Ben S. Pollock

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Newspaper editorial pages editor, metro editor, wire editor, Sunday editor, copy editor, page designer, reporter, critic and columnist. University print journalism instructor in news writing and ethics.

Education

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. MA: Journalism, secondary emphasis in Creative Writing. Thesis: "Declines in American Newspaper Humor and Humorous Columns, 1982-2002," presented at 27th annual conference of National Society of Newspaper Columnists, 6/03 Tucson.
Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif. AB: Communication -- journalism, secondary major in American Studies -- policies and institutions. Stanford Daily campus newspaper, Chaparral humor magazine, KZSU-FM campus radio, Stanford Marching Band.

Employment

2002 - present -- Wehco Media Inc., Lowell, Springdale and Fayetteville, Ark.:

Copy Editor-Page Designer. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Northwest Edition, Lowell. Design 1A and other news pages, copy edit, proofread. Also book reviews.
Copy Editor. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Northwest Edition, Springdale. Edited features, news, special projects; some features reporting.
Editorial Pages Editor, interim. Northwest Arkansas Times, Fayetteville. Wrote all editorials, chaired editorial board, edited letters and columns.
Copy Editor. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Northwest Edition. Part-time news desk work while full-time graduate student.

Graduate Teaching Assistant. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Instructor, Ethics in Journalism, Spring 2003 semester. Supervisor of news writing labs of Fundamentals of Journalism, Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 semesters. Copy editor, accreditation documentation.

The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas, Springdale:

Associate Editor/Editorial Pages. Supervised daily and Sunday opinion pages, editing letters, columns and editorials then proofreading. Wrote editorials.

Washington County Metro Editor. Supervised reporters and photographers in two newsrooms. Night metro editor for all newsrooms.

Feature Humor Columnist. Weekly, throughout both positions. Distributed via Stephens (ne Donrey) Media Group to its newspapers.

Innkeeper. Beaver Town Inn & Trading Post, Beaver, Ark. Maintained facility and grounds, cooked, kept books for five-guestroom bed & breakfast. Ran the gift shop downstairs.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (ne Arkansas Democrat), Little Rock:

Sunday Editor. Planned, coordinated and supervised Sunday and Monday editions. Also book reviews.

International Editor. Responsible for national and world wire news, trained and supervised 1-3 assistants. Front-page "In the News" daily column. Occasional show and book reviews.

Assistant Wire Editor. Also designed business section, other pages. Also copy editor.

Copy Editor. Headlines, cutlines, editing of news copy. Also some wire editing, proofreading.

Feature Humor Columnist. Weekly 1988-90, biweekly 1992 and occasionally before and after those periods while holding above full-time positions. Honored by Arkansas Press Association and Wehco Media.

Managing Editor. The Allen (Texas) American, a suburban Dallas semiweekly. Supervised staff of 3-4, editing, page design, proofreading. Also reporter, photographer, editorial writer and columnist.

News-Texan (now zoned suburban sections of The Dallas Morning News), Farmers Branch:

Makeup Editor/Proofreader. Wire editing, page design, liaison for all six papers' editors to central production-press facility.

Assistant Editor. Irving Daily News, Editing, page design, helped supervise staff. Also city hall, police, business, feature reporting. Some photography, columns. Created regular business page.

Police Reporter. Irving Daily News. Also city hall, feature reporting.

News Producer. KFJM-AM / KFJM-FM Public Radio, Grand Forks, N.D. "Morning Edition" local anchor, newscaster, reporter, editor and board operator. Trained and supervised student staff. Sold many stories to The Associated Press.

News Intern. Southwest Times Record, Fort Smith, Ark.
News Intern. KFPW-AM / KHBS-TV, Fort Smith.
Summer Assembly Lineman. Whirlpool Corp., Fort Smith
Summer Assembly Lineman. Rheem-Ruud Corp., Fort Smith.

Affiliations

National Society of Newspaper Columnists: Board member 2005-, Secretary 2007-, Archivist 05-07. Co-author, "NSNC Guide to Syndication, 2nd Edition," 2004. Web site redesign liaison and interim Webmaster, 2006.

Society of Professional Journalists: UA chapter member; Northwest Arkansas chapter charter member; Arkansas (Little Rock) chapter secretary/newsletter editor, 1987-88; Dallas chapter board member/newsletter editor 1983-85.

Annual Erma Bombeck Writing Competition, sponsored by Ohio's Washington-Centerville Public Library and the University of Dayton: Judge, humorous essays, 2003-.

Toastmasters International: University of Arkansas at Little Rock chapter charter member; Competent Toastmaster certificate, 1996.

Webmaster: Ozark Poets & Writers Collective.

Music: Bella Vista (Arkansas) Recorder Consort, Arkansas Winds community band.

Software Skills

Skilled in NewsEditPro/IQue as well as Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, familiar with Photoshop. Also well skilled in Quicken, AppleWorks/ClarisWorks. Proficient in Microsoft Word and MS Excel with skills in Publisher, Powerpoint and Access. Web page design and upkeep using Dreamweaver, also MS FrontPage and Netscape Composer.

e-mail: ben.pollock@stanfordalumni.org

Last updated 08/23/07