NNBV Editor Column: Changes for a better, brighter NNBV future

The only constant in life is change. What a difference a few years make. Change is often uncomfortable, but always inevitable. The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Yada, yada, yada. Insert your cliché here.

As journalists, we're taught in college — and if we're lucky to work for First Amendment-abiding, ruthless and at times-maniacal editors, the point is further hammered home in the professional world — to avoid using clichés in our reporting and stories. It's lazy, unoriginal writing.

But it can be hard to avoid clichés at times, especially nowadays in an era of media saturated by more and more bloggers, online news sites and social-media-hyped commentary riddled with hyperbole, often with an overarching goal of gaining page views and increasing engagement (meaning — a lesser priority is put on actual story-telling and news reporting).

So in reality, while clichés may be frowned upon in journalism, I very much value their simplicity, which is why I'll transition to this: We at the Northern Nevada Business View are no different when it comes to “seizing opportunities” and “overcoming challenges” while seeking to “embrace change.”

And my, has the NNBV gone through a rather incredible amount of change. Just look at the last five years for proof.

Since October 2014, the NNBV has had 10 different publishers/general managers in either full-time or interim roles overseeing our operation. Even more eye-opening: Since early 2017, seven different publishers/GMs have led the NNBV, all varying in stints from as little as three months to as many as 10.

Anyone in business knows that amount of turnover at a company's top leadership position isn't going to equate to much success, not to mention the added challenges of employee morale becoming collateral damage in the process.

Looking back, I recently leafed through the Oct. 27, 2014, edition of the (then-known-as) Northern Nevada Business Weekly, and after skimming everything, there's a lot to reflect on five years later.

At the time, I was editor of the Sierra Sun and North Lake Tahoe Bonanza newspapers at Truckee-Tahoe, managing a staff of four journalists working tirelessly to put out original, daily digital content and produce three print editions on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, in Reno, the NNBW was guided under the sure editorial hand of John Seelmeyer, who was the publication's first-ever editor when it launched in 2002. The two of us, having previously worked together with Swift Communications, talked regularly, sharing content and feedback (mostly via email, but at times in person), and I'm pleased to say I learned a great deal from him.

John has since left the NNBW, but he still contributes top-notch reporting elsewhere in the region, including with ThisIsReno.

Similarly, former NNBW reporters Anne Knowles and Duane Johnson, who also started with the new publication back in 2002, have since moved on. Anne reports now for the Nevada Appeal (our sister paper in Carson City), and we still work with Duane each month to publish the NNBV's Business Leads section that our readers and subscribers have come to appreciate over the last 15-plus years. We still work regularly with former NNBW reporter Rob Sabo, too, on many a freelance story.

Several other journalists cycled through the NNBW newsroom over the years as staffing levels have changed and revenue realities have shifted

A few more publishers later, we made a different type of shift — in May 2018, we switched our publication from a weekly NNBW to a monthly NNBV. It was around that time I became editor, having left the aforementioned Sun and Bonanza newspapers in early 2017.

Admittedly, I've stayed somewhat behind the scenes since, partly due to the fact more changes were coming, and while I could go on and on with details, my point with all this rambling is to get us to today, and the most important change of all — a new owner, and a fresh path forward.

As we reported two months ago, the NNBV and its assets were sold Aug. 1 to Pacific Publishing Company, and in conjunction, Nevada News Group was established as our dba company. NNG also publishes The Record-Courier, Nevada Appeal and Lahontan Valley News locally, in addition to the Winnemucca Humboldt Sun, Battle Mountain Bugle, Lovelock Review-Miner, Fallon and Fernley Mailbox News, and Nevada Rancher magazine.

With a solid lineup of established publications from which to share content and ideas, we see wonderful editorial opportunities heading into 2020 and beyond.

Doubling down on that, our new publisher, Peter Bernhard, is quite bullish on our future, stating rather matter-of-factly in our edition last month: “The NNBV is now on solid financial footing.”

With longtime NNBV Business Development Manager Melissa Saavedra continuing to lead sales efforts, indeed, our future is bright (yes, another cliché.)

What's more, this month we officially welcome back Kaleb M. Roedel, who was a reporter for the NNBV from January 2018 to February 2019. He will once again be devoting a considerable amount of time each week to business news and coverage across Reno-Sparks.

Kaleb is the real deal. His email is kroedel@nevadanewsgroup.com — I encourage you to engage with him on leads and story ideas.

The same goes for me. While I'm rather new to living in Reno and am still learning the ins and outs of all facets of business here, I'm thrilled to be editor of a publication that boasts a strong reputation thanks to the efforts of John Seelmeyer and many others.

So please, call me (775-850-2145) or email me, give me story ideas, talk to me about the past — and most importantly, let me know what sorts of change for the better you'd like to see with the NNBV moving forward.

Come 2020, I'd very much like to buck the notion that, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Clichés be damned.

Kevin MacMillan is editor of the Northern Nevada Business View. Email him at kmacmillan@nevadanewsgroup.com.