Furman Bisher, a long-time sports columnist and editor, once interviewed legendary baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson while covering a horse race in Ireland. At that time, Bisher was preparing for Wimbledon, enjoying a period when newspaper budgets were flourishing.
Meanwhile, Lewis Grizzard, a Southern humorist known for his pointed observations on know-it-all Yankees, critiqued NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope’s failures, showcasing the essence of Southern wit merged with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
In political circles, there were stories about the optimism among Georgia’s Republicans who believed they could garner more seats in the legislature, transitioning Georgia—a state long dominated by conservative Democrats—into a two-party state.
While both Bisher and Grizzard have passed away, Georgia’s Republican Party continues to thrive, maintaining a strong influence over state politics for the past 20 years.
Reflecting on the changes in journalism, one cannot help but marvel at the rarity of employment in a single company for 35 years—a span that coincides with the biblical notion of half a lifetime. In the realm of journalism, particularly newspapers, such long tenures are rapidly becoming the exception rather than the rule.
The industry has undergone significant transformations, marked by countless bankruptcies, diminishing classified ads, and waves of layoffs and buyouts. Yet remarkably, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) has navigated these challenges better than many of its counterparts, thanks in large part to the Cox family, who have maintained a commitment to the newspaper business for over a century.
Mike King, a former head of AJC’s Pulitzer-winning health team and later Metro editor, provided insight into this changing landscape. Reflecting on the 1990s, he stated, “We were heading into the salad days of American newspapering. You had to screw up to not make a lot of money. And we made a lot of money. Next to selling drugs on the street, it was the most profitable thing you could do.”
The traditional craft of newspapering—involving reporting, writing, printing, and distributing news—now feels increasingly antiquated in a digital age that favors brevity and instant access over comprehensive storytelling.
When I joined the AJC, the newsroom was filled with youthful talent, many hailing from prestigious Ivy League institutions. This was the ethos cultivated by Bill Kovach, a former editor at the New York Times, tasked with establishing a Southern version of the Times in the heart of Atlanta.
By the time I became part of the team, Kovach had moved on. I was able to persuade Hyde Post, overseeing much of the news operations, that graduates from directional schools like Southern Illinois University were also capable of covering significant news.
My tenure has witnessed numerous historical moments: the 1996 Olympics, the gruesome murder of Sara Tokars, the events of September 11, and public corruption at Atlanta’s City Hall, alongside the remarkable shifts in Georgia’s political landscape. I’ve had the honor of bylining 3,344 stories throughout my career.
Over these years, the AJC has seen its fair share of journalists come and go—many departing to pursue opportunities at other media outlets or new careers entirely. Others have retired, some faced layoffs, while a few have sadly passed away.
Out of the original team from 1990, only three remain, joined by stalwarts like investigative reporter Carrie Teegardin and editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich. Bill Rankin, our legal affairs reporter from that era, recently retired and joked about being excluded from this reflection.
Luckovich, celebrated for his sharp political cartoons, has consistently contributed four to five pieces each week over the years. He describes his job with humor, likening it to being “married to a nymphomaniac” — initially thrilling but demanding relentless creativity.
His provocative caricatures, targeting figures such as Newt Gingrich and President Donald Trump, not only entertain but often provoke thoughtful discourse. One particularly scathing cartoon of Gingrich in 1994 prompted the soon-to-be Speaker to sever communication with his hometown paper for several months over its brutal nature.
“I strive to illuminate what’s happening, devoid of spin and falsehoods,” Luckovich explains about his work. “If I can present it in a clever, amusing, and hard-hitting manner, then I believe I’m fulfilling my purpose.”
On a related note, Teegardin has forged her career by relentlessly investigating and exposing pressing issues in society. Recently, she was a co-recipient of a National Headliner Award for decisive stories focusing on Georgia’s perilous prison system.
“Some things outrage me; if you see something wrong, you can change things,” she remarks, reflecting on her journalistic mission. “Some of these investigations mattered. We’ve had laws changed.”
Teegardin recalls the camaraderie that flourished in the newsroom, noting that, despite the challenges of journalism, the bonds between reporters sharpened the experience.
Newsrooms of decades past were often brimming with eccentric characters, where creativity flourished amidst a backdrop of chaotic energy.
“Today’s HR departments would implode if transported back to 1990,” she muses, painting a picture of a vastly different working environment filled with unconventional personalities.
In summation, my years at AJC reflect the broader complexities and evolutions within the journalism field. Amidst the trials and tribulations, the enduring spirit and commitment of reporters, like Teegardin and Luckovich, remind us of the crucial role media plays in democracy and societal change. The struggle to adapt and provide insight in an ever-evolving landscape continues to shape the future of journalism.
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