OWU launched Moore’s newspaper career

0

Gregory Moore, former editor of the Denver Post, spoke at the Ohio Wesleyan University commencement on Sunday. Moore started his career in journalism after graduating from OWU in 1976.

“It’s been a long 40-year career, really good,” Moore said. “I came to the conclusion that another year of this was not going to make that much more a difference in my legacy or how I felt about my career.” Moore left the Post last month.

Moore decided to take some time for himself and his family. “I do think that my children were going to college in four or five years was a little bit of a trigger,” he said. “Then I’m going to look for something fulfilling and meaningful and something that gives me a little time with my teenagers.”

“While I’m still young enough, I wanted to sort of put myself out there,” he said. “I thought before I started trying to talk to people in greater Denver about my future, I needed to leave The Post, eliminating any potential conflicts.”

.

In his 40-year run as a journalist, he’s covered many great stories.

The story that Moore feels helped a community the most? “Aurora is the one I think that I’m the most proud of,” he said, referring to the 2012 movie theater shooting that took 12 lives. “Horrible tragedy. Some of the people on our staff had friends that were wounded or even killed. Working through that grief was amazing. But the community really needed us and we stepped up and I thought we served them really well. There were a lot of heroes in that tragedy and we told their stories. I think we helped the community to heal. I’m real proud of that one.”

Regarding the future of journalism, “I think first we’re still in the process of figuring out if what we know of journalism survives,” he said. “But I’m hoping journalism survives because I can’t imagine a world without it.”

“If it doesn’t survive, we’re going to have more Flint, Michigans,” he added.

Moore has had a great love affair with OWU, “I love the place,” he said. “It really changed my life. I learned to mountain hike, play chess, like jazz and lead protests here.”

“We were encouraged to challenge things,” Moore said. “We would sit with the president and the provost and negotiate. They let leaders sprout here.”

OWU was where Moore’s career was launched in journalism. “I had a really great career and found it here,” Moore said. “Forty years later, I’m still grateful.”

“It’s nice to be back today to say ‘thank you.’ You can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to the people that help make things happen in your life,” Moore said.

Before giving his OWU commencement address, Gregory Moore puts on the familiar robes of graduation.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/05/web1_DSC_2479a.jpgBefore giving his OWU commencement address, Gregory Moore puts on the familiar robes of graduation. D. Anthony Botkin | The Gazette

By D. Anthony Botkin

[email protected]

D. Anthony Botkin may be reached at 740-413-0902 or on Twitter @dabotkin.

No posts to display