The Delmarva Media Group, publisher of The Eastern Shore News announced a reorganization effort Tuesday. Caught in the fray, two of the Shore’s most beloved journalists, Executive Editor Ted Shockley and Award-winning Eastern Shore News photographer Jay Diem were cut in layoffs this week.
Ted Shockley (DelmarvaNow Photo)
Shockley started with the Eastern Shore News as a freelance stringer in 1990 while he was still a senior in high school. He became an editor of the ‘News’ in 2002 and was named the paper’s Editor in 2005. After the last reorganization, Ted became the executive director of DMG’s whole news-gathering operation.
Back when Ted was at the News, one of my favorite things was to grab that cup of coffee in the morning and read the paper. Almost nothing made me happier than Ted’s columns, which captured the light, sound and joy of living on the Shore like no other. I distinctly remember one piece where he bemoaned the renovation of his favorite dump; with a new fence and shiny new trash bins and a recycling center, for Ted, it had lost all its character—what were all the rats, and stray cats and dogs that he enjoyed watching scurry around the bags of trash going to do now? So many times, Ted’s work would make me smile and chuckle; it rang so true, whether he bluntly stated that he didn’t like Walmart because how can you trust an establishment that sells axle grease and milk in the same place, or how he made you revel in the joy of riding in back of a pickup truck in summer, or how he made you remember just how good a spam sandwich can really can be.
When Ted was reassigned, moved out of the Accomack news office and sent up north, I felt like we had just lost our truest voice. I was sure he would succeed in the ‘big’ newsroom (and by all accounts he did), but for many of us, The Eastern Shore News was never the same.
Jay Diem (DelmarvaNow Photo)
The trueness of Ted Shockley’s writing, well, the same can be said of Jay Diem’s photography. No matter the moment or event or time of year, Jay always captured the warmth, beauty and unique character of the Eastern Shore. Photojournalism is a strict art form that tells a story, yet demands high levels of honesty, objectivity and impartiality. Jay Diem, as a newsman and storyteller, excelled and brought us unforgettable images. Whether it was the Chincoteague pony swim, the arson fire at The Whispering Pines, or a softball player sliding into second base, Jay always got the right shot.
There a many things I’d like to see happen here, but a book that maybe combined Ted’s homespun stories with Jay’s beautiful photography might be at the top of the list. That’s a comforting thought, but the reality of an Eastern Shore news cycle without Ted and Jay is downright depressing. Sometimes, I just don’t understand what people are thinking, how they can lack such common sense, and just not get it. The Delmarva Media Group may understand profit margins, but they sure don’t know anything about the Eastern Shore of Virginia. If they did, they would go get Ted and Jay, and put them back on the old beat out of the Accomack office.
For now, it’s good-bye old friends. In my heart, I have to believe we will meet again.
About time, now maybe I’ll buy it
The Eastern Shore News was never the same, after being bought by the larger news media company, up north. Don’t
expect the paper to last much longer with
PC’s for all foreign news (beyond the Shore) and The Post for local news. We can do without all the coupons.
Even before I officially became a “Come Here” fifteen years ago, I discovered the Eastern Shore News and was amazed that such a remote, rural area had a publication of such professional quality providing it with local news.
In particular, Ted Shockley’s articles, both straight news and feature pieces, were something that I always looked forward to because they were both informative and exceptionally well written. Later, Jay Diem came on board, and his photographs always perfectly captured life on the Shore just as Ted’s articles did.
To be honest, I’ve felt that the News, as a local newspaper, has gone steadily downhill ever since it was purchased by Gannett. I never bought the News because I wanted to know what was happening in Salisbury; I bought it because I wanted to know what was happening here in Accomack and Northampton Counties. Yet, slowly but surely our local paper has been absorbed into Gannett’s corporate conglomerate and lost its distinctive local character, the very character that had always been its most valuable asset.
Now the conglomerate culture has even managed to eliminate Ted and Jay entirely. How sad. Our community is the poorer for it.
BOTH Ted Shockley and Jay Diem were GREAT at what they did! And they made a wonderful tag-team.
These two revealed the heart and soul of the Eastern Shore. Ted’s folksy style kept the locals informed on what needed to be known. He didn’t pull punches. Jay was an INCREDIBLE photographer.
It’s amazing that any small town newspaper had such talent, much less the Eastern Shore. Hats off to BOTH of you!
Shockley, a young pup, left a bad taste in my mouth when Delegate Bloxom, the senior, was pushing for a “Salt Water Fishing License”. There was a meeting about the issue and Shockley reported that the only people oppossed to such a new license were the senior citizens and as I recall he said something like, the elderly were cheapskates or self-serving or just didn’t want to do “their fair share”.
I was opposed to such a scheme & I wrote Delegate Bloxom to give my views which of course fell on deaf ears. One point I tried to make was that a RIGHT was now being changed to a PRIVLEDGE and that we were rapidly losing our RIGHTS. Delegate Bloxom replied that “we must look out for our rights” or words to that effect.
What Mr Shockley missed was the fact that the elders had WISDOM & had seen all this before & that was why they were opposed. It wasn;t meanness it was just common sense. Now we have just one more regulation, one more thing to spend money on. The lie was that the sea side would be exempt but that soon changed. Another point that was overlooked was that seniors need not have a license
CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT GOOD THAT LICENSE HAS DONE other than to hire on another bunch of water cops to come over to your boat & harrass you on your well earned day off to see if you have a fishing license?
My late father who was a veteran of both world wars and was always opposed to a salt water fishing license must be turning in his grave. Dad & myself had so many wonderful days out on Barnegat & Raritan Bays during his days off from an 84 hour a week job as a city firefighter, days when we could catch what we cought, drink the beer we loved, bother no one & never see a Coastie or a water cop.
Going fishing now days is a nihtmare with all the new thing the boat owner needs to do. Forty or so years ago it was FUN. Spur of the moment you hopped on the boat, maybe a buddy or two & off you went. Simple as that! As a citizen I was entitled to as much of the water as anyone else & I took to crab & eel potting and gill netting. My wife was my mate & we sold to local stores on Hy 9 & Hy 37 in the Toms River area. My wife was known as the “crab lady”. At the time no license was required. We knew what freedom was but there is a noose around our necks now which tightens daily & it starte with people like Shockley pushing for evermore regulations.