Working on a community newspaper such as Grocott’s Mail could never be described as a boring office job. It is unusual because we deal with people and their emotions as they live through remarkable circumstances. We do not deal with objects, because they don’t make very good interview subjects, and we rarely speak to people who are having a run-of-the-mill day. We seek the extra-ordinary because our readers are curious about the extraordinary.
Working on a community newspaper such as Grocott’s Mail could never be described as a boring office job. It is unusual because we deal with people and their emotions as they live through remarkable circumstances. We do not deal with objects, because they don’t make very good interview subjects, and we rarely speak to people who are having a run-of-the-mill day. We seek the extra-ordinary because our readers are curious about the extraordinary.
This means that we usually interact with people who are proud, sad, exhausted, and deliriously happy and have something noteworthy to say. We deal with sensitive issues and with people who are sensitive.
On a community newspaper, there is also far less distance between readers and role-players than there would be on a national publication. At Grocott’s Mail we are aware that very often the newsmakers and the readers are the same people.
When residents of Makana celebrate a victory, we celebrate with them – not just standing on the sidelines politely clapping hands – we share in their joy of their successes. So when a local school wins national honours and scoops a few science prizes along the way we are thrilled with a deep seated sense of admiration for their achievements.
At the opposite end of the range of human emotions we mourn when we have to report on a personal tragedy, and when a reporter is sent to interview the family of a young woman who has recently committed suicide, it is extremely difficult for him to report dispassionately. The experience is hard on a young reporter who has to ask questions of a grieving mother as he too has family and has deep sympathy with the people he is talking to.
We are humans and just like any other humans it is impossible not to be affected by the mood of those around us. If everyone around you is crying about our rugby team being booted out of the World Cup then we will cry too.
This is part of our job and we do our best to do it.
It sometimes becomes especially difficult when extreme events take place almost simultaneously. This particular edition of the newspaper was especially difficult in reporting on remarkable successes and terrible tragedy – almost at the same time.
