Anne Karolyi, 53

Managing Editor, Republicanamerican, The Sunday Republican and rep-am.com Waterbury, CT First journalism job: Reporter at The Pottsville Republican, Pottsville, PA What are some of the most important lessons you have learned working in the news industry?

I learned to strive to rise to the standards that should define us: accuracy, ethics, balance and transparency for how we work and whom we cover. It’s important to remember who we are: storytellers, watchdogs and mirrors of our community. We must know how to fight and win for Freedom of Information. Go into the field; stories and better details await in person, not on a phone or a

computer. Knock on the door. Talk to people on the street, at the store and in the park. Report and write for readers, not sources or yourself. Writing in a narrative style, flush with telling detail, holds an essential place in the news; report so you can see, hear, smell and feel the stories you write. I learned to value a good photographer and, more recently, the opportunities for video, audio and social media posts. Listen to your readers, especially the angry ones. Embrace coaching and mentorship; it is our responsibility to guide the next generation. If you are a boss, hold your staff to high standards and expectations, but let them do their jobs and create their path. Find joy in editing; for a good story is a beautiful thing. Encourage creativity. Remember to have fun. What are your predictions for the future of news publishing?

I hope that a new generation embraces what is the best of us, the core values of journalism, and applies them to every venue possible, whether print, online or a format not yet imagined. We’re not there yet. With that, a new generation of advertising staff can disrupt, even discard, every old model and practice and discover fresh ways to sell the value of authentic, active journalism in a community. The rise of nonprofit and grant-funded journalism gives me hope that finally, tough-eyed journalists understand marketing is not necessarily a dirty word and selling the value of your work to the public is essential to our survival. We must engage with our readers, talk to them and build a relationship they will support – “just because we publish” is not a reason anymore. We must set ourselves apart from the plethora of information flooding into people’s lives and market it and prove its worth.

This will define those who succeed. However, if I could predict the future, I’d win the lottery and build a barn home with mountain views.