OPINION: Lessons in community journalism taught by Bailey the Wonderdog

February 3rd 2:59 pm | Carey Restino    

Years ago, I wrote a story about a 20-year-old pile of beige fluff named Bailey the Wonderdog. Bailey was a pretty normal dog, other than the fact that he had lived longer than most.

But the story of Bailey and his human companion struck a chord with the community I was covering. At the post office, grocery store and gas pump, people stopped me to say how much they enjoyed the story.

I had written hundreds of stories and none had generated that kind of response. Later, a journalism contest judge from Outside deemed it worthy of a prize, too.

It affirmed something for me - covering rural Alaska is all about connecting with the things that are important to the people of your community. Like pets, children, successes and failures big and small, weddings, graduations, anniversaries.

And in that regard, I'm going to need the help of the Bristol BayTimes and Dutch Harbor Fisherman communities. While I know a lot about newspapers and especially a lot about small-town Alaska newspapers, I have a lot to learn about Southwest Alaska.

The reality of the newspaper business today is that phones and computers have replaced face-to-face meetings all too often.

Because of that, I'm going to be working on the Bristol BayTimes, as well as the Arctic Sounder from Homer. I'm hoping to come visit soon, but for now, we are going to need the community to come out in support of this paper and its new owners.

So here's a little secret about the newspaper business that might encourage you - we do really want to hear from you.

Have a thought you'd like to share but aren't sure if we'd think it was interesting or relevant? Send it this way! We need letters to the editor and opinion pieces in this paper. We know you have opinions. We just want you to share them!

Have a photo of your nephew holding up a great fish? We'd love it! Did your daughter win a prize for her science project? We want to know! Get married? Have a baby? Capture a pretty sunset? Yes! Yes! Yes!

In September, I helped Jason Evans and Kiana Peacock launch their version of the Arctic Sounder. That experience has been incredible — there is so much to learn about the diversity found in Alaska, and so many people are willing to help guide us.

Our inboxes have filled with photos and story submissions, news tips and input. The resulting paper, while it covers a huge area, and is put together each week in Southcentral Alaska, is very much a true community newspaper.

While it's important to cover local politics, crime and business news, that's not the majority of what makes a community newspaper work in my experience.

What many people want to see and read about are the accomplishments, news and thoughts of their friends and neighbors. They want to see the familiar faces of youth at play and community members at work. They want to feel the connection to each other on the pages of their paper.

It's the same bond that we feel when we spend a half-hour talking to people we meet at the post office and get a cramped hand from waving at folks on a trip through town. That's why we live in rural Alaska.

I know a bit about that. I've lived in Alaska for almost 20 years, most of my adult life, though I'm originally from an island at the tip of Nova Scotia, Canada. My family had a subsistence farm, and I've worked hard to create a similar life for my two small children here in Homer. We farm, fish, and forage, and are grateful to be able to live in this unique place.

As far as my journalism experience goes, I cut my teeth as a reporter and editor right here in Alaska and have been writing for some 15 years now. I've had some great mentors who taught me the delicate balance of reporting for small towns.

But the best education I've had on the value of community journalism is from writing your stories, like the one about Bailey the Wonderdog.

I'm looking forward to learning about Southwest Alaska and the many issues facing your region, and I'll do my best each week to bring you stories that are important, interesting and indicative of the community spirit of Alaska.

Thanks for having me.