This special in-person edition of #SpillingtheMeans ia a deep-dive conversation with journalist and author Alex Bill. Breaking away from the usual "read and react" format, this episode features a face-to-face sit-down with the man who lived the story, providing a tangible look at the effort required to document a life as complex as his father’s.

In this wide-ranging discussion, Alex Bill explores the dual nature of his latest project: a meticulously researched biography of his father, Roger Bill. The conversation covers:

The Business of News: Alex discusses his role as editor of *All Newfoundland Labrador* and how their subscription-based model thrives in a struggling industry.
The Draft Resistor Experience: A look at Roger’s journey from a Republican upbringing in Indiana to becoming a fugitive in Canada during the Vietnam War.
The Activist Legacy:The fascinating history of how Roger and a group of architects fought "Plan 91" to save downtown St. John’s from being gutted by a four-lane highway.
A Son’s Perspective: The challenge of maintaining journalistic objectivity while uncovering emotional family letters and exploring the flaws and successes of a local media icon.

0:00 Introduction
0:18 Sponsor: Biblio Gifting
0:46 Interview begins with Alex Bill
1:20 Alex Bill's background in journalism
2:13 The business model of All Newfoundland Labrador
3:51 The decline of print vs. digital security
5:08 Growing up in a house of journalists
5:55 From law school back to the newsroom
6:48 The role of luck in a career
7:40 The effort of writing a 86,000-word biography
9:39 Interviewing a "difficult" subject: Roger Bill
10:48 Balancing son vs. journalist perspectives
11:56 The emotional letter Roger wrote to his father
13:10 Impact of the Vietnam War and the draft
15:14 Roger's Republican roots in Indiana
17:41 Living as a fugitive and secret U.S. visits
19:40 Researching draft resistors in Newfoundland
22:36 Newfoundland's unique affinity for Americans
24:32 Plan 91: Saving downtown St. John's from a highway
26:13 Why Roger Bill made Newfoundland his home

Buy the book on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.ca/Dangerously-Close-Contempt-Journalisms-Unrepentant/dp/1738353664