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Jerome Tilis: Ex-Free Press executive helped start HSJP

By Jonathan Enyinnah Douglass Orator Staff Writer

In the mid-1980s, journalism classes in Detroit were disappearing and kids were losing interest in the news. Jerome Tilis, then president of the Free Press, wanted to do something about it.

At lunch one day in 1985 with then-Detroit Public Schools superintendent Arthur Jefferson, the idea for the High School Journalism Program was born. Then-Free Press managing editor Neal Shine was also on board.

“I was at lunch with Superintendent Jefferson, and we were talking about how we find it sad that kids aren’t interested in reading newspapers, so we decided to start the journalism program to get kids interested in newspapers and, in general, reading,” said Tilis, who was president of the Free Press from 1985-1989.

“Journalism is one of the underpinnings of our society; without that, we would be in trouble. The world needs newspaper, the general media to keep up with the world,” Tilis said.

Tilis said he hoped the program would become one that would draw students and develop a love of journalism in them. He said he hoped journalism would be “... the class that you can’t wait to be in.”

To create a program that would endure 30 years, Tilis recruited help from others to finance the program.

“Companies like Ford, General Motors and Chrysler were excited to fund and help us to direct the project,” said Tilis.

Ford began supporting HSJP in 1987 and continues to this day, providing a grant to help run the program and annually awarding the top student in the program with a $24,000 college scholarship.

Tilis said he believes journalism is still a viable profession for today’s young people to consider. A student who is interested in journalism should be one who is curious, wants their interests addressed, and “can’t wait to get to that job.”

“My expectations for current and future journalists: tell the truth, push forward the facts, and let the people decide, don’t mix your opinions with the hard facts,,” Tilis said. “If you want to write an editorial, you can state your personal opinions, but when it comes to journalists, always state the facts, inform the people, inform the public, let them decide and come to their own conclusions.”

After working at the Free Press, Tilis went on to serve as Knight-Ridder’s chairman of sales and vice president of marketing. Tilis is currently retired and living in Florida.

“Right now, I have the best job I ever had, I am a grandfather, and I enjoy every bit of it,” said Tilis.

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