There's "another Judy" in Toronto Free Press Elm Street offices. And that's just the beginning. There are Steven, Shannon, Susan and their all-new publication The Inner Edge, a fresh, innovative and unique 24-page centrespread in TFP, estimated launch date June 2001. In launching the Edge, the Judy-Steven team will boost circulation and expand TFP to some 48 pages.
Willing to work, eager to learn and loaded with humour, the team is adding zest to TFP as it heads into its 11th anniversary on May 15. The other Judy, who is Ms. Williams on her newly inked business cards, has the most challenging job, trying to secure advertising contracts in a competitive Toronto market inundated with other publications.
Bursting with enthusiasm, she is undeterred by the FYIs, Nows and eyes of this world. A self-described "people person", our Ms. Williams moves right in on would-be advertisers, and because of her positive attitude, is already landing impressive contracts. No matter what is going on in the office, every so often she comes out from the inner sanctum where she makes her telephone calls, to perform a happy little victory dance.
Tiny in stature, Judy can be seen darting in out of Elm Street dressed in her spiffy navy blue, gold-buttoned, double-breasted blazer. Her daily garb includes signature running shoes, which serve as dancing shoes for feet-stamping office victories and in cutting up the rug during occasional forays into the nearby Delta Chelsea.
Judy and company are all characters, newly arrived and ready to go in the publishing business. Shannon McLaren is a graduate engineer and computer whiz, whose homemade apple and key lime pies are a taste temptation. Susan Douglas very much the lovable "I'm-only-a-half-hour-late," slightly frenzied graphic artist, will work with layout and design. Group leader Steven Christianson is the well-read intellect and mentor.
The foursome comes with a host of writers, including the mysterious and humourous Herve Kurtz, who purports to write his pithy Inner Edge columns from the comfort of his yacht.
The Edge will offer the same kind of fare contained in the pages of TFP. "We're on the same wave length as the mother ship," says Christianson, "and we are going to offer readers the same kind of truth; stories you don't see in other newspapers, written by people as far away as Australia."
Their enthusiasm is infectious and they all have the sort of make-do attitude that gives the Elm Street digs a more pleasant working environment.
That they are such neophytes where the newspaper industry is concerned makes them all that much more fun to be around. "Can't be done" is not included in their vocabulary. The order of the day sees them wading right in, always hoping for and often getting the best.
Adding these four to the three co-op students and various part-timers already here makes for some creative use of space.
And there are the usual faux pas when everyone is new.
Shannon, longing for her water cooler, was watching for the waterman everyday.
In came Johnny Osorio to take a look at what pages might be ready for layout. Johnny is tall, casually dressed and looks like the type who could lug water coolers up two flights of stairs with little exertion. When he was taken to the back office to meet the new staff, Judy assumed Shannon's long lost waterman had finally arrived and introduced him as such. "Thank God you're here. It seems I've been waiting for you forever," Shannon announced to a nonplussed Johnny.
The group settled in while office manager Brian Thompson was at his sister Jennifer's wedding in England. During the 10 days he was absent, things changed dramatically in terms of ambitious TFP plans for the future. As it turned out, Brian left what was a tiny village to return to a bustling city. Because almost every request made to Brian by myself always has the words "I hope you don't mind" tacked on, Judy and Shannon brought him up to date on all the changes with the same words upon his return.
New to the intrigue of investigative type newspapers, they find the parade through this office of weirdoes, well meaning and otherwise, including ad manager types on spy duty for disgruntled municipal politicians a little hard to believe.
Time and experience are bound to bring the Inner Edge a few of their own.
Meanwhile these newcomers to the publishing industry are out there competing in the fields of journalism, advertising and entrepreneurship. The unconventional are destined to make their presence felt by the more conventional Now, FYI and eye.
I can already hear their unified tagline to the venerable competition..."Hope you don't mind."
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
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