Not Really a Farewell
Well, what can I say? We are now 51/2 years into this little experiment called TechNews, and I’ve decided to move on. Actually, NAA has kicked me upstairs, to a new position as vice president of technology implementation.
I am moving on with decidedly mixed emotions.
I often think of TechNews as “my baby.” I was there at its launch, way back in 1995, and I am the only editor this publication has ever had.
Much like my 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter, TechNews has not been easy—not by a long shot. I have found it extremely difficult to cover our chosen field of newspaper operations and technology well. Producing each issue of TechNews has, quite frankly, been a grind—getting all the stories in on time, trying to rescue the stories that weren’t working, and trying like hell to get all the facts right, not to mention the spelling, punctuation and style.
I have not always succeeded. You may remember the famous headline “Harrisburg Escapes the Flood Plane.” About a dozen of you wrote to tell me, “It’s ‘Plain,’ dummy, not ‘Plane’!” What was I thinking?
On the other hand, we at the magazine have launched a number of ancillary products and programs of which we are all very proud. These include our TechNews posters (including the “Less Is More” poster which, more than four years after publication, still is used throughout the industry for training and consulting), TechNews Online (www.naa.org/technews, routinely among the most-visited content areas on the Association’s Internet site), the TechNews NEXPO Show Daily, and the TechNews Best Practices Awards.
On balance, I am happy with the work we have done launching TechNews and establishing it as the most useful and trusted name in our field. (That’s not just me talking; you said so yourselves in two independent readership surveys.)
So, TechNews has been a royal pain in the butt, but it has also been one of the greatest joys of my life. Just like a human child.
And just like any proud father, I am having a very difficult time letting go. I can, however, console myself with two thoughts, two facts about this transition.
The first is that I’m leaving TechNews in tremendously competent hands. Terry Poltrack, who also was there during the launch and taught me most of what I know about magazine journalism, continues on as editorial director. And Mark Toner, who has had a dual personality over the past three years as staff writer for Presstime and associate editor for TechNews, takes over as the new TechNews editor.
Mark is an amazing person. He is not only one of the smartest and fastest journalists I have ever met, he also has a wonderful sense of humor and becoming modesty. You may already be familiar with his work. If not, you’re going to like it.
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My other comforting thought is that I am not leaving TechNews behind totally—I will remain on the masthead as associate publisher, which reflects my responsibilities overseeing the project’s budget. Also, I get to stay in touch with all of you. In my new role, I will be managing all communications programs coming out of NAA’s technology department, with the exception of trade shows and conferences.
So this is not really “good-bye.” Just a rather anguished transition, as I watch my baby grow into adulthood.
Clark Robinson
Editor