Bill Duhart, Patch Staff

Email: bill.duhart@patch.com

Phone: 856-375-0400

Hometown: Born in Philadelphia.  

Birthday: December 20

Bio:

I've always believed my career should be devoted to helping make people's lives better.  I've used journalism as a vehicle to do that.

I believe democracy is threatened when people are not informed.  I think that threat looms especially large now with old models of news delivery, especially newspapers, challenged by a population that largely gets its information from the Internet.  I believe Patch can provide some answers to this challenge.

I've worked in the South Jersey/Philadelphia media market for nearly two decades.  I spent 15½ years at the Courier-Post as an Internet editor, general assignment and beat reporter and college and high school sports writer.  I've traveled and reported from nearly every community in the tri-county area and learned what makes them tick.  Some awards and recognition I received while at the Courier-Post include: First-place team coverage from the New Jersey Press Association for "The Neulander Trail" in 2003; and for "The Deptford Mall Shooting" in 1997.  Other awards include first-place team coverage of "September 11 Aftermath" in 2002 from the Philadelphia Press Association, and an individual first-place award for "The Life and Times of John Chaney" from the Garden State Association of Black Journalists in 1999.

Prior to the Courier-Post, career highlights include working as a tape editor for Fresh Air with Terry Gross, the award-winning National Public Radio daily program; as a reporter and anchor for WCAU Radio; a television news writer for WTXF Fox Philadelphia; and a freelance video writer for the New Jersey Network.

Every job I've had in my career up to now uniquely prepares me for this awesome opportunity to serve Haddonfield with the best journalism and community forum in the Delaware Valley and perhaps the country.  It is my honor to be your Local Editor and I'm humbled by the opportunity to serve you.

Our Beliefs  At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible and human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal certain key beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable.  This disclosure is not a license for our editors to inject these beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will force us to be ever mindful to write, report, and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you, the user, ever think you see evidence that we failed in this mission, we wholeheartedly invite you to let us know.

How would you describe your political beliefs?

POLITICS:

My politics boils down to supporting what ever policy, persons or programs that will achieve community empowerment.  I'm a registered Democrat.  I grew up in Philadelphia where most general elections were decided in the Democratic primary.  I always believed it was important to have a say on the leaders in my community and voting in Democratic primaries, as well as general elections, was the way to do it.

I've maintained my Democratic Party registration during the 15 years that I've lived in New Jersey.  I live in Camden County and, once again, Democratic primary winners are overwhelmingly the winners of general elections.  Again, I want to have an early say in who will run government. 

But I must confess some sobering realities about the Democratic Party.  In New Jersey, especially in South Jersey, it is the establishment political machine.  Transparency is always a good thing with political machines and our role at Patch, and in the media as a whole, is to be watchdogs of public policy and actions. Historically I think it's also important to understand the Democratic Party has not always been the standard bearers for working people and minorities.  It was a Republican, Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves and it was the Democrats who fought the hardest against civil rights in the South. In summary, my politics are to question authority and get answers.

What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?

Where do you stand on each of these issues?

LOCAL HOT-BUTTON ISSUES:

Taxes, taxes and more taxes.  I think that sums up New Jersey.  Additionally, the ancillary issues after that include schools, open space, smart development, truth, justice and the American way.