What advertisers care about
Ad-libs
by John Foust
Newspaper Advertising Trainer – Raleigh, NC
Back in my ad agency days, I learned a big lesson about what to do – and what not to do – in a sales presentation.
I was sitting in …
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Checking the Pulse of Journalism
by Kevin Slimp, The News Guru
kevin@kevinslimp.com
stateofnewspapers.com
What are newspaper folks saying about the state of things?
Over the past two weeks, I’ve traveled from coast to coast speaking at newspaper conferences and meeting with Canadian and American journalists …
Caring for our readers
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
Editor Jerry Bellune and I go w-a-y back. We’ve known each other since the mid-90s, when we worked together to breathe new life into a group of newspapers in New Jersey.
Jerry regularly writes …
A message from the ANA 2018 – 19 President
Kyle Larson, General Manager of Larson Newspapers (Sedona Red Rock News, Camp Verde Journal, Cottonwood Journal Extra) has agreed to step up into the role of president of Arizona Newspapers Association for the 2018-19 fiscal year. He will …
ANA announces contest winners and newspaper of the year at 79th annual fall convention
The Arizona Republic (daily newspaper) and Navajo Times (non-daily newspaper) took home the coveted award for Arizona Newspaper of the Year during the Arizona Newspapers Association’s 2018 Better Newspapers Contest. Newspaper of the Year Awards are calculated from honors won …
Too many opinions spoil a presentation
Ad-libs
by John Foust
Newspaper Advertising Trainer – Raleigh, NC
Back when I was in the ad agency business, I made a logo presentation that turned into a fiasco. It was an uncomfortable reminder of the importance of a presentation …
Local Media Association and Local Media Consortium announce strategic partnership
Local Media Association and Local Media Consortium Announce Strategic Partnership
Two of the most powerful voices in the local media industry join forces to better support local journalism
The Local Media Association and the Local Media Consortium, two of the …
New nonprofit news outlet, Arizona Mirror, launches to cover Arizona government
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2018
Contact: Jim Small
jsmall@azmirror.com
602-471-3431
Arizona Mirror, an independent, nonprofit, online news organization dedicated to connecting public policy with the people it affects, launched today. The Mirror will cover Arizona government, policy and politics …
Mighty unusual time
by Kevin Slimp,
The News Guru
kevin@kevinslimp.com
Have we ever experienced a time like this in the news business?
I’ve been noticing a couple of patterns lately, and I wonder if you have been, too.
More for fun than anything, …
Chris Kline Named Next President and CEO of the ABA
PHOENIX – The Arizona Broadcasters Association (ABA) has named Chris Kline as the organization’s next President and CEO.
In the role, Kline will serve as chief advocate for Arizona’s 200+ radio and television station members, driving both growth and innovation …
Tread carefully when requiring down payment for democracy
By Jim Pumarlo
Newspaper Writing Trainer
My hometown newspaper instituted a new policy requiring that readers “pay” for the First Amendment right to express, and explain why, who or what they support or oppose at the voting booth.
The newspaper …
Who’s your friend?
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
I’m a friendly guy. Most people who know me genuinely like me…and I like them.
I can be a strong friend. I can stand by you when you need me to. I can help …
“Showing” beats “telling” every time
Ad-libs
by John Foust
Newspaper Advertising Trainer – Raleigh, NC
On a visit to my eye doctor for a check-up, I noticed a poster on the wall in the examination room. It featured a series of photographs of the same …
The case of the crippling newsprint tariff
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—August 29, 2018
Contact: Tonda Rush, tonda@nna.org.
The Case of the Crippling Newsprint Tariff
What just happened?
Escalating printing costs driven by tariffs on Canadian newsprint caught many newspapers by surprise this year. Comments about a system …
NMA statement: ITC made the right call in reversing newsprint tariffs
We applaud the International Trade Commission (ITC) for today reaching a final, unanimous negative determination that Canadian imports of uncoated groundwood paper, which includes newsprint used by newspapers, do not cause material harm to the U.S. paper industry.
The Department …
A strategy for organizing your advertisers’ information
Ad-libs
by John Foust
Newspaper Advertising Trainer – Raleigh, NC
I was talking to Greg, a veteran sales manager “Our sales team knows the importance of asking questions and gathering the right information,” he said. “But the key is to …
CEO statement: Revision to newsprint tariffs welcome, but does not solve underlying problem
by David Cvern
News Media Alliance, CEO, president
Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced its affirmative final determination on countervailing duties (CVD) and antidumping duties (AD) on imports of uncoated groundwood paper from Canada, which includes newsprint used …
Times Media Group to bring back Scottsdale Progress
Press Release | Times Media Group
The Scottsdale (Ariz.) Progress will resume publication as a Sunday weekly beginning Sept. 16, 2018.
With an intense focus on local news, community issues and hometown features, the new Progress “will fill a void …
Kevin answers reader’s question: “Who is doing things right?”
by Kevin Slimp,
The News Guru
kevin@kevinslimp.com
Community newspapers who do things right, Kevin picks five
Over the past week or so, I received an email from a publisher asking if I could send examples of community newspapers who are …
Bipartisan congressional legislators argue their opposition to newsprint tariffs at ITC hearing
Though no final decision has been made by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on reversing the import tariffs on Canadian newsprint at the July 17 hearing, Paul Boyle, senior vice president of public policy at News Media Alliance, remains …
ASU to honor CNN anchor Anderson Cooper with annual Cronkite Award
Anderson Cooper, the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning primetime anchor at CNN, will be the recipient of the 2018 Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, Arizona State University.
Cooper, the anchor of CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” and a correspondent for …
One way to handle advertisers who resist change
Ad-libs
by John Foust
Newspaper Advertising Trainer – Raleigh, NC
Colleen is a veteran ad manager who has worked with just about every type of advertiser. “One of the most challenging prospects was a second-generation owner of a building supply …
Make your special sections special
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
All newspapers run special sections. It’s part of our routine. For some, it seems, there’s a special section every other week. For others, not so much.
Most are tied in with community events. Question: …
ASNE-APME issues Newsroom Safety Best Practices tip sheet
In light of the tragic shooting in the Capital Gazette newsroom, here are some safety tips gleaned from numerous journalism and advocacy sources.…
‘The Wall’, Pulitzer winning project led by Arizona Republic, will go on national tour
USA TODAY NETWORK is hosting a nationwide series of screenings of the “The Wall,” a feature-length documentary, part of the Pulitzer-prize winning multiplatform explanatory report, “The Wall: Untold Stories, Unintended Consequences.” The project, led by the Arizona Republic and USA …
John Kasich: “Clicks for Hits”
by Kevin Slimp,
The News Guru
kevin@kevinslimp.com
Governor says audiences are interested in stories, not clicks
Disclosure: I have neither voted for, nor endorsed, any political candidate mentioned in this column.
Spring has come to an end. I could have …
Payson Roundup promoting literacy
By Marie Fasano
Rim Country’s Chapter Secretary, Arizona Professional Writers
For the fourth year the Payson Book Festival, a major literary event in Northern Arizona, has had as its main media sponsor the Payson Roundup. When Gary Tackett, General Manager …
Global media groups unite to call on Facebook to immediately exempt news content from its political ads policy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2018
Arlington, VA – Seven media organizations representing over 20,000 media publishers and professionals in over 120 countries around the world have come together to express concern over Facebook’s new advertising policy that labels quality …
“Print” Act introduced in house to protect publishers and printers from harmful tariffs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Arlington, VA – Rep. Kristi Noem, (R-SD) and Charlie Crist (D-FL) yesterday (June 7) introduced legislation to suspend tariffs on Canadian imports of uncoated groundwood paper, which includes newsprint used by newspapers, book publishers, printers and direct …
The importance of thinking small
Ad-libs
by John Foust – Newspaper Advertising Trainer
Raleigh, NC
You may have heard about Volkswagen’s initial ad campaign. At a time when big gas guzzlers were the norm on the roads, a European carmaker had the seemingly impossible job …
Ya gotta have a plan
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
In one of my recent weekly Henninger Helpful Hints, I mentioned that it was important to have a consistent position for the jumps from page 1.
“Decide where your jumps will go,” I said, …
CAC merger with AAM receives resounding support from members
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (June 1, 2018) — Members of the Certified Audit of Circulations voted unanimously to support a merger with the Alliance for Audited Media. One hundred percent of the votes cast were in favor of the merger with …
Schwalbe named UA J-School’s next director
Professor, former National Geographic editor will replace Cuillier
Carol Schwalbe has been appointed the next director of the University of Arizona School of Journalism, becoming the second woman to lead the school since its inception in 1951.
Schwalbe will replace …
NMA CEO Statement: Facebook plan to label quality news political advocacy
Dangerously blurs the lines between real reporting and propaganda
The News Media Alliance today sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg strongly opposing its plan to label quality news as political advocacy beginning Tuesday, May 22. View the letter …
Bipartisan group of ten senators introduce “PRINT” Act to protect publishers and printers from harmful tariffs
Bill Would Suspend Newsprint Tariffs While Government Studies Effects on U.S. Industries
May 14, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Arlington, VA – Today, in an effort to protect printers and publishers from unwarranted tariffs, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King…
A new look at an old sales technique
Ad-libs
by John Foust – Newspaper Advertising Trainer
Raleigh, NC
Carla has been selling advertising for many years. She has researched and tried a variety of techniques to answer objections. “Just about everybody knows the Feel-Felt-Found formula,” she said. “When …
News Media Alliance calls on duopoly to stop filtering quality news
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2018
News Media Alliance Calls on Duopoly to Stop Filtering Quality News, Take Responsibility for News Content on Its Platforms
CEO Testifies before Congress, Says Platforms Are Not Neutral and Should Be Held Accountable
Arlington, …
Newspaper dominoes fall
by Kevin Slimp,
The News Guru
kevin@kevinslimp.com
Industry trends spur publishers to give serious thought about the future of newspapers
So much to write about, so little space. It’s been a whirlwind of a week for me, beginning in Knoxville, …
SPJ Ethics Week, April 23-27
SPJ’s Code of Ethics states that ethical journalism is truthful, compassionate, independent and transparent. We need ethical journalism — and journalists who work each day with the profession’s highest standards in mind — now more than ever.
The goal of …
A tale of two ad pages
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done…”
The words are spoken by Sydney Carton in the climactic scene of Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities.”
This…is …
A sales principle that bears repeating
Ad-libs
by John Foust – Newspaper Advertising Trainer
Raleigh, NC
Carl is a marketing manager who has been on the receiving end of hundreds of media presentations. He knows a thing or two about effective sales techniques. “Most of the …
News Media Alliance “Fly-In” on June 13-14 in D.C.
Publishers and other newspaper executives know more than anyone about the impact of newsprint tariffs on your newspaper’s ability to provide news and information to your local community. You are in the best position to explain the impact on your …
NewsTrain’s stop in Phoenix a success
The Arizona Newspapers Association led the host committee of journalists that brought APME’s NewsTrain workshop to Phoenix on April 6-7.
Sixty-seven journalists, journalism educators and journalism students attended the 1.5 days of journalism training at Arizona State University’s Cronkite School …
The boss in an ad: Yes or no?
by John Foust – Newspaper Advertising Trainer
Raleigh, NC
Sometimes it’s a good idea to feature a boss in an ad. Sometimes it’s not.
Two ads come to mind. One shows a plumbing company’s president seated at the head of …
If you fail to plan …
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
I first heard it years ago…and I’ve remembered ever since: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Some say it originated with Benjamin Franklin. Others aren’t so sure. Regardless, the quote is …
It’s not too late! There’s still time to register! NewsTrain offers training in digital-journalism skills, April 6-7
APME’s NewsTrain is bringing affordable training in digital-journalism skills to downtown Phoenix on April 6-7.
For just $85, get a day and a half of training in social, mobile, data, graphics, writing, open records, digital reporting tools and more.…
RJI’s Futures Lab launches video series “Innovation in Focus”
INNOVATION IN FOCUS – MARCH
Each month the Reynolds Journalism Institute’s Futures Lab launches a series of video segments as part of “Innovation in Focus” showing journalists how to tell stories using emerging tech. Below are March’s three segments on …
Health of daily newspapers compared to non-daily papers
by Kevin Slimp,
The News Guru
kevin@kevinslimp.com
A closer look indicates significant changes in health over past three years
I’ve noticed a definite trend lately. It might be related to the increased number of industry activities I’m involved in these …
Printers and publishers unite to launch coalition to stop baseless newsprint tariffs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2018
Arlington, Va. – Today, members of the printing, publishing and paper-producing industries, which employ more than 600,000 workers, are announcing the formation of Stop Tariffs on Printers & Publishers (STOPP), a coalition to fight …
See the other person’s point of view
by John Foust – Newspaper Advertising Trainer
Raleigh, NC
A friend told me about the time his mom took him to the shopping mall to help her pick out a birthday present for his father. He was about six years …
A second blow against community newspapers
Announced this week by the U S Department of Commerce in the form of heavy tariffs on the North American paper supply.
A preliminary decision in an anti-dumping case brought last summer by northwestern US producer NORPAC came from the …
ANA encourages members to highlight the importance of openness
Sunshine Week / March 11-17, 2018
Launched in 2005, Sunshine Week has grown into an enduring annual initiative to promote open government and push back against excessive official secrecy. Join ASNE and the Reporters Committee in the annual nationwide celebration …
Design … and chess
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
A man, they say, is king of his castle. That may be so, but there’s a word for the man who thinks he’s really in charge at home. “Bachelor.”
The queen rules…and it’s been …
UA J-school hosts inaugural Hall of Fame
SAVE THE DATE:
Saturday, April 7, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Reserve tickets now; honor inductees with a note or donation
Saturday, April 7, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Reserve tickets now; honor inductees with a note or donation
There are three ways for you to participate in the celebration of the inaugural University of Arizona School of
Congressman David Cicilline to introduce Anti-Trust Safe Harbor bill for newspaper companies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2018
Bill Would Allow Newspapers to Collectively Negotiate with Facebook, Google on Content Monetization
Arlington, Va. – Today, the News Media Alliance – representing almost 2,000 news organizations – again called on Congress to allow …
ISWNE contest extends deadline to March 1
The International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE) board has extended the entry deadline to March 1. This year’s conference is in Portland, Ore.
The ISWNE is trying to include as many local weekly newspapers as possible this year because …
Journalism Diversity Workshop for Arizona high school students now open
Applications for the 2018 Journalism Diversity Workshop for Arizona High School Students are now open and available! The workshop, hosted at the University of Arizona, will run this year for the week of June 3-9, 2018. It has run continuously …
California congressman introduces Journalist Protection Act
Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15), a member of the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees, on Monday introduced the Journalist Protection Act to make a federal crime of certain attacks on those reporting the …
APME’s NewsTrain brings affordable training in digital-journalism skills to Phoenix
APME’s NewsTrain is bringing affordable training in digital-journalism skills to Phoenix on April 6-7.
Early-bird registration is $75 for a day and a half of training at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Sessions include:…
O’odham Action News spelling change
By Dodie Manuel
O’odham Action News
dodie.manuel@srpmic-nsn.gov
The Au-Authm Action News newspaper has been around for a long time, close to half a century, in fact. During that time, the process for writing, printing and distributing the newspaper has undergone …
A lens on Mexico’s mean streets
Celebrated Mexico-based photographers, including one badly beaten by police who took his cameras early in January, will talk about challenges in covering Mexican violence at a panel sponsored by the University of Arizona’s Center for Border & Global Journalism next …
Stick to the basics: Present all sides of the story
by Jim Pumarlo
Newsroom Writing Trainer
Most reporters can likely relate to this scenario. Someone speaks up at a public meeting to unleash criticism about an individual or organization. Reporters have little difficulty presenting a balanced report – recording all …
Nitty-gritty design top ten
by Ed Henninger
Independent Newspaper Consultant
A client recently asked me to put together a presentation for his newspapers on nitty-gritty details that can make or break a design.
I came up with just a bit more than a couple …
NMA responds to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on imported Canadian newsprint
The Department of Commerce (Commerce) on January 9 released a preliminary determination assessing countervailing duties on Canadian imports of uncoated groundwood paper, which includes newsprint, book and directory papers. The duties correspond with Commerce’s preliminary findings of subsidies provided by …