by Sophie Thomas
Ken Cashman, a journalist at the Cornwall Local began his career after attending NYU. He did not always work for a small town newspaper, however. For many years he worked at a publishing company and sold insurance before retiring. It was in 2001 that Mr. Cashman answered an advertisement for a reporting job, and finally came to work for the Cornwall Local.
Despite living in Monroe, it was in 2001 that Ken Cashman would become such an important part of the Cornwall community. As we value his work, Mr. Cashman loves being involved in everything that happens in this small town; from being given the honor to be a grand marshall for the fourth of July to speaking and getting to know various individuals throughout our town to simply “get a paper out every week”. Through all his experiences as a reporter, Ken Cashman is an excellent listener who wants the new generation of journalists to “approach everything and try to be interested in every story you cover”. Being the reporter on the other side, and getting interviewed by a journalist of a younger generation, was fun for Cashman. However, he is also sympathetic as he knows what it is like.
As the journalists and reporters from Dragon TV at Cornwall Central High School begin their journey into the world of journalism, Mr Cashman has some valuable and simple advice. Cashman reminds these budding journalists “to be good listener [s]” and to keep readers interested while also being fair, honest and unbiased. When writing for the Local, Cashman says, “if you run more than 15 lines people lose interest”. The young journalists at Dragon TV can apply this advice to their work and think about the audiences that they will be reaching.
As an experienced reporter, Cashman has been able to see the developments of journalism and the news today over many years. Although many people stray away from printed news and use the media, one problem that reporters are facing at the local level throughout the country is that big companies have bought up local newspapers and are influencing the work being produced. As Dragon TV journalists are navigating the current world of reporting and journalism, it is important to take Mr. Cashman’s advice: be interested in every story you cover, be a good listener, and be fair.
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