The Newsletter

FRANK MILES

Editor of the Newsletter
A portrait by
Lorna May Wadsworth

The ITN 1955 CLUB members receive a monthly 16-page Newsletter.

When the Newsletter started some 18 years ago it had just four pages a month, but its popularity was such that it increased to eight pages, then twelve and now, for the past ten years, to sixteen.
Each issue contains news of ITN, of the Club itself, often with
photographs of events, personal news of members and what they have been up to, their memories of days at ITN, potted biographies and
photographs of new members.

 A particulary interesting and very popular feature is "The story behind a story" -revelations of what was going on behind the scenes to get some of ITN's famous news stories. There are anecdotes that are often humorous, sometimes graphic, always revealing.

The Newsletter is not full of "jokes and riddles" or light-hearted parish magazine type of content but sets out to offer a genuine good quality read each month.It is sometimes critical of today's ITN, but also praises present-day achievements when deserved.

Occasionally it deals with such matters as pensions, or how best to get a holiday insurance (difficult as you grow older), occasional health tips and asks "Where are they now?" when trying to trace former colleagues.

Sadly the Newsletter has occasionally to report the death of a member or the illness of another. But it has reported at least two weddings and other happy events in its time.

Newsletter has featured four times on Channel-4's "Countdown" with material being read out on air. Its contributors have even included the late Alastair Cooke, who thought highly of it, and it has been written about in the national press. Many members say they belong to the Club just to get the Newsletter, to keep up with the news of former colleagues.The say it alone is worth the annual subscription paid to be a member of the Club.

The sub does not, by the way,  meet all the costs of its production and distribution its production and distribution but the generosity of many members sending in donations has kept it going all these years.