John Edwards

Publisher. Editor. Writer. Mentor. Advocate. Businessman.

Small-town journalism can be a really humbling business, but John Edwards loves it

By Bill Atkinson
VPA Publications Editor
John Edwards scoffs at any indication that his long newspaper career has been “illustrious.”

“I’ve managed to own one of the state’s smallest newspapers without wrecking it,” the publisher and editor of The Smithfield Times noted. “Hardly illustrious, but it’s still a lot of fun.”

In a town known worldwide for its pork products, Edwards has carved his own niche as a champion not only of the virtues of small-town journalism but also of government transparency. He has been active in efforts to strengthen Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act, the portion of the state code that addresses public access to government operations.

Edwards recalled being introduced to the public-access debate years ago when he first got into the business.

“I learned very early that some government officials felt an ‘ownership’ of their business and the information concerning it,” he said. “I also learned very quickly that there was no constitutional right to attend meetings or to obtain a lot of information held by government, and that legislation was the only way it could be guaranteed.”

And, boy, did Edwards get involved in the access debate. Like any good journalist, he began asking questions and questioning the answers he got.

Edwards was one of the driving forces in VPA’s push for government sunshine. In 1988, he joined the association’s Freedom of Information Committee, a panel that advises association management on FOIA policies and strategies — eventually becoming its chairman. That same year, he was appointed to a special state subcommittee looking at FOIA revision. Through the work of that subcommittee, FOIA got a little bit stronger.
Ten years later, after he had finished a term as VPA president, Edwards again was asked to serve on a subcommittee studying further FOIA revision. That panel’s work led to another FOIA overhaul.

In between those times, Edwards led the VPA effort to establish a grassroots group to serve as an access watchdog. Thus, the Virginia Coalition for Open Government was born — and Edwards, as a founding director, still sits on its board.

In 2000, shortly after the overhaul, Virginia established the Freedom of Information Advisory Council to act as a liaison for access questions and answers from the public, the press and government agencies. Edwards was one of the charter appointees to the council and remains active with it. For the past three years, he has chaired a special subcommittee examining the issue of electronic participation in meetings. That subcommittee has played a vital role in setting parameters by which e-participation is allowed.

Looking over his work with FOIA, Edwards said he has “no heartburn with the law as it stands today.” The problem, he added, comes in the application of the law.

“Probably the biggest weakness is in a lack of clear standards as to what can be charged for information,” Edwards noted. “The abuse of charges is probably the most-often used method of keeping the public at bay. In addition, there is a continuing reluctance in some quarters to enforce FOIA and to adhere to the high principles set out in its policy statement. Some of our courts just refuse to take that language seriously.”

Recently, Edwards attempted to get his fellow council members to agree on a resolution on electronic meetings. The resolution, which he authored, stated that, in spite of the technological improvements that would enhance electronic participation in public meetings, nothing beats a face-to-face meeting.

The resolution failed on a 4-4 tie, but Edwards remains pleased with the work of the council.

“The most rewarding part has clearly been just being there as the council, and more specifically, Maria Everett, have gained credibility as the place to go for objective opinions and a dispassionate discussion of FOIA issues,” he said. “It’s also been a pleasure to work with not only council members, but also the very capable and sincere people in government and various advocacy groups who have sat around subcommittee tables to hash out issues.”

VPA Executive Director Ginger Stanley called Edwards a “FOIA hero” because of his tireless efforts on behalf of sunshine in government.

“Unselfishly, he travels to Richmond throughout the year to represent the press as he battles with legislators, local government and others to maintain and strengthen our statewide laws,” Stanley said. “All Virginia newspapers benefit from John’s work — a little-known fact, but such an important one.”

FAMILY MAN AND MENTOR
As passionate as Edwards is about sunshine in government, he is even more passionate about his newspaper. He and Anne bought the newspaper in 1986. He serves as publisher and editor, and Anne is the business manager. Their youngest daughter, Sarah, also is working at the newspaper.

“Our youngest daughter grew up taking naps on a pallet in her mother’s office here at the paper,” Edwards said. “Now, our granddaughter — her daughter — is doing the same thing. Is that cool or not?”

Edwards called his family “wonderful — and tolerant” with him and the newspaper.

“While the hours involved in a small paper are atrocious, working close to home and living in a small community enabled me to be closer to the children than if I had been commuting to some job in the city,” he said.

Family, to Edwards, also includes the young reporters and editors he has hired throughout the years. He takes pride in being looked upon as a mentor.

“It’s rewarding to see a young reporter get excited about his or her work, to realize that they are producing something of importance,” he said. “Like all small papers, we are only a training ground, but watching them go on to successful careers is rewarding also, even though it’s sometimes outside journalism. A young man who worked here during high school is a national network news director. Another is a successful lawyer. Another, a magazine editor, and another is editor of a larger non-daily. It’s nice to think that they may have learned a little something here that was helpful.”

Edwards’ newspaper work has not gone unrewarded. He is a multiple winner of the VPA’s D. Lathan Mims Award, the association’s highest individual honor for an editor. He also received the George Mason Award from the Virginia Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

While those honors all are nice, Edwards said that the best recognition comes from readers.

“Real recognition comes when the phone rings and a reader thanks you for a story or editorial that either touched him or helped him in some way,” he said. “That’s the greatest recognition you can receive.”