Iconic journalist Jared McCallister calls it a day at the Daily News
By Penchant Media Staff
Brilliant. Kind. Humble. Genuine. Supportive. These are words that describe Jared Lawrence McCallister, who ended his tenure at the New York Daily News on June 30, 2021. Jared was Senior Production Editor and Caribbeat Founder-Columnist. He achieved a rare feat in journalism: remaining at the same newspaper for 38 years. I was convinced that he would remain there until the paper ceased to exist in all formats.
A former track star, Jared is a graduate of the well-respected St. John’s University in Jamaica, Queens, New York. He found his professional home at the Daily News and his love for his job was palpable. Significantly, he dedicated himself to nurturing other journalists, mentoring, molding, guiding and supporting us in ways large and small, never expecting anything in return. Jared has an uncanny ability to assign the ideal journalist to specific stories.
Jared has singlehandedly ensured solid coverage for the Caribbean community in the paper. Issues, people, businesses and organizations that other publications ignored or misrepresented, Jared was meticulous in investigating and presenting fairly. Members of the Caribbean community were seen, heard and celebrated because of Jared’s keen interest in, and devotion to, equal coverage. Caribbean-born journalists, including me, got opportunities to tell our people’s stories with love, authenticity and authority.
As a 20-year freelancer for the paper, with Jared as my editor, I learned a lot from his tutelage. I covered exciting stories and met giants in their respective industries. One of my fondest memories was covering the children’s carnival on Eastern Parkway one Saturday morning in the late 90s. My daughter’s eyes widened brightly as she gazed at the costumes and watched the children dance in sheer jubilation. She talked about the experience for years after that!
When I ran the media office at the Consulate General of New York in the late 1990s to early 2000s, I could always rely on Jared to attend press junkets and other media events that I organized, even if it meant stopping by for a little while on his way to work his 3:00-11:00 pm shift. When I got a job as Communications Director for a large non-profit in Brooklyn, I had no idea how to use InDesign, which I needed to master in order to re-design, layout and publish a newspaper as one of my responsibilities.
Jared invited me to spend the day with him at the Daily News. He came in much earlier than his shift required, gave me a chair next to his desk and walked me through the rudiments of InDesign and InCopy. Not only that, Jared ensured steady coverage of the Caribbean and its people, in both his Caribbeat column and the regular paper itself. Among the people I successfully pitched to Jared were: Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson; Ambassador Curtis Ward; Consul General Basil K. Bryan, Executive Director Ramon Peguero and Manning’s School alumni Anton Tomlinson, Kevin Sangster and Marlene Malahoo-Forte, Jamaica’s current Attorney General.
To know Jared is to love him, and I am no exception. I love his heart, humility, kindness, sense of humor, supportive nature and his professionalism as a mentor. Jared is a staunch advocate for (NABJ) National Association of Black Journalists, connecting members, making introductions and breaking the ice. Sonia Wilson and I talk about our mutual admiration for him all the time!
Jared, whether you choose to retire or start a new, exciting chapter that propels you to even greater heights, please know this: I will be rooting for you at all times, in every way possible. You deserve nothing less.-PM