history
The Foundation is run by a small core staff at our head office in Cardiff. We work with a highly experienced dedicated team of over 100 media specialists.
The Foundation was born from one of the world’s largest media empires – Thomson Newspapers. Starting out in Canada in the 1930’s Roy Thomson, later Lord Thomson of Fleet, built a stable of over 200 newspapers, magazines and TV stations which at one time included such well known outlets as The Times, The Toronto Globe and Mail and Scottish TV.
Recognising that ‘communication is surely the spine of civilisation’ Lord Thomson announced the setting up of The Thomson Foundation in a speech to the Commonwealth Association in 1963.
Right from the start our mission has been to support free and open mass media. Across the scale and around the world, The Foundation has worked with media professionals, governments and NGOs to encourage debate and development.
From working with print reporters in South East Asia to increase awareness of climate change to documentary work on HIV in India, from investigative reporting in Palestine to filming stories on EU counter terrorism policy we are there alongside reporters on the stories that matter most.
The Foundation has driven some of the highest profile restructuring and media development projects in the world over the last 50 years. From the root and branch reform programme at the South African Broadcasting Corporation after the collapse of apartheid, to partnering Al Jazeera’s training facility, to helping STV Belgrade get back on its feet after the fall of Milosevic our training teams have responded to all needs in changing times.