The winner of a Times of Malta competition had the opportunity to witness the process involved in publishing a newspaper, from discussing ideas to content creation and printing. Maria Cremona reports on her experience.

Times of Malta editor Ray Bugeja explaining to Cremona the work involved in publishing a daily paper. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

There it stood, the majestic Auberge de Castille, the office of the Prime Minister, basking in the sunlight. A group of tourists stared in fascination while their tour leader explained the historical background of this baroque architecture. However, I was more interested in finding one of the side streets next to Castille, St Paul Street. I was told that’s where I would find the Times of Malta premises to spend a day in  the newsroom.

The tour started on the second floor of the building. As I emerged from the lift, marketing manager Marija Schranz, who was  showing me around, drew my attention to the grey, metallic bars by the doorway.

“A reminder,” she said, “of Black Monday, when our offices were ransacked by a mob. These bars were afterwards introduced as security measures.” 

The chaos and mayhem that ruled on that day stood in sharp contrast to the present silent buzz of work. The newsroom was tranquil in the Christmas period, as opposed to the rest of the year. 

The next time  I open a newspaper,  I will think of  the elaborate journey behind each and  every story  of that day

Ray Bugeja, the editor of the daily newspaper, introduced me to the journalists who had braved the lull of the holiday season. I joined the staff for the daily news meeting during which I was assigned a story to work on. 

This assignment certainly helped to place me in the journalistic frame of mind. Every now and then, I lifted my head from the computer screen and took a quick glance around the newsroom: journalists typing stories, exchanging quips and discussing leads. This is the place where bridges are built between areas that seem worlds apart, as I found out from a conversation with a sports journalist.

Progress Press chief operating officer Noel Galea showing Cremona how the newspaper is printed at the company’s premises in Mrieħel. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

When the clock struck 2pm, I was taken for a tour of the Progress Press printing facility at Mrieħel. Chief operations officer Noel Galea provided a detailed and clear explanation of the complex printing process of diverse publications, ranging from booklets and newspapers to door-to- door brochures. The state-of-the-art machinery and technology have certainly facilitated this process which puts so many words and ideas on paper.

So the next time I open a newspaper, I’ll think of the strategic and elaborate journey behind each and every story of that day: from a simple lead to a story marked with corrections, to the final revision by the editor, to the printing, binding and delivery of newspapers to the agents. It’s a process which is repeated day after day but always brings something new to the reader.

As part of Times of Malta’s 80th year anniversary, a number of outreach initiatives were held with the intention of rewarding readers and loyal subscribers. A particular competition was targeted at youths who were asked to submit a piece on one of following topics: immigration, tourism and the environment. The winner, Maria Cremona, submitted an original piece on the theme of immigration. Cremona, 23, has just completed a Masters degree in English and the Media at the University of Malta, after reading for a BA(Hons) degree in English. She is currently working as an English teacher and would like to write stories for children or personality features that raise awareness on social issues in future.