A 50-YEAR ARMENIAN WEEKLY CAREER INSPIRED BY 16 EDITORS
By Tom Vartabedian
The Armenian Weekly
February 8, 2010
I’m what you may call an editor’s man. That’s because I’ve been
surrounded by them throughout the annals of time, whether it’s been
the Hairenik/Armenian Weekly, my own working Haverhill Gazette,
outside ethnic journals, and even my church newsletter.
I wrote the stories and they’ve handled them, whether for the good or
bad. Let it be known that I harbored the utmost respect for each of
them. It’s a job I never wanted, thank you. In some ways, I believe
I made some of these editors look good. In other ways, they returned
the favor. From the time I submitted my first story as an AYF scribe
in 1960 to this article, a half century has elapsed and no fewer than
16 editors have come under my tenure, counting me. Yes, I got the
opportunity to edit my own copy for a whole year in 1982, when the
editor’s well ran dry and the Haireniks needed someone to cover. Thus,
I received a taste of my own medicine. Working two papers and raising
a family besides was no easy trick. A runner would arrive each week
from Boston and drop off heaps of copy, much of it illegible, and
I would put the paper out from my home. It was more a labor of love
than anything else, I can assure you.
The stipend I received back then hardly covered my expenses. Looking
back at it all, the experience made me a more accomplished
journalist-not rich, mind you, but fulfilled. If anybody ever enters
this profession for a salary, they might do better dishing our burgers
at a McDonald’s.
>>From my very first editors (Jimmy Tashjian and Jimmy Mandalian)
to the current (Khatchig Mouradian), I have crossed a vast array of
personalities. Some were quiet, others vocal. Some wrote better than
others, more precise, calculating, methodical, and shrewd.
If one leaned more toward the political realm of journalism, another
favored the human interest side. I often found myself pleading for
a healthy balance.
On this 75th anniversary, it’s hard to compare one editor over the
other. Both Tashjian and Mandalian dedicated 36 very hard years to
their sentinel, usually working in tandem on the third floor of the
old Hairenik Building at 212 Stuart St. in Boston. I was attending
Boston University at the time looking for a journalism degree.
Visiting their office with my AYF articles in hand was the best
lesson I could ever receive. Tashjian never changed a word. He let
the mistakes fly. It was up to me to present him with pristine copy.
It kept this cub reporter on his toes, not that a chapter social
was earth-shattering news. Those were the days of manual typewriters
and glue pots. The editors always enjoyed a good cigar, a cluttered
office, and enough chaos to fill a battlefield. But they managed
to get a paper out on time with minimal restraint because they were
doctors of journalism and had a unique grasp on public affairs. For
that, they were admired. I started collaborating with Tashjian on
the Olympics issues back in 1968. He did the track and swimming. I
handled the tennis and golf. Being a sportswriter by design at the
Gazette, this was familiar territory. When he left in 1981, he passed
the torch to me and the flame continues to burn brightly.
Next on the scene was Laura Tosoonian who no sooner arrived before
leaving. Laura remained an editor for barely a year and seemed to
handle the transition well.
Ohan Balian was quickly recruited and spent three years at the Weekly.
He was a good journalist with a grasp for the news. When he departed
in 1982, the job fell on my shoulders until Georgi-Ann Bargamian
came along-my first experience with a female editor. Georgi-Ann was
a hard-nosed journalist to every degree, with printer’s ink for blood.
That’s why she became such a credit to the law profession.
I recall one late September evening at the Hairenik, putting the final
touches on an Olympics issue and falling asleep at the typewriter. She
nudged me awake and filled my tonsils with coffee.We managed to meet
the deadline but not before a good deal of trepidation and caffeine.
On came another female to inherit the rains in 1984. Mimi Parseghian
happened to be a neighbor of mine from Lowell and a fellow Gomideh
member. We shared a lot in common. I had great respect for Mimi,
given the fact she didn’t have a journalism background and plied the
craft with sheer guts.
It was strictly "on the job" training for Mimi who was a stickler for
detail. She made the Weekly her priority for five years, given the
absence of wedlock, and treated her correspondents with compassion
and understanding. Her leadership role with the ARS these days is
indispensible and I believe the journal had much to do with it.
After five years, off went Mimi and on came Antranig Kasbarian
who held the role from 1987-92. One of the vital cogs in the ARF
arena, Antranig brought the Weekly to newer heights with an astute
journalism mind and a flare for writing. He became an "ambassador"
for the Weekly, often hitting the road for interviews and making sure
prominent subjects like Rouben Gavoor got their notice.After his stint,
off he went in pursuit of higher education.
Vahe Habeshian devoted six hard years to the job (1990-96), often
working in tandem with Grace Kehetian. The two continued to put a
business spin on the Weekly, focused some attention on a broader
AYF page, and kept the Hairenik tradition intact. The next three
editors each served a year. Vigen Aprahamian, Peter Nersesian, and
Arto Payaslian did their part, though briefly, and kept the paper from
sliding into a state of inertia. The appearance of Jason Sohigian was
a breath of fresh air. Jason endured the trials and tribulations of
a burgeoning electronic age with a new face in the ethnic press arena.
He answered the call diligently and his work was exemplary. Today,
he’s a scion for the Armenian Tree Project and acts as his own press
secretary in matters of exposure.
Jason was followed by Jenny Kiljian for the next two years. Armed
with a masters degree in Journalism from the University of Southern
California’s Annenberg School for Communications, Jenny brought a
sense of communication into the Armenian Weekly-the likes of which
hadn’t been seen during previous years in terms of education.
In her blog, she lists five strengths that create a vibrant life:
1. Creativity, ingenuity and originality 2. Love of learning 3. Bravery
and valor 4. Appreciation of beauty and excellence 5. Zest, enthusiasm
and energy
It’s nice to see Jenny’s by-lines still being published in Armenian
journals as her love for writing knows no hiatus. Which brings us to
the last editor. Khatchig Mouradian faced the ultimate challenge coming
from Lebanon, leaving his family behind, and stepping into a foreign
land. As the gifted writer and journalist he already was in Beirut,
and with vast computer skills, he made the transition an easy one.
How Khatchig can sometimes put out the Weekly while thousands
of miles removed is a testament to his ingenuity as an editor. He
instituted a lively web page and added other electronic features. His
special magazine editions dedicated to such subjects as genocide and
independence are also worthy of applause. Hopefully, his stay will be
a longer and more fruitful one. Despite their differences, there is
one common denominator with these 16 editors (myself included). They
had to put up with my foibles,my badgering to get stories hyped with
large headlines, and good photography complements.
My idiosyncrasies as a writer have not always been easy but intent
on giving readers the most bang for their buck. As correspondents,
we volunteer our efforts because we share a lot of compassion for
this organ.
There is another link that bonds the editors. I do not believe any
of them took the job for the money. In some cases, they lived from
paycheck to paycheck, sometimes seeing payment delayed when Hairenik
resources were dry.
Answering to a Central Committee can also be mind-boggling to an editor
who must contend with multiple bosses, let alone one. Most have no
knowledge of journalism and what it entails. Yet, these editors often
bit the bullet and persevered. A 40-hour week would be a luxury for a
Weekly editor. It isn’t uncommon to see any of them burn the midnight
oil and sacrifice much of their personal life to get the job done. I
suspect there will be other editors to come aboard as we approach a
new decade. New ideas. New visions. A multitude of change.
I can only hope the organ will continue to enjoy a prosperous future,
both with its printed version and online page. Without these editors,
the journal would surely have stumbled into obscurity long ago and not
been our window to the outside world these 75 years. To all of them,
we owe a debt of gratitude. Well done, good and faithful servants.
Armenian Weekly Editors who inspired my career 1. James G.Mandalian
(1934-69) 2. James H.Tashjian (1945-81) 3. Laura Tosoonian (1977-78)
4. Ohan S. Balian (1979-82) 5. Tom Vartabedian (1982-83) 6. Georgi-Ann
(Bargamian) Oshagan (1982-84) 7. Muriel (Mimi) Parseghian (1984-89)
8. Antranig Kasbarian (1987-92) 9. Vahe Habeshian (1990-96) 10. Grace
Kehetian-Kulegian (1992-96) 11. Viken Aprahamian (1996-97) 12. Peter
Nersesian (1998-99) 13. Arto Payaslian (1999-2000) 14. Jason Sohigian
(1999-2004) 15. Jenny Kiljian (2005-2007) 16. Khatchig Mouradian
(2007-present)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
