Rick Hall, the managing editor of the Deseret News, spoke to members of the Exchange Club on Nov. 18 at Mimi’s Café.
Hall, who has worked for the Deseret News for more than 30 years, began his speech by acknowledging that newspaper sales and subscriptions have dropped for not only his paper but for almost every other major newspaper across the country. He tried not to talk too pessimistically of the state of the newspaper industry and instead tried to communicate a realistic look at where things are.
“Technology disrupts the model (of news gathering) we’re accustomed to. So we have to adapt. We have to make ourselves relevant in the context of new technology,” Hall said.
For students wishing to get into the news industry, he recommended sticking to essentials like reading, writing, grammar, being fair, knowing how to research, getting facts and knowing how to ask the right questions. Delivery of the message comes in multiple forms so he feels students need to be savvy in all areas of media and technology to get the story out there.
Hall is just one of many speakers the Exchange Club brings in to speak not only to its members but to anyone in the community wishing to attend their meetings. The club is made up of
professionals, students, home-makers and is open to anyone wishing to join. Their purpose is to promote service and patriotism. In addition to their work with child abuse prevention, each year they give out a scholarship to a high school student who has struggled but wants to go to college.
To learn more about the Exchange Club go to www.utahvalleyexchange.org or call 801-377-2382. They meet every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. at Mimi’s Café in Orem.
