From Deseret News archives:
The changing of an era
Hughes, who announced Friday he will be stepping down at the end of the year after 10 years as editor, came to the newspaper with the most impressive credentials of anyone who had occupied the position. He is a Pulitzer Prize winner, as well as the winner of the Overseas Press Club Award for his work investigating international narcotics trafficking. He was editor of the Christian Science Monitor and held important positions in the Reagan administration as well as at the United Nations.
But those all were things he had done in the past. It would have been easy for him to sit on his laurels and let the newspaper continue as it was a quality paper struggling to hold readers with afternoon delivery.
However, as employees here know, he seldom sat anywhere for very long, let alone on any laurels. Over the past decade, Hughes led the charge to change the paper to the Morning News, with all that the name entails. He developed a hands-on approach in all departments that led to numerous investigative stories and series that have won regional and national awards.
Today, the Deseret Morning News is one of the few newspapers in the country with a growing circulation. It also has a growing reputation. It is a product that will bear the signature of John Hughes for many years to come.
Come Jan. 1, Joseph A. Cannon will become the editor. He told the staff Friday that he is fully aware of whose shoes he is filling, and there is great reason to believe he will carry on and add to the momentum that has been started.
Cannon is perhaps best known in political circles. He was chairman of the Utah Republican Party, and his brother, Chris, is a congressman. But he comes from a heritage that has its own prominent place in Deseret Morning News history. His great-grandfather, George Q. Cannon, was editor from 1867 to 1873, and his grandfather, Joseph J. Cannon, was editor from 1931 to 1934.
For his part, Joe Cannon has been a member of the paper's board of directors for 10 years. He understands the business. He has said his first commitment from now on is this newspaper, and that he looks forward to leading it into an age when its scope and influence can be felt worldwide through Internet technology.
The rest of the 21st century looms as a challenging and uncertain time for all traditional news media. But this paper is well equipped to continue as a trustworthy and credible source that is important to the lives of its readers. Newspapers always have served to bond communities of diverse residents even as they expose problems and offer solutions. A prominent plank in this paper's mission statement is its commitment to relate facts with courage and compassion.
Cannon is poised to continue that sacred charge.
Comments
- MGM says it's looking for buyer 3:01 p.m.
- No. 7 Ga. Tech routs Duke, 49-10 2:54 p.m.
- Sunday TV news shows guests 2:52 p.m.
- Heroine names: Worthy women, icons 2:44 p.m.
- Open letter to son on 16th birthday 2:41 p.m.
- Bamboo not an instant nightmare 2:40 p.m.
- Yardsmart: Delectable winter greens 2:37 p.m.
- Flowers in a beautiful setting 2:35 p.m.
- Dealing with pet ear injuries 2:34 p.m.
- Smooth talk wrinkles mall walk 2:32 p.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- D-Will home for daughter
- Bench proves fruitful for Y.
- Utes excited for 'dream' game
- Born of water and the spirit
- Man killed during 3rd I-15 crash
- Woods Cross refinery to shut down
- 5A: Bingham rolls to title game
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
352 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
199 - Senators want food tax restored
164 - Will state consider gay rights law?
146 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
118 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
113 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
105 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
A lot of words with little substance. Why was the Lord himself babptised by...
This is an ugly game. Stay in their Cougars, go score quick and defense hold...
That's it live on the wouldas, etc. ----like your win at Washington ..Huh...
Re Leo, you make a big assumption about the Bible. It never claims to be the...
Horrible game plans and both sides of the ball. Seriously can we not handle...
To Awesomeron: I am not sure I can answer your question and stay between the...
PBS has some excellent programs, available on-line as well. Last night,...
The Log Cabin Republicans is a conservative group of Republicans that believe...
If you look at the pictures you notice they have ventilators. Are you always...
One is trying to look like an upstanding member of society; the other like a...


You can be the first to comment on this story.