More than five years ago I returned to Wilkes-Barre to buy The Times Leader. On Friday I announced my departure by the end of the year from the Wilkes-Barre Publishing Company, which I founded in 2006, resurrecting the former name of the local newspaper firm. These have been fulfilling years.

If our company had not bought The Times Leader in 2006, there was a real fear that more than 200 persons would lose their jobs.

Painfully, we have had to adjust to economic conditions and downsize our employee force, but our businesses have survived and are well-positioned for the future. We brought back solid journalism and have served our communities and nonprofits generously. At the same time, we have laid a new foundation for the business, investing in digital infrastructure, increasing paid, daily and Sunday circulation, bringing advertisers back in the fold, and even starting new newspapers such as Go Lackawanna.

This is a difficult business these days, but there are still many opportunities to improve journalism, better serve our communities and transition digital journalism into a solid financial business model.

There are still a large number of news readers and advertisers. Newspapers have a gloomy future in big city markets but smaller, regional newspapers and websites continue to have bright futures.

The media business, both broadcast and print, has usually been slow to adapt to change but eventually it does and it succeeds. That trend will continue because we employ the best journalists in the world and talented sales executives. Advertising pays the bills and, luckily, still works.

When a person says they are leaving a job there comes the inevitable question: what are you going to do next? I’ve been in the media business for 40 years and intend to be in it for at least another 20.

Just like one of my friends, the late Russell Wiggins, editor of The Washington Post and later, owner of a small country weekly, I plan to work in this business into my nineties. I knew another newspaper owner who died at ninety-something at his desk — on a Saturday night, no less.

As for the Wyoming Valley, well, I’ve never left - at least in my heart. My best friends are still here. We own a home here and will continue to own that home. We will continue to do our work here.

News is my avocation and hobby. Being in this business has the benefits and thrill of free enterprise, but the real satisfaction comes in addressing political and social ills.

What comes next for me will be to continue to devote my efforts to journalism, fairness in reporting, and the challenge we all face of building a solid digital business foundation for this industry.

About the Author

Richard L. Connor is Editor and Publisher of the Times Leader and president of Wilkes-Barre Publishing Company.

Richard L. Connor is Editor and Publisher of The Times Leader. Mr. Connor’s career in the newspaper business spans nearly 40 years in four states and in a variety of positions including editor, publisher and owner.

In June of 2006, Mr. Connor formed The Wilkes-Barre Publishing Company, purchased The Times Leader and returned to the post he previously held from 1978 to 1986.

He has worked for several media companies, including 25 years as an executive with Capital Cities Communications, later Cap Cities/ABC and then the Walt Disney Company. During that time he served for over 10 years as President and Publisher of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Fort Worth, TX.

His work to have his newspapers not only serve the community as a voice of needed change but also to build bridges among its leaders and diverse forces has been recognized constantly for its unique brand of media leadership. He has won numerous awards as a columnist and for his editorials and has received a number of awards for his newspaper and community leadership and achievement. He has served on numerous community and industry boards, including two times as a member of the Pulitzer Prize Nominating Committee.

He resides in the Back Mountain with his wife, Deborah, and daughter, Meredith. Mr. Connor also has two adult children.

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