White RockB次元官网网址檚 Rick OB次元官网网址機onnor is still getting acclimated to relaxation, he admits.

But the former President and CEO of the Black Press Media Group B次元官网网址� owners of news media outlets in BC, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Washington State, Alaska, and Hawaii B次元官网网址� said itB次元官网网址檚 a transition heB次元官网网址檚 more than ready to make.

B次元官网网址淭he first 10 days has been fantastic,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址機onnor B次元官网网址� who retired from his post on Sept. 2 B次元官网网址� said Monday.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 so used to saying IB次元官网网址檓 not going to do this or that on Sunday, because Monday is coming up,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淣ow Monday doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter as much.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址機onnor said he and his wife Pam, who moved to the Semiahmoo Peninsula in 1991 and raised their family here, are looking forward to eventually travelling to favourite places around the world.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 love to do a golf trip to Ireland and Scotland B次元官网网址� my wife has already been there B次元官网网址� and to revisit Italy and Hawaii and other places weB次元官网网址檝e been to and loved,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut weB次元官网网址檙e not going to be travelling too much until travel becomes easier.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址機onnor, formerly a Peace Arch Hospital Foundation board member, said he plans to continue his B次元官网网址減assionate involvementB次元官网网址� with the development and improvement of services at the hospital, and in promoting health care in general in the community.

And while heB次元官网网址檚 not been actively involved in coaching softball and soccer since the days of his childrenB次元官网网址檚 athletic careers (he was recently named to the BC Softball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport, including launching the UBC WomenB次元官网网址檚 Varsity Softball program in 2009) he still retains a lively interest in local sporting organizations.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 wonderful to see how, in a community like this, they continue to offer an involvement opportunity,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not moving anywhere, so obviously weB次元官网网址檒l stay involved in the community in any way we can.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址機onnor said he would probably have chosen to retire a couple of years earlier, after a 40 year-plus career in the newspaper and media business.

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B次元官网网址淏ut then COVID hit B次元官网网址� which became an exercise in crisis management. WeB次元官网网址檝e kind of got through that now, so I thought that this is probably the time to hand things over to other colleagues in Black Press Media.B次元官网网址�

His first involvement with newspapers came in the late 1970s when he was working for a radio station in Prince George that had established a satellite station in Vanderhoof.

B次元官网网址淥ur job was to provide an on-air presence in the morning, to go out and sell ads and then come back and record and produce them,B次元官网网址� he remembered. B次元官网网址淭hen in the evening weB次元官网网址檇 cover events and add voice clips to the stories.

B次元官网网址淭he radio station was connected to the newspaper there B次元官网网址� in the same building B次元官网网址� so I got to watch it at work. Then a little while later, in 1978, when everybody in town was complaining about the existing newspaper, I sold my car, bought some equipment and started a paper of my own.B次元官网网址�

It was a different world, OB次元官网网址機onnor recalled B次元官网网址� one without cellphones or the internet.

B次元官网网址淭he primary means of communication was through the newspaper B次元官网网址� it was through that you set about winning the hearts and minds of the readers. Now there are so many different platforms people can receive information from.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址� Connor recalled that some of his happiest times were meeting the challenges of starting up new newspapers B次元官网网址� something he did in many markets after selling his first two papers to Black Press Media in 1983, first as vice president of newspapers for the Lower Mainland Publishing Company, and later from 1998, as president of the Metro Valley B次元官网网址paper Group.

But as B次元官网网址渆xciting and stimulatingB次元官网网址� as these experiences were, OB次元官网网址機onnor B次元官网网址� who was awarded the prestigious Dean Lesher award in 2009 for outstanding contributions to the community newspaper industry in North America B次元官网网址� believes the really exciting time to be in the media industry is now, after the last 20 years of technological advances, when news is B次元官网网址渋nstantaneousB次元官网网址� and there are multiple opportunities for journalists to interact with the public.

While competing for business with media giants such as Google and Facebook presents undeniable challenges, OB次元官网网址機onnor said the benefits of being able to communicate in more sophisticated ways still outweighs them.

More than that, he said, he believes maintaining locally-based media is a crucial component in the fabric of communities, and society in general, with professional journalism continuing to act as as a necessary analytical B次元官网网址渇ilterB次元官网网址� for the polarized viewpoints to be found all over the web.

B次元官网网址淎nd having watched (hometown paper) the Peace Arch B次元官网网址 over the years and the kind of work people there have done, and the work they continue to do for the community, IB次元官网网址檇 like to continue to encourage people to support their local newspaper and media company,B次元官网网址� he said.

Even in retirement mode, he suspects he will still be involved in the industry part-time.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 interested in how we can create a business model for newspapers and media companies that is sustainable B次元官网网址� how can I use my years of experience to create something, down the road, that everyone will benefit from, not just Black Press.B次元官网网址�

alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
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