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APA Better Newspaper Ad Contest entries sought APA Legislative Report
Arkansas Press Association
Publisher Weekly Vol. 16 | No. 03 | Thursday, January 21, 2021 | Serving Press and State Since 1873
New editor at The Eagle Democrat adjusting to role Zach Killian brought some do-it-all experience to his new position as editor at The Eagle Democrat in Warren, where he’s found it’s not actually all his to do. Killian handled multiple roles at the South Arkansas Sun, the Hampton newspaper owned by his family. Killian took over as editor in Warren earlier this month, where he has quickly learned that he’s able to focus more on his editorial duties. The Eagle Democrat has more employees than the Sun did, making the editor’s job a bit different, Killian said in an interview this week. “They do things a little differently here than what I’m used to,” he said. “I’m used to doing everything myself, and here there are other people, and I don’t necessarily have to do everything.” Killian’s parents, Larry and Shanna Killian, acquired the South Arkansas Sun in 2015. Killian had been living in Fort Worth at the time, but returned to his home state to help out the family business. He had earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Ouachita Baptist University, so the transition to journalism made sense. In Hampton, Killian handled reporting and photography, and was also responsible for most of the design and layout. To him, it was “a good opportunity to use my skills and gain more experience.” Late last year, he learned about the editor vacancy in Warren (longtime editor Tim Kessler retired, Killian said), and his parents encouraged him to pursue the job. “They were excited for me, and they said it was a good opportunity and I’d be dumb if I didn’t take it,” he said. “It seemed like a good opportunity to Continued on Page 2
Zach Killian