Almaden Resident

Columns

It's been quite a ride with the community newspapers

By Moryt Milo

Today you are reading the most difficult column I have ever had to write, because it is my last.

After almost 10 years with the community newspaper family, I am moving on. I have accepted the position of editor for the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal. It's an exciting change, but the decision did not come lightly.

The community newspapers have been my home away from home, my extended family--at times, my own family would argue, even to a fault. But the long hours and countless meetings and events allowed me to connect with so many people, from city officials to business owners to the most important people of all--the local residents. This is the reason I have a pulse on the community. It is the reason why my affection for community journalism has grown so deep, and why, as the years passed, I opened my personal life to the point of transparency in so many of the opinion pieces I wrote.

It has been a great ride and an absolute two-way street. I have opened my heart to all of you, and in return many of you have done the same. Not all the responses have been complimentary, I might add, but that's OK. I had you thinking, and that's my job.

In the media business a reporter is given a gift--a doorway into the lives of more people and places than most can imagine. Some of those experiences allow us to share the joy, others the pain; often it is because the person needs help. Yet no matter what the story, there is a common thread--the placement of confidence in the reporter, a trust that the writer will get out the word. And the word, once on paper, packs a powerful punch. Those words have to be fair. Those words have to be honest, and most importantly, what is written has to be accurate.

We are living in tough times in the media world. All of us acknowledge that the diversity of newspapers is shrinking, which makes it imperative that every story we tell is informative, accurate and betters the lives of those who read it.

I have tried to do that every time I wrote a column, covered the news or wrote a feature. I have worked to instill that in my reporters, and I believe over the years this dedication to the community newspapers has given you the information you wanted.

The other day my son and I were in Campbell driving on Hamilton Avenue when something caught my eye. I looked over at Philip and said, " Hey, what's that over there?"

He responded, "Mom, you are not going to be doing that anymore."

It took a moment for those words to sink in and realize he was talking about coverage of our local communities. "True, but I can pass on the information to the next editor. Or who knows, maybe there is a business angle I can use at my new job?"

He just laughed,

The truth is being a journalist is part of my DNA. It is in every molecule and blood cell in my body, and it makes no difference where I am. There will always be a story, because I am passionate about what newspeople do, and I believe what we do has value.

I know in my heart I will continue to look for stories in Campbell and all the communities that make up the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers group, because there is always one to tell. And you know, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Moryt Milo can be reached at morytmilo@gmail.com.