August 23, 2003 – The Chomedey News, Laval’s English community newspaper
The story behind The Chomedey News – 10th Anniversary Issue
BY BARBARA LAVOIE
Order up some champagne it’s time to celebrate. The Chomedey News is 10 years old.
The first issue, a free 16-page independent bilingual weekly newspaper with a circulation of 35,000 serving a predominately francophone population in Laval, hit the stands on August 18, 1993.
Now, a decade later, TCN, an award-winning independent English language bimonthly newspaper with a verified circulation of 27,300 serves a diverse francophone, anglophone and allophone population in Laval’s districts of Chomedey and Ste. Dorothée. In 1996 TCN was one of the first newspapers to create a web site for online readers - www.chomedeynews.ca.
There’s no question, things have changed
since its first run, but a lot has stayed the same.
It remains committed to providing readers with quality content, stories and features that meet the highest standards of journalism. And continues to offer advertisers opportunities, reasonably priced, well-placed ad spaces to sell their products and services. For community service organizations and groups, TCN ensures ongoing interest and support.
Taking time out from busy schedules, co-publishers George Bakoyannis, 44, and George Guzmas, 41, described how and why they started the newspaper, what they’ve done over the years to make it successful and where they hope to head in the future.
Partners in business and friends in life, ‘the Georges’ as they are affectionately referred to, have known each other for at least 20 years. Both born and raised in Greece, immigrated to Quebec as children with their parents and settled in Montreal’s Park Extension district. As adults they both moved to Laval, Bakoyannis in 1977 and Guzmas in 1983.
Until the winter of 1993 when they met by chance in a Laval retail store, both Georges were busy pursuing their own careers and interests. Bakoyannis had become a computer ‘guru’ after studying computer science at Concordia University and Guzmas had ventured into media and communications spending more than 12 years experience as a news broadcaster and show host in Greek television and radio.
After several meetings to discuss their shared interests and business opportunities, they both came to realize that only together could they do what could not be done alone. Combining their computer skills and media savy, they leapt into the publishing industry with Nouvelles Parc-Extension News, a bilingual community newspaper serving the multicultural population of Montreal’s Park Ex in March 1993.
NPEN, still a bilingual community newspaper published bimonthly, achieved almost overnight success receiving support from the area’s politicians and advertisers.
After The Suburban, the only English-language weekly stopped producing a Chomedey edition later that year, Savas Fortis, the area’s municipal councillor, encouraged ‘the Georges’ to create a newspaper similar to NPEN for Laval. At the time three French-language papers served the area.
“I came to them with the idea because at the time there was very little coming out of city hall in English. We knew that Laval was becoming a pluralistic society with not just a francophone population, but Anglo and allophone citizens too. TCN filled a big void,” said Fortis.
Throughout his two terms as a local politician, Fortis supported their efforts. More recently he became more involved by contributing articles and writing editorials. “Since their first issue, TCN has given readers the news. It stands out from other papers – raising the issues and publicizing the concerns of the people. They don’t just talk about traffic problems or zoning changes, but they ask why. In this regard, that’s a big difference,” added Fortis. “Hopefully they will be around for another 10 years and longer.”
Like any business there are good times and bad. After four years, ‘the Georges’ found themselves facing a need to make some major changes in order to continue publishing their successful newspaper. “The business of publishing is very unforgiving. It’s very hard to make it profitable in the first five years,” said Bakoyannis. “We knew we had a good thing going, but the cost of paper was high and getting higher. The federal government rarely purchased ads in the bilingual papers and we were having problems with L’Office de la langue français (OLF).”
In 1997 a decision was made to publish TCN only in English relieving them of difficulties with layout and translation, but causing some staff layoffs.
“It was difficult getting to that decision, but since then we’ve had good times,” added Bakoyannis.
Although fully committed to the Laval community, “TCN has never shied away from reporting on major national and international stories. “We feel that what happens outside Laval also has an affect on us. With my connections with every political party, we’ve been able to break news stories that were not even in the dailies,” said Guzmas. “Take for example the exclusive interview we got with Jean Charest in his limousine in 1993 or the interview with actor and director Richard Attenborough when he was in Montreal. We’ve amazed a few over the years. We always try to be ahead of everyone.”
Determined to produce the best community newspaper possible, their efforts began to pay off. TCN joined the Quebec Community Newspapers Association, a member organization that represents 27 English-language newspapers across the province.
Nominated and judged by their peers, TCN and its staff have received many QCNA awards for their outstanding journalism and effective advertising.
“TCN has always been a model for what a community newspaper is supposed to be. Its publishers and staff live, work and breathe the same stories in the same local as the readership, thereby creating a strong connection with the community the paper serves,” said Greg Duncan, QCNA’s executive director. “Colourful pages with exemplary production, tight and concise news stories and a distinctive flavour all combine to give the community a paper it can truly call its own.”
Also a member of the Canadian Community Newspapers Association, TCN has been acknowledged each year since 2000 with the Blue Ribbon for General Excellence Award.
The ownership of TCN stands as a textbook example of good partnership. Their roles are divided according to their skills, Bakoyannis handles administration and financing and Guzmas looks after sales, marketing and promotions.
“In this office, there are no set jobs. We are all responsible for everything – we work as a family helping each other out all the time,” said Bakoyannis.
This attitude permeates the entire operation at TCN. Among the current staff family are: Gilles Boyer, sales; Savas Foris, journalist and editorial board; Caroline Gardner, production assistant; Demetra Lambropoulos, journalist; and, Eleanor Tylbor, columnist.
Tylbor started out as their first journalist, then later became a regular columnist writing Eleanor’s Chatter, a feature covering community events and human interest stories.
“A lot of water has gone under the bridge since the day we met in George’s (Bakoyannis) living room. I’ve been with them through the ups and downs. It’s a credit to them they’ve survived in today’s environment, ” said Tylbor.
“We’re very village-like here,” she added describing how she gets her best story leads from just going shopping in Chomedey. “TCN always tries to stay in close contact with the people. I have a very good relationship with them and I hope it will continue. It’s a great place to work.”
Joining TCN in November 2001, Caroline Gardner, 29, quickly learned that not only would her abilities as a production assistant and receptionist be welcomed but her writing skills would also be put to good use.
“I brought in an article one day. They liked it and from then on I started writing more regularly,” said Gardner. “I like the role we play in the community giving a voice to people who normally would not have one. The beautiful thing working for an independent community newspaper is that you can focus on your strengths. I can’t wait to get to work. I love the interaction with readers. It’s so rewarding.” For the last six months, Gardner has produced LPD Blue, a full page section devoted to the Laval police beat.
Demetra Lamboupoulos, 26, started with TCN a year ago. She recently began researching and writing the CityWatch page. “What better place for me to start working than in my hometown of Laval,” said Lamboupoulos. “The political writing during the provincial election was definitely a highlight for me. Everyone multitasks here – I do my own proofreading and photos. I’ve learned so much in such a short time. The Georges let me put my own flair into whatever I write. I like dealing with the educational stories – in a way I’m still teaching.” Lamboupoulos taught high school before becoming a full-time journalist.
Playing a role very much as important as the writing staff, Boyer, 48, brings his strong advertising sales experience to TCN. “I first saw the paper on the internet, that’s how I applied. They are two nice guys and I enjoy working for them. Advertisers don’t realize the close attention that George pays to every ad. These are some of the things that go on behind the scenes.”
In the last 10 years various journalists have contributed valuable time and energy to TCN.
Still working in the field of journalism, Roger Deshotels, 50, was the first reporter hired. Coming to them with many years of experience as a radio broadcast journalist, he acknowledged the challenge TCN had taken on ten years ago.
“Never before had a newspaper attempted to produce a bilingual weekly, but we did it,” he said. “For me it was a beautiful experience, especially working in the multicultural environment then. We started up in the middle of a mayoralty race, went into a provincial then federal election. We looked like a political paper, but because there was a lack of information in Chomedey soon citizens started calling us for city news such as road and school openings. It was direct communication with citizens.”
Peter Karahailos worked from 1997 and stayed on until 2001. “We still keep in touch. I really didn’t consider myself much of a journalist at the time. I’m too much a free spirit and won’t bow to the establishment. The Georges let me run with the ball and I thank them for encouraging me to express myself. I felt the paper should have more bigger picture stories. Let’s face it something that happens in the UN or in the national economy affects Lavalers. Readers want more than just a story about the local coffee shop,” said Karahailos.
Replacing Karahailos, freelance journalist Steve Hatton, 30, worked with TCN until last summer. “It was nice having someone like George Guzmas who is willing to give you a chance. It was a rewarding experience. I’d never written anything that was published in a newspaper before and when I gave it to him he was so enthusiastic. He gave me a lot of confidence to have that pat on the back.”
Anne Shears Realties have been regular advertisers. One of Montreal’s largest real estate broker listing residential and commercial property and businesses, director Hal Shears noted, “I’m very happy with them. We advertise in a lot of papers, from the Gazette Le Journal and others, and TCN is as professional as any of them if not more so. When they say they are going to do something, they do it. And they go out of their way for clients.”
Anita Cohen, 75, has lived in Chomedey since 1961. “From my point of view, I feel it covers all aspects of life in the community. As it has gone along over the years it’s improved in scope and information for its readers. Well I’m biased. After my son died due to a liver disease, Eli Tylbor asked me if I would like to write about him and they would publish the story. When the Michael Cohen Liver Transplant Fund was started they gave it some exposure and helped make it the success it has become, ” said Cohen.
Another reader since the beginning, Wilfrid Laurier School Board commissioner and hospital volunteer Walter Fogel, 69, commented on TCN’s 10th anniversary. “I enjoy reading it. It has a good amount of local news. But I question a local paper that begins publishing national and international news that’s already in other media. I prefer to see more local flavour,” said Fogel.
Laval resident and reader, Betty McLeod, an unpaid volunteer/worker with AGAPE volunteer, thanked TCN for the help they’ve given the multi-service community agency. “They are not only the best English-speaking newspaper in Laval, but they are the best! They’ve given us so much. We needed to sensitize the population to our needs and George covered every event, every activity, and every press conference for the last eight and a half years at our Notre-Dame location,” she said.
10 years and beyond
Started out as a homegrown project by two men with a vision, TCN has become a successful and viable vehicle for informing and educating Lavalers.
“I was a young man when I started this paper, now look at me,” quipped Bakoyannis. “If you had asked if I thought we would make 10 years in 1993, I probably would have said no. But you have to do what you have to do,” chuckled Guzmas. “If our readers are happy then everyone here is happy.”
Looking toward the future, ‘the Georges’ see the probability of publishing at least two more community newspapers. For TCN, they plan to maintain the quality while enhancing more of the features, especially content. They also intend on continuing to follow their policy of ensuring advertisers full visibility on each page.
Now raise a glass and join me in toasting the hard-earned and well-deserved success of The Chomedey News.