As filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on September 8, 2000             Registration No. 333-______


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                ------------------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                ------------------------------------------------

                          JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
            (Exact name of co-registrant as specified in its charter)

                Wisconsin                                39-0382060
      (State or other jurisdiction                    (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

                              333 West State Street
                           Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

                         JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST
            (Exact name of co-registrant as specified in its charter)

                Wisconsin                                39-6153189
      (State or other jurisdiction                    (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

                              333 West State Street
                           Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

                    JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST AGREEMENT
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 Paul E. Kritzer
                              333 West State Street
                           Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
                                 (414) 224-2374
               (Name, address and telephone number, including area
                           code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------- ---------- -------------- ----------------- ----------------
                                  Proposed         Proposed
      Title of        Amount       Maximum    Maximum Aggregate
  Securities to be     to be   Offering Price      Offering        Amount of
     Registered     Registered  Per Unit (1)         Price      Registration Fee
------------------- ---------- -------------- ----------------- ----------------
Units of Beneficial 15,000,000     $32.42        $486,300,000     $128,383.20
Interest              units
------------------- ---------- -------------- ----------------- ----------------

(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.


<PAGE>


                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

          The document or documents containing the information specified in Part
I are not required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") as part of this Form S-8 Registration Statement.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          The following documents filed with the Commission are hereby
incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference:

          (a)  The Annual Reports on Form 10-K of Journal Communications, Inc.
               (the "Company") and of the Journal Employees' Stock Trust (the
               "Trust") for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

          (b)  All reports filed by the Company and by the Trust pursuant to
               Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
               (the "Exchange Act"), since December 31, 1999.

          (c)  The description of the Units of Beneficial Interest issued by the
               Trust contained in pages 11-14 of the Trust's Registration
               Statement on Form 10 dated June 27, 1974, and any amendment or
               report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of filing of this
Registration Statement and prior to such time as the Company files a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all
units covered by this Registration Statement have been sold or which deregisters
all units then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
in this Registration Statement and shall be a part hereof from the date of
filing of such documents.

Item 4.   Description of Securities.

          Not applicable.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          The validity of the securities being registered hereunder will be
passed on for the Company and the Trust by Paul E. Kritzer, Vice President and
Secretary of the Company. Mr. Kritzer is a full-time employee of the Company and
at September 8, 2000, directly or beneficially owned approximately 93,590 Units.



                                       2
<PAGE>


Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

          The By-laws of the Company provide that the directors and officers of
the Company, any trustee of the Trust or of any employee benefit plan of the
Company and any person serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture or
trust are entitled to mandatory indemnification from the Company against certain
liabilities (which may include liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933) and
expenses (i) to the extent such persons are successful in the defense of a
proceeding and (ii) in proceedings in which the person is not successful in
defense thereof, unless (in the latter case only) it is determined that such
person breached or failed to perform his or her duties to the Company and such
breach or failure constituted: (a) a willful failure to deal fairly with the
Company or its shareholders in connection with a matter in which the person had
a material conflict of interest; (b) a violation of the criminal law, unless the
person had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful or had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful; (c) a transaction
from which the person derived an improper personal profit; or (d) willful
misconduct. It should be noted that the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law
specifically states that it is the public policy of Wisconsin to require or
permit indemnification in connection with a proceeding involving securities
regulation, as described therein, to the extent required or permitted as
described above. In addition, the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law would
require mandatory indemnification of directors and officers of the Company under
certain circumstances, as more fully described in Sections 180.0850 through
180.0859 thereof.

          Expenses for the defense of any action for which indemnification may
be available are required to be advanced by the Company under certain
circumstances.

          The indemnification provided by the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law
and the Company's By-laws is not exclusive of any other rights to which a
director, officer or other person may be entitled. The general effect of the
foregoing provisions may be to reduce the circumstances under which an officer,
director or other person may be required to bear the economic burden of the
foregoing liabilities and expense.

          The Company also maintains director and officer liability insurance
against certain claims and liabilities which may be made against the Company's
former, current or future directors or officers or persons serving at the
request of the Company or positions with other entities as described above.

          The Journal Employees' Stock Trust Agreement provides that the
trustees shall not incur any liability for any error of judgment or mistake of
law, or for any action or omission in the administration of the Trust, except
for individual willful misconduct, and that they shall be entitled to
exoneration from all liabilities incurred by them in the bona fide discharge of
their duties as trustees.

Item 7.   Exemption from Registration Claimed.

          Not Applicable.



                                       3
<PAGE>


Item 8.   Exhibits.

          The following exhibits have been filed (except where otherwise
indicated) as part of this Registration Statement:


Exhibit No.                                    Exhibit


  (4.1)             Articles of Association of Journal Communications, Inc., as
                    amended

  (4.2)             By-laws of Journal Communications, Inc., as amended

  (4.3)             The Journal Employees' Stock Trust Agreement dated May 15,
                    1937, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 9 to
                    the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Journal Communications,
                    Inc. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995 (Commission
                    File No. 0-7831))

  (4.4)             Further amendment to Journal Employees' Stock Trust
                    Agreement as approved by unitholders on October 30, 1996
                    (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the Definitive
                    Proxy Statement of the Journal Employees' Stock Trust
                    included in the Journal Employees' Stock Trust's Schedule
                    14A filed October 1, 1996 (Commission File No. 0-7832))

  (5)               Opinion of Counsel

  (23.1)            Consent of Independent Auditor

  (23.2)            Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5 hereto)

  (24)              Power of Attorney relating to subsequent amendments
                    (included on the signature page to this Registration
                    Statement)

Item 9.   Undertakings.

          (a)  The undersigned registrants hereby undertake:

               (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
     being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
          of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;



                                       4
<PAGE>

                    (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
          arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
          most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
          in the aggregate, represents a fundamental change in the information
          set forth in the Registration Statement;

                    (iii) To include any material information with respect to
          the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
          Statement or any material change to such information set forth in the
          Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the registrants pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each such post-effective amendment
     shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the
     securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
     time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

          (b)  The undersigned registrants hereby undertake that, for purposes
of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each
filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that
is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to
be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the registrants pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, the registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrants of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrants
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrants will, unless in the opinion of their counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by them is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.




                                       5
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrants certify that they have reasonable grounds to believe that they meet
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and have duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on
September 7, 2000.

JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.               JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST


By: /s/  Steven J. Smith                   By: /s/  Steven J. Smith
   ---------------------------------          ----------------------------------
    Steven J. Smith                            Steven J. Smith
    Chairman of the Board                      Trustee
      and Chief Executive Officer


                                Power of Attorney

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below
constitutes and appoints Steven J. Smith, Paul E. Kritzer and Paul M. Bonaiuto
and each of them individually, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in
his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement
and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
each said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully as he
or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
each said attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

          Signature                         Title                   Date
          ---------                         -----                   ----

JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.


/s/  Todd K. Adams                         Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Todd K. Adams


/s/  David A. Anderson                     Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
David A. Anderson

                                        Executive Vice
/s/  Paul M. Bonaiuto                  President, Chief        September 7, 2000
-------------------------------        Financial Officer
Paul M. Bonaiuto                         and Director




                                       6
<PAGE>


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
James J. Ditter


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Carl L. Dittoe


/s/  Robert M. Dye                         Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Robert M. Dye


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
James L. Forbes


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Carl D. Gardner


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Richard J. Gasper


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Joseph P. Hoffman


/s/  Stephanie E. Hughes                   Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Stephanie E. Hughes


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Stephen O. Huhta


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Mark J. Keefe


/s/  Douglas G. Kiel                       Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Douglas G. Kiel




                                       7
<PAGE>


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Kenneth L. Kozminski


/s/  Paul E. Kritzer                       Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Paul E. Kritzer


/s/  Ronald G. Kurtis                      Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Ronald G. Kurtis


/s/  Judith A. Leonard                     Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Judith A. Leonard


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
David G. Meissner


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Roger D. Pierce


/s/  James P. Prather                      Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
James P. Prather


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Phillippe L. Secker

                                         Chairman of
/s/  Steven J. Smith                  the Board, Chief         September 7, 2000
-------------------------------       Executive Officer
Steven J. Smith                         and Director


/s/  Keith P. Spore                        Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Keith P. Spore


                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Thomas J. Szews




                                       8
<PAGE>


/s/  Joseph C. Taschler III                Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Joseph C. Taschler III


/s/  Karen O. Trickle                      Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Karen O. Trickle


JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST


/s/  Steven J. Smith                       Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Steven J. Smith


/s/  Douglas G. Kiel                       Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Douglas G. Kiel


/s/  Paul M. Bonaiuto                      Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Paul M. Bonaiuto


/s/  Keith K. Spore                        Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Keith K. Spore


                                           Trustee             September  , 2000
-------------------------------
James J. Ditter




                                       9
<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

                          JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                         JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST

                    JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST AGREEMENT



Exhibit No.                                     Exhibit
-----------                                     -------

  (4.1)                 Articles of Association of Journal Communications, Inc.,
                        as amended

  (4.2)                 By-laws of Journal Communications, Inc., as amended

  (4.3)                 The Journal Employees' Stock Trust Agreement dated May
                        15, 1937, as amended (incorporated by reference to
                        Exhibit 9 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Journal
                        Communications, Inc. for the fiscal year ended December
                        31, 1995 (Commission File No. 0-7831))

  (4.4)                 Further amendment to Journal Employees' Stock Trust
                        Agreement as approved by unitholders on October 30,
                        1996 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the
                        Definitive Proxy Statement of the Journal Employees'
                        Stock Trust included in the Journal Employees' Stock
                        Trust's Schedule 14A filed October 1, 1996 (Commission
                        File No. 0-7832))

  (5)                   Opinion of Counsel

  (23.1)                Consent of Independent Auditor

  (23.2)                Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5 hereto)

  (24)                  Power of Attorney relating to subsequent amendments
                        (included on the signature page to this Registration
                        Statement)




                                       E-1
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[{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS INC", "cik": "0000054056", "assigned-sic": "2711", "irs-number": "390382060", "state-of-incorporation": "WI", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-45408", "film-number": "719193"}, "business-address": {"street1": "333 W STATE ST", "street2": "333 W STATE ST", "city": "MILWAUKEE", "state": "WI", "zip": "53203", "phone": "4142242728"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "P O  BOX 661", "city": "MILWAUKEE", "state": "WI", "zip": "53201"}}, {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "JOURNAL EMPLOYEES STOCK TRUST", "cik": "0000054058", "assigned-sic": "2711", "irs-number": "396153189", "state-of-incorporation": "WI", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-45408-01", "film-number": "719194"}, "business-address": {"street1": "333 W STATE ST", "city": "MILWAUKEE", "state": "WI", "zip": "53201", "phone": "4142242728"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "P O  BOX 661", "city": "MILWAUKEE", "state": "WI", "zip": "53201"}}]
As filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on September 8, 2000             Registration No. 333-______

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                ------------------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                ------------------------------------------------

                          JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
            (Exact name of co-registrant as specified in its charter)

                Wisconsin                                39-0382060
      (State or other jurisdiction                    (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

                              333 West State Street
                           Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

                         JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST
            (Exact name of co-registrant as specified in its charter)

                Wisconsin                                39-6153189
      (State or other jurisdiction                    (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

                              333 West State Street
                           Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

                    JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST AGREEMENT
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 Paul E. Kritzer
                              333 West State Street
                           Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
                                 (414) 224-2374
               (Name, address and telephone number, including area
                           code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------- ---------- -------------- ----------------- ----------------
                                  Proposed         Proposed
      Title of        Amount       Maximum    Maximum Aggregate
  Securities to be     to be   Offering Price      Offering        Amount of
     Registered     Registered  Per Unit (1)         Price      Registration Fee
------------------- ---------- -------------- ----------------- ----------------
Units of Beneficial 15,000,000     $32.42        $486,300,000     $128,383.20
Interest              units
------------------- ---------- -------------- ----------------- ----------------

(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

          The document or documents containing the information specified in Part
I are not required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") as part of this Form S-8 Registration Statement.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          The following documents filed with the Commission are hereby
incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference:

          (a)  The Annual Reports on Form 10-K of Journal Communications, Inc.
               (the "Company") and of the Journal Employees' Stock Trust (the
               "Trust") for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

          (b)  All reports filed by the Company and by the Trust pursuant to
               Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
               (the "Exchange Act"), since December 31, 1999.

          (c)  The description of the Units of Beneficial Interest issued by the
               Trust contained in pages 11-14 of the Trust's Registration
               Statement on Form 10 dated June 27, 1974, and any amendment or
               report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of filing of this
Registration Statement and prior to such time as the Company files a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all
units covered by this Registration Statement have been sold or which deregisters
all units then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
in this Registration Statement and shall be a part hereof from the date of
filing of such documents.

Item 4.   Description of Securities.

          Not applicable.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          The validity of the securities being registered hereunder will be
passed on for the Company and the Trust by Paul E. Kritzer, Vice President and
Secretary of the Company. Mr. Kritzer is a full-time employee of the Company and
at September 8, 2000, directly or beneficially owned approximately 93,590 Units.

                                       2
Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

          The By-laws of the Company provide that the directors and officers of
the Company, any trustee of the Trust or of any employee benefit plan of the
Company and any person serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture or
trust are entitled to mandatory indemnification from the Company against certain
liabilities (which may include liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933) and
expenses (i) to the extent such persons are successful in the defense of a
proceeding and (ii) in proceedings in which the person is not successful in
defense thereof, unless (in the latter case only) it is determined that such
person breached or failed to perform his or her duties to the Company and such
breach or failure constituted: (a) a willful failure to deal fairly with the
Company or its shareholders in connection with a matter in which the person had
a material conflict of interest; (b) a violation of the criminal law, unless the
person had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful or had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful; (c) a transaction
from which the person derived an improper personal profit; or (d) willful
misconduct. It should be noted that the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law
specifically states that it is the public policy of Wisconsin to require or
permit indemnification in connection with a proceeding involving securities
regulation, as described therein, to the extent required or permitted as
described above. In addition, the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law would
require mandatory indemnification of directors and officers of the Company under
certain circumstances, as more fully described in Sections 180.0850 through
180.0859 thereof.

          Expenses for the defense of any action for which indemnification may
be available are required to be advanced by the Company under certain
circumstances.

          The indemnification provided by the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law
and the Company's By-laws is not exclusive of any other rights to which a
director, officer or other person may be entitled. The general effect of the
foregoing provisions may be to reduce the circumstances under which an officer,
director or other person may be required to bear the economic burden of the
foregoing liabilities and expense.

          The Company also maintains director and officer liability insurance
against certain claims and liabilities which may be made against the Company's
former, current or future directors or officers or persons serving at the
request of the Company or positions with other entities as described above.

          The Journal Employees' Stock Trust Agreement provides that the
trustees shall not incur any liability for any error of judgment or mistake of
law, or for any action or omission in the administration of the Trust, except
for individual willful misconduct, and that they shall be entitled to
exoneration from all liabilities incurred by them in the bona fide discharge of
their duties as trustees.

Item 7.   Exemption from Registration Claimed.

          Not Applicable.

                                       3
Item 8.   Exhibits.

          The following exhibits have been filed (except where otherwise
indicated) as part of this Registration Statement:

Exhibit No.                                    Exhibit

  (4.1)             Articles of Association of Journal Communications, Inc., as
                    amended

  (4.2)             By-laws of Journal Communications, Inc., as amended

  (4.3)             The Journal Employees' Stock Trust Agreement dated May 15,
                    1937, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 9 to
                    the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Journal Communications,
                    Inc. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995 (Commission
                    File No. 0-7831))

  (4.4)             Further amendment to Journal Employees' Stock Trust
                    Agreement as approved by unitholders on October 30, 1996
                    (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the Definitive
                    Proxy Statement of the Journal Employees' Stock Trust
                    included in the Journal Employees' Stock Trust's Schedule
                    14A filed October 1, 1996 (Commission File No. 0-7832))

  (5)               Opinion of Counsel

  (23.1)            Consent of Independent Auditor

  (23.2)            Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5 hereto)

  (24)              Power of Attorney relating to subsequent amendments
                    (included on the signature page to this Registration
                    Statement)

Item 9.   Undertakings.

          (a)  The undersigned registrants hereby undertake:

               (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
     being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
          of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

                                       4
(ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
          arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
          most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
          in the aggregate, represents a fundamental change in the information
          set forth in the Registration Statement;

                    (iii) To include any material information with respect to
          the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
          Statement or any material change to such information set forth in the
          Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the registrants pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each such post-effective amendment
     shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the
     securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
     time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

          (b)  The undersigned registrants hereby undertake that, for purposes
of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each
filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that
is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to
be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the registrants pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, the registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrants of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrants
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrants will, unless in the opinion of their counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by them is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrants certify that they have reasonable grounds to believe that they meet
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and have duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on
September 7, 2000.

JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.               JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST

By: /s/  Steven J. Smith                   By: /s/  Steven J. Smith
   ---------------------------------          ----------------------------------
    Steven J. Smith                            Steven J. Smith
    Chairman of the Board                      Trustee
      and Chief Executive Officer

                                Power of Attorney

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below
constitutes and appoints Steven J. Smith, Paul E. Kritzer and Paul M. Bonaiuto
and each of them individually, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in
his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement
and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
each said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully as he
or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
each said attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

          Signature                         Title                   Date
          ---------                         -----                   ----

JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

/s/  Todd K. Adams                         Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Todd K. Adams

/s/  David A. Anderson                     Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
David A. Anderson

                                        Executive Vice
/s/  Paul M. Bonaiuto                  President, Chief        September 7, 2000
-------------------------------        Financial Officer
Paul M. Bonaiuto                         and Director

                                       6
Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
James J. Ditter

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Carl L. Dittoe

/s/  Robert M. Dye                         Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Robert M. Dye

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
James L. Forbes

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Carl D. Gardner

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Richard J. Gasper

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Joseph P. Hoffman

/s/  Stephanie E. Hughes                   Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Stephanie E. Hughes

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Stephen O. Huhta

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Mark J. Keefe

/s/  Douglas G. Kiel                       Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Douglas G. Kiel

                                       7
Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Kenneth L. Kozminski

/s/  Paul E. Kritzer                       Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Paul E. Kritzer

/s/  Ronald G. Kurtis                      Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Ronald G. Kurtis

/s/  Judith A. Leonard                     Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Judith A. Leonard

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
David G. Meissner

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Roger D. Pierce

/s/  James P. Prather                      Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
James P. Prather

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Phillippe L. Secker

                                         Chairman of
/s/  Steven J. Smith                  the Board, Chief         September 7, 2000
-------------------------------       Executive Officer
Steven J. Smith                         and Director

/s/  Keith P. Spore                        Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Keith P. Spore

                                           Director            September  , 2000
-------------------------------
Thomas J. Szews

                                       8
/s/  Joseph C. Taschler III                Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Joseph C. Taschler III

/s/  Karen O. Trickle                      Director            September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Karen O. Trickle

JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST

/s/  Steven J. Smith                       Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Steven J. Smith

/s/  Douglas G. Kiel                       Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Douglas G. Kiel

/s/  Paul M. Bonaiuto                      Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Paul M. Bonaiuto

/s/  Keith K. Spore                        Trustee             September 7, 2000
-------------------------------
Keith K. Spore

                                           Trustee             September  , 2000
-------------------------------
James J. Ditter

                                       9
EXHIBIT INDEX

                          JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                         JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST

                    JOURNAL EMPLOYEES' STOCK TRUST AGREEMENT

Exhibit No.                                     Exhibit
-----------                                     -------

  (4.1)                 Articles of Association of Journal Communications, Inc.,
                        as amended

  (4.2)                 By-laws of Journal Communications, Inc., as amended

  (4.3)                 The Journal Employees' Stock Trust Agreement dated May
                        15, 1937, as amended (incorporated by reference to
                        Exhibit 9 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Journal
                        Communications, Inc. for the fiscal year ended December
                        31, 1995 (Commission File No. 0-7831))

  (4.4)                 Further amendment to Journal Employees' Stock Trust
                        Agreement as approved by unitholders on October 30,
                        1996 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the
                        Definitive Proxy Statement of the Journal Employees'
                        Stock Trust included in the Journal Employees' Stock
                        Trust's Schedule 14A filed October 1, 1996 (Commission
                        File No. 0-7832))

  (5)                   Opinion of Counsel

  (23.1)                Consent of Independent Auditor

  (23.2)                Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5 hereto)

  (24)                  Power of Attorney relating to subsequent amendments
                        (included on the signature page to this Registration
                        Statement)

                                       E-1