FIVE schools around Basingstoke came to visit their local newspaper to get a taste of being a reporter today as part of the Gazette’s School Correspondents initiative.

Following a brief on the role of the reporter the team took a tour of the Gazette and viewed past copies of the title.

The students marvelled at some of the old machinery which was part of the newspaper’s printing operations in the past.

However, Bill Browne, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Gazette, outlined how the newspaper is now very much part of the digital age. He explained how online journalism is just as important to reaching the reader as it is in print.

Basingstoke Gazette: Pictured: Students at the Gazette offices in Basingstoke with publisher Bill BrownePictured: Students at the Gazette offices in Basingstoke with publisher Bill Browne

“Today we reach an audience over 120,000 people each week and the majority of them are looking at our news on the web page.”

He said he will continue along with his staff to work with the students over the forthcoming school year as they journey further into their journalistic experience.

The youngsters are asked to find the important and positive stories from their schools on a weekly basis and will contribute to the Gazette coverage of schools both in print and online.

James Baker, one of the students, said: “We are enthusiastic about writing for the Gazette and to give our schools a voice.”