What is your professional background? I have a B.S. degree in agriculture and completed course work for a M.S. degree but did not write the required paper as I got involved with this newspaper. Major was ag journalism with minors in agricultural economics and business.  In high school was responsible for a weekly radio program which presented school news and interviews, photographer for the school newspaper and yearbook and co-editor of the high school yearbook. Served on the staff of ag school publications while at K-State and produced a monthly newsletter for a co-op while attending KSU.  Also taught the advanced photography section for two years of the same workshop I attended following high school graduation.
     Please tell me about your current position and publication. It was announced on my 24th birthday that I would be the new managing editor and publisher of The Superior Express, that was May 21, 1970, and I have been here since.  The Express and closely related Jewell County Record serve as the official newspapers for Nuckolls County, Nebraska, and Jewell County, Kansas. We belong to both press associations. Have our own 4 unit press, still print on 32 inch newsprint, do not run any color, though we have twice tried. The first two years I was here we ran spot color ever week because we could, however, found the readers preferred more pages and less color. Still find that to be true. Color is not cheap though it is cheaper than it was when I started.
     Why did you choose this business? I didn't choose this business it chose me.  I wanted to be an electrical engineer. Had an uncle who was a farm broadcaster for KOLN-TV. Thought he had a neat job but I wasn't interested in talking for a living.  Did start helping with the school radio program in my 10th grade year because I liked the electronics and was to be responsible for the program in my junior year. That summer a teacher came to see me. She had been teaching Spanish in my high school, but the journalism teacher resigned and she had to take over the journalism classes. Said she knew nothing about photography and wanted me to be her photographer.  I said "I know nothing about photography, can't spell and can't write. I will not take journalism." To which she replied, "You like science and photography is science. I have enrolled you in a correspondence course and by the time school starts you will know how to take pictures.  Take my pictures on time and you will never have to come to class or write a story and I will give you an A."  That sounded like a good deal which I accepted.
     When I was graduating, she enrolled me in a one-week photography course at Kansas State for which I got one hour of credit. Said, "I know you don't plan to take journalism, but one credit hour may be helpful but the biggest help is you will know your way around campus and not be a green freshman when you return in September for your first semester classes."
     I took the photo course and mid-way through my first semester went back to the journalism building to look at that semester's photo displays. I was met by my photo instructor who said, "Mr. Blauvelt are you ready to come home?"  I didn't understand and asked for an explanation. He explained journalism was my home and didn't I want to switch majors.  I told him "I can't write and I can't spell." To which he replied there were jobs in journalism that didn't require one to write or spell.  He sold me and I switched.
     Never planned to work in a weekly newspaper until I was about to leave KSU.  At that time phototypesetting computers were being developed and the old timers were afraid of them. I wasn't. They were just a bunch of electronics and electronics was my first love. I felt certain I could make them work. And so the story is too long for this response but one thing led to another and a banker loaned me and partners the down payment and operating capital to buy The Express.
     I like small town living, the recreational opportunities it provides and the ability to be a positive influence on people's lives.  I'm among the town characters, ride a bicycle to work most every day and after 47 years covering local events many people know me and I'm free to take their pictures.
     How have you seen newspapers and the news business change over the years? We were among the first Nebraska newspapers to install Compugraphic typesetting equipment. Had dailies and weeklies coming to see our equipment. I don't think the changes facing newspapers today are any greater than they were then.  In 1985 we switched to desktop publishing.  When I contacted Eakes Office Equipment to buy a laserprinter, I was told there wasn't a market for such in out-state Nebraska and Eakes didn't plan to offer laser printers.  Eventually, that changed and I was their first customer. Same with scanners. They loaned me a scanner to see if there was any application for a scanner in a newspaper.
     I'm sorry to see the personal news go away. We had more than 20 community correspondents and some of those filled a page every week with the goings on in their community. I'm really sorry how little personal news we have. People are still interested, if they weren't why do we have Facebook?
     What challenges have you seen affect both news and advertising? The challenge is how to finance the operation of a newspaper. Our traditional advertising sources are going away with the move to internet shopping, shrinking rural population etc. When I started Superior had 5 grocery stores, today we have one. and the cost of gathering news has gone up.  When I started The Express didn't employ a reporter. As editor I filled the front page and a bit more. Correspondent paid at the rate of 10 cents an inch did the rest and we averaged 22 pages a week.
     For those who say, print is dead or on its way out, what is your response? Print may be dead but the need for information is not dead. The need for transportation didn't die with the buggy whip or the passenger train. People still travel, just differently, the same is true with the need for information.  It may be delivered differently.  Our Mankato office still has a Linotype and century old Duplex press. Just because the old machines died didn't meaning newspapers died. We added offset printing and computerized typesetting. We must adapt to change.
     Do you see generational differences affecting the future of newspapers? If so, how?  No.  
     What is your advice to the up and coming journalists?  Look at the broad picture. Consider all options. Be prepared to change and adapt.  I started taking pictures with a Speed Graphic and still have one but I haven't taken a picture with it in decades. I had a tremendous darkroom.  Did mostly black and white but also some color processing. Darkroom is gone but I still have and sometimes us a picture from our negative files. I still take pictures but the equipment has changed. We once used Pagemaker 1.0 for typesetting and Photoshop 1.0 for processing our pictures. Not now.  My last photo was taken with a cell phone.  Remember when I was advocating and pushing for internet service in Superior. The local telephone company manager told me to shut up. I could squawk all I wanted but the internet would never be available in Superior. Now we have at least three companies selling internet service to the home.
     Some say newspapers are giving away too much free information online. What are your thoughts on that?  I don't think so. Subscription revenue for this newspaper does not cover the cost of printing and distribution. Advertising pays the bills. I would be willing to give away the content in exchange for advertising revenue. To date, we have not been successful in selling internet ads.  For three years, we have posted our pages on the internet for free but we expect to require a subscription after Jan. 1, not because we want to charge for the news but because we think it will help to sell advertising.
     Is there anything else that you would like to add?  I want to encourage young people to consider careers in journalism. I'm glad two teachers pushed me into journalism. It has been a great ride. I've enjoyed nearly every day and don't want to retire, though I know it is time to involve younger people if this newspaper is to continue.  I don't want to be like the trucking company owner who had quit making sales calls. One of the women in the office could see the business volume declining and told her boss he needed to make sales calls. He answered, "If they see how old I am, they will take their business elsewhere for they will fear I will die before the delivery is made." I'm kind of that way. Two women who I haven't seen in years but who I am Facebook friends with, were determined they were going to bring horses to Superior Saturday and take me for a trail ride.  The idea sound great but I had to decline. It has been 46 year since I rode a horse, and I don't think this old man could get his leg high enough to mount a horse.