Ritchie Joins Messenger Staff
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
GRAPELAND – The Messenger Newspaper has added a new reporter to its staff and his name is Greg Ritchie. Ritchie brings a long history of media experience to the table and will serve both in the news and sports department.
When asked what piqued his interest in joining The Messenger, he replied, “The Messenger is a true local newspaper in every sense of the word. It is staffed by people who live here. The passion is very much to report what is going on in our neighborhood and our homes – just the fact that I might be able to tell some cool stories in this area.”
Originally from Houston, Ritchie has lived all over the world with stops in Mexico and Russia.
“I went to high school in Houston and then very much by accident I sort of lived all over the place. I only came back to Texas about 10 years ago,” he said.
Prior to coming to work in Grapeland, Ritchie said he owned a tire manufacturing business in Houston but stressed his first love had always been working in media/journalism.
“I’ve worked in the media field in three or four countries doing radio, television and print. It feels like coming home to be back in this. I did on-air stuff for radio and television, some marketing, sales and administrative jobs. You learn quickly in this business you have to do a little bit of everything.”
He said his first job in the world of media was when he was nine-years-old.
“It was at a radio station down in Houston. I worked at KFMK on the Johnny Goyen Show. I thought it was a fake name but it wasn’t. He had a name and a face for radio,” Ritchie said with a laugh.
He said one of his main goals in joining The Messenger would be covering the news/sports openly, honestly and fairly.
“I want to make sure people continue to turn to us to know what is going on and what is coming up. I love some of the quirkiness in Houston County. We have some real characters but I think my favorite thing to write about will be how people are making an impact on others’ lives. Not just their neighbors, but people from this area who are out and about in the big world making a difference and doing great things,” he said.
Please join us in welcoming Greg Ritchie to the staff of The Messenger Newspaper.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
