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My new appreciation for newspapers, my job
By adriana_acosta in To Venus and Back
May 13, 2010

Last night I saw the Matagorda Advocate go to press.

It was an experience I have not had in a while. For those of you who don't understand, let me explain.

Many people get the paper delivered at home, look through it, read the articles and some get the paper just for the circulars.

What many people don't know is the long process that it takes for the paper to be thought of, created and printed.

I have seen the process before, when I worked at the Valley Town Crier, the printing press was literally feet away from the newsroom. The sound of the press was normal, an everyday occurrence.

I remember standing at the end of the printing press line, to get a copy that was hot off the press. The men that worked there knew me well, they would sometimes personally delivered copies of the newspaper to my desk.

But it has been six months since the sound of the press and the smell of ink, and it was all a memory in my mind, until last night.

Last night I realized that all the hard work, the stress, the going around looking for things to write about and the eagerness of it all is worth every second I spend thinking about the paper.

It was an emotional moment for me, my best friend, J.R. Ortega, who is the health reporter for the Victoria Advocate, laughed a bit when I told him that I wanted to cry because I was so happy.

But he understood my feelings.

The process is just not writing articles, it's also selling ads and that's another department, but I see how hard they work.

Then there is the graphic design department, they put the idea on paper, and create an ad that is appealing to the eye.

Once all that is said and done, we work on designing the layout for the newspaper. I am new to the layout business and spend a great deal making sure that everything is done correctly.

But once that last page is created and turned into a pdf file and then sent to the main office in Victoria, I say a little prayer, that I didn't overlook something or have too many typos. Yes, I've had nightmares about that.

I think a person appreciates a newspaper better, if you experience and are a part of some if not most of the process of making a newspaper.

I consider myself very lucky, to be able to be a part of every single step of making a newspaper.

What an amazing experience.

Next time you pick up that newspaper, I challenge you to stop and think that many people made it possible, for you to get that newspaper.

To make a newspaper, whether it's a daily or weekly, it take a village of hardworking people, all with the same mission.


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