A reporter who covered rural Manitoba for many years says there is something unique and special about the people of southern Manitoba. Bill Redekop ended a 31-year career at the Winnipeg Free Press last Friday, many of those years spent covering stories outside of Winnipeg. Redekop says his stories received a tremendous response from both rural and urban readers, something he finds hard to explain.

Bill Redekop"People loved the stories when I got to travel outside the city and meet and interview people. I think it was a real phenomenon. All the letters I received, it was unbelievable, I can't explain it. I keep trying to explain it, but it's just like that feeling when you exit the Perimeter Highway, it hits you right away, you feel it physically, sort of a freedom, your body relaxes. I think that must translate into the stories somehow."

Redekop adds that reporting on rural stories is unique because there is a different connection with the people compared to city reporting.

"In the city, you're just getting it out as fast as you can and your contact with people is very quick and to the point, whereas out in rural areas, it's a little more relaxed and you talk about more. Especially when I would get outside the perimeter and talk to people and meet with people, those usually turned into much more than just the interview. You want to learn about the area and all sorts of things, and try to find more story ideas."

Redekop says that deeper connection with people while reporting in rural areas, also lead him to a different approach to composing stories.

"The one thing that I always seemed to run into was, I'd meet the person and I would enjoy meeting them. And then, you would really want to do a good job. It sounds kind of funny, of course you want to do a good job, but I became engaged, I became sort of emotionally engaged on a certain level".

Redekop says while he is now finished working for the Free Press, he is not riding off into the sunset just yet. He hopes to do some work on things like books and longer form stories.