Wit and wisdom of JSK

The Beacon Journal on Sunday devoted a full page to a transcript of an interview with John S. Knight on October 24, 1978–two days before this 84th birthday. The four-hour plus interview, reprinted on Page A8, was conduced by Dan Neuharth, son of Al Neuharth, then CEO of Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper chain and founder of USA Today. Dan Neuharth, Ph.D., is a licensed family therapist with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. A popular speaker, college educator, and award-winning journalist, he lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

You can click on the headline to read the complete interview on Ohio.com There also are a number or mp3 audio clips.

The quote I like best is to the question “Is there a better way to run a newspaper?”

I don't know. You see I'm a line man. I've never, I don't know anything about, and I detest the concept of running anything by meetings. I don't understand that. I belong to the 'Hey Joe' school. I pick up the first edition of the Beacon Journal in the morning and I see something, I run up in the newsroom and say, "Hey Joe, for Christ's sake, get that straightened out." See. I like that. I don't want to write somebody a long memorandum. Arrange a conference some time. Discuss it. I like the direct action. We don't get that any more. Don't ask me why.

[Neuharth also has written an article on the effect of Knight Ridder’s demise on the future of local quality journalism in the March 27, 2006 edition of USA Today. Click here to read that story]