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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Hucks: Reporter’s life isn’t that bad

Again, the annual Jobs Rated report of CareerCast.com low-balls my profession. For the third year in a row, the report lists “newspaper reporter” as the worst of 200 jobs. One spot below “logger.” I have worked in almost every facet of newspapers, from a cub reporter writing obituaries and re-writing news releases to a managing editor of the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell. I’ve enjoyed reporting, editing, columnizing, editorializing and, now, blogging. I began in 1970 at a newspaper (Chico, California’s Enterprise-Record) that used linotype machines and hot metal. Now, this old dinosaur is on the cutting edge of 21st century newspapering – blogging, tweeting and Facebooking. The pay and benefits were good until the Internet knocked things sideways. I haven’t enjoyed watching colleagues exit over the last 12 years or so, as a result of layoffs, forced retirements, buyouts, public relations jobs and greener pastures. Forty-six years. I’ve pursued my passion for writing. I’ve met interesting people. I’ve covered stories that meant something. Journalism is a calling. Now more than ever. But it’s not for the faint of heart. No. 200? C’mon/DFO, Sunday Huckleberries. More here.

Question Do you/did you work at a job you enjoyed?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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