To help you get to know our newsroom staff a bit better, a series of question-and-answer posts with each journalist will run on Mondays. This morning, meet image technician Chery Spilman. She processes photos for web and print, plus a lot of the grids and puzzles you see in the paper.
Name: Cheryl Spilman
Lives in: Springettsbury Twp.
Hometown: Dallastown
Position at the YDR: Image Technician
Years with the YDR: 27
Graduated from: Dallastown Area High School
Facebook: Search for Cheryl Spilman
Email: cspilman@ydr.com
Whatever you’d like to tell us about yourself: I’ve lived in York County all my life. I have a son, Ryan, and a 4-year-old granddaughter, Jaiden. I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, biking, working out, reading and dark chocolate.
1. What made you want to become a journalist? I started working at the York Daily Record in the business office and then IT Dept/YDR and IT Dept/YNC. When an editorial assistant position opened in the YDR newsroom, I felt ready to return to YDR. From there I moved into the image tech position, which better suited my interests. I was able to retain my pagination position as well, so the combo suited me well.
2. How do you see journalism changing? There’s been a major push to going digital first. That is now priority. With going digital first, I have to prioritize photos for the web first, then print. With the onslaught of social media, I now upload photos, slideshows and videos to Facebook and the web.
3. What do you like most about your job? The least? I like being in the midst of the whole news environment and the friends I’ve made over the years.
4. It’s 9:30 a.m. on a day off. What are you doing? Biking
5. What’s been your favorite project or story recently? Why? The story about Matt Schwartz, the father from Springettsbury Twp. who is taking care of his critically ill son, Houston, and the challenges he faces. It’s so heart-breaking.
6. The drink that’s on your desk right now is: Water
7. Your favorite journalism-related blog you read or Twitter feed you follow: I always enjoyed Amy Gulli’s blog – she had such a great sense of humor writing about her kids. Also, Jim’s history blog [York Town Square] and Paul Kuehnel’s 911 posts [found on Green Mesh].
8. What’s your favorite movie? Book? I enjoyed the Hunger Games movie, after reading the books. I don’t have a favorite book, but love cop/detective murder/mystery suspense novels.
9. What’s your favorite place in York County? My home. After that, the rail trail and William Kain Park.
10. What’s one piece of newsroom jargon that had to be explained to you? Hashtags. [Editor's note: A hashtag is when a Twitter user includes the # symbol for keywords or context in a tweet. For example, "Katniss should pick Gale. #hungergames."]
Last week, we ran a Q&A with sports reporter Jim Seip. To read all of the staff Q&A interviews we’ve done so far, click on the “Staff Q&As” under “About us” at the top of the homepage.
