News-Leader's Greta Cross named Outstanding Young Journalist in Missouri
Springfield News-Leader reporter Greta Cross has been named an Outstanding Young Journalist by the Missouri Press Association for 2023.
Cross has worked as the trending topics reporter at the News-Leader since January of 2022.
In her first year she’s written about Black film students’ efforts to capture college life in a web series, the history of Springfield’s drag scene, and a 90-year-old homeless man’s journey toward stability. Along the way she catalogued corners of the wider Ozarks, as well, telling stories from Joplin and Cassville, all the way over to Shannon County.
She said she's proud of expanding coverage of both the LGBTQIA+ and art communities.
"These areas of the larger Ozarks region are so vibrant with life and plentiful with stories. I’ve enjoyed diving into what makes them special here. My favorite story I’ve written for the News-Leader was a long-form one about Springfield’s drag queen community," she said. "I spent seven months interviewing retired and current drag performers and owners of venues that host drag shows. I also worked with Missouri State University’s Ozarks Lesbian and Gay Archives to pull old photographs to accompany the story. One of my favorite parts about working on this story was the time I spent photographing the process of local performers getting ready for shows, which was so much fun."
News-Leader editor-in-chief Amos Bridges wrote about Cross's impact in his letter nominating her for the award.
“A lesser reporter might settle for chasing stories that are already generating buzz, but Greta took seriously her editors’ challenge to seek out the under-represented corners of our community and tell their stories, too,” he wrote. “Here’s some of the highest praise I can offer: Numerous retired journalists from the Springfield community — folks like long-time editor Mike O’Brien, and Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Famer Bob Linder — have made a point of reaching out with compliments.”
Prior to working at the News-Leader, Cross was the editor of The Standard, Missouri State University's student newspaper. She took the reins in May 2020, in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, the paper transitioned from a weekly print product to a digital-only news operation.
“For Greta, that was not a defeat but a challenge, and over the following year she guided the 50-plus student staff as they implemented and designed weekly newsletters and launched a podcast series," Bridges said.
Cross said her time in Springfield, both as a student and a professional journalist, has led her to appreciate the community.
"I have lived in Springfield for five years, four of which were spent as a student at Missouri State. It really wasn’t until I graduated, and began working for the News-Leader, that I began to appreciate how special a place Springfield is," she said. "I have loved learning about this community that I live and work in. It feels like every day I am turning over a new rock, exploring a new part of this great place. Reporting on Springfield, and the greater Ozarks communities, feels very meaningful to me."
Aside from her work at the News-Leader, Cross is creating a podcast with KJLU 88.9FM, a public radio station based in Jefferson City, about what drag communities look like in rural Missouri.
She said many people have fostered her love of journalism over the years.
"My love for journalism was fed by a lot of people, including Jack Dimond, journalism professor at Missouri State and advisor of The Standard, and Julie Smith, chief photographer at the Jefferson City News Tribune," she said. "These two have made me feel supported since my very first assignments and I owe a lot of thanks to them."
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: News-Leader's Greta Cross named Outstanding Young Journalist
