CNS was founded in 1981 by Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame member Dick Milliman, formerly of the Milliman Newspaper Group. The course, created as part of the MSU School of Journalism, was originally called the MSU Capitol News Bureau. It emphasized writing for publication and focused on less glamorous breaking news that could be localized. The pilot program, taught by Milliman, was made up of 10 students and 10 subscribing newspapers. Since 1981, the wire service has expanded its reach to nearly 40 publications. After Milliman’s work, Bill Cote, formerly of Booth Newspapers, was named coordinator. Cote became a member of the School of Journalism faculty in 1986. Following Cote’s retirement, Professor Eric Freedman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the Detroit News, became CNS director. Freedman currently heads the program and teaches it alongside David Poulson, the senior associate director of MSU’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.
