InterView – Carlos Virgen, Senior Editor Modesto Bee
By Chris Murphy
I love newspapers. I truly believe that the role of the free and independent press is the key to a strong and thriving democracy. In a world where democracy is under attack and autocratic leaders are restricting and some cases jailing members of the press; now more than ever, our local press plays an important part of our lives.
All my life, I have taken the daily local newspaper. Currently, I get the Bee, New York Times and the SF Chronicle. It is a ritual with a fresh cup of coffee, or along for an airplane flight. Here in Modesto, that ritual is going to change, but never has it been more important to support local news. Yes, that means subscribing. More and more people have no idea what is happening in their local government or in our community as more things go digital and social.
I had a chance to meet the new Senior Editor during a visit at the Graffiti USA Museum and we got to chatting about the role of news in our community, so I figured we would continue the conversation here. Carlos Virgen has traveled far and wide, born in Tijuana, Mexico, he worked in a law firm in L.A and journalism on the east coast in Connecticut where he spent ten years at the The Day, a community newspaper in southeastern Connecticut, and was also an adjunct instructor at the University of Connecticut.
Now living here with his wife and three children, he has immersed himself in our local culture, working out how to make news more accessible and valuable to increase readership and increase engagement. It’s important to make it profitable as news gathering and reporting is not free, but we all depend on it. Let’s get to know Carlos and get right into it.
1. What inspired you to become a journalist and content creator.
There was always a newspaper in the house. My dad always picked up the Spanish-language paper in Los Angeles called La Opinion. Or he’d have me stop by the store to pick it up for him. He had a copy of the paper every day. So I was always around a newspaper. And I was introduced to the journalism profession by my wife, who was a reporter when I met her. I was intrigued by the stories she shared about her work and how her ideas became full-fledged stories. I was initially interested in data journalism, videography and audio storytelling and slowly transitioned into story editing and development.
2. This is a pivotal time in journalism, what is your immediate goal here leading the Modesto Bee?
My main goal is to ensure that we are directly addressing our community’s needs. To me, that means that we are regularly meeting our community members and listening to their concerns. Some of this will be in-person – getting out in the public, at events and hosting discussions – but I also want our readers to have multiple ways for them to offer feedback, share story tips and connect with our journalists. A big part of my job is helping our newsroom build and strengthen relationships.
–
3. We can’t change how fast technology moves, but how can we make it work to cover the key institutions in our community and get the word out.
I think technology gives us opportunities to get readers the information they need in a more timely manner. We can now produce journalism that holds public figures accountable, for instance, and immediately get the information in front of our readers through text messaging, social media, our mobile app, newsletters, etc. It also allows us to report what we know at the moment and update stories throughout the day, if necessary, which is key for many breaking stories. We don’t have to wait until we’ve compiled everything before we hit publish. With their smart devices in their pockets, readers now have a direct connection to our work and to our newsroom staff.
4. Soon, the paper won’t be delivered on your doorstep or driveway daily. What is going to be different, and will there be a benefit to our citizens?
I think the key difference and benefit is timeliness. It’s also an opportunity for some of our print readers to be introduced to our multimedia work – videos, infographics – and at the same time, it allows us to expand our focus on the digital platforms that resonate with younger readers. The changes in the news industry allow us to focus our resources on the journalism that matters most to our readers because we now can easily see where our readers are connecting with us and we can more easily respond.
5. How do we help readers on social media filter out the noise to find what’s the truth?
We want to be a part of readers’ consumption habits and I think we offer the kind of clear-eyed and fair reporting that can affect the day-to-day lives of our readers. That’s the main difference. I don’t ever expect that news media will replace social media or Netflix, etc., but I do expect that it will be a vital part of their lives. When you want to know how your local tax dollars are being spent, we’re here to tell you. When you wonder why your favorite restaurant or store closed, we’re here. When you want to know what local politicians running for office stand for, we’re here.
6. To follow up, why is this some important?
It’s important because we offer an alternative to the often money-driven, self-interested content you find on social. There’s a place for that, absolutely, but when it comes to helping our community connect and become active and informed residents, that is our mission, that’s what we at The Bee all wake up to do every day.
7. I believe that people retain more when they read a book, magazine or newspaper in a print format. How can we better use a digital format to prevent everything from being swiped left, right or ignored?
A big part of it is finding ways to improve digital formats so that they are easier to read and retain. Part of that is in the design of the product, how things are laid out, etc. But another part of it is finding the elements of the story that can shine in a digital format. It may also require formatting stories differently for various devices and formats.
However, the content we’re producing – accountability journalism and audience-centered stories – are not the ephemeral types of content you see in other types of digital media like social media. We differentiate ourselves by the value we bring to readers’ lives. You’ll gain some knowledge or some insight about your community when you spend a little time with us each day.
8. What do you think some of the key opportunities are for a city like Modesto to show the strength of our community and improve public perception.
The opportunity and really the strength I’ve seen in the short time I’ve been here is in community events – Graffiti Summer and Porch Fest are two events that come to mind that really impressed me. The level of organization and how welcoming these events are has been great to see. Also, there seem to be pockets of innovation and groups that are really trying to solve community issues in ways that are less about showing and more about doing.
While holding institutions and individuals accountable is a major part of our work, we also want to highlight the community’s success. What are the community responses and solutions that are really impacting lives? We want to shine a light on that as well.
9. Why do people need to subscribe to the Bee?
People should subscribe because, as I’ve mentioned, we continue to play an important role in ensuring that public agencies – our government and its representatives are doing what they promised and doing what is best for the residents. Local journalism is still vital in making sure that members of the community are well-informed and active. And I think that’s what makes communities thrive. And our staff all live in Modesto or nearby communities. We are part of the community. Our kids go to the same schools as yours, we shop in the same stores and eat at the same restaurants.
10. Is there a way for people to send you tips and ideas?
I’d encourage people to email me at cvirgen@modbee.com<mailto:cvirgen@modbee.com> with any story ideas or questions.
11. Since relocating to Modesto, what have you enjoyed the most?
My family and I have really enjoyed how close we are to natural beauty. We’ve been to the coast and Yosemite a couple of times. Plus we head to Knight Ferry whenever we want a quick fix of nature. My wife is a classical music fan so we’ve been happy to go see the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. And as I mentioned earlier, Porchfest was a blast and I’m really looking forward to next year.
12. What has surprised you most about this community?
I’ve been surprised to see the strong sense of community in a city of more than 200K residents. We’d experienced that in other places where we’ve lived, but at a much smaller scale.
13. Beatles or Stones?
I’ve got to say the Beatles. I’m more familiar with their music and the artists I grew up listening to in the 80s and 90s were more directly influenced by them. And I remember when Lennon was killed seeing how upset some teachers were at school. That really had an impact on me.
Chris’ note: Don’t let our local news disappear, subscribe to the Bee and be a part of our community at www.modbee.com
