Last Thursday, I held a phone interview with Kyle Franko, the Sports Editor of The Trentonian.  A Rutgers graduate, Franko got his start at the university’s acclaimed student newspaper, The Daily Targum.  He was hired by The Trentonian fresh out of college, and worked his way up to his current position over the course of five years.

In our energetic, insightful, and often funny conversation, Franko’s words painted a portrait of a journalist fiercely dedicated to his craft.  He dug into his transition from playing sports to writing about them, highlighting his college courses and paper as key contributors to his reporting abilities.  He detailed The Trentonian’s intimate relationship with Mercer County, and that staying local is the paper’s key to remaining afloat in a sea of competition.  He shared some of his most memorable stories, like when an injured Alex Rodriguez showed up to play at a Trenton Thunder game with 12 hours notice.  And, he expressed hope that journalism, even in a world where the president is willing to denounce it as “fake news,” would continue to thrive and keep the country’s powerful in check.