Wayne Green

Publisher & Editor

The Northern Times, Kapuskasing and

The Temiskaming Speaker, New Liskeard

Awarded Posthumously

 

Wayne Green’s newspaper career began at the age of 16 in 1951, right out of high school, as an “apprentice printer” at the Temiskaming Printing Company (TPC) in New Liskeard, printer of the Temiskaming Speaker weekly newspaper. Eleven years later he was in charge of all newspaper production.

In 1962 he was hired to become the first managing editor and the first full‐time employee at the new Northern Times newspaper in Kapuskasing. Barely five months later, the Northern Times would take a photo of the infamous Reesor Siding labour dispute. Recognized as the bloodiest labour battle in Canadian history, the international incident attracted journalists from all over, but that photo would be the only one of the killing scene. It would appear in publications across North America, including the Times.

When the Times decided to operate its own printing plant in 1965, offset was the system chosen. It was considered a relatively new and radical approach to newspaper production, making the Times a leader in introducing it to Northern Ontario.

Over the years Wayne Green eventually became publisher of the Times, winning 98 awards in national, provincial, and regional competitions during his 33 years as publisher.  In 1968 he helped found The Tribune, a new weekly in Sturgeon Falls. He managed its operations until the paper was sold in 1973.

The Northern Times again became a leader in new and radical approaches by becoming the first weekly newspaper in Ontario to use computers and laser printers to produce all editorial material.

In 1988 Wayne Green received a Silver Quill Award from the Canadian Community Newspapers Association in recognition of 25 years of distinguished service to the newspaper industry. He was also awarded the “Northern Ontario Journalist of The Year” as part of the annual Canadore College Northern Ontario Journalism Awards.

After retiring in 1995, he continued to write a regular column for the Northern Times and began writing weekly columns for The Temiskaming Speaker.

In 2014 he published a book “The Last Newspaperman” about his life in the industry interweaved with some of his Northern Times columns. The title of the book is quite appropriate, as Wayne was among the last of a long line of individuals who had entered the field of journalism through training as a printer.

His last column for The Speaker appeared in the summer of 2017.

After his passing in 2018, he was remembered by former Temiskaming Speaker Editor Gordon Brock: “At his professional peak Wayne Green was a recognized Canadian community journalism icon and his passing requires a moment for the industry to remember an individual that helped symbolize how good Canadian community journalism can be.”

This is why the Ontario Community Newspapers Association is thrilled to announce Wayne Green as an inductee of the OCNA Hall of Fame.

The OCNA Hall of Fame Award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have made exemplary contributions to Ontario’s community newspapers. Inductees are respected community news professionals who have remained passionate about the industry throughout challenges, opportunities, and changes. They are leaders who have helped community newspapers adapt and grow.