRAZY PUTTING
UP PICTURES ON LINE, PICTURES
PICTURES.
RANDY HAMMER OUR EDITOR CAME ONE
THE IDEA, I THINK IT WAS RANDY,
LET'S FLY OVER PLACES LIKE THE
BEACH AND DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOODS, TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS
AND POST THEM SO PEOPLE CAN SEE.
AFTER THAT WE HAD THOUSANDS OF
EMAILS FROM PEOPLE SAYING THAT'S
A LIFESAVER TO THEMSELVE AND
THEMSELVED THEM SO MUCH THEY
WERE ABLE TO WATCH IT.
WE WERE IMPRESS BY THAT.
THAT TOLD US THE ELECTRONIC
AUDIENCE WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT.
A LITTLE PERSONAL HERE, I WAS IN
HOUSTON MY FAMILY AND I WERE IN
HOUSTON WHEN THAT HAPPENED AND
THAT WAS OUR SOURCE WAS THE
PNJ.COM AND TO ME THAT WAS A
TURNING POINT IN THE NEWSPAPER
BUSINESS FOR WHATEVER REASON.
>> FOR THAT COVERAGE NEWS
JOURNAL WAS FINALIST FOR THE
PULISTER, I STILL THINK WE
SHOULD HAVE WON IT.
WE LOST OUT TO THE LOS ANGELES
TIMES OR CHICAGO TRIBUTE,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> THAT WAS GREAT COVERAGE AND
TREMENDOUS PHOTOGRAPHY AND
STUFF.
I THINK WHAT MADE OUR FAMILY
REALIZE THIS JUST HOW BAD IVAN
WAS WAS THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE
THREE MILE BRIDGE.
THAT WAS POWERFUL.
>> THAT WAS AN ICONIC
PHOTOGRAPH, IT REALLY PLAYED
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
PEOPLE LOOKED AT THAT AND THEY
UNDERSTOOD WHEN YOU SAW THAT
BRIDGE CHOPPED UP AND THAT TRUCK
HANGING OFF.
WE WERE IMPRESSED BY THAT.
WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE GOING OH,
MY GOODNESS.
>> OVER THE YEARS WHAT STORY OR
STORIES HAVE MOST INFLUENCED
YOU?
>> INFLUENCED ME?
MADE A DIFFERENCE, CHANGE THE
WAY YOU THOUGHT OF THING?
>> I THINK PROBABLY FOR ME IT
WOULD BE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
COVERAGE.
I THINK YOU GO BACK THE NEWS
JOURNAL PYRE NEARED THAT IN THE
LATE 1960s, BILL GORDON WAS A
REPORTER THEN BUT SOME OTHER
PEOPLE, HOPE I NOT SLIGHTING
ANYBODY, STARTED COVERING THE
CONDITION OF OUR BAYS.
I THINK OVER THE YEARS NEWS
JOURNAL DISTINGUISHES ITSELF IN
A LOT OF WAYS I THINK WITH
POLITICAL CORRUPTION, I THINK
THE STORIES WE DID WHEN FOUR
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ENDED UP, I
DON'T KNOW IF THEY END IN JAIL
BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY
COMMISSION, WE LOST FOUR OF FIVE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THAT KIND OF COVERAGE, I THINK
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COVERAGE, I
REALLY THINK IT DID A LOT TO
OPEN THE EYES ABOUT TWO VERY
IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE
COMMUNITY.
OBVIOUSLY POLITICS, LOCAL
OFFICIALS, AND ALSO THE STATE OF
THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO I THISTY NEWS JOURNAL SHOWED
TENACITY OVER THE YEARS IN
COVERING THAT SORT OF THING.
PARTICULARLY I THINK COUNTY
COMMISSION SCANDALS AND ENDED UP
WITH WD CHILD RKRS GOING TO JAIL
WHO WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT
POLITICAL FIGURE IN THE PROCESS
ACROSS THE STATE.
>> OF THE POLITICAL PERSONAL IS
-- PERSONALITIES OVER THE YEARS
WHO WAS THE MOST FAS NAITS
SOMETHING
>> I THINK W.D..
HE WAS A REALLY INTERESTING MAN
THE TALK TO.
HE LOVED TO GIVE THE FOLKS HE --
FOLKSY SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO
PUT THE HAY DOWN WHERE THE GOATS
GET TO IT, THAT KIND OF THING.
EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT MAN, VERY
ENGAGING AND OVER THE YEARS, I
MEAN EDITORIALLY AN NEWS WISE,
WE -- WE COVERED HIM AND WROTE
GOOD THINGS ABOUT HIM AND WE PUT
A LOT OF CRITICISM, EDITORIALLY
WE SAID GOOD THINGS ABOUT HIM
AND CRITICIZED HIM.
W.D. NEVER TOOK ANY OF THAT
PERSONALLY.
EXTREMELY PROFESSIONAL.
W.D. WOULD ALWAYS TALK TO US.
YOU COULD SAY SOME HARSH THINGS
ABOUT HIM AND HE'D TALK TO YOU
THE NEXT DAY AND NOT ACT LIKE HE
WAS UPSET AT ALL.
SO HE WAS A VERY INTERESTING MAN
IN THAT RESPECT.
HE DID SO MUCH FOR THE
COMMUNITY, AND HE DIDN'T ALWAYS
TAKE CREDIT FOR IT EITHER.
I REMEMBER ONCE I WAS TALKING TO
HIM, HE WOULD JUST CALL AND SAY
WHAT'S GOING ON AND WE'D SIT AND
TALK.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME
THINGS, I REMEMBER AT THE TIME
UWF WAS EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION,
THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD IDENTIFIED
ONE OF DELUNA'S SHIPS IN THE
BAY.
THEY NEEDED HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS TO GET IT GOING.
BUT THEY COULDN'T GET IT.
ONE DAY I WAS TALKING TO WD AND
HE SAID WELL, WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE?
I SAID WD, I SAID LOOK, THEY
THINK THEY FOUND ONE OF THE
SHIPS FROM THE ORIGINAL
EXPEDITION TO SETTLE PENSACOLA.
IT'S SUNK OUT IN THE BAY,
UNIVERSITY WANTS TO DIG, THEY
NEED $100,000.
I SAID -- HE SAID ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
IT ENDED UP IN THE BUDGET
BECAUSE W.D. CHILDERS TOOK AN
INTEREST IN IT AND STARTED THAT.
IT WAS LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT
THAT WOULD CATCH HIM AND HE
NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
HE NEVER TOOK CREDIT FOR IT OR
WENT OUT THERE PUBLICLY.
IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT HE
RECOGNIZED AS SIGNIFICANT AND
BECOME VERY SIGNIFICANT SINCE
THEN.
AND JUST TOOK CARE OF IT.
SO HE WAS AN INCREDIBLY
INTERESTING MAN.
HAD A HUGE EGO ALSO.
HE'D GO TO TALLAHASSEE AND HEAD
HE'D BE THERE IN THE OFFICE WITH
BOOTS ON THE DESK, THAT I HAVE
KIND OF THING.
HE DID LET HIS EGO RUN AWAY WITH
HIM IN TALLAHASSEE.
BUT VERY SMART MAN.
W.D. WENT DOWN -- EVER READ
ROBERT CARROW'S BOOKS AN LBJ, HE
WASN'T MUCH IN THE SENATE UNTIL
HE FIGURED HOW CHAOTIC IT WAS
AND HE FIGURED HOW THE SENATE
BUDGET WORKS HE MADE HIMSELF A
MASTER OF THE SOME OF THE MOST
BORING TECHNICAL DETAILS.
AND IN A FEW YEARS LBJ WAS A
REAL POWER BECAUSE EVERYBODY
WOULD GO TO HIM TO GET WHATEVER
THEY NEEDED OUT OF THE SENATE.
WELL, W.D. WENT DOWN TO
TALLAHASSEE, THIS GUY LOT OF
PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS A CRACKER,
RAN HIS LITTLE RETAIL STORE AND
SOLD HUE LA HOOPS AND BUY
SICKLES, WHATEVER IT IS.
HE WENT DOWN THERE AND LEARNED
THE STATE BUDGET.
HE LEARNED HOW IT WORKED.
SO WD CHILDERS BECAME THE GUY IN
TALLAHASSEE THAT YOU WENT TO IF
YOU HAD A PROJECT AND YOU WANTED
TO FIGURE HOW TO GET IN THERE
BECAUSE W.D. KNEW -- HE KNEW
WHAT YOU WANTED AND HE KNEW WHAT
I WANTED AND HE KNEW WHAT THE
GUY DOWN THE HALL WANTED.
SO IF YOU WANTED SOMETHING
BASICALLY HE'D SAY OKAY O I'LL
HELP YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT BUT
YOU'RE GOING TO HELP CARL GET
WHAT HE WANTS AND YOU TWO WILL
HELP HIM GET WHAT HE WANTS AND
OUT OF THAT W.D. GOT WHAT HE
WANTED.
SO HE BECAME THE GUY.
HE UNDERSTOOD THE RULES.
HE COULD GET SOMETHING IN AT THE
LAST MINUTE AND THERE WOULD BE
NO FINGER PRINTS OR WHATEVER.
SO MASTERING THOSE DETAILS IS
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT MADE
W.D. SUCH A STATEWIDE POWER.
>> AS YOU WATCHED OVER THE YEARS
THE VARIOUS POLITICAL
PERSONALITIES, WHAT'S CHANGED?
GENERALLY BIG THING WAS THEY
TALK ABOUT THE OLD PORK CHOP
GANG.
FOR A WHY WOULD NORTHWEST
FLORIDA DOMINATED FLORIDA
POLITICS, GUYS LIKE HIM THROUGH
THEIR SENIOR FI AND THEY KNEW
THE RULES.
THAT CHANGED.
REAPPORTIONMENT CHANGED AND THEY
CHANGED THE RULES AN KNOT WS
FLORIDA LOST IT ITS POWER.
SO WHAT YOU NEED IS YOU ONLY
GAIN IT BACK WHEN SOMEONE REALLY
EXTRAORDINARY COMES ALONG WHO
JUST IS HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE
OTHER PEOPLE.
BOW JOHNSON, BEFORE HE WEPT TO
JAIL, KIND OF FIGURED SOME OF
THAT OUT AND ROSE UP.
I THINK SOMEONE WHO HAS COME
ALONG NOW, DON GAETZ.
YOU SIT DOWN WITH DON GAETZ FOR
FIVE MINUTES AND REALIZE WHAT AN
IMPRESSIVE INTELLECT HE IS,
PERSONALITY, SO HERE IS DON FROM
LITTLE OKALOOSA COUNTY, ONE OFñ?ñ?ER COUNTIES IN FLORIDA,
GOING TO PROBABLY BE THE NEXT
SENATE PRESIDENT.
AND HE GETS THINGS DONE.
BUT THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES, IS AN
EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUAL TO COME
ALONG.
OF COURSE, IN THAT SORT OF HELP
REALM, THE PANHANDLE POLITICIANS
USED TO DO IT THROUGH SENIORITY,
THAT CHANGED WITH TERM LIMITS.
SO THERE ISN'T A W.D. CHILDERS
THERE FOR 30 YEARS AND KNOWS
EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF THE
CAPITOL.
SO IT TAKES SOMEONE LIKE A DON
GAETZ TO COME ALONGING, AN
EXTRAORDINARY POLITICIAN AND
INDIVIDUAL AND VERY QUICKLY
FIGURE THINGS OUT AND GRAB THE
REIGNS AND LEAD.
THAT'S WHAT THEY SEE IN SOMEBODY
LIKE THAT.
>> SWITCHING GEARS TO YOUR JOB
THE LAST 15 YEARS, DESCRIBE IT.
>> WELL, I HAD TO TRY AND SORT
OF KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING.
THAT WAS VERY STRESSFUL.
SO I REALLY DEPENDED UPON OUR
REPORTERS BECAUSE I HAD TO KNOW
ENOUGH TO WRITE INTELLIGENTLY
ABOUT SCHOOL BOARD, THE ECUA,
THE CITY OF MILTON, SOME SANTA
ROSA COUNTY ISSUES.
SOME FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE ISSUE.
EVEN NATIONAL ISSUES AT TIMES.
SO MY JOB WAS TO ABSORB
CONSTANTLY, I HAD TO BE ABLE TO
ABSORB KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION
AND KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT, KNOW
THE PEOPLE TO TALK TO.
ONE THING LONGEVITY DOES FOR YOU
AND SENIORITY DOES, PEOPLE KNOW
YOU.
SO POLITICSES, THEY KNOW ME SO I
CAN CALL THEM AND THEY COULD
ANSWER MY PHONE SO I CAN GET TO
PEOPLE THAT A YOUNGER REPORTER
COULDN'T GET TO BECAUSE THEY
KNEW ME OVER THE YEARS AND I HAD
DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH
THEM.
>> AND TRUST.
>> AND TRUST, I WAS GOING TO
SAY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS IN JOURNALISM IS YOU'VE
GOT TO KNOW WHEN NOT TO TALK
ABOUT OR NOT REPORT WHAT SOMEONE
TELLS YOU BECAUSE THEY -- TELL
YOU THINGS IN CONFIDENCE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE DOWN SIDES
AND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH
THE OFF THE RECORD STUFF.
I FOUND OUT YEARS INTO MY
CAREER, MOVERS AN SHAKERS AROUND
TOWN, POLITICIANS, WHOEVER, THEY
TELL A LOT TO PUBLISHERS AN
EXECUTIVE EDITORS THAT THE
WOULDN'T TELL TO A REPORTER.
IF YOU TOLD TO A REPORTER IT
MIGHT END UP IN THE PAPER.
EDITOR AND PUBLISHs HAD A
DIFFERENT JOB.
SO THEY KNEW A LOT THAT THEY
COULDN'T GET IN.
NOW, GOOD EDITORS OR GOOD
PUBLISHER WOULD FIGURE WHEN THEY
HER INFORMATION THEY FIGURE HOW
TO FILTER THAT DOWN AND SO THAT
YOU COULD GO FIND IT BUT IT WAS
VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WHEN I
TOLD SOMEONE THAT THIS WAS OFF
THE RECORD IT WAS OFF THE
RECORD.
A LOT OF TIMES I DIDN'T TELL MY
BOSSES STUFF PEOPLE TOLD ME
BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED ME.
AND IF SOMEONE TOLD YOU
SOMETHING IN CONFIDENCE AND IT
GOT IN THE PAPER, THEY WERE
BURNED AND SO WERE YOU BURNED.
YOUR TRUST WAS BROKEN AND THEY
FELT LIKE YOU LIED TO THEM.
SO THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT
THING.
LEARNING HOW TO USE INFORMATION.
VERY OFTEN I WOULD TELL PEOPLE
OKAY, YOU'RE TELLING ME
SOMETHING OFF THE RECORD.
ONCE YOU TELL ME KNOW, I KNOW IT
AND IF I CAN FIGURE OUT SOME
OTHER WAY TO GET TO IT, THEN I
MAY DO THAT.
THEY WERE GOOD WITH THAT. SO
YOU DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS
WITH PEOPLE.
SO MY JOB WAS TO ABSORB
INFORMATION AND USE IT EITHER
NEWS WISE TO GIVE TIPS BECAUSE I
WAS ALWAYS TALKING TO PEOPLE AND
PEOPLE TELL ME THINGS THEY
WOULDN'T TELL REPORTERS.
SO I HAD TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT COULD I THEN PASS ON.
PEOPLE WOULD USE ME TOO.
THEY CALL AND TELL ME SOMETHING
KNOWING THAT I WAS GOING TO PASS
IT ON.
IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING JOB
BECAUSE YOU WERE AT THE HEART OF
THINGS AND YOU DID KNOW A LOT.
PEOPLE IN JOURNALISM, EVERYBODY
LIKES TO KNOW THINGS.
SO YOU LIKE TO KNOW THINGS AND
YOU LIKE TO KNOW THINGS FIRST.
BUT IT WAS ALL ABOUT HOW YOU USE
THAT INFORMATION AND HOW YOU
DEVELOPED IT AND THE
RELATIONSHIPS YOU HAD WITH
PEOPLE.
AND IN MY IDEA, WE WERE ALWAYS
TRYING TO DO BEST FOR THE
COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE MIGHT DISAGREE WITH THAT,
MIGHT DISAGREE WITH ME OR THE
NEWSPAPER OVER WHAT OUR OPINION
OF WHAT WAS BEST.
BUT I ALWAYS FELT LIKE WE WERE
WORKING FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE FOR
WHAT WAS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
>> WHAT ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE -- YOU
WERE THE ONE THAT MADE THE
DECISION ON WHICH LETTERS WENT
IN TO THE EDITOR.
HOW DID YOU MAKE THAT DECISION?
WHAT WAS IT BASED ?ON
>> OUR GOAL WAS THAT WE WERE
GOING TO RUN EVERY LETTER.
AND THROUGHOUT MY TENURE THERE,
I KNOW WE RAN WELL OVER 90% OF
THE LERS WE GOT, SOME YEARS IT
WAS RUNNING 95%.
WE GAVE GREAT LEEWAY IN -- AND
EVEN THAT WAS A BATTLE.
I TOOK CRITICISM WITHIN THE
PAPER AND FROM OUTSIDE THE PAPER
WITH HOW MUCH WE WOULD ALLOW IN.
THE LONGER I WAS IN THE JOB THE
MORE I WAS WILLING TO LET PEOPLE
SAY WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
A LOT OF NEWSPAPERS HAVE THESE
NICE LETTERS PAGE YOU NEVER SEE
ANYTHING BUT THESE INTELLIGENT
WELL-REASONED LETTERS.
AND I FINALLY REALIZED THAT WAS
SORT OF BOUNDERRIZING OPINION IN
YOUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT
THERE WHO SAY CRAZY THINGS,
THEY'RE WHAT CI PEOPLE OUT
THERE, PEOPLE WHO ARE
OUTRAGEOUS, PEOPLE WHO ARE
UNREASONABLE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY GO
AGAINST THE GENERAL GRAIN OF
THINGS.
AND IF YOU EXCLUDE THOSE PEOPLE
BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS OR IT'S TOO
COUNTER CULTURE, WHATEVER, I
THINK YOU ROB PEOPLE OF SEEING
WHAT PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY
REALLY THINK.
SO WE JUST WORKED HARD TO SORT
OF TRY AND PREVENT ANYTHING
FACTUALLY INCORRECT FROM GETTING
IN.
OBVIOUSLY RACIST STUFF, PERSONAL
INSULTS, WE GO THROUGH PERIODS
WHEN THERE WERE HOT ISSUES IN
TOWN THE MAJORITY OF LETTERS I
WOULD SEND BACK TO PEOPLE
BECAUSE I FELT THEY WERE TOO
HARSH, TOO INSULTING.
I SAY TAKE OUT PERSONAL INSUTS.
PEOPLE WANTED TO PERSONALLY
INSULT OTHERS AN IT GETS NASTIER
AN BACK AND FORTH AND YOU HAVE
TO KEEP THAT OUT.
BUT WE HAD A LIMITED STAFF.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE WAS
INFORMATION GOT INTO THE LETTERS
THAT SIMPLY WAS NOT CORRECT.
I'M NOT TALKING OPINION WISE, WE
CAN DISAGREE OVER CERTAIN
THINGS.
MY GOAL WAS TO LET PEOPLE
EXPRESS THEIR OPINION AS LONG AS
IT WASN'T BASED ON A OBVIOUSLY
FACTUALLY INCORRECT INFORMATION.
THEN THERE WAS WHICH I ENJOYED
OVER THE YEARS, THERE WAS A
SELF-CORRECTING THING.
SOMEBODY WRITE SOMETHING AND IT
GETS PATS ME AND IT TURNS OUT
INCORRECT YOU CAN COUNT ON
SOMEONE ELSE WRITING IN AND
SAYING HERE IS WHAT SO AND SO
SAID, IF YOU LOOK HERE AND HERE,
SO I WOULD SEEK TO GET PEOPLE TO
DOCUMENT WHAT THEY WERE THINKING
BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE IF THEY
-- WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?
IF IT WAS A REASONABLE SOURCE.
PEOPLE TO SAY LOOK, FOX NEWS
SAID OKAY, FOX NEWS SAID IT
WE'LL RUN IT.
NEW YORK TIMES SAID IT WAS A
FACTUAL THING, OKAY, YOU HAVE
SOURCED IT AND WE'LL RUN IT.
BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY
TIMES PEOPLE COME, WELL I HEARD
IT ON THE RADIO OR SEND
SOMETHING OFF THE INTERNET THAT
WAS CLEARLY ONE OF THESE PIECES
OF PROPAGANDA.
SO LEERS EDITOR, I TRY TO LET
IT RUN AS FREE AS POSSIBLE.
LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THAT
AND I WOULD CONSTANTLY YOU WON'T
LET ME BECAUSE YOU DON'T AGREE
WITH ME WHATEVER BUT IT WASN'T
ABOUT THAT.
I THINK ANYBODY WHO READ THE
LETTERS COULD SEE THE WIDE RANGE
OF OPINION THAT OFTEN WAS
TOTALLY OPPOSED TO MAYBE -- WHAT
OUR EDITORIALS MIGHT SAY OR ONE
OF MY COLUMNS MIGHT SAY SO IT
WASN'T ABOUT WHAT I THOUGHT OR
WHAT WE THOUGHT.
JUST TRYING TO ENSURE --
WHATEVER WAS SAID WAS AT LEAST
DEFENSIBLE AND RATIONAL.
>> CAPTURING THE FLAVOR OF THE
COMMUNITY.
IN TWO AND A HALF MINUTES WHAT'S
THE FUTURE IN YOUR JUDGMENT?
OF JOURNALISM?
PARTICULARLY IN NEWSPAPERS.
>> I'M HOPING IT'S FINDING FOR
LACK OF BETTER WORD, MONETIZE
THE ONLINE.
THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH NEWSPAPERS
FACING TODAY, THRAS TIME I SAW
THE STATISTICS IT WAS SOMETHING
LIKE FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE LOSE IN
PRINT ADVERTISING WE WOULD GET
BACK LIKE 15-CENTS ONLINE.
WELL THAT'S NOT A SUSTAINABLE
MODEL.
THE MAJORITY OF THE REVENUE IS
STILL ON THE PRINT SIDE FOR
NEWSPAPERS.
SO YOU HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO
MAKE IT PAY.
WHAT YOU PAY FOR YOUR
SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE PRINT
NEWSPAPER DOESN'T COVER THE COST
OF THE INK, THE NEWSPRINT,
PRIING IT, WHICH A LOT OF
ELECTRICITY, AND THEN DELIVERING
IT TO YOUR HOUSE.
BASICALLY THAT'S A LOST LEADER.
IT GAVE US SOME REVENUE BUT THEN
IT BOUGHT YOUR EYES SO THAT WE
CAN SELL YOU ADVERTISING, THAT'S
WHERE IT WAS.
WELL, IF WE COULD GET THAT SAME
AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THE THE
ONLINE SIDE, THAT'S A
SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF REVENUE
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T COST THAT
MUCH TO PUT IT OUT ONLINE.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE
ADVERTISING SIDE ONLINE IS STILL
-- IT'S STILL INFLUX, PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW THOUSAND MAKE IT WORK
LOCALLY.
NEW YORK TIMES SEEMS TO BE
MAKING IT WORK BUT LOCALLY IT'S
TOUGH SO THE NEWS JOURNAL IS
GOING TO LIKE ALL INTERNET
PAPERS TO A SUBSCRIPTION FOR
ONLINE THAT WILL HAPPEN SOMETIME
THIS YEAR.
AND IT NEEDS TO SEE HOW THAT
WORKS.
IF IT WORKS WELL, THEN THAT'S
GOING TO PROVIDE THE REVENUE FOR
STRONG REPORTING STAFF.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A VERY STRONG
NEWS PRODUCT ONLINE AS LONG AS
THEY HAVE THE REVENUE FLOW
COMING IN.
BUT SOLVING THAT ADVERTISING
QUESTION, YOU KNOW, ONLINE
ADVERTISING KEEPS GOING UP,
PRINT ADVERTISING KEEPS GOING
DOWN BUT THE PRIN ADVERTISEING
IS GOING DOWN FASTER THAN ONLINE
SCOMMING UP.
>> DILEMMA.
15 SECONDS, RETIREMENT.
IS THIS FOR REEL, ARE YOU GOING
TO DO SOMETHING ELSE?
>> I'M OUT THERE.
I'M LOOKING AROUND, I'LL
PROBABLY END UP DOING SOMETHING.
I THINK I STILL HAVE A FEW MORE
YEARS BEFORE REAL RETIREMENT.
>> CARL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE COULD HAVE GONE ANOTHER HOUR.
I ENJOYED IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> BEST OF LUCK FOR YOUR
COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY OVER
THE YEARS.
CARL WERNICKE JOINING US TODAY.
SPEAKING OF ONLINE STUFF, YOU
CAN FIND SOME OF OUR
CONVERSATIONS ONLINE AT
WSRE.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.
I'M JEFF WEEKS, THANK YOU SO
VERY MUCH FOR WATCHING.
HOPE YOU ENJOY THE BROADCAST.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND WE'LL
SEE YOU SOON.
♪♪
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