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| Ed Pierce is the new Managing Editor of The Windham Eagle with the May 22 edition. |
It
was 45 years ago when Ed Pierce launched his professional career in journalism,
beginning with the United Press International wire service as a reporter in
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
From
there, he has landed in many other professional reporter and editorial
positions around the U.S. that include more than 13 publications. His latest
position was as Executive Editor of The Journal Tribune in Biddeford. In 2019
he decided to retire. However, Pierce discovered that retirement did not suit
his personality.
“There
are only so many things you can do on your wife’s ‘to-do’ list,” Pierce said.
“I was starting to miss being a part of a community and to report on important
stories that matter.”
Reporting
on and writing stories have come to Pierce naturally but his initial goal
during his early teens was to be a basketball coach at Syracuse University near
the town where he grew up. But it was a writing contest he entered in October
1966, sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
“My
junior high school English and Social Studies teachers encouraged me to enter
the 1,000 word-essay,” Pierce said. “The subject required was citizenship and
patriotism.”
Out
of 3,500 essays submitted around the U.S., Pierce won first place. This earned
him and his father an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. to present and
read his winning essay to his U.S. Senator – who happened to be Bobby Kennedy.
“When
I was finished presenting my essay to Bobby Kennedy, he asked me what I wanted
to do with my life,” Pierce said. “I told him about my thoughts on becoming a
coach. He then said to me, ‘Someone who writes like you should consider a
career in journalism. As a politician he could propose and enact all the laws
imaginable. But the one thing I can’t do as a politician that a journalist can
do is to move people emotionally and make a difference in our society.”
Obviously,
Pierce took Senator Kennedy’s advice to heart and has dedicated his life to
journalism, gaining accolades and winning many awards along the way. His years
of experience has taught him many valuable lessons on success.
“The
keys to being successful in journalism are simple. First of all, you have to be
accurate for without that as a journalist, your credibility is at stake.
Second, you have to be reliable, resourceful and have a strong instinct about
what is important in gathering information to tell a story. You must always be
on time because the news doesn't wait or happen on your timetable. Most
importantly, you have to always be objective. You cannot ever try to impose
your own opinions or suppositions about the news. The First Amendment was
included in the Bill of Rights for a reason and that is to ensure an
independent press and the freedom to communicate freely. Therefore, I see it as
an obligation to remain objective at all times as a journalist.”
As
most reporters who enter the field of writing, it is the goal to contribute to
the lives of others and make a difference in the world in some small way. Pierce
shares one story that he considers his most memorable.
“When
I was working in New Hampshire, the governor at the time, Maggie Hassan, was
invited to speak at the New Hampshire Veterans Homes,” Pierce said. “I was
assigned to cover the story. While I was there, I met a veteran, George
Nichols, who found out I was a reporter and he asked if I could help him obtain
his Purple Heart.”
Nichols
was a medic during World War II and was at the Battle of Anzio Beach in Italy.
Nichols was charged with carrying wound soldiers from the beach to the medic
tent. He did this 18 times before mortar shrapnel impaled his right leg. At one
point after he was wounded, his First Sergeant told him that he would be put in
for a Purple Heart for being wounded in combat.
“He
was discharged without ever obtaining the Purple Heart and it had been his goal
to attain the honorary award,” said Pierce. “He had been appealing his local
and state legislators but to no avail.”
Nichols
was denied the Purple Heart because his military records were damaged in a fire
at the repository warehouse located in St. Louis, Missouri in 1973. And therefore,
no documentation was available to authenticate his wounds.
“I
told him that I wouldn’t be able to help him obtain his Purple Heart, but I
would be willing to share his story with other and hope somebody would do the
right thing,” Pierce said.
Pierce’s
article was picked up by the Associated Press and was read nationwide. The
owner of the Boston Globe, who was also the majority owner of the Boston Red
Sox, reached out to Pierce explaining that the Red Sox would be celebrating
Armed Forces Day and would like to invite Nichols to throw the first pitch.
“Nichols
told me that he attended a Red Sox game for the first time in 1929 and it was a
dream of his to throw the first pitch,” Pierce said. “I wasn’t able to help him
get his PurpleHheart, but I was at least able to help him reach another dream.”
Nichols
died one year later.
Feature
stories such as these as well as positive and solutions-based new coverage is
important to Pierce’s personal mission. His journalistic principles align with
the mission of The Windham Eagle newspaper.
“Readers
have a right to expect timely articles about all of the accomplishments that
students, teachers, staff and school programs have made or will make in the
future,” Pierce said. “They also should expect to read about how their
hard-earned tax dollars are being spent by Windham and Raymond governments and
by county and state governments and how programs operated by those governments
work. The newspaper should be a go-to informative resource for when and where
road and bridge projects will take place; changes in church leadership or
worship times; veterans gatherings; interesting feature articles about local
residents; scout projects; shining a spotlight on local businesses; and
basically anything newsworthy in the community that has an impact upon the day
to day lives of people who live here. That is how I will approach this job. I
will answer every email and every phone call courteously and promptly and do my
best to continue to make this paper worth reading.”
