Melinda Gorham
Melinda Gorham (Facebook) |
| Born: | December 5, 1957, Pisgah, Alabama |
Notes:
• Daughter of John Lee Gorham and Elizabeth Peacock Gorham. - Mother's Obituary
• Interests in Journalism, Political Science, Psychology. - Facebook
• "Melinda Gorham, who knew she wanted to work at the Huntsville Times when she left college, reaches the top rung of the Times' newsroom more than 20 years later.
Alabama native Melinda Gorham lands the top newsroom job at Newhouse's Huntsville Times 22 years after starting out as the paper's bureau chief in her home county of Jackson. Gorham, 44, who says she set her sights on the Times when she graduated from college in 1979, recalls her 'inner struggle' over whether to give up reporting before she became features editor, one of many jobs she's held at the paper. 'I just love the thrill of the interview and the thrill of the chase and trying to get people to open up to me,' says the former managing editor. Now her goal is attracting new readers in the high-tech community, whose primary employers are the U.S. military, NASA and their contractors, and whose residents come from all over the country and around the world. The best stories, Gorham says, are those 'you anticipate and you help your readers anticipate,' such as a series the paper ran on urban sprawl. And, she adds, 'We try to never forget the importance and the sheer joy of telling a story well.'" - Wenner
• "Gorham, 49, became the first female editor of The Times (Huntsville) in 2002 after serving eight years as managing editor. She joined the Times in 1980 as Jackson County bureau chief.
'I'm thankful for all the adventures and lessons these years with The Times have provided me,' Gorham said. 'I loved reporting, interviewing and writing so much, I never thought I would be in management. But eventually being chosen The Times' editor was such an honor. There was nothing quite as satisfying as directing the talented people in the newsroom in covering Huntsville and North Alabama - my home and my heart.'
Ludwig said Gorham guided the paper through its conversion from afternoon to morning publication and design change." - The Decatur Daily
• "Melinda Gorham, 49, has been editor since 2002. 'Unfortunately, [Gorham's] more than 27 years at the newspaper are concluding because of health issues that she must deal with full time,' says publisher Bob Ludwig, who assumes the additional duties of editor." - Romenesko
• Editor of the Huntsville Daily and Weekly Times starting in 2002 now retired. Volunteer in the Arts. - HHQ
Related Links:
• Amazon - Co-Author of the book "Huntsville: Where Technology Meets Tradition", 1993.
• Facebook - Personal Page originally found at https://www.facebook.com/melinda.gorham.7, but no longer accessible.
• HHQ - Historic Huntsville Quarterly, Vol. XXXI, #3-4, Fall-Winter, 2005, Historic Huntsville Foundation, pages 2 & 3.
• Mother's Obituary - Times-Journal, DeKalb County, Alabama, September 12, 2012.
• Romenesko - Article titled "Huntsville Times editor Gorham retires for medical reasons" by Jim Romenesko, Oct. 8, 2007 for Poynter. (Originally found at http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/84840/huntsville-times-editor-gorham-retires-for-medical-reasons/.)
• The Decatur Daily - Article on Gorham's retirement, October 9, 2007. (Originally found at http://legacy.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/071009/times.shtml.)
• Wenner - Article titled "Sweet Home Alabama" by Kathryn S. Wenner for American Journalism Review, October 2002.
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• HHQ