A Note on the MNA Convention Interviews

The Minnesota Newspaper Association convention interviews, while valuable, are slightly different from what I envisioned for this project.

I spoke not only to journalists, but newspaper owners, artists and even a few ad folks. Although the interviews are shorter than I envisioned (and I was less prepared than I am in other interviews), the opportunity to talk to a whole bunch of journalists from small papers around the state was too good to pass up.

All in all, I think these interviews give us a clearer idea of the actual changes in journalism in the last 60 years, as well as the working lives and backgrounds of small-town journalists.

Annette Krist: Ad Manager at Kanabec County Times

Annette Krist has been in the industry for three decades. She started out as an artist, working at one big table with three other artists and ink and wax. Now she works on a computer at the Kanabec County Times.

When she first started,"ads walked through the door, you hardly had to go out to get them. It was easy, it was like picking up money off the street."

She says she now works harder now than she ever has to serve clients. "People expect more service, they expect more for their money than they ever have before."

This interview was conducted on Jan. 28, 2011.

Audio of the interview is available for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/AnnetteKrist

The full transcript is available here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58720706/Annette-Krist

Michael Vadnie: Journalism Professor at St. Cloud State

Michael Vadnie is a journalism lifer. Since junior high school in North Dakota, he's worked in one area of journalism or another.

From newspaper jobs to his current post at St. Cloud State, this has always been his philosophy: "I always wanted to hold people's feet to the fire and make them accountable. I like people, I care about them and I like telling stories."

This interview was conducted on Jan. 28, 2011.

Audio of the interview is available for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/MichaelVadnie

The full transcript is available here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58752454

Juliana Thill Schacherer: Copy Editor at Litchfield Independent Review

Juliana Thill Schacherer started her journalism career in Red Wing, Minn. She worked her way through a number of media jobs, as well as a few public relations gigs, before landing at the Litchfield Independent Review as a copy editor.

This interview was conducted on Jan. 28, 2011.

This audio is available for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/JulianaThillSchacherer

The full transcript is available here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58752817/Juliana-Thill-Schacherer

Tammy Sakry, Reporter for ABC Newspapers

Tammy Sakry interned at ABC Newspapers in Coon Rapids 1985 as a high school student. She's been in the newspaper business ever since.

She's seen the shift of news from an analog industry to an electronic industry.

This interview was conducted on Jan. 28, 2011.

Audio is available for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/TammySakry

The full transcript is available here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58753159/Tammy-Sakry

Katrina Styx, Reporter for Hastings Star Gazette

When Katrina Styx graduated from college, she didn't know what to do with an English degree.

She was drawn to journalism during the Great Recession, when jobs were scarce, because of its power to inform the community. She works for the Hastings Star Gazette.

This interview was conducted on Jan. 28, 2011.

Audio is available for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/KatrinaStyx

The full transcript is available here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58753342

Rhonda Silence: Editor of Cook County News Herald

Rhonda Silence's first journalism job was covering Lutsen township meetings for the Cook County News Herald as a freelancer.

When the News Herald was bought by a chain, Silence started work as editor for a newly formed local newspaper, the Cook County Star. After a number of years, the Star was able to buy the News Herald.

This interview was conducted on Jan. 28, 2011.

Audio is available for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/RhondaSilence

The full transcript of the interview is available here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58753673