I am the new Editor-in-Chief of the Santa Monica Daily Press and as readers, you have a right to know who I am, what I stand for and what you can expect from the paper moving forward.
I am a life-long journalist with undergraduate degrees in journalism and philosophy (I majored in reading and writing), a master's degree in international journalism and most recently worked as managing editor of a newspaper company in Sonoma County in Northern California. I have spent thousands of hours covering school boards, city councils, non-profit groups and community news.
I believe a newspaper has an obligation to bring you accurate information that improves the lives of residents. Sometimes that means ruffling a few feathers with hard questions for those in power; sometimes it means highlighting the good work of volunteers or just celebrating the experience of living here. It means covering the entire community in as comprehensive a way as possible and to do that, I need your help because I am merely the custodian of the paper.
As readers, you're the backbone of our success and while we have a great staff here at SMDP, we can't do our jobs without your support. Tell us what you want us to cover. If you think we're missing something, call me. If you have an idea for a story, call me. If you want us to speak to your group, participate in career day, or help promote a fundraiser, call me.
There's no story to small to tell us about. Certainly, we have physical restraints in the paper and we can't get to everything, however, it's impossible for us to cover something we don't know about. The only way to get coverage is through communication.
I want to know when your PTA is holding a fundraiser, when your club recognizes its volunteer of the year, when a new business opens on your block or when a beloved member of your community leaves. I want to know when the pothole opens on your street, when your child's teacher is pink slipped or when a new development breaks ground in your neighborhood. Whatever is important to you is worth telling us.
You can call, e-mail, use the website or stop by with whatever information you have and we'll do our best to make the paper an accurate reflection of this city.
We have a dedicated staff here at the SMDP and I am excited to be a part of this team as it continues to provide Santa Monica with the best source for local news.
Matthew Hall
matt@www.smdp.com
(310) 458-7737 ext. 310
