Tyree Johnson, Westside Weekly, Philadelphia, Pa

Parker, Stacia, Editor & Publisher

Tyree Johnson Westside Weekly Philadelphia, Pa.

For many people, the decision to give up the security and comfort of a well-paying job while still supporting a family of two children and a wife might be a difficult one.

Tyree Johnson found it easy. He tossed away his steady salary and health benefits with two large and well-known companies to start his own community newspaper.

"I woke up one morning and the fire was gone - I just lost the drive," said Johnson, who had spent 18 years as an investigative reporter with KYW-TV and the Philadelphia Daily News.

To reignite the flame, Johnson invested $10,000 of his life savings to give birth to the Westside Weekly, a 10,000-circulation paper covering Johnson's West Philadelphia neighborhood. It was a risky move, especially since Johnson, 46, had no prior entrepreneurial experience. But, on February 16, 1989, the eight-page Westside Weekly made its debut with the headline "Hello Neighbors" and …

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Publication information: Article title: Tyree Johnson, Westside Weekly, Philadelphia, Pa. Contributors: Parker, Stacia - Author. Magazine title: Editor & Publisher. Volume: 124. Issue: 7 Publication date: February 16, 1991. Page number: 40+. © 2002 Editor & Publisher. COPYRIGHT 1991 Gale Group.

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