By Edward Henderson
Friday, April 14th 2017, marks 30 years of publishing for the San Diego Monitor Newspaper.
After the death of former Voice and Viewpoint publisher Bill Thompson in 1987, there was a void created in the San Diego black press. Dr. Willie L Morrow, inventor of the ‘California Curl’, founded The Monitor to fill that void.
“There was no voice other than the radio at the time,” said Dr. Morrow. “When we first started throwing the paper, we have mountains of them, about 15 or 20 thousand. We would throw them in every home and church in the community. Then we married the print and radio components together (92.5). It became the most powerful tool in the black community.”
Dr. Morrow’s daughter Cheryl Morrow is the current Editor in Chief of the paper. While The Monitor is celebrating 30 years, Morrow believes not much has changed since the paper was first published.
“If you look at the headlines of the newspapers the date could change, and it could be the same thing. Journalism is the political and social note keeper. You can look back at them you can chart your progress as a people. The headlines I hope could tell a story of what the millennials and next generations can do from here. What does the next 30 years look like? We can’t have the same headlines and fights.”
When asked about next steps for action in order to change headlines, Morrow was candid in her response in what she felt needed to change within the press.
“Publishers cannot have friends. Press has to be independent of political, socio, and private relationships. You have to print the truth no matter what. That is what makes a powerful paper.”
The official celebration for this landmark achievement will occur in September with the theme ‘30 years of Business Advocacy’. Their promotion campaign launches next week using the hashtag #relevant. Individuals who re-post the hashtag 10 times on their social media platform will receive an original copy of the first publication of The Monitor from 30 years ago.
To learn more about The Monitor, their campaign, and to read their most current web issue, visit www.sdmonitornews.com
