Newspaper biz thrives on character

World Wide Webb
TPA President's Column
Willis Webb

When I make the statement, “I seem to be drawn to characters,” Julie usually harumphs and says with just a trace of fun and sarcasm, “Gee, I wonder why.”

Many of us in this profession gravitate toward “characters” because it is so natural for news people to be drawn to interesting folks.

One of the principal reasons I look forward to our Texas Press Association meetings and the regional press associations’ conventions is because of all the friends I’ve made in more than five decades in newspaper publishing. And, yes, there certainly are characters and character aplenty at any press gathering.

January’s arrival meant for me not just the beginning of a new year but more opportunities to meet new friends, to visit with old friends and to be of more service to TPA. The seven meetings I will attend between now and July 1 is an extra-added attraction.

In a year as president one gets to attend two TPA meetings, two National Newspaper Association sessions and five Texas regional groups’ conventions. That’s a multitude of characters and tons of character. It makes for many interesting visits and conversations.

One of the reasons this topic of interesting characters is on my mind is a piece I read in a recent Sunday metropolitan newspaper.

The headline got my attention, which is, after all, what they’re supposed to do — “Resolved: Invite more idiots to dinner.”

Now before you get all bent out of shape, the author of that piece — one Stephen Bayley, based in London and author of A Dictionary of Idiocy — had a definition for idiots.

He said the Greek word “idiot” only lately has been used to suggest intellectual impairment. The original meaning was “a person of strong and independent views who was unafraid to air them.”

Have you ever heard a better definition for a newspaper person — “a person of strong and independent views who was unafraid to air them.”

Unfortunately, Webster doesn’t agree with Mr. Bayley. Webster uses the intellectual impairment definition and expands on it. And Webster makes no reference to the Greek origins of the word.

However, I like Bayley’s definition no matter if it is no longer in accepted practice. And, his definition does fit newspaper people and characters and people with character.

In October I wrote about our individual and collective Texas newspaper legacy. One segment said: “…newspapers can leave their mark for morality, ethics and integrity by the way in which we not only report the news and record history but in our commentary.” Bayley’s definition is particularly applicable to newspaper people in that sense.

So, over the next six months I look forward to those seven meetings and to all the “persons of strong and independent views who are unafraid to air them.” That, I hope, is a part of the basic character of every Texas newspaper person. And, if you’re a character to boot, that’s great. Let’s start with the midwinter meeting in Houston about a week after you get this in the mail. I’ll be the guy looking for both old and new friends to talk to.