Thank You,
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 Denny Heinze |
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 Mitch Eden |
 Marilyn Zimmerman |
The St. Louis Press Club is for those who make, cover and influence the news. Its mission is to raise awareness and funding for student journalism scholarships and for enterprise
grants to working, independent journalists to spotlight under-reported topics in our region. It serves its members through professional development activities to bolster their
skills to address the changing needs of the global communications profession and to offer social activities that
build a vital media community.
Our IN THE NOW
St. Louis Press Club's online initiative, featuring conversations with St. Louis-area professional communicators, continues.
Looking Back. Imagining the Future. Communications colleagues speak with St. Louis Press Club board member, Jessica Z. Brown Billhymer, on work and life during a pandemic, protests, economic stress and a community facing frank and varied discussions about racism.
In early 2020, it became clear to the St. Louis Press Club (STLPC) pivoting to a new way of connecting with community was a must, with the usual and varied local on-the-ground programming having to take on a new face.
Grappling with an unraveling major, stunning health crisis, STLPC conceived of a new online initiative that would harness the opportunity to catch a variety of professional communicators, and some journalism students, working from home July through December, 2020, talking about work and life during COVID 19. As well, these "snapshots" would remain an historical record regarding media and community.
Following most everyone else in the world, STLPC used the ZOOM platform to have face-to-face informal conversations, experiencing both those occasional recording imperfections as well as the unexpected pleasures of catching a few cats, dogs, children and some wonderful expressions of creativity in the backgrounds. Certainly, the platform facilitated easier access to our subjects for which we are grateful.
By the time STLPC's recordings began, the community was grappling with COVID-19; witnessing repeated video-taped images of the killing of George Floyd; holding protests; convening community conversations about systemic racism; seriously considering economic uncertainty and anxiety; and entertaining a consequential major election. Also, all institutions were in some form of lockdown.
Of varying lengths Our IN THE NOWconversations reveal stories of perseverance and unwavering commitment to one's job in a year that has tested all institutions, media included; and they also tell stories about how some colleagues are hitting their stride in a "new normal."
We travel behind the scenes via both storytelling and show-and-tell, and learn of some of the non-conventional ways producers, commentators, operations managers, photographers, videographers, TV and radio anchors, engineers, general managers, news VPs, editors-in-chief, marketing professionals, online engagement specialists and communications educators, have been making it through each day "in these times."
There are four takeaways from these conversations:
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Beginning March 12, we launch Our IN THE NOW, showcasing several of our conversations every two weeks. Please see the March 12 line-up, below. We do hope the sit-downs are informative and inspiring as you attempt to peer through the proverbial lens of fellow professional communicators dealing with an ever-changing crisis and often make-or-break moments.
Don Corrigan
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Don Corrigan, Emeritus Editor, Webster-Kirkwood Times, Emeritus Journalism Professor, Webster University, recorded December, 30, 2020, running time 38:09. Regarding the pandemic and Webster-Kirkwood Times ceasing publication, "It's been a pretty horrible year; there are so many commentaries out there about what happens to democracy when you don't have news to tell people what's going on." On the slow reaction to the pandemic: "This makes me angry because the information was there; we knew what could happen, and I can pretty much say, "I lost my business." On audience reaction to the demise of the Webster-Kirkwood Times that is now back in publication: "It's a pretty unique community that continues to want its print edition." |
Alvin Reid
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Alvin Reid, Editor, St. Louis American; panelist, Donnybrook, NinePBS, recorded July 21, 2020, running time: 38:42 On pivoting to the ZOOM platform for Donnybrook broadcasts: "I had my ZOOM worries.....but after we did one show I was comfortable with it.....I'm certainly looking forward to being back in the studio, but I think we found a way to bring the show to people, and people have really acknowledged it, and really, really like it." On his many years as a journalist on various platforms: "I still like to think of myself as a print journalist; I still see things through a print journalist's eye." |
Rick Rockwell
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Rick Rockwell, Chief Communications Officer and Associate Vice President, Webster University, Dec. 7, 2020, total running time: 49:43. "The pandemic has put us through a test like nothing else." On lessons learned: " Crisis communications is essential; you've got to be ready; you've got to have a plan; you've got to know how to execute that plan; you've go to stay steady with the plan." |
Deborah Marshall
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Deborah Marshall, freelance writer, first woman sports writer in Missouri, and Founder, Warriors Arts Alliance, recorded August 18, 2020; total running time: 32:58. "I came down with COVID early in the whole thing. What happened during those sixteen days I would not wish on anyone. I tried to write in my journal, but I couldn't focus." On the pandemic, "Individuals must speak up and look at it from a human perspective...how we're advancing; how we're regressing....and from a historical perspective, how it (COVID) affected individuals, families.....if individuals speak up, then people will know this is what we're going through.... COVID affects everyone." |
Gilbert Bailon
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Gilbert Bailon, Editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Aug. 5, 2020; running time 31:44. Bailon gives explainers re: running a multi-platform news operation during a pandemic and protests . On working with a fairly lean management team: "In some ways we're more nimble in our decision-making than we used to be..." On the benefit of a multi-platform (print and electronic) news operation: ".... we can put up graphics; we can put up information and people can glean their own information,..... we feel, ourselves, that we've very relevant." Right now people want good, credible information, and that's in our wheelhouse." On the convergence of running stories: "The news has never been more relevant." |
Tony West
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Tony West- July 7, 2020 running time: 32:49 Re: early 2020..."People weren't thinking about it (COVID) very much, and then it was, just like, "you're out of work." On sports: Sports is an important part of our society and teaches us about teamwork; working together; now, that's a lesson, here, COVID...beating it is about teamwork." |
Allyson Mace
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Allyson Mace, Publisher/Founder, Sauce Magazine July 22, 2020, running time: 19:29 On publishing despite losing ad income: "It doesn't do me any good to have a platform and not use it because I'm not getting pd. In the long run, it makes sense to help your advertising base." On the Sauce Supports Initiative, "We took a leadership role in giving the restaurants as many opportunities to get the word out about how they were going to be operating the the market:" On the overlay of the George Floyd killing: "We feel strongly that the Black Lives Matter 's mission, and the focus behind that, is aligned with the brand of Sauce Magazine, as well." |
Lili Schliesser
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Lilli Schliesser, Project Coordinator - Community Partners in Prevention, Rockwood School District, August 18, 2020, running time: 22:04 "Fortunately, we already were relying on virtual and digital communications to reach our stakeholders, so we were used to it." "We're doing things in the community through education and programming, to help create students of resiliency, so that they have the skills to navigate life without trying drugs and alcohol." |
Lourdes Trevino Bailon
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Lourdes Trevino Bailon, Co-founder, STL Juntos/https://www.stljuntos.org/, an online platform serving St. Louis's Hispanic community who do not speak English, August 14, 2020, running time: 32:28. On the origin of the platform: "Right in mid-March, when stay-at-home orders (relating to pandemic) were given to St. Louis City and County, we were not sure if our Spanish -speaking people were getting the info in their language." " Washington University medical staff and medical students reached out to us.....they were also seeing that gap." "It's a lot of hours, but I'm glad I'm doing it because we're serving a community that needs to be served." |
Steve Perron
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Steve Perron, longtime television news producer, KMOV-TV, July 16, 2020; total running time: 19:16 On preparing for covering the pandemic: "When New York actually shut down, that's when we realized 'this is real.'" "Our viewers had so many questions, we really did feel as if we had a mission." |
Richard H. Weiss
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Richard H. Weiss, founder and executive director, Before Ferguson, Beyond Ferguson, a St. Louis nonprofit racial-equity storytelling project, July 22, 2020, total running time: 35:20. "The team I have are veterans (writers) and diverse." "We create a culture of empathy." We're not doing a 'one and done;' folks know we're coming back." |
Gilberto Pinela
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Gilberto Pinela, Communications Manager, Cortex Innovation Community, August 4, 2020, total running time, 30:49 Regarding the first impact of the pandemic: "My budget was frozen, immediately, all my plans taken off line." On coming back to a "new normal," "I think people re-energized quickly and were ready to come back." "We had a lot of protocols in place ahead of COVID." |
Suzanne Corbett
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Suzanne Corbett, media producer and culinary historian, July 8, 2020, total running time, 15:22 "The new normal is really not new, it's getting back to the basics." It allows you a wonderful opportunity to connect with yourself . You can't let challenges conquer your soul." |
Bill Kaufman
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Bill Kaufman, President, Kaufman Broadcast, July 29, 2020, total running time: 23:02. Looking back on bringing home company satellite trucks from across the midwest for the COVID lockdown: "When the NCAA stopped coverage back in March, everything ceased." "We got a lot of work done we would have generally put off because of being on the road." On being back on the baseball field, "We've spent a lot of the last two weeks adjusting to Major League Baseball's rules that really have never existed before. The ballpark is eerily different." |
William Freivogel & Jackie Spinner
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW Spinner: "I think that newsrooms have to do a better job of recruiting journalists of color and giving them a pathway to leadership within those newsrooms; and baring that, inviting readers of color to be part of the conversation...." Freivogel: "I would say that there isn't the same kind of effort to increase minority involvement in newsrooms as there was in the early years when I was a reporter in a newsroom in the 70s." Spinner: "You have to create an atmosphere in a newsroom that's welcoming to journalists of color; numbers are one thing, right? But you have to have a place where ideas are welcome where people are respected....there's so much more that we can do....." |
Les Landes
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW Regarding the pandemic, Landes says, “We have to be intentional about how employees are handling things during this crisis.” With regard to dealing with institutional racism, he underscores the importance of ” institutionalizing substantive systemic change and constructive accountability.” |
Tammy Merrett-Murray
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW The longtime journalism professional talks about the importance of keeping journalism students safe, emotionally and physically, especially when covering extraordinary community events; and she talks about the importance of word choices, when covering a pandemic and civil unrest, “Use of words…. like rioters, looters, protestors, we need to discuss terminology .” |
Larry Levin
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Larry Levin, President/CEO and Founder, STL Non Profit News, August 7, 2020, running time: 34:04 On operating during Covid: "We've stepped up... posting resources about COVID, in many different ways, in terms of how they affect not-for-profits." On teaching newer voices in philanthropy how to infuse diversity and equity into philanthropy, and not just as an add-on: " I do think there's a new generation of leaders in philanthropy who are leaders in pushing the envelope, and we're seeing that." On volunteerism in times of crisis: " I think there's always been a resounding spirit with respect to crisis." |
Bill McCormac
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Bill McCormac, News Operations Manager, KMOV TV, July 21, 2020, running time: 34:12 We start this recording with a view of KMOV's garage....a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the technical side of bringing programming to the public during the early days of the pandemic. McCormac talks about the intense pressure of covering both COVID-19 and protests following the George Floyd killing. As for the technical feats performed early on, McCormac proudly sums it up: “We were building the plane as we were flying it.” |
Alicia Elsner
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Alicia Elsner, President and General Manager, KSDK Five on Your Side, July 23, 2020 Total running time: 28:01 On using user-generated content during the pandemic: " User-generated content has been, I think, really important for us, to have that local connection with our consumer." On the station's efforts to dismantle systemic racism: " We can't just sweep into communities when bad things happen, we're committed to the entire market." |
Eric Rothenbuhler
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Eric Rothenbuhler, Dean, School of Communications, Webster University, Aug. 7, 2020, total running time: 30:35. "We're living through historical events...it's an opportunity to make a difference." On the pandemic's effect on students' storytelling: "It (the pandemic) requires us to modify so much of our everyday behavior." He continues: "There is no doubt that will show up in stories that students tell; it will show up in the films they produce, in the themes they want to pursue in advertising or public relations class, in the stories they want to pursue in their journalism classes." |
Eric Berger
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Eric Berger, Associate Editor, St. Louis Jewish Light, and freelancer, July 23, 2020, total running time: 32:00 On the role of a Jewish journalism during COVID: "We are always looking for ways to cover how the pandemic is affecting the Jewish community." On the future of newspapers: "I tend to think that the future of newspapers is the non-profit model." |
Trish Muyco-Tobin
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Trish Muyco-Tobin Community Editor, Gazelle Magazine, and journalism professor, Webster University, July 28, 2020, total running time, 36:10. On Gazelle's ability to address the important topics of the pandemic and institutional racism: "When you have an issue that is George Floyd, that is Michael Brown, you really have this meeting of the minds.....diversity of thought, diversity of opinion that comes in, especially from powerful women. It really wasn't that difficult for us at Gazelle to be thought leaders.....in the midst of this pandemic in the midst of social unrest..." |
Tony Messenger
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Tony Messenger, Metro Columnist, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Pulitzer Prize winner, Sept. 23, 2020, total running time: 31:47. On being a metro columnist: "I focus a lot on social justice issues, but I'm not limited to that." On journalism, today: "I'm constantly worried about the state of the industry because our financial model is in flux" On what drives him to do his work: "My roots are in small newspapers... I started in the tiniest of weekly newspapers...when you start in a newspaper like that, where every single day you're writing about your neighbors and your kids' teachers and the people you'll see at the grocery store and the coffee shop, it affects your perspective on journalism and how personal it is and how impactful it can be, both positively and negatively...and that sort of experience drives me." |
Casey Nolen
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Casey Nolen, political editor and anchor, 5 on Your Side, KSDK, July 17, 2020, total running time: 32:31 On the sudden tough economic toll on broadcasting: "I'm, truly glad to have a job." On the value of the craft of journalism: "It's going to be a long time before we really see the benefit of sticking to our journalism and not giving in to reactionary, emotional responses (to it)" |
Leigh Walters/Jody Sowell
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Leigh Walters & Jody Sowell, Missouri Historical Society, Oct. 7, total running time 31:41 Re: March 18, when the museum shut down just three weeks before the opening of a major exhibit: "....our staff immediately stepped up and transitioned so much of our work to different platforms....." On the museum's role following the George Floyd killing: "The work we had to do is give people the historical context for why these issues might be happening, why we have these divides." "History can give us hope and guidance for the future." |
Carol Daniel
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Carol Daniel, Anchor and Host, KMOX Radio , July 17, 2020, Total Running Time: 33:51 On life for journalists in the midst of protests and COVID: "We remain under siege." About commitment and longevity in the community: "For me everything is about relationships and longevity. There's such a responsibility, such an honor with the words I'm about to use." |
Mitch Eden &
2020 Kirkwood High School students
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Mitch Eden, and Kirkwood High School students, July 14, 2020, Total running time: 21:22. Eden commenting on everyone's departure from school, during COVID : " Once we left for Spring break, March 13, we never came back." Regarding his students' extraordinary communications accomplishments and staying on deadline: "They did it with passion, energy and organization." |
Aisha Sultan
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Aisha Sultan, Columnist and Features Editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, filmmaker, August 28, 2020, TRT 36:19. Speaking on journalism values, “I don’t want to live in a country where truth is not valued.” On the toll the pandemic has taken, “This idea of dying alone…..” |
Amy Shaw
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Amy Shaw, CEO and President, Nine/PBS; recorded July 14, 2020; running time: 27:38. Shaw speaks to how Nine/PBS mobilized a network of partners to step up to the plate during the pandemic. “The pandemic has crystalized leadership. A crisis tells people who you are.” |
Wiley Price
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Wiley Price, photojournalist, St. Louis American; recorded Sept. 14, 2020; running time: 33:02. Price, with more than forty years in the business, commented, “This pandemic may bring us together; we have to help each other.” On photography: “There is power in the simplicity of the image.” |
Catina O’Leary
Jim Woodcock
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Jim Woodcock, Senior Vice President and Partner and co-founder of the global sports business practice at FleishmanHillard; recorded July 27, 2020; running time: 34:35. On the pandemic, “Certainly this is the most unique and challenging moment the communication industry has ever seen…from no fans to cardboard fans to recorded fans. “ On marketing communications: "The Art of Communications has never gone out of style. It’s never been replaced by anything better.” |
Audrey Prywitch
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St. Louis Press Club's Our IN THE NOW with Audrey Prywitch, Vice-president, News, Fox 2 and News 11, and broadcaster for more than 40 years, July 7, 2020; running time: 18:44. On gathering and presenting news during a pandemic and protests : “First and foremost, keeping people safe and well …that’s what matters.” |
