Working in the Oregon marketplace and in the newspaper industry for the past 15 years has been a great adventure, and very rewarding.  Fabulous incomes are not a part of the scene but great relationships, and rewarding outcomes for advertisers have been a big personal satisfaction. It is a good time to reflect and remember my beginnings in the newspaper business.

The sun was warm and the air clean in downtown Bremerton as I made my way to the front door of The Bremerton Sun.  I cheerfully greeted my new boss Dale Asay in the front classified office and we headed for the grand tour.

First we went to the business office where ten key adding machines were displayed with tubes full of #2 pencils neatly sharpened and ready for action.  Harry Belt was introduced as the Accounting Department Manager.  We then wheeled and moved quickly to proof room, where three elder ladies in print dresses were situated in a close 10 foot by 15 foot area that housed all the proof sheets for review, correction and resetting in the press galley downstairs.

These retired English teachers worked part-time for extra money and were responsible for “clean copy” that would have no errors. In those days a typo was the ultimate in bad results, as I would soon find out.  Many times I saw the General Manager come roaring out of his front office lair to chastise the proof ladies and the writer or ad guy that made the original mistake.  In those days it was akin to the original sin.  A few got fired because of typo mistakes.

Next we sped over to the Editorial Department and met reporters, and the Editor, and the very famous Adele Ferguson, political writer and a fire filled gal that would someday be a friend.  Then on to the Display Advertising Sales office where I met Manager Chuck Crawford  and a bunch of ad guys then on to the basement.  My eyes opened wide in that new world!

The basement press room, galley room and stereo department were like another world to the unwashed greenie.f    It was semi dark and you could smell the paper and ink in the air.   I viewed the galleys that held lead molded type that was fit in a frame and screwed down to make each page of print, and then saw the plastic mats that were produced in the stereo department, and then to the aluminum cast that came from the plastic molds. These casts were made to fit exactly on the press and produce the paper.  We ran 31,000 papers in those days with about 2.1 readers per paper.  Most homes got the daily evening paper.

Now of course we use electronic means to produce the pages and it is so much easier and cost effective to do.  I spent the day in amazement.  Later we left for calls to visit my new client base and assigned area of sales. Dale asked me, Could you adjust that mirror?  I said “Sure”. My next move was to crunch the tiny mirror on his little black Renault.  I looked at him and we both laughed.  He was a great guy, and the one who taught me the basics of newspaper.  The basics are still in place today and it is true that folks still read newspapers today, though niche publications seem more successful now, and old fashioned ways are passing away.  I love the newspaper business and the ink is in my blood.

Frank Ryan is in the newspaper business in Portland Oregon and works for NW Senior and Boomer News.

Frank Ryan
503-408-8402 – fx 503-408-9006
NW Senior & Boomer News
ffmlryan@yahoo.com