Recinto ’87 Sees Changes, Potential in His Profession
by Gary James '10
When Ron Recinto ’87 started his first job at the Cape Cod Times in 1990, most news stories were written in one day and went to press the next. Print journalism’s biggest competitor was broadcast television. Today most newspapers have online editions and can upload stories minutes after it has been edited. Twenty-four hour cable news networks and blogs have added to the changing face of journalism as well. Recinto, who has witnessed these changes in journalism first hand over the past 17 years, does not believe media outlets can play by the old rules. Instead, he thinks the newspaper business must adapt to the new realities.  "I started with a pen and paper as a cop reporter," said the former Phi Delt of his early years in journalism. "Now I have a digital camera. It’s not what I thought it’d be. We’re not so much in the newspaper business so much as we’re in the information business. The biggest thing is ... how to get your news out in a timely fashion."
Recinto, a biology major, grew up in Carmel, Indiana. After Wabash he attended Boston University and focused on reporting on science in medicine. He was hired in 1990 by the Cape Cod Times in Massachusetts. From 1993 until 1998, he worked for the Gary Post Tribune in Indiana. In 2000 he joined Red Herring Magazine, a new economy publication based in San Francisco. Currently, Recinto is the Assistant Features Editor at the Detroit Free Press, and, in addition to editing content, planning the lifestyles section, selecting photos and writing headlines, he posts web stories and creates themes using multimedia to design his section’s web page. He believes newspapers must develop web content because consumers are increasingly searching for news online, and the blogosphere is where an increasing number of consumers get their news. "When you’re competing with bloggers who can post stories within minutes without editors, it’s tough," said Recinto. "Consumers of information want it now. There’s an appetite for information." Recinto, who is Filipino-American, also believes the changing nature of media competition could increase diversity in the perspectives, peoples, issues, and leaders represented in journalism. He is a long-term member of the Asian American Journalists Association and served on its national board from 1994 to 1997. The organization seeks to promote fair coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, encourage them to enter journalism, and increases their leadership roles in the industry. "I think diversity is very important," said Recinto. "The world is getting more diverse, and, to survive as a business institution, you need to cover diverse issues. There are good people out there, and this is a great field to be in." Recinto also believes the press can be a powerful force in building communities. There was a time when he was covering a debate about water rates in Valparaiso while working for the Gary Post Tribune. The rates were to go up 15 percent just a year or so after a previous increase. Recinto’s story was printed on the front page of the paper and included information about a town hall meeting that was being held to discuss the issue. Hundreds of people attended the meeting and the concern was so great among the citizens the amount of the increase was scaled back substantially. "It shows the power of the press," said Recinto. "I think communities can make smart decisions if they get the right information." The Farmington Hills, Michigan, resident said Wabash has helped him by opening his mind up to new possibilities earlier in his life. Whether it’s a willingness to champion diversity and communities or to adapt to changes in his profession, Recinto believes the liberal arts experience has helped him in his career. "There are definitely some common themes between my Wabash experience and my professional career, whether it’s trying a different approach to a story or going from newspaper to magazine. At Wabash I learned a willingness to change, take risks, and try new things."
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