The Commonwealth’s newest reporter is excited to throw himself into a new environment.
Bakst
Adam Bakst’s first day with the paper was Thursday. The 22-year-old recently graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa, his hometown, with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication.
A fan of local government, Bakst said, “I knew the newspaper here was important to the people in Greenwood. I also just wanted to learn in a completely different environment than Tampa.”
Bakst’s concentration within his degree was broadcast news, and he has experience working for three radio stations in the Tampa Bay area: WUSF, the National Public Radio affiliate in Tampa; WMNF, a community-conscious station; and the USF station, Bulls Radio.
Bakst covered politicians’ rallies, such as for President Donald Trump, and also covered local government meetings. At WUSF, Bakst said he got to write stories for the internet as well as for the radio segment.
Bakst’s radio reporting earned him a Best of the Bay award for best upcoming and local radio personality.
He also has a fellowship with the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit journalism school and research organization based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Bakst’s fellowship with the Poynter Institute will allow him to hear from different media experts and learn various journalistic values as he undergoes his first year as a full-time journalist.
Tim Kalich, the Commonwealth’s editor and publisher, said Bakst’s interest in local government will be an asset for the paper.
“When we were interviewing Adam, one of the things I was most impressed by was how he already had developed a keen interest in following local government. He told me about how he kept tabs on the town board where he grew up. That’s unusual for a person coming right out of college, and that should bode well for his coverage of this community,” Kalich said.
He said, “We’re excited about what Adam brings to our newsroom, and we hope to return the favor with a lot of good experience and coaching.”
Since Bakst’s arrival in Greenwood, he said he’s visited the childhood home of Jim Henson, who created The Muppets, in Leland, and has eaten some catfish. He said he’s looking forward to trying more catfish at different restaurants and seeing the cotton bloom.
• Contact Gerard Edic at 581-7239 or gedic@gwcommonwealth.com.
