Editorial: Farewell after 30 years

Today is my last day at HB Today. After 30 years working in Bay newspapers, and with my children now independent, my husband Steve and I have decided to pack up and head for a new life in Wellington. The decision hasn't been made lightly. I have loved my ever-evolving roles at HB Today and my 26-year involvement with the Napier Operatic Society but this opportunity is one we are grabbing with both hands.

It was just over 30 years ago when I stepped into the Napier Daily Telegraph office in Tennyson St to join the sub-editors department.

It was a big deal in those days. Even though I was only 21, I came with "experience" as I had spent a year studying journalism in Wellington then two years at the Gisborne Herald completing a cadetship, before again heading off to Wellington to work for the New Zealand Truth, which proved an education in itself.

A Wairoa girl, I returned to Hawke's Bay when I was recruited by Daily Telegraph chief sub Bob Clements. On that Monday morning when I walked into a room full of seven "old" men I discovered I had made history - I was the first female sub-editor employed by the company.

In those days, being a sub-editor was a premium postition. My co-workers had all done their time covering meetings, court and breaking news and moving to the subbery was considered a well-deserved promotion - no more late nights.

But lots of changes were on the horizon. The linotype machines were coming to an end, smoking was soon to be banned from the subbery, the telex machine clattering next door bringing us news from around the nation would be around for only a few more years and our 2.15pm print deadline for the evening newspaper was soon to be brought back to 1.45pm.

Computers were still a good 10 years away but when they arrived, as in all industries, they revolutionised the newsroom.

I missed their introduction as I was at home having babies in the early to mid-1990s. When I put feelers out for re-entering the industry, much to my surprise I received offers from both of the region's newspaper editors on the same day.

But with regionalism not entering my head at that stage it was more practical for me to stay with Napier, although the editor at the time, Ken Hawker, was concerned I had missed the bandwagon and would have difficulty adjusting to the computer world!

Four years later it was a completely new scenario with the amalgamation of the Daily Telegraph and the Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune.

They were heady, exciting times. I was appointed news editor and had the challenge of designing a great newspaper, HB Today, and blending 11 staff members from two newspapers.

It's hard to believe that was nearly 13 years ago and the paper is now well and truly settled into its community. It still faces ongoing challenges, especially with easy internet access to all sorts of information, but life is constant change. The subbery is now a team of two as production is shared around our group and resources put into the quality of our local reporting, which is the life blood of HB Today.

The newspaper faces more change with a move to a new building early next year. No longer will staff hear the sound of the press but they will at last be in a modern, safe building.

Steve and I have some great friends who we will miss but Wellington isn't that far away.

And besides, once we are settled, we'll be able to keep up with all the Hawke's Bay news on the paper's website!