The Associated Press Sports Editors celebrates its 50th year in 2023. A series of interviews with the organization’s past presidents will be unveiled throughout the year to mark this milestone.
Mike Fannin was the APSE president in 2007-08 while sports editor at the Kansas City Star. He is interviewed by St. Louis Post-Dispatch digital sports editor Erik Hall.
Fannin talks about how at the time of his presidency the digital presence of newspapers had grown to the point of including video, and how it led to several meetings with the NFL and lawyers about the ability to include video on newspaper websites.
He reflects on attending his first APSE convention in San Antonio, and how his time working for Dave Smith at The Dallas Morning News really ignited his involvement in the organization.
Fannin also discusses how APSE is an industry leader in creating a support network for each other that connects sports editors across the country – a trait not present in other national journalism organizations. It leads to him discussing the many friendships he has created throughout the years as a member of APSE.
After starting his career at the San Antonio Light in 1989, Fannin joined the Dallas Morning News as assistant sports editor in 1993. In 1999, he went to the Kansas City Star as sports editor before moving to editor in 2008.
Video link: https://youtu.be/eqPJEirMxTc
If you are a former APSE president and have yet to conduct or schedule an interview, contact Erik Hall at hallerik7@gmail.com.
.
