Eliza Gaines: A Legacy in Journalism and Leadership
By Ahmer Khan
Eliza Hussman Gaines, a fourth-generation leader in the newspaper industry, continues her family’s legacy by serving as publisher of 11 daily and eight weekly newspapers across Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. With a deep commitment to preserving quality journalism, Gaines has held several influential positions, including vice president of audience development for WEHCO Media, executive editor of both the Hot Springs Sentinel-Record and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Gaines’ influence extends beyond her publishing role as she sits on the boards of organizations such as the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Journalism and Media Foundation, the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation, America’s Newspapers, the CHI St. Vincent Foundation, and the Gladney Center for Adoption. She also served as the 2023-2024 president of the Arkansas Press Association board.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gaines earned a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Mass Communication, building a strong foundation for her remarkable career in media. Currently residing in Little Rock, Arkansas, she continues to champion the importance of local journalism and its impact on communities.
In an exclusive Q&A with the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics, Eliza Gaines shares her insights on the future of journalism, the challenges facing the industry, and her vision for sustaining newspapers in the digital age.
Q1: What are the primary challenges your news organization is dealing with, and how are you addressing them?
A: The biggest challenge we face is attracting younger audiences to subscribe, as our current readership is aging and not being replaced. We're working to reach younger audiences where they are—online, on their phones, and through social media platforms like TikTok—since many haven't developed the habit of paying for news.
Q2: How are you building trust and public confidence in your news organization?
A: We emphasize objectivity, fair reporting, and clearly separating news from opinion through a statement of core values. Additionally, we have a strict ethics policy that all reporters must sign, which includes guidelines on social media use and avoiding conflicts of interest.
Q3: Can you share some details about the requirements in your ethics policy regarding social media use by your staff?
A: Our policy prohibits reporters from posting anything on social media that could be perceived as biased or in support of a specific issue or candidate. We closely monitor social media activity and take appropriate action if any content violates our guidelines.
Q4: How does your organization view objectivity in journalism?
A: We approach objectivity scientifically. Our reporters gather all the facts without preconceived notions and present them without drawing conclusions. We believe it's the audience’s job to determine the truth from the facts we provide.
Q5: Are you concerned about conflicts of interest between your journalists and businesses? Do you have hard lines in place?
A: Absolutely. We maintain a strict separation between our advertising and editorial departments. Even if a major advertiser is involved, they have no influence over the content we publish.
Q6: What are you most proud of that your organization has achieved in recent years?
A: In 2019, we successfully transitioned our print subscribers to a digital e-edition, providing them with free iPads. We also launched a subscriber-exclusive section on our website that offers unique content only available to subscribers.
Q7: How is AI affecting the media industry, and how is your organization responding?
A: We're using AI to improve efficiency in areas like page design and article summaries, but not for content creation. We see AI as both a threat and an opportunity and are continually updating our policies to ensure its ethical and effective use.
Q8: What do you think should be taught in journalism schools that isn’t being emphasized today?
A: Journalism schools should have real journalists teaching classes to give students a sense of the real-world challenges they’ll face. It’s also important to emphasize core values, like maintaining neutrality and not becoming advocates for the issues they cover.
Q9: Is there anything else you’d like to add about the importance of local news?
A: Local, reliable news is essential to communities. When local news disappears, it can lead to increased crime, higher taxes, and more government corruption. It's crucial that younger generations understand the profound impact of losing original local reporting.