From left to right, Drew Porter, president of East Brainerd Kiwanis Club, Bill Pinson, program chairman, and John Wilson, speaker
Chattanoogan.com publisher John Wilson says there will never be a charge to read his internet newspaper. Mr. Wilson said Friday, “A lot of internet papers are charging their readers, but I want everyone to see what we have.”
Mr. Wilson told the East Brainerd Kiwanis Club, “I always wanted to be a reporter; I really don’t know why, but I wanted to be a reporter since I was a kid.”
Mr. Wilson said while in the 5th grade in Laurens, South Carolina, he put out a little handwritten paper.
After high school graduation, Mr. Wilson came by bus to Chattanooga and enrolled at Covenant College on Lookout Mountain. In 1971 went to work for the Chattanooga News Free Press.
Mr. Wilson told the Kiwanians the Free Press staff was like a big family. “I worked with some of the best, Julius Parker, Tom Gilliland, Buddy Houts, J.B.Collins, Ronnie Moore, John Vass, Jim Ashley, just to name a few.
Mr. Wilson said he learned so much about the newspaper business from publisher Roy McDonald who wore a white shirt. “I wear a white shirt to remind me of Mr. Roy’s work ethic.”
Mr. Wilson admired longtime News Free Press Editor Lee S. Anderson. Mr. Wilson said, “He’d get there at 4:30 in the morning and up the stairs he’d go. He was almost never sick. He was a great guy and he was sure good to me.”
Mr. Anderson chose Mr. Wilson to write the editorials when he was away.
Mr. Wilson has covered many of Chattanooga’s famous criminal trials, including the murder trial of Byron De La Beckwith of Signal Mountain charged with killing Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers. Other trials include the murder trial of football star Bobby Hoppe, the Signal Mountain triple murders, the tri state crematory case in Noble, Georgia, and Sam Parker trial in Lafayette, Ga.
Mr. Wilson saw many changes while at the Free Press, going from an old manual typewriter to computers. The Free Press was sold in 1998 and a short time later merged with the Chattanooga Times, Mr. Wilson decided it was time to try something new, a newspaper on the internet. In 1999, the Chattanoogan.com was born, one of the first on-line newspapers in the United States.
Mr. Wilson said, “thought I’d always be a reporter but it was kind of fun to develop this new kind of paper. A popular section is our obituary page. We charge only $40.00 for unlimited number of words. Our readers don’t have to wait until the next day to read the obits; they are posted almost as soon as the funeral home sends them to us.”
Mr. Wilson said, “I’m proud we found this way to publish a paper that posts breaking news as it happens, outstanding sports reporting, and all types of community items. I knew at the time, this new on-line would have a lot of advantages. With the old newspapers, subscribers had to wait to get their news, now I put it on almost immediately; I can put the bank holdup story on while the robber is still running down the street."
Mr. Wilson said he’s still active covering stories but has a staff of over 30 that contribute to the Chattanoogan.com.
Mr. Wilson has written several historical books including The Chattanooga Story. He’s currently working on a new book about historic Cameron Hill.
Mr. Wilson said a lot of people told him he’d last three months or something but he’s proved the skeptics wrong, and the Chattanoogan.com will begin their 27th year this September.
One club member said, “If there’s breaking news the Chattanoogan.com is the first place I go.”
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John Wilson