Interviewed by Betsy Russell
Name: Steve Kiggins
Age: 48
Job: Editor, Times-News
Press Club position: Board member
Education/career path: I got my first professional byline at 16 years old, a sports gamer in my local twice-weekly newspaper, and I worked as a weekly sports editor through college. My first daily job was on an island in Alaska, where I made it (but just barely!) for a year and a half, before heading out to the Casper Star-Tribune in Wyoming. I credit the Star-Tribune for helping me learn my way in journalism, thanks especially to the mentorship of Ron Gullberg, the sports editor there at the time. I’ve since worked in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and California – first in sports before making the move to the news side in 2005. I was executive editor for about three years at The Spectrum & Daily News in southern Utah before going to USA TODAY, where I worked 4 ½ years as national news editor. I learned a lot and worked with so many excellent journalists – Lee Horwich, Mike James, Rachel Aretakis, Jennifer Portman, Joel Shannon, Katie Vogel and others — but I missed being part of a community and wanted to get back to serving local readers. When so many people feel more a part of the national conversation than the local conversation, we’ve lost our way. Local journalism matters.
What first drew you to journalism? I grew up near Portland, Oregon, and I’d run out to the driveway every morning – often in the rain – to retrieve The Oregonian. Then I’d sit down at the table, eat breakfast and read all through the sports section, studying the stories and the stats. I was fascinated with the idea of being able to share what happened at a game with the rest of the world the next morning, and I’m guessing by 8 or 9 years old, I was consumed by wanting to see my name on a byline.
Favorite thing about your current job: It’s the people — always has been. The people we serve, the people we meet, the people we work with in the newsroom. I see journalism as community service, and I’m grateful to get up each day and have the opportunity to partner in work that connects people to their community, raises awareness, informs, educates, entertains and celebrates local successes. I’m also glad to get to bed every night, because it’s equally exhausting as it is exciting, but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.
Best advice from a mentor: As a young reporter who sometimes felt like I had to include everything from an interview in the story, I had an editor who wisely pulled me aside and told me, “Nobody knows what’s in your notebook except for you and your source. Don’t write the story for the source, write it for the readers.”
Hobbies: Does reporting count? I do need to find a few hobbies, seriously.
Family: My wife, Cass, and I are nearing our 19th anniversary. Our daughter, Taidyn, graduated from Twin Falls High School in May and is headed to Southern Utah University in the fall.
Pets: We rescued a full-of-personality Chihuahua named Dumpling about two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the country, and we do everything we can to spoil her and show her love.
