Tom’s story

Amanda: This is Ryerson Rewind — a podcast featuring alumni, sharing their fondest memories from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Tom: My name is Tom Thorne, Radio and Television Arts, RTA, ‘68. And in 1967 I started the Eyeopener which is now, of course, the student campus paper at Toronto Metropolitan University. There’s more to school than just going to classes. And starting the paper in ‘67 was probably my most memorable moment on that campus. But it was done in such innocence. It’s amazing really, because when you think about it, in 50 years no one could have predicted it was going to stay in play that long. I mean it was very dicey whether we were going to survive year one or two. And then we got into trouble with Queen’s Park and I know from past experience, with people who I know who are in politics, they told me that there were times when they were going to close us down and everyone said, “well you can’t do that, you can’t close newspapers down in this country.” They were very annoyed with us, and what we were doing. But it was inevitable that something like that was going to happen. But it really was pushed over the top by the fact that the school decided to take the Ryersonian and make it into what they called a professional course and so it was time that the students had some voice of their own. And it was also in those times that that type of thing was happening all over. So really, in it’s time, it’s hard to explain, there was a more democratic view of school, was emerging. And we have a kind of sacterical undertone, or overtone even, and I don’t think it was that. I mean I’m looking now, I have it framed on my office wall, the first edition, and it’s really important that in this business, that there is independent voices and sadly there’s not that many left. You know I still have my sort of edge, where I like a little bit of satire, but you know people are so earnest and serious these days that they don’t understand it. You know, they don’t see the jokes. I find the paper very disciplined and very professional though. It’s not as trashy as my paper. It’s evolved to a resume item people are proud to put it on their resume. If you think of all the notables in journalism, like Christie Blatchford, and people of that caliber, who have edited this paper, I mean we have contributed an incredible amount of journalistic experience to people. The last time I was there, my grandson was thinking of going. So I said, “well OK, we’ll go in and you can look at the campus” and we brought him to Eyeopener and he was.. I mean everyone sort of came to attention when I came in the Eyeopener and he said “how can that last after all those years”, and I said “I don’t know you have to ask those people”. I keep in touch with what they’re doing, but you know, I don’t try to influence it, I can’t influence it anyway. So I’m just surprised after all that time it’s still there. It is really amazing. There’s no answer for it, except a bunch of people took it on and each time it’s passed to hands that have been good and we’re lucky for that. 

Amanda: This podcast is a production of the Ryerson University Alumni Association. I’m Amanda Cupido, a proud member of the board of directors, and the producer and editor of this podcast. For more stories like the one you just heard visit torontomu.ca/alumni.