Andy Barth
Please join us in welcoming our newest member, Andy Barth, whose background includes print and broadcast journalism, university-level teaching to broadcast students, and throwing his hat into the political ring.
Andy says he came to Journalism the old fashioned way — his dad worked for the Washington Post.
Andy started at the then-thriving Minneapolis Tribune, and from there went on to WMAR TV-2 in Baltimore, where he stayed 35 years. At age 24 at WMAR, he started as news writer, then advanced to general assignment reporter. He says he loved “the variety and access it brought.” He was able to “concentrate on features (good news) and politics, along with the mandatory floods, fires, scandals and as much sports periphery as I could snare. Loved it all,” he explains.
His career included working three years as a freelance reporter at WTTG-TV-5 in Washington, D.C., and one year as a visiting lecturer on broadcast journalism at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Andy ran for Congress but lost, and he worked as press secretary for someone he describes as “the last honest, decent, bipartisan public official in government.”
Okay, Andy, when we all get to meet you, be prepared to be inundated by the million-dollar question: Who was that public official?
Again, a warm welcome to you, and a big shoutout to board member Tom Marquardt for recruiting you to the press club.