Your new editor is here to tell your stories, Prince George

Hello, Prince George. I’m your new editor.

I say “your” because that’s the way I look at what I do. My responsibility as a journalist is to you, the readers. You always come first. This has been my firm belief since my first byline appeared in print, and it’s one I take seriously.

OK, some background: I’m a second-generation journalist who grew up around small-town weekly papers before joining The Sudbury Star, where I reported on crime, courts, politics and local entertainment before becoming an editor. From there, I went to The Peterborough Examiner, starting off as news editor before a brief stint reporting again led me to the managing editor’s chair.

That makes up the majority of my professional life. In all, I spent more than 20 years at those two papers, writing for readers in cities much like Prince George in some ways. Size-wise, for sure. Sudbury is an industry town with a thriving outdoors scene, while Peterborough is a former manufacturing centre that has become known for its cottaging and tourism industries. Different, but not that different. I see similarities to both as I roam around Prince George.

I’m bringing that understanding of small-city local news to The Citizen. I recognize the importance of having local voices tell local stories, and that’s what we have at this paper. We are a small team, but we are a dedicated team, and it has been gratifying to learn that the folks here share my dedication to you, the readers. It’s a good fit.

But there will be a learning curve. I can’t give readers the information they need without knowing the context and nuance of life in PG. I know I have a lot more to learn about this place, and I’m working on it.

I have no plans to write the usual “new guy” columns about my dorky observations as a newcomer, but I have no doubt I will have some of you shaking your heads when I don’t quite grasp some very obvious Prince George detail.

Bear with me. You’ll be getting an outsider’s perspective at first, but I don’t plan on staying an outsider for long.

Something you should probably know: I’m not just showing up here this week. I’ve been in Prince George for a while now. I spent part of April here, then returned in mid-May.

I’ve been getting to know the paper and its people and learning about the city, and doing my best to help map out what The Citizen will be like going forward.

Part of that involves an understanding of The Citizen’s history. I’m a bit of a nut for old newspapers, and having a century of Citizens online through the Prince George Digitization Project is something I appreciate. I’ve been reading random papers from across the decades, learning not only about the history of this city but also enjoying the journalism our predecessors created. The Citizen is a huge part of this community and has been for a long time; I plan to make sure that continues for years to come.

We’re about to go on an adventure together, readers.

I was the managing editor at The Examiner for a decade. When I left, I considered the notion that my decades in journalism might be coming to an end, and I would join the ranks of other former journalists of my generation who have pivoted to new and different careers. “Maybe it’s time for a new adventure,” I told myself as I considered my options.

However, I couldn’t (and still can’t) imagine doing anything other than make newspapers. So when I heard about what was happening at The Citizen, it turned out to be the adventure I was looking for.

I’m still marvelling at the idea that somebody bought a newspaper in 2024, but I like what’s happening here and I’m glad to be a part of it.

Reach managing editor Kennedy Gordon at [email protected].