1967: When I began in newspapers

Blog: Do you remember 1967? Or maybe you're too young, writes Dave Morris.

It was an interesting year, starting with England's World Cup-winning manager Alf Ramsey receiving a knighthood. And rightly so.

As the year unfolded there were many other key events, for example Harold Wilson announcing that the UK had decided to apply for EEC membership, the Beatles releasing their acclaimed Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, and the first scheduled colour TV broadcasts in England (on BBC2 for certain programmes).

Let's not forget the opening of the nation's first cashpoint machine which apparently drew excited crowds.

But 1967 was also the year that I got ink in my veins and just knew that I must become a newspaper reporter.

It was, I recall, late in the year and my dad had been chatting to a reporter from our local paper, and telling him of my interest in newspapers. The journo - later to become a very well known name in Shropshire - kindly came to see me and arranged for me to meet the editor.

The meeting went well and I remember being shown the small printing works and the old press that every week clanked, groaned and was coaxed into printing our 'local'.

I was only 15 and so very excited at seeing the press. The following year after leaving school I joined the paper as a trainee reporter.

I was thrilled.

On my first day, smartly turned out (or so I thought) in a new blue cord jacket, bry nylon shirt, tie and dark blue trousers, I was given two forms containing details of local weddings, for example names and what the bride had worn, and was told to write reports based on this information.

My efforts were, frankly, quite appalling.

In the early afternoon I accompanied the chief reporter to see how funerals were reported - one of the staple diets of the paper.

The day ended with me pushing my broken down motor scooter to a garage. Something I was to do quite a few times.

Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed my career in newspapers. So much so, that a hobby of mine has been studying newspaper history and even collecting papers. Sad I know.

Since that first day at work I have witnessed so many changes to the industry.

Doom mongers have been telling us for years that newspapers face extinction but they have always survived.

But today in this digital age, when the public demand and expect instant information and reports at the touch of a button on their computer keybord or mobile phone, they are facing their biggest challenge.

If newspapers should ever disappear, will Joe Public miss them?

I know I've raised this issue before and maybe this is a subject I will return to before I take my leave of the Star at the end of the month.