Virgil Smith, Former Citizen-Times Publisher, on Diversity and a Rapidly Changing News Industry

Graduates of UNC Asheville will hear from a pioneering voice in local journalism during Saturday morning's commencement address.  Virgil Smith is the former publisher of the Asheville Citizen-Times, and worked at its parent Gannett Company for 24 years.  He was also a member of the UNCA Board of Trustees.  He was the first black publisher of a mainstream newspaper in North Carolina.  He's now retired and living in Atlanta.  Smith sat down with WCQS’s Jeremy Loeb in advance of his speech for a conversation that touched on his speech, diversity in the newsroom, and how the news industry adapts in a changing media landscape.