As presentation editor, I have the privilege of leading a team of designers who gather all the elements of journalism – stories, columns, photographs, lists and graphics – to build the print edition of the Chattanooga Times Free Press and all of its magazines and special publications.
We work closely together as a family, and being in our newsroom allows us to communicate face-to-face with reporters, editors, columnists and photographers so that we can convey their storytelling accurately, attractively and – most importantly – legibly.
And now, just like most of you, the novel coronavirus also has changed our family. For the first time in this newspaper’s 150-year history, our team has had to pack up our computers to work from home.
For some of us this has meant completely re-arranging a room or creating a makeshift home office out of a dining room table. Reporters, editors, columnists and photographers have been surrounded by pets, spouses, teenagers and toddlers.
But our mission remains the same. It doesn’t matter if we’re building a print newspaper from our living rooms or on the edge of an active volcano; our team will always aim to give you the best reading experience possible during these historically chaotic times.