Alan Hitchens was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to journalism and the community. Photo / George Novak
Alan Hitchens: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Alan Hitchens' New Year's resolution is to keep reading newspapers for as long as he can.
The Bethlehem man has been named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to journalism and the community.
Hitchens, 79, said he did not expect to be awarded the New Year's honour.
"It was a big surprise and a real privilege."
However, he said there had been many highlights to his long career in the newspaper industry as an editor and mentor of young journalists.
Hitchens felt fortunate to have been an editor of the Sunday News in the 1970s during the "healthier days" of newspapers.
He remembers being part of the Sunday News team who were heavily involved in trying to prove Waikato farmer Arthur Allan Thomas was innocent in the murder of his neighbours Harvey and Jeanette Crewe at Pukekawa.
"That was a very interesting time," he said.
While he was news editor of the Wellington morning newspaper the Dominion from 1964 to 1970, Hitchens wrote a column titled "Trying it Out".
Hitchens tried new activities, including climbing chimneys and driving race cars, and he'd write about them in his column.
He remembers "reluctantly" agreed to get into the ring with an Australian boxer.
"He belted me to a pulp, broke my nose," he said.
But Hitchens' career has allowed him to meet many interesting people, including The Beatles.
However, there were sad times in his career too, including having to shut down the Auckland Star, which was one of the newspapers he oversaw between 1986 to 1994.
"That was heartbreaking. We were so close to making that work," he said.
Hitchens said he felt sad about the challenges newspapers were facing today.
"Freedom of speech is vital in a democracy," he said.
"I would hate to see a situation where we are relying on other means of communication. The written word is so powerful."
Hitchens thanked his wife Mary for her support throughout the years and promised to "keep reading the newspaper for as long as I can".
ALAN HITCHENS
• From 1964 to 1970: Chief reporter and news editor of the Wellington morning newspaper the Dominion.
• In the 1970s: Editor of the Sunday News.
• From 1986 to 1994: General manager of News Media Auckland, overseeing newspapers including the Auckland Star, the Sunday Star, the Sunday News, Truth, and horse racing magazines.
• From 1994 to 1997: Chief executive of Independent News Corporation, the American subsidiary of INL which owned and operated 32 newspapers in the United States.
• Has been a member of the management board of the Pauanui Sports and Recreation Club and helped guide the club through some troublesome years.
• Joined the Hikuai District Trust and during nine years he was responsible for the promotional advertising for outdoor concerts held by the trust that raised $150,000 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
• In 2012: Provided guidance for the trust's project to build a community cycleway from Pauanui to Tairua.
Businesses say sales have dropped since the road was made one-way.