Guest Speaker - November 8, 2016
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Gregory Favre learned early that transformational change in journalism was a fact of life.
When he was 8 years old, it was his mission to fold the newspapers at the paper his dad owned in Bay St. Louis, Miss. And, according to Favre, no one ever folded newspapers better.
When he was 10, his dad bought a machine to take over the folding. Young Gregory was distraught. Then he had a revelation: The skills that made him the best folder also made him the best machine operator.
"Change is inevitable," Favre says. "You have to embrace change."
And so he has. Long a distinguished figure in print journalism, Favre is launching a digital news operation to cover California government. At age 79.
With backing from donors concerned about the decline in reporting on statehouse news, Favre is setting up the non-partisan, non-profit CALmatters. Favre, a former executive editor of the Sacramento Bee and vice president for news of McClatchy Newspapers, is interviewing potential hires now. He hopes to publish CALmatters'first story in late May or early June, when the venture's extensive database will also debut.
The news outlet will focus on longform explanatory journalism whose aim is to help Californians better understand the machinations of the Golden State's politics and government.
"We've got to get people more engaged with what is happening in Sacramento," he says.