MAIN NEWS HEADLINES

January 1-15, 2004 Edition

Thompson Gale

to Lay Off Workers,

Close NY Offices

FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH/12/12/03–The Thompson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC), a leading provider of integrated information solutions to business and professional customers, has laid off about 14 percent of its staff in the Thompson Gale book and electronic reference publishing division. The move eliminates about 180 positions from its worldwide staff of 1300, effective in early February. The New York office, which houses some of Macmillan Reference operations, will be closed and moved to Gale’s headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

The downsizing is attriibuted to a sluggish library market and the company’s decision to shift to the k-12 market and electronic publishing. Staff reductions are taking place primarily in Gale’s editorial and technology departments. All affected employees will receive severance and outplacement services.

The company’s imprints include Macmillan Reference, Charles Scribner’s Sons and Thorndike Press. Thompson bought the imprints from Pearson in 1999.