Editor's Note: The author of this article formerly worked with John Monk and later was his editor at The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C. from 2017-2023.
Veteran South Carolina courts reporter John Monk is used to asking questions of politicians, CEOs, judges — even the FBI.
But today, University of South Carolina journalism students have questions for him.
"How do you as a journalist, like, deal with seeing these people hurting and talking about a very, like, vulnerable moment," one student asked Monk. "How do you, like, personally get through that, too?"
With 51 years of newspaper experience that’s included buyouts and layoffs, business changes and burnout, Monk is used to answering the how and the why.
"I really like what I’m doing. It’s mentally challenging. I’ve got a purpose," Monk told SC Public Radio at his office near downtown Columbia. "I believe in shining the light. I believe every story I do, or any journalist does, makes democracy stronger.”
At 77 years old, Monk is a bit of an anomaly in an industry that’s shed many of its older reporters as it aims to evolve for its own survival.
Over the last two decades, hundreds of newspapers have shuttered. That's left young reporters and new college graduates unsure about the industry they've chosen.
Monk has seen the newspaper and newsroom evolution in real time, starting at his first paper in Georgetown, all the way to his current job at The State paper in Columbia.
There are no more typewriters. Deadlines are earlier.
Twitter, or X now, is a thing.
The newsroom is smaller, and it’s much younger.
But, like news, Monk hasn’t stopped.
"My mind is still good. My body is sort of still good, and I assume that if it weren’t the newspaper business being what it is, I would quickly be shown the nearest door if I wasn’t up to snuff," Monk said. "And I’m still doing stories I really like to do and are really important.”
The place you can most often find Monk is the courtroom.
There, he sits, unassuming, with his white hair, glasses, always a shirt and tie and his signature line of pens in his shirt breast pocket.
In a small state, Monk is known by most judges, lawyers, security — sometimes even the defendants.
"Not every reporter likes to cover court dramas, but I kind of love to do it," he said.
Monk didn’t plan to be a reporter.
After college, he was drafted and enlisted in the Army, where he was a medic and jumped out of airplanes. Post service, he hitchhiked around Europe and was once shipwrecked in the Bahamas.
"I know that sounds a little bit tall-tale story but it’s not," Monk said.
He found himself at a small Lowcountry newspaper. It would fold six months later.
But, by then, Monk was sold on the profession.
"I’ve done a story on a nudist camp and had to wear what they did," Monk recalled. "I’ve jumped out of an airplane, with a golden knight at 10,000 feet. I talked my way into being on the first airplane in the invasion of Panama, by the U.S. Army."
Monk’s covered a Statehouse corruption probe, the executives charged in a nuclear plant scandal, the more than 20 South Carolinians indicted in the U.S. Capitol riot, and the trial of convicted double-murderer Alex Murdaugh.
That’s just in the last decade.
It’s a fraction of a reporting career that’s included notorious serial killer Pee Wee Gaskins, and a yearslong investigation resulting in the downfall of a popular ex-USC president.
"If I could have been a rock 'n' roll singer, I would have done that, or like a professional athlete," Monk said. "Journalism just engages me in things I have aptitudes for that no other profession would do."
I asked Monk how much longer he has it in him to stick around what can be an unforgiving job.
He still takes constant phone calls and chases down sources.
He still breaks news.
In his office, Monk rifles through past journalism awards, usually reserved for his storage room. The awards vary, from public service journalism, South Carolina journalist of the year to feature writing.
He's particularly proud of a freedom of speech award, given to him after he wrote a column many years ago about efforts to ban Harry Potter books. Another highlights his reporting that led to legislative passage of a state seatbelt law.
He picks up one award, with his photo centered in the middle.
"Do I look young in that?" Monk laughed. "I don’t think I’ve changed a bit."
He says maybe one day he’ll retire.
For now, he says he's having too much fun.
