We are forging ahead as our print era comes to a close

In 1972, I arrived at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution fresh out of college with a degree in business administration and a stint as a professional motocross racer under my belt. Not exactly the ideal candidate for a newspaper job.

Buddy Ward, the production manager of the AJC, told me he received a call from Jack Tarver, who was then the publisher of the newspaper. Tarver said, “I’ve got an owner’s kid who is coming to work here, and I want him to start at the bottom, so he is going to work for you.” Buddy joked that this sure told him where he stood in the newspaper hierarchy. Eventually, he became president of the AJC.

I arrived in the old days — the era of letterpress printing, 40-pound plates, hot-metal typesetting and other technologies now rarely found outside of museums. Each day, I watched hundreds of skilled and dedicated workers ensure that the journalists’ work was printed and delivered on time. These people were as committed to producing a quality newspaper as were the best of the AJC’s reporters.

In 1972, James Kennedy arrived at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution fresh out of college with a stint as a professional motocross racer under his belt. (Courtesy)

I worked in all areas of the AJC, and may have been the first person to be an executive-in-training. I sold advertising, helped with distribution, worked as a copy editor (despite my questionable spelling skills) and even did some reporting. I’ll never forget seeing my byline in the paper — I was just so proud that I had earned the right.

As assistant business manager, I convinced our gruff publisher, Jack Tarver, to let us sponsor the Peachtree Road Race. I had run in the race a couple of times and didn’t want it to die for lack of sponsorship. Running clears your head and makes you feel accomplished, but more importantly, the event meant something to Atlanta. For a couple of years, the AJC’s promotion manager, Pat Lahatte, and I were all about the race. We even got to pick the T-shirt design. The AJC sponsorship began in 1976. It has been so rewarding to watch the Road Race grow into one of the biggest 10K races in the nation and seeing those T-shirts worn with pride.

From letterpress to inkjet printing, from hot metal to computer typesetting, I watched the newspaper evolve. The changes were dramatic but necessary. Later, I watched the internet change how we all got our news and entertainment, and I saw newspapers struggle to adapt. Now, as we prepare to eliminate our printed product and go fully digital, I’m saddened — but I know it’s the absolute right thing to do.