Target group: ages 8+

Country: United Kingdom

Newspaper: Newcastle Evening Chronicle

Year: 2003

How they did it

To increase readership, the Newcastle Evening Chronicle implemented KRON, where students design their own editorial page, which is included in the regular newspaper. Six weeks before publication, the papers NIE staff provides pre-publication support and training to encourage the student journalists, but students have complete control over the page. Students write articles, solicit and design an advertisement, make drawings and take photographs. Schools are given newspapers containing The KRON to keep informed about what their counterparts at other schools are doing and what is going on in the news. The program ties into the national curriculum, which stipulates that students must learn to write for a larger audience and about newspapers.

Support

Some costs are offset by advertising. Sponsors contributed approximately £ 7,000 to fund the project. Funding for a second year was secured early on. Advertisers report that they like the project because it raises their profile in the community.

Results

Popular with readers, schools and advertisers. Modest increases in circulation. To meet the demand from schools wishing to write the page, the Evening Chronicle is planning to publish three editions of the KRON each week.

Website: http://www.icnewcastle.co.uk/

Contact

Kay Thompson

NIE Newsroom, Stoddart Street, Shieldfield,

Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1AN UK

Phone: (44) 191 209 1494

Fax: (44) 191 209 1491

kaythompson@ncjmedia.co.uk