I'm a former news editor who went from a national, NYC-based publication to a metro newspaper in a small state. It wasn't because my skills were lacking -- I w

I'm a former news editor who went from a national, NYC-based publication to a metro newspaper in a small state. It wasn't because my skills were lacking -- I was being recruited by other national publications in NYC -- but because my wife and I wanted to be closer to family, so our children would have an opportunity to see their grandparents regularly. I found out that this sort of decision is common, and as a result, local papers tend to have a mix of: - Talented up-and-comers, some of whom will end up at bigger-name publications. And that's great for people who want those illustrious jobs and also want the lifestyle that goes along with them. - Wash-outs, who either tried and failed at bigger-name news outlets or knew their limits well enough to not even try. - Downshifters, who previously worked at a bigger-name publication but decided that they didn't like the location or the lifestyle. - People with deep roots, who could easily do well at bigger-name publications, but who love their local communities and have no desire to go anywhere else.