Your News and Much More in the Making

Kaylene Ladinksy, Managing Publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, gives us some history of a newspaper in its 98th year of publication. She shares insights on the growth and diversity of the paper. The AJT focuses on bringing the community together and accomplishes that goal. Host Jeff Silberblatt and Kaylene talk about the exciting episodes of the podcast you will hear in the future and community gatherings hosted by the AJT to come.  Don’t miss this enlightening episode of Jewish Time.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [01:52] Kaylene gives a history of how she came to the AJT
• [04:12] The diversity of the paper covers various segments of the community, and there is something for every reader
• [07:19] Kaylene describes a typical week and reflects on the talent who write the articles 
• [10:13] Politics can be a hot button for the reader, and she describes the approach the writers take when writing an article
• [12:20] Readers have much to look forward to in 2023 as AJT hosts a variety of community events
• [14:48] Jeff and Kaylene tempt the listener by describing a segment of upcoming podcasts where listeners participate with their questions

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The Atlanta Jewish Times is a newspaper that covers the topics you would find in any newspaper, emphasizing bringing the Jewish community together.
• The quality of the writers is second to none at the AJT. For example, the Hawks and Falcons have each hosted David Ostrowski in recognition of his coverage of their teams.
• The paper returns to the JBC breakfasts, where there are great speakers and time to visit with friends and make new ones.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Jewish Time -  Podcast

Atlanta Jewish Times - Website

Atlanta Jewish Times - Facebook

Atlanta Jewish Times - YouTube

BIOGRAPHIES: 

Jeff Silberblatt,  the host of “Jewish Time,” brings a memorable radio voice, accustomed to serving as a voice-over actor in radio commercials. He has a 22-year history managing broadcast programming for radio stations and groups nationwide and has worked with CBS Radio, Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia), Viacom and Cumulus Media.

He managed radio stations in Michigan, Washington, D.C., and Honolulu before coming to Atlanta to manage Peach 94.9.

As a broadcast manager, he rubbed shoulders with celebrities, including Elton John, Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen, and while in Hawaii, he was part of a production team that produced sold-out concerts at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu starring Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, The Rolling Stones and Ricky Martin.

Atlanta Jewish Times’ Kaylene Ladinsky has been with the AJT since January 2011. She has served the AJT as a writer, business manager, and associate publisher throughout her tenure and is now the newspaper’s editor and managing publisher. She is a recipient of multiple Simon Rockower Jewish Journalism Awards, nationally recognized as a Marquis Who’s Who of America and Who’s Who of America’s Women of Influence, and currently serves as an executive board member for the American Jewish Press Association and Atlanta Jewish Life Foundation, as well as an active member of the National Newspaper Association.

News and community relations took priority when becoming the founder and president of Americans United with Israel Corporation, a charitable 501(c)3 NGO based in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2009.

She has 15 years of experience in corporate mediati

Transcript

[00:00:00] Hi, and welcome to Jewish Time, a podcast brought to you by the Atlanta Jewish Times, keeping Jewish Atlanta connected where our mission is to bring you a timely and interesting conversation with people who connect Jewish Atlanta locally, nationally, and around the world. 

Jeff: Welcome to season two of Jewish Time.

I'm Jeff Silberblatt. It's always fun. Talk to the people who connect Jewish Atlanta. And for this episode, our first episode of season two, I think it's great that we have the opportunity to speak to the person whose idea this podcast was. Welcome, Kaylene Ladinsky, who is the editor and managing publisher of the Atlantic Jewish Times.

Hello? Kay. . 

Kaylene: Well, hello Jeff. You make me sound so important. 

Jeff: You are important. You were the person
[00:01:00] who came up with the idea, the person who called me a couple of years ago and said, I wanna do a podcast. Can you host it? And I agree. And he, 

Kaylene: you've done a fantastic job, . 

Jeff: Thank you. So I, yes. You know, today's podcast is about, Since you came up with the idea and since you are in the offices, Of the Atlanta Jewish Times, and since you manage the whole process of putting out the newspaper and what the newspaper means to the community, you are the perfect guest for season two episode one.

So I want to talk about when you first started at the H A T, it was 2011. It's 12 years ago. You started in a support position and you have worked your way up to where you are now as the managing publish. . 

Kaylene: Yeah, it was, um, it was an interesting start with, um, previous editor, uh, [00:02:00] who had owned the paper at the time and the community at that point wanted Tim to be gone.

Um, and it was due to an article he'd written. Um, so I came in and. Began kind of tearing through the company's business and started to find their website was really dead and the content was. He would actually reprint mostly from Newswires. And before you know it, 7 years later, I'm the editor and managing publisher trying to bring comprehensive and interesting topics throughout the paper that is very diverse.

So know the previous editor, he did a fantastic job with the paper. Although, one of the things that the readers that I heard from them was there wasn't enough diversity in what they were reading, so I had to cut back on a lot of the long
[00:03:00] written articles and I had to put a cap on what, how many words, so that I could fill the paper with multiple types of content that would.

be interesting to a wide variety of readers. Um, and by doing so, I mean our readership has gone up. Um, you know, I think the, this podcast is fantastic. It makes us relevant to this day and age, and I think it also can bring some. To the different things that our readers read in the paper. If I, if they can actually hear about these people's stories and, and what they do and why.

Jeff: I wanna go back and, uh, go back to a word that you used. Mm-hmm. and that is diversity. and I, and I wanna delve more into that as to what that really means. I, I, [00:04:00] my, my thought is that it means that you are appealing to the reformed, the conservative, and the orthodox, uh, neighborhoods all throughout Atlanta.

Is that right? 

Kaylene: No, I mean, I really don't, we don't really try to break up the different segments of Judaism as much as we are trying to find topics for individuals such as, you know, I finally got a sports writer. I've been wanting a sports writer for so long. He's doing a fantastic job, David Ostrowski, but this is one aspect of the paper that we never really had was sports section.

I am not particularly fond of sports. I mean, I like football maybe a little bit. I like to go to the Hawks Games. But beyond that, the thing that makes, what would make you a sports fan? In my book? Yeah. No . I'm really, I'm really not, you know, I mean, I like to go to the games and
[00:05:00] hang out just to, you know, the excitement of it all.

But no, I'm, I'm not, I don't keep up with sports , but I knew in. I knew that sports were so important to our readers. I mean, there's so many Jewish owners of sports teams and managers. Um, I think the, the entire upper management of the Atlanta Hawks, they're all Jewish. So this was something that I had to do and it took me a long time to get it.

But we have it now, and every, every issue. Two to four pages of, of sports, so, 

Jeff: so you're not just covering high school sports, you're covering the pro teams as well. 

Kaylene: We cover it. Yeah. As a matter of fact, um, the Hawks as well as the Atlanta Falcons have each asked and hosted David Ostrowsky just as a recognition for the work that he's done in covering their, their teams.

Jeff: let's talk about some of the feature articles that you're most
[00:06:00] proud of in the past. I don't know, let's go back two years. Mm-hmm. , we were just coming outta Covid. It was important for any publication to have, uh, articles of relevance of what readers were going through, through Covid, and so I, I, I do want to talk about the decisions that were made editorially to cover Covid in the Atlanta Jewish.

Kaylene: One of the things that we did different during Covid is, you know, our readership, I mean, it, it tripled overnight. Um, and so we knew that it was important for us to cover pretty much. You know, all of our local issues regarding Covid. So during that time, anything that was, that was helpful to our community became important.

Whether it had a Jewish aspect or not, we were reporting things that were important to our community. Okay. 

Jeff: So let's focus on how articles are born on a
[00:07:00] weekly basis at the Atlanta Jewish Times. Take us through an editorial meeting where you're meeting with your writers, your other editors, and let's talk about how articles make it from a piece of paper to being published in the Atlanta Jewish Times.

Take us through an an actual week. Kaylene . 

Kaylene: Um, I don't think there's enough time, Jeffrey, to take you through a whole week . Um, so let me see if I can do this in bullet points. Well, now I have a Zoom call. It's a weekly call with, it's our editorial meeting. And I have generally, there's about 20 to 25 of us that are on the call together and we discuss different things that are going on in the, in the community.

Or I may, you know, pick a sub a topic that I feel like, you know, we really need to focus on. Maybe it's one of our education and camp issues and I wanna talk about, you know, stress and anxiety that our kids are going through and dealing with today. So
[00:08:00] I will kind of pull out idea. From the different contributors that we have of, you know, ways that we can cover the topic and attack it.

You know, I am blessed to have a seasoned experience and absolutely fantastic group of contributors for our paper. You know, Bob Bahr? There's Dave Schechter. There's Marcia Jaffe. , you know, David Ostrowsky. I mean, I could just go on and on. They're just all very, very fantastic to work with and they know how to cover stories, so, anyway.

Jeff: And those writers have been with you quite a while, correct?

Kaylene:  Yeah. You know, I contacted when I first took over the editor to be the editor of the paper. Really, it only was supposed to be an interim thing till I found a new editor. and I've taken the paper to in a whole new direction. The first two people I contacted was, uh, Dave Schechter
[00:09:00] and Marcia Jaffe, and I said, look, I wanna talk.

I need hard news and political support from Dave Schechter. I, I'm not the person that has all of the expert, you know, knowledge, nor do I have the ability to keep up with it, but I know Dave does. So I contact him and, and he gives me that support so that we can really be, you know, um, ed educational and keep our community really up to date on some of those important issues.

And then Marcia Jaffe, I contacted her because, you know, Everybody likes to know a little bit of what's going on in the community, and she goes, she is everywhere. All the time, every event you can imagine, she's there taking pictures, talking to people, and taking notes. So those were two little really big, broad jumps that we took in the paper was to have that, you know, red carpet, you know who's in the
[00:10:00] light.

Um, who's important, who's doing great things along with the hardcore news of our community or even national issues that, that actually affect our community as well as politics. Um, politics have become a, a very important issue for. Our listeners, and right now there's so much confusion and, and really kind of conflict that, um, you know, we made a rule here at the AJT um, people, it's really interesting.

They'll say, oh, you're, you're so left, or you're so right. The fact is, is not one article gets published unless I have a yin and yang. We are a bipartisan newspaper and we. And all efforts that we can to maintain that balance. 

Jeff: Are you in charge of keeping that balance? Are you the ultimate decision maker?

Kaylene: Well, the ultimate decision
[00:11:00] maker would be Michael Morris, the owner, but he entrusts me with making all of those decisions. 

Jeff: Have any of your writers ever given you pushback on whether or not, of course, you, you've, you, you've said, Hey, this article leans one way or the. 

Kaylene: Yeah, definitely. 

Jeff: Is that healthy or does that get in the.

Kaylene: So the, it's more the readers, you know, it's, I get, I get called left wi, left a lefty as many times as I've been called. You know, a righty. You know, I mean, you're so, you know, it's just so interesting to me that, that everybody has their own opinion and that's fine. I don't really mind. I've got a pretty, uh, rubber back, so the water just kind of runs right off of me, , uh, which is a good thing in this position, trust me.

But that is definitely, um, that's definitely one thing that causes a lot of conflict [00:12:00] is, uh, is public, is the politics and making sure that you stay kind of equal. 

Jeff: What do readers have to look forward to in 2023 of coverage that you, that you've got planned for the Atlanta Jewish. 

Kaylene: Well, I mean, we have, we we're gonna maintain our coverage and I think one of the things that is going to be most exciting for our community is that, um, we're gonna start hosting all of our events and things around the community that we always used to, or that we started to, um, we're gonna try to get our JBC breakfasts back and.

you know, really interesting speakers as well as letting everybody schmooze. Uh, I think that's probably the biggest part, that there's so many people that show up to our JBC breakfast that is actually during lunch . So,
[00:13:00] um, and then we, then we also we're like, we're gonna be, uh, Rolling out our 40 under 40 awards, uh, luncheon soon.

Um, one of the things that I think is really great is I, we're gonna start having like, um, kind of like trade shows that connect our advertisers and the businesses that support our community and give our readers an opportunity to mingle with them. I mean, I think there'll be lots of swag and, and great things.

Things that, you know, our readers and those that attend will really be able to benefit from. 

Jeff: It Sounds like the newspaper. is not just a newspaper anymore, that it has evolved just a newspaper into really the fabric that connects the community. The Jewish community in Atlanta. Yes. 

Kaylene: Yes. I really believe that has definitely been one of the main goals since.

Since I've been the over, at least over the last six
[00:14:00] years, is to not just be a community newspaper, but a community institution. Something that connects Jewish Atlanta in all ways, whether it's by reading, whether it is by listening, or whether it's actually shaking each other's. 

Jeff: We had mentioned at the beginning of, uh, this conversation that this is, uh, episode one of season two.

All of the season one episodes are on the, uh, Atlanta Jewish Times website. A and one of the features of the podcast in season two are going to be opportunities for Kaylene to answer your questions. And I want to go through a little bit about what that's going to mean and maybe what it's gonna sound like.

Kaylene: well, it's gonna, uh, you know, that it's just me being, uh, a genius, right? And being able to answer everybody's question. , of course, not . No, no. Uh, you know,
[00:15:00] really ask Kaylene is, Giving me the job to go out and find your answer, or at least some sort of an explanation towards it. So if you send in a question that you feel is important for our community or a topic that we should really address, then it's gonna be my job to go find the.

And identify, you know, the proper way to answer the question. And, uh, that's exactly what we'll do. That'll be part of the podcast that they may be two or three questions that we go through. I may bring the person that asks the question onto the show, so it's really supposed to be an opportunity. the readers to actually connect with the people that, um, and be part of the show.

And with the people that we are, the guests that we bring on. 

Jeff:
[00:16:00] We would hope that the listeners of this podcast are actually readers of the newspaper, but it's possible that they've just checked the website every now and then for articles and have stumbled across the podcast. So I want to give you 30 seconds.

Mm-hmm. , kind of like a 32nd elevator pitch. Give me the reason , why I should go pick up. It's got a 

Kaylene: challenge weekly newspaper, so I mean, the 32nd pitch, well, number one, the Atlanta Jewish Times has been around for 90, it'll be 98 years. That in itself shows how strong the. , um, how strong the paper is and reliable that it's been around for so many years.

Um, it's also important because, um, it'll be interesting so somebody will. , you know, we'll write a story and they're not a reader, but they're a Jewish person within our community. And next thing you know, they'll call up and I'll, I
[00:17:00] never knew so many people read the Jewish Times and I say, well, what do you mean?

I've been getting emails and phone calls and text messages about a story and it just went online and it just was just went out on the, on the newsstand. And I was like, yeah, yeah, believe it or. We have thousands of people who read our newspaper, and that is a reason why you should subscribe. 

Jeff: Now, you told me before we started recording, That you were nervous getting ready for this?

Yes. Yes. Was this not the easiest thing you've ever had to do? 

Kaylene: Yes. No, it was lots of fun. Um, I am generally, uh, believe it or not, kind of a behind the scenes kind of person, so, um, well, not anymore. 

Jeff: You're famous now. You're on a podcast.

Kaylene:  I'm famous. Yes, ASK Kaylene. Very funny.

Jeff:  Her name is Kaylene Ladinsky. She is the editor and managing publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times.

She's been working there since 2011, and what we covered today
[00:18:00] was what you have to look forward to, everything that the A J T brings to you on a weekly. And a monthly and a yearly basis. This is Jewish time. My name is Jeff Silberblatt. Thank you for spending time with us. 

Voice: Thank you for listening to Jewish Time, brought to you by the Atlanta Jewish Times Keeping Jewish Atlanta Connected. 
Go to Atlanta Jewish times.com to find insightful articles and subscription information. Send in that question you've always wanted answered to our editor and managing publisher Kaylene Ladinsky. And she'll answer it on an upcoming episode of Ask Kaylene.