Tribute to a true newspaperman
It’s the end of an era.
Phil Heron, editor-in-chief of the Delaware County Daily Times since 1999 — a whopping two decades at the helm — has retired. All in, his four decades as an in-the-trenches newspaperman — freelancer, reporter, editor and everything in-between — is a legacy of yesteryear. To put that in perspective, the average American will not only hold 10 or 15 jobs, but have multiple careers. Staying power is simply not part of the new economic paradigm.
Making Mr. Heron’s accomplishment all-the-more impressive is that he prospered in perhaps the hardest-hit industry of the internet age.
Just look at the sobering numbers for journalism, according to “The Week:”
— In 1998, the weekday circulation of U.S. newspapers was 62.7 million. Now, the combined digital and print circulation is only 31 million.
— Ad revenue declined from $48 billion in 2000 to $16.5 billion, an effect of lower print advertising rates; cheaper digital ads; websites such as Craigslist gaining huge market share for classified ads; and Google and Facebook winning over advertisers.
— Newsrooms employ almost 40 percent fewer staff than in 1994.
— Perhaps most disheartening, “newspaper reporter” was rated “worst job in America” four years in a row.
With stats like that, it’s amazing that any papers survived. But under Phil’s direction, the Delco Times prospered. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t felt the pain. And it doesn’t mean that being a 24/7 “breaking news” source with limited staff is easy. Quite the opposite: Such a requirement, even though demanded by readers, ranks as one of the biggest nowin propositions any industry faces. Not only is it an impossible task, but no matter how “on top of things” a paper is, it’s only as good as its most recent post. Five minutes after breaking a monumental story, it’s “What have you done for me lately? What are the real-time high school football scores? What are the latest election results? Did they catch the neighborhood thief? What entertainment is on tap for the weekend? Has the virus peaked?” And of course, “Exactly how much is it going to snow?” Get that last one wrong, and God help you. Makes you wonder why Phil didn’t retire long ago!
Phil Heron’s managerial style was unique in its dichotomy: Brusque, freneticallypaced journo with rolled-up sleeves and pencil on the ear, never resting until the stories were right, and the paper “put to bed” — think Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein in “All The President’s Men.” But also a tech-savvy strategist who understood that rapidly changing times required decisive actions. Phil adapted, and thus successfully navigated the storm, unlike many of his peers who, after waiting too long to change, went down with the ship.
So how did Phil sail straight and true?
Because he was a throwback: hard-nosed and tough, and never afraid to tackle the thorny issues. Yet his methods yielded results because he approached things with logic, compassion, and humor.
First, he had a knack for the best play-on-words headlines of any newspaper — and in today’s face-paced environment, a headline can make or break readership for that edition, and beyond. Second, his “Letters From The Editor” and “Heron’s Nest” columns were informative, and, more important, entertaining, as Phil understood that adage “it’s not what you say, but how you say it.” Third, Phil’s approachable demeanor made people feel that they were genuinely receiving his full attention. As a result, the staff went into battle every day for their leader, exhibiting a loyalty that comes only after being earned.
But above all, Phil was fair. In an age where that concept has become “open to interpretation” — the victim of a brutally partisan society where many see only what they want to see, rather than the truth — the Delco Times editor strove to impart fairness into every aspect of the paper: Staff, news coverage, issues, and, especially, to the accused.
The Daily Times, true to form as a bastion of The Fourth Estate, has always welcomed dissenting opinions by columnists and guest writers, as well as in Sound Off and article comment sections.
Readers are returning to local, community-based publications because of their unparalleled insight and commentary on critical issues.
As the heart and soul of the Daily Times, and someone whom readers feel they know intimately, Phil will be sorely missed.
Cheers, and Godspeed.