CT Journalism Hall of Fame: Paul Gough

Paul Gough.  You may not know it, but Paul has touched the lives of more journalists in Connecticut than probably any other individual.  Since the 1970s Paul has administered the annual Connecticut Journalism Awards contest.  With an average of a thousand entries a year…do the math…Paul has handled over 35-thousand entries…arranged out – of – state judging, printed certificates and handed them out at this banquet.  Now that is persistence.  And dedication.

During these years the contest has raised over $350,000 for the scholarship fund.  He worked with Don Hewett and Douglas Edwards to raise another $30,000 for the Bob Eddy Scholarship.

Paul has also served in every office in the state SPJ Chapter, including president, and on the Board of Directors.

He also had a significant career in Connecticut Journalism.  As a city reporter for the New Haven Register he covered the Black Panthers.  One of the people he reported on was Warren Kimbro, who later admitted killing a suspected police informant.

Paul shifted to the medicine and science beat.  He became one of the first environmental reporters in the state.  During this time he interviewed a number of famed scientists including Werner Von Braun, Edmund Land, Astronaut Wally Schirra and Nobel Prize winner, Lars Onsager.

He left the Register in 1973 to work at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. He was in charge of their many publications. While there he was a pioneer in the use of computers.  He used Pagemaker when it was still in development.  He developed the first webpage at the Station.  He retired in 2003.

Paul’s father was a journalist.  His son became a journalist.  It’s still very much in his blood.  He even collects printing presses.

Paul lives with his wife Lisa, who helps with the contest, in Killingworth.