news media
Commentary through comedy David Fitzsimmons, local editorial cartoonist, endears himself to generations of readers in Tucson By Rob Tornoe
D
oes your news organization publish local editorial cartoons? Chances are really good the answer is no. According to a study done by The Herb Block Foundation released in 2012, there were about 2,000 fulltime editorial cartoonists employed by newspapers in the U.S. at the start of the 20th century. As recently as 2000, there were upwards of 250. Today, by my count, there are less than 20. Obviously, a lot of that attrition has been caused by the same forces that have ravaged every newsroom department over the last 15 years. After all, how many staff movie critics remain employed by newspapers? But editorial cartoonists are different. It’s an art form and type of commentary birthed by newspapers, from Ben Franklin’s famed “Join or die” cartoon decades before the Revolutionary War to Thomas Nast’s famed takedown of corrupt New York City political boss William M. Tweed. While about every newspaper in the country still publishes nationally syndicated cartoons (as they do with movie reviews), engaging local visual commentary is hard to come by these days. That takes us to Tucson, where one-time Pulitzer Prize finalist David Fitzsimmons has been drawing six cartoons a week about his sun-soaked corner of the country for the Arizona Daily Star since 1986. Avoiding the fate of many of his contemporaries, Fitzsimmons has managed to remain a vital part of his newspaper and the community for the past 35 years and
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} Editorial cartoons were birthed by newspapers, exemplified by Ben Franklin’s famed “Join or die” cartoon decades before the Revolutionary War.
only recently decided at the age of 66 to begin to slow things down and go part-time. “My pen just got heavy as a boulder,” Fitzsimmons said. “I started } One-time Prize to feel really finalist David Fitzsimmons has ancient in the been drawing six newsroom cartoons a week because I’d draw about his suna cartoon and soaked corner of go, ‘Hey, I think the country for the Arizona Daily Star this is maybe the in Tucson, 40th cartoon AZ since 1986. I’ve drawn about our looney legislature this year.’” The Star is owned by Lee Enterprises and Gannett in a complicated arrangement that stems back to a joint-operating agreement
after the closure of the Tucson Citizen. As a result, the newspaper has faced the same economic headwinds and corporate demands as other chain-owned newspapers, resulting in waves of layoffs and furloughs. But Fitzsimmons, whose work is also syndicated by Cagle Cartoons, survived all the cutbacks and remains an important voice and reason Star readers renew their subscriptions. In addition to drawing a daily cartoon that places more focus on local events than national politics, Fitzsimmons took it upon himself to engage directly with the community. He does a lot of public speaking appearances around Tucson, a mix of events at schools and local clubs like Rotary and Kiwanis with cartoons and jokes — all while promoting the newspaper. “I just endeared myself to the community as a public figure, which I have to admit really made me feel editorandpublisher.com
