Dear Editor:
Please indulge me as I submit a few respectful words about Jamie Burnett, the local newspaper publisher I worked for over six interesting years (1976 to 1982).
Jamie died recently and I have only just learned about this loss.
His life resume is a full one, but my own particular relationship with Jamie began with my role as a raw young reporter/photographer for his Fergus Elora News Express in 1976 and progressed to my becoming editor of his second weekly, The Erin Advocate.
It is no small thing to be the publisher of a small-town newspaper. Jamie took that responsibility very seriously and worked hard to keep the editorial side of both his weeklies vibrant and, dare I say it, precocious.
In other words, he let the ink-stained wretches he employed (old journalists like those kind of images of themselves) carry on with story telling. For that we were all grateful. And awards were won!
Furthermore, he loved new technology and strove to adopt computers to his business despite their early awkwardness. Somehow it worked, but only because of his heroic efforts.
The offices of the Burnett weeklies were rather happy, chummy places where story ideas came as often from the darkroom technician or the receptionist as from the editor’s desk. Everyone felt empowered by Jamie’s leadership style.
As I reflect on the local journalism scene of the late ‘70s, which involved the News Express, Cable TV, the Advertiser, the Guelph Mercury, and, when the news was especially big, CKCO TV, I can only thank Jamie Burnett for managing a newspaper that played a vital role in the pretty dynamic Fergus-Elora community that existed almost a half century ago. It didn’t just happen recently.
Being a participant in that particular era was a stimulating experience in my young life. So may I say “thanks, Jamie” for being at the helm. You served your community well!
Bryan Hayter,
Fergus