Journalism is more than a job

We are in the middle of National Newspaper Week, which marks its 75th anniversary this year.

It's a profession I've been in all my life, and one I'm proud to be a part of. I can barely recall a time when I wasn't writing for some publication.

I wrote my very first article when I was in junior high school. Seeing it published then was just as thrilling as it remains today.

You would think that seeing your byline in the paper week after week would get old, but it doesn't. OK, I admit, maybe it does just a little. But seeing someone else notice your name is where the thrill is at.

It is also rewarding when your hard work, long hours and stressful last-minute deadline pushes are recognized by your peers, such as the many honors the Boulder City Review and staff brought home from the Nevada Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest on Friday night.

We don't write for the accolades. They are just added perks. The true reward comes in knowing that your work made a difference for somebody.

My job has taken me on many adventures. I've gone soaring in a hot air balloon; experienced thrills in theme parks; watched ballet, opera and symphony performances; visited countless classrooms; witnessed criminal trials; and sat in on many local, county and state meetings.

It's also brought me many friends, as well as the love of my life.

I've worked in newsrooms of all sizes, in cities large and small. Each holds a special place in my life and each was different. Yet they all had a common purpose: telling compelling stories that kept our readers informed, educated and entertained.

Though we take time this week to recognize the important role that newspapers play in our society, especially in getting news of the community out to residents, they are an integral part of our lives year-round.

Small cities such as Boulder City rely on the newspaper to tell residents about what is happening in their community whether is be what City Council is doing or when the ladies social club will meet next.

Being a journalist is part of my identity. It's more than just what I do for work. Without newspapers, I would be lost.

As we mark this week's observance, it's my hope that you, too, would be lost without a newspaper.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.