Newstex publishers' stories: Charles Hawes of Capital News

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

A family background

Can you tell us what inspired you to transition from traditional photojournalism to creating and managing an online publication?

Charles Hawes of Capital News: Well, I come from a newspaper family. My father was a photojournalist. My grandmother was a reporter for a newspaper, my aunt was a reporter, I had a couple of cousins who were reporters, and my oldest stepdaughter was a finance photojournalist.

Definitely a family business.

Charles Hawes: Yeah.

But what about Capital News? When and why did you decide to start with Capital News?

Charles Hawes: Well, the funny part is, it was a radio show at first that I did in Montana. I broadcasted the news around Montana, and that radio show is no longer around, and the station isn't around either. But I just kept the name.

The radio show was yours, right?

Charles Hawes: Yes, it was mine. It was all me. I also had another radio show called Hawes Outdoors. The woman who owned the radio station at the time liked my voice, and one day she called me and said, "How would you like to broadcast news for us?" I said, "I've never done news broadcasting before." So, she showed me what to do, and I did some practice demos. Next thing you know, I'm jumping right in with this broadcast. I've also worked around TV news before, too. I was a stringer for WCHS back in West Virginia.

You've been all over the media industry.

Charles Hawes: My father hated it. He wanted me to do newspaper only. When I got into TV news, it was like it insulted him.

Challenges

Can you tell us a little bit about the challenges you've faced maintaining an online publication, and how you have overcome them?

Charles Hawes: Oh, I'm actually still struggling. At one time, I worked for five different newspapers and the Associated Press. I was a stringer for them, but the Associated Press in my home area dropped their stringer program, and all the other five newspapers I worked for closed down.

I wrote articles here and there, turned in photos to different little weekly newspapers, but I kind of missed the action. You know, being out there at two o'clock in the morning, pouring down rain, photographing a house fire. I missed all that.

You're not doing any of that now?

Charles Hawes: Nope, right now I'm just with Newstex only because I'm still building up my reputation again.

What's the biggest challenge you're facing right now with Capital News?

Charles Hawes: Sticking to it and not running out to take photographs somewhere at 2 a.m. Right now, the papers don’t really want to pay anybody to shoot photos like they used to. Back in the day, I went to one newspaper to inquire, and all the other AP stringer jobs and TV gigs were offered to me.

It's pretty competitive right now.

Charles Hawes: Yeah.

And how do you decide which stories or photos to feature on your platform?

Charles Hawes: Well, right now, there's not much going on in the small town I'm in—a town with less than 700 people. There are three stores, four or five bars, so I'm trying to get relocated to another location, possibly Los Angeles or something like that, where I can cover more news. I’m also willing to go over to places like Ukraine or Israel to photograph the wars, if that opportunity comes up.

Future plans

Are those also some of the plans you have for the publication?

Charles Hawes: Right now, I’m kind of like a freelancer, and I just use Capital News as a business name to make it sound official. I do have a press badge on the way that I ordered a couple of days ago. It has Capital News on there, “syndicated reporter,” and I hope I’ll put that to good use.

How do you think your background as a photojournalist influences the editorial direction you have now for Capital News?

Charles Hawes: That’s a tough one. My dad always said journalism is not a job; it’s a lifestyle. You could be sitting around eating dinner, and the news pops up right then and there. You’re jumping off the chair and running out to the news scene, in all kinds of weather, any time of day or night. That’s how I was trained. And when I do get back into my journalism gig—well, I’ve been writing for you all—you’ve probably seen those 70-plus articles I’ve written so far.

Can you share with us a memorable story that you’ve covered?

Charles Hawes: Oh, there’s so many of them. I remember when Dan Quayle was running for vice president. I had just gotten involved with a weekly newspaper, and I was told to go up and get Dan Quayle’s picture. So, I went up, got his picture, and they ran it on the front page of the local newspaper. I’ve also gone inside burning houses before to take pictures of the firemen inside, with no protective gear on whatsoever—just dressed the way I am now.

How are you still alive? You’re like a cat with nine lives!

Charles Hawes: I don’t know. It just keeps happening. In one storm, a severe one in my home area, I was almost killed twice. Lightning struck across the street from me while I was setting up a tripod to photograph it. The building came across the street just as I was bending over to pick up a camera lens, and it barely missed my back.

I also got trapped in some wildland fires out here in Montana.

You truly are like a cat!

Charles Hawes: I made a lot of news editors nervous too. I had one who used to tell people in the newsroom that when I picked up a Nikon, my brain would switch off into mute mode or something. At one paper where I became chief photographer, that was the only paper where I inquired about the job. The editor asked me, “Are you related to Chester Hawes?” I said, “That’s my father.” He said, “You’re hired.” Later on, he joked that I was going to give him an ulcer attack, and when he had one, we laughed about it. Then he joked that I would give him a stroke, and later on, he had a stroke—not because of me, but due to his age—and we laughed about that too.

Advice for others

What advice would you give to aspiring photojournalists or content creators who want to build their own online presence as you have?

Charles Hawes: Do a lot of research. There are videos out there on YouTube you can watch, there are books you can buy, and there are different resources available.

Do you have any specific resource, platform, or book that you recommend?

Charles Hawes: The ones I read are out of print. But there are freelance books on eBay. Just look up the subject you’re interested in.

Choosing syndication

Lastly, why did you decide to partner with us at Newstex?

Charles Hawes: I was looking for something else on the web and came across Newstex. I kept looking at it, and the next day, I said, “This is for me.” So, I contacted you and told you what I could offer.

Charles Hawes is a freelance writer/photographer from Harlowton, Montana. He enjoys traveling and shooting photos in the wild, and he is a published author.

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