End of an era

It was late Tuesday night when the telephone rang. Long-time fellow employee Calvin Jeans was calling to tell me that "Doyle has died."

The news to some degree was not unexpected, and the resultant tone of our abbreviated conversation was not so much of sadness as more of words of affirmation of a good friend, who, only weeks earlier, had crippled into our Cromer Avenue (Grand Falls-Windsor) offices looking to take us to dinner.

"End of an era!" said Calvin.

"Fine human being," I responded.

We remembered that regardless of the reasons for his visits to central over the years, he always made time to call. And, his visits were always given to reminiscing about earlier days and people who had crossed our paths.

Admittedly, there were times when I couldn't help but feel that in some small way, in retirement, Doyle - for reasons known only to him - saw himself an orphan of a changing industry that had nurtured his very being from the early age of 13.

What ever the reason for that feeling of loss, one nevertheless had an appreciation of the juxtaposition of the end of an era and someone in whose veins "ink" would always flow. Doyle C. Roberts had given his life to the printing and publishing industry and that same industry had reciprocated in equal measure.

During his half-century-plus tenure, he had risen from the position of 'printer's devil' to that of president and, eventually, co-owner of one of the largest chains of community newspapers in Atlantic Canada. No small feat for a young fellow from Twillingate who started out his career with a Grade 8 education.

While Doyle's penchant was never the crafting of sentences or the capturing of images, he had a quality that proved to be the essential glue to keep a company together as it advanced through decades of change and growth. In fact, it was during his tenure that the medium of the community newspaper saw its largest stint of growth; something nevertheless, that while appearing a natural fit for the rural community, needed to be fed and driven by the burning desire of someone who was perceptive enough to see "the opportunity" at hand, and as well understood the need of the smaller community to have its own medium for expression.

Community newspapers were established in most of the major centres across the province, and the template - for the most part - was put in place by Doyle; someone who had unique inclination for ferreting out advertising and driving newspaper sales. His only contribution to the editorial side was the often-forgotten credo, "We are here to serve people. Let's not lose sight of that. It matters whose birthday and anniversary is in the paper. It's not necessarily great news; however, at the end of the day, it's the kind of thing that will sell your paper."

Beyond the publishing side of the business, the former president saw it as essential that as great an emphasis be put on printing. It was always his contention that one drove and supported the other. Therefore, during his years with Blackmore Printing Ltd. and Robinson-Blackmore Printing and Publishing, he ensured that not only were there the sales teams to go after work, both within and outside the province, but as well he saw to it that there was the equipment - the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art equipment - to carry out the tasks being taken on by the sales force.

When Mr. Roberts did officially retire in 1996, Robinson-Blackmore Printing and Publishing had been established as one of the strongest printing and publishing companies east of Montreal. It boasted 16 community newspapers - "the company's backbone" - and, no less than three printing and publishing plants in the province. Its roster of employees totaled no less than 250.

For the employees of Robinson-Blackmore (subsequently Optipress, and then later Transcontinental) themselves, their most cherished memory of the former president was their sense of connectiveness to him. In many respects, he was not only with them but he was of them; and while at times the teeter-totter of business politic had its moments of vulnerability, Doyle appeared to see the chaos as nothing more than an opportunity to create harmony.

Over the years he persistently made it his business to be concerned about the problems of others, those of friends and co-workers. Hardly did tragedy or problem strike when the announcement would come, "It's Doyle, he wants to know how ... is making out." And there were employees who had it as their duty to keep him informed as to how particular employees and friends were progressing.

It is perhaps noteworthy to point out that at the time of his retirement, R-B produced a special 16-page tabloid newspaper on Doyle.

Contributors include everyone from Harry Steele, chairman of the board of Newfoundland Capital Corporation, to many other long-time friends and co-workers. All were very high in their praise of him as a human being and teacher and mentor. Commented St. John's employee Cal Dorey at the time, "Mr. Roberts always took great pride in boasting about his people. His sincere but gruff good morning is already missed."

Today, it is certain, such a sentiment rings that much louder for many former co-workers of Doyle C. Roberts, for as fellow travelers they were allowed a sense of their own place in the world as a result of their long-time experiences with him. For Doyle was indeed a wonderful human being who contributed much to the success of a company called Robinson-Blackmore and, as well, to the lives of its many employees.

Ron Ennis, managing editor, Transcontinental Community Newspapers