Thomson Newspapers Turns First Class of J-School Students Into Journalists.

OSHKOSH, Wisconsin--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 12, 1999--

Thomson Newspapers' inaugural group of trainee reporters is wrapping up classes at the company's innovative new journalism school this week with a keen appreciation of their mission and the high standards to which they'll be held.

"Early on in this process, we discovered that being good wasn't going to be good enough," says Rachel Wion, a Bucyrus, Ohio, trainee who graduated at the top of her Reader inc. class. "The thing that hit me between the eyes in the Reader inc. program was the fact that a story isn't complete unless you show people how it relates to them," Wion says.

During an intensive 12-week program at the Thomson Newspapers Reader inc. Editorial Training Center, the 16 students-turned-journalists learned from real-world experience about all aspects of the newspaper industry. Their studies covered such topics as the digital and print environments, the basics of reporting, editorial ethics, credibility issues, circulation and even newspaper delivery. They're now returning to their hometowns to become journalists at their respective Thomson newspapers.

"I am very pleased with the outcome of the first class," says Jim Jennings, vice president and editorial director for Thomson Newspapers. "The trainees not only fulfilled, but exceeded our expectations. They mastered every challenge placed before them, building on their natural talents and developing into solid community journalists who will become the vanguard of the Reader inc. program within our newspapers."

The journalism school is part of Thomson Newspapers' company-wide Reader inc. program, which is designed to generate long-term readership growth through community-focused journalism aligned with the interests of readers. Reader inc. includes a comprehensive training effort that will reach all Thomson circulators, journalists and publishers over the next two years. Training is a key component of Thomson Newspapers' Reader inc. readership development initiative, which unites newsrooms and circulation departments in their efforts to produce newspapers that meet the needs of readers.

Lou Ziegler, an accomplished editor who oversees day-to-day operations at the editorial training center, says the students will take home one particularly important aspect of journalism that needs more attention in the industry today: an appreciation for and focus on real people.

"We trained these reporters to get `real people' into every story they ever do. We're not writing for politicians, we're writing for the real people in our communities. Talking to real people and telling their stories is exactly what makes a paper stronger," Ziegler says.

In one 48-hour period, for example, the students interviewed and photographed 400 "real people" for their story assignments, indicating their commitment to community-focused journalism, he points out.

The students' inside story

Many of the students made dramatic career changes to attend the Reader inc. Editorial Training Center. The class of '99 included lawyers, teachers, recent college graduates, theologians, military personnel, a corrections officer and an inner-city volunteer.

Their course of studies included both practical and classroom components, and they were taught by both real live newspaper people and real live sources. In addition to editors, publishers and circulation executives, speakers at the school included two well-known sports figures: World Series umpire Gerry Davis and Tony Kubek, a former New York Yankee turned sports announcer.

-- "Now, I get to take back to my newspaper the ability to tell stories I know my readers want to hear," says Wion, a lay pastor with American Baptist Church who entered the program with a high-school equivalency. "The Reader inc. program was the most exciting, exhilarating thing I've ever done in my life. I don't know if anything will ever top it."

-- "In a short amount of time I learned on-the-job experiences that would normally take me six months to a year to learn," says Frank Scotello, a college instructor and retired lieutenant colonel from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. "I am confident that when I return to my newspaper, I will be able to hold my own."

-- "I am very enthusiastic to get started at my hometown paper," says Peter Ciancone of Terre Haute, Indiana. "Hearing from people who have to deal with the media in their jobs, such as World Series umpires, made the program really vibrant. These individuals offered us tremendous insight." In his new career, Ciancone, a Navy veteran with a master's degree in education, is following in the footsteps of his journalist mother.

The trainers' side of the story

The editorial training center's trainers played a major role in the transformation from j-school student to professional journalist.

-- "They started out writing six to seven drafts, and then they got to the point where a story ended up running in the paper. In watching the students grow from week to week, you really saw students turn into journalists," says Bill Harke, editor at The Post-Crescent in Appleton, Wisconsin.

-- "One student, in particular, entered the program from a community-activism angle," says Todd Hollis, assistant managing editor at the Connecticut Post. "In the beginning, she had preconceived notions about every assignment. Over time, I noticed she learned that journalists don't crusade, they present the facts -- they foster an issue without promoting an issue. I would hire this student on the spot."

The 19-week program includes 12 weeks at the Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based training center and seven weeks of online training through the American Press Institute. The practical component of the program took place at Thomson's eight daily newspapers in Wisconsin.

Thomson Newspapers is a marketing and communications company serving 21 regional and national markets in the United States and Canada. From newspapers to syndicated niche publications to new media, Thomson Newspapers meets its customers' needs through a broad spectrum of print and electronic products and services. The company publishes 55 daily newspapers and numerous non-daily newspapers, specialty and advertising publications.

Thomson Newspapers is one of the main operating units of The Thomson Corporation. TTC is one of the world's leading information companies with approximately 40,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues in excess of $6-billion U.S. TTC's common shares are traded on the Toronto, Montreal and London stock exchanges.