Fredie Carmichael Named Editor of 'Meridian (Miss.) Star'

By: Fredie Carmichael has returned to The Meridian Star as the newspaper's editor.

"I really enjoyed my time in Pensacola, (Fla.). It was a great experience to learn from some talented journalists. But anytime you have a good opportunity to come home, it's a good thing," Carmichael said.

Carmichael, 26, replaces Steve Stewart, who has been named publisher of The Tidewater News and president of Tidewater Publications LLC in Franklin, Va. Stewart, 39, a veteran publisher and editor of several community newspapers in Mississippi, served as editor of The Star for the past year.

"I first had the opportunity of working with Fredie in early 2000 when he was a reporter and I was advertising director for The Star," said Meridian publisher Crystal Dupre. "Even then I remember being impressed with Fredie's strong desire and passion for the newspaper business and especially the desire to serve his hometown newspaper."

Dupre said readers can expect new and exciting changes under Carmichael's leadership.

Carmichael spent the past 17 months as a reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. During his time there, he focused on special projects reporting, including writing about Medicare's new prescription drug plan, the Pensacola Bay Area's housing market, the beach economy and local politics. He also covered hurricanes Dennis and Katrina.

"I want our news to have a harder edge to it," he said. "Our readers expect us to be watchdogs; we need to let them know how their tax dollars are being spent and why. We are their eyes and ears.

"At the same time, I think we have a lot of great stories to tell about our community," he said. "There are some wonderful things going on in our area and we need to pursue those stories with the same passion we pursue the hard news stories."

Carmichael is a graduate of Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus. He is married to the former Sara Gardner of Hattiesburg and is the son of state Sen. Videt Carmichael, R-Meridian, and Donna Carmichael.