Dale Boyd
By Dale Boyd
Osoyoos Times
Hello Osoyoos! I will be your senior newest reporter (not my real title) around town.
It has been a while since I have written a “new-in-town” piece like this, but truthfully I’m not exactly new to the Okanagan.
Eagle-eyed readers may recognize my name from the newsprint northward in Penticton and across the valley with different publications.
While Osoyoos is not brand new to me, there is still much I don’t know about the beautiful place you all call home. Also, I’m working on my pronunciation which I have been informed is incorrect. “Oh-Sue-Yus,” right? I’ll get there.
Anyhow, since I know a pretty good amount about Osoyoos, having covered news and events in the South Okanagan over the past six years, it is only fair you, dear reader, get to know me a little better.
I was born and raised in a small oil/military town, Cold Lake, AB, close to the Saskatchewan/Alberta border. Since I wasn’t interested in oil rigs or fighter jets, well, flying in them at least, I left town at the ripe age of 18 to pursue a writing career. I attended Grant MacEwan University where I received a diploma in journalism and forwent a communications degree to simply start working.
There is no better education than working as a journalist, at least that’s what I tell myself to dissuade the shame of not possessing a degree.
I spent a few years with what was called Sun Media at the time (now Post Media), working at the Edmonton Sun and Edmonton Examiner where I learned the ropes. I moved out to the Okanagan six years ago and have worked for various news outlets, hosted federal election debates, hosted music events and open mics, performed as a hip-hop and rock musician (facebook.com/spaceblastermaster if you’re curious) and generally just love it here.
My very first assignment as a journalist was a note on a piece of paper that said “Jean, big watermelon” followed by a phone number. Turns out Jean had grown a big watermelon, but as I found out when I arrived at her home she and her family or friends had eaten it. All that survived was a picture of Jean and what I would call a slightly larger than average watermelon.
I like to share that story of my first assignment because I think people have a glorified or distorted idea of what a newspaper reporter’s job is. I often repeat the adage that reporters write the first draft of history, but here is where you come in readers!
As the local news economy shrinks I was delighted to see many of you come in the office to purchase our paper in my first few days at the Osoyoos Times. You, my reader, have a considerable role to play in our success. News tips, engagement, discussion, revision, we reporters are nothing without a community to inform and communicate with.
With that in mind, I’m happy to be here and look forward to hearing from you. I will respond to every email sent to me (standard disclaimer: no promises you’ll like what I have to say) so feel free to reach out: [email protected].
Follow Dale on Twitter @dalewboyd for mostly inane commentary on the world’s happenings and some news.
