Arkansas Publisher Weekly: January 27, 2022

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Guest Column: A way to make presentations more memorable

By John Foust

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APA Advertising Contest Rules and Categories

Arkansas Press Association

Publisher Weekly Vol.17 | No. 4 | Thursday, January 27, 2022 | Serving Press and State Since 1873

Conway columnist promotes literacy through bookcases for children Seventeen years after Conway resident and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist Jim Davidson started his project, A Bookcase for Every Child, the program is still going strong. Volunteers have given more than 2,000 handmade bookcases, a selection of books and a stuffed reading buddy to low-income children in Arkansas and five other states in support of early childhood literacy.

A 2017 study by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institute of Literacy showed that 32 million adults in America can’t read. The Adult Learning Alliance of Arkansas says that 13.7% of Arkansans, more than 41,000, have low literacy skills.

“Illiteracy is a major problem, especially when children at a young age don’t have books to read or be read to. That’s a crucial time in their development,” Davidson says. “And of course, illiteracy is the bane of newspapers.”

So, in 2005 Davidson and then-Conway police chief Randall Aragon brainstormed an innovative way Continued on Page 2

Columnist Jim Davidson with Faulkner County Library Director John McGraw in spring 2021. Photo courtesy of the Log Cabin Democrat.

APA Better Newspaper Advertising Contest deadline in four days APA member newspapers have until Monday, Jan. 31 to submit their best work from the 2021 calendar year to the APA Annual Better Newspaper Advertising Contest. The contest honors the best ads from APA member newspapers in a variety of categories.

HURRY

Complete contest rules and instructions for entering are on the APA Contest website at newspapercontest.com/Contests/ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx.

Among the many categories are best single ad, best ad campaign, best house advertising, best advertising special section, and most original idea.

Members of the Wisconsin Press Association will judge the entries in February.

Award announcements and first-place plaques will be presented virtually at the APA Advertising Conference on March 11.

TIME IS ALMO

For more information, or for questions about the contest or the online submission process, contact Terri Cobb at (501) 374-1500 or email terri@arkansaspress.org.

Conway columnist promotes literacy through bookcases for children Continued from Page 1

to promote literacy in their community.

Davidson and Aragon pitched the idea to their mayor about forming a broad coalition that would build nice oak bookcases and provide them to 50 low-income Head Start children each year. A local trophy company donates 50 engraved gold name plates each year: a touching detail, the bookcase are personalized to each child.

“One of my readers told me that 61% of low-income families have no books in their home. That’s what started it,” Davidson says. “We knew that if kids didn’t have any books, they also didn’t have a place to keep them. But if they had somewhere of their own they were proud to keep them, it could encourage them to read and own more books.”

Tracking the outcomes of the project can be logistically challenging, as low-income families sometimes move frequently and can be hard to find years later. That’s why in 2016, Davidson was ecstatic to learn of one major success story from Conway’s very first bookcase giveaway.

“A young man by the name of JoVoni Johnson was in 10th grade, and was

that because he started reading at home at a young age.”

Davidson began writing a weekly inspirational column for his hometown newspaper, the Log Cabin Democrat, in 1995. He believes the column, which at its peak ran in 375 newspapers in 36 states across the U.S. and which is still being published today, to be the most successful self-syndicated column in the history of American journalism.

Davidson also had a radio program, “How to Plan Your Life”, on more than 300 U.S. stations.

Davidson is also the author of 10 books. His most recent, “Your Future Begins Today’’, was published in summer 2021. Davidson donates 100% Each April, until the pandemic curtailed of the profits of his 2003 book, in-person events, the bookcase “Learning, Earning and Giving recipients and their families are invited Back: A Collection of Jim’s to an awards banquet in their honor, Columns Selected by a Panel where they are presented with the of Award Winning Journalists”, bookcases. The committee planning to help fund the A Bookcase the event also holds a book drive for For Every Child project, gently used books, then bundles them support the Newspapers in into 10- to 12-book “starter sets” to go Education program in schools home with each child. and promote journalism internships among state Davidson says that 81% of parents press associations. The book read to or with their kids in 1955, a statistic he says has dropped to about A personalized bookcase, along with starter book collection and a proceeds bring in about half reading buddy, is ready to go to its new owner in spring 2021. Photo of the cost required for the 27% today. He is hoping the project courtesy of the Log Cabin Democrat. bookcase project each year; the can help turn that around. rest of the funding comes from “We encourage the parents and making such good grades that colleges private donations and other fundraisers. grandparents to give the child a book for were already reaching out to him to offer their birthday, Christmas and other special him scholarships. He was a Head Start Davidson has helped other cities across occasions so they can build their own child who at age 4 in 2005 received one Arkansas and the U.S. start A Bookcase library,” he says. “That way every one of of the first bookcases we built,” Davidson for Every Child projects as well. While he’s happy to still be involved, he’s those books has special meaning because says. handed the organizational reins over to somebody special gave it to them. I know “By his senior year, JoVoni had a 4.27 Richard Plotkin of the Conway Kiwanis of several kids who have their bookcases Club. Plotkin can provide guidance and GPA, had made a 34 on the ACT, won completely filled up.” a National Merit Scholarship and was support for starting the projects in other Davidson says that poor vocabulary, often president of his 600-member senior class. communities. a result of not having books in the home, He was also the starting quarterback for is directly linked to school dropout rates, the school’s football team and became “I’m 83,” Davidson says. “I don’t know and to later income success. “A college an All-State player. He went on to receive how much longer the Lord’s going to leave did a study, and they took a graduating a full, four-year scholarship to Rice me here, but the bookcase project will continue on. I can promise you that.” class and gave them a test of English University, one of the top schools in the vocabulary. They tracked them for 20 Contact details and a full explanation of nation,” he continues. years to see what they were doing after the project, including woodworking specs, that,” he says. “Those that scored highest “And the thing is, he gives us a lot of credit can be found at jimdavidsoncolumn.com/ in English vocabulary were in the highest for encouraging him to get started reading bookcase/project.php. More information income group, and those who scored when he got that bookcase,” Davidson about Davidson’s columns and books, lowest were in the lowest income group. says. “This little African-American kid from including his latest, are available at Not one single exception.” a single-parent, low-income home did all jimdavidsonnsc.com.

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January 27, 2022

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Feb. 2 webinar: learn to persuasively engage with legislators As the Arkansas Legislature prepares to meet, a free Zoom webinar on Feb. 2 at 11:30 a.m will teach participants how to effectively engage with congressional leaders to gain support for local newspapers. The webinar presenters are Dean Ridings, CEO of America’s Newspapers; Frances L. Wick, president and CEO of Wick Communications; and Alan Fisco, president and CFO of the Seattle Times.

Ridings, Wick and Fisco will coach participants on critical elements of the advocacy process, including: Outreach and Scheduling: How to

effectively reach your representatives, who to engage with on their staffs, and how to get on their schedules.

Communication: What are the key issues to share with your representatives?

What is the ask? We will provide a list of talking points centered around the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act and more.

Follow-up and Engagement: How to stay connected to your representatives and support newspaper initiatives through ongoing communications, editorials, marketing and other content.

APA Executive Director Ashley Wimberley says she appreciates the opportunity this webinar offers to get more members of the APA involved in the advocacy process. “We go into high gear during the legislative session,” she says, “and every persuasive voice from newspapers around the state added to ours helps amplify our messages and increases the chances legislators listen to the very real concerns and informed perspectives we bring.”

Register for the free webinar here: https:// bit.ly/3AKlbx1

Former Baxter Bulletin managing editor Nelson dies at 73 Janet Nelson, managing editor of the Baxter Bulletin in Mountain Home from 1970 to 1984, died on Jan. 17 at age 73.

She had been a stroke survivor since 2007.

An Illinois native with a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Nelson moved to Arkansas in 1970 to join the Baxter Bulletin staff as a reporter. She was quickly promoted to managing editor. During her tenure as managing editor, the Bulletin sued the then-county-owned Baxter Hospital for a Freedom of Information Act violation involving closed meetings.

When the lawsuit reached the Arkansas Supreme Court, the court ruled in favor of the Bulletin. The case changed FOIA law in Arkansas.

Nelson led the newspaper to win first-place awards from the National Newspaper Association in categories of general excellence and tourism in 1978, as well numerous APA Better Newspaper awards.

Following her work at the Bulletin, Nelson worked for other newspapers in Yellville and Batesville and also in radio before

obtaining a second bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 1988. After working outside of the newspaper industry she returned to the Bulletin for a few years before retirement, and while there the second time earned a University of Missouri at Columbia Health Writer’s recognition and was flown to Atlanta to be part of a national symposium on health.

Thomas “Sonny” Garrett, current Bulletin columnist and former city editor, was hired by Nelson in 1978. He said to the Baxter Bulletin in a Jan. 20 story about her death, that she was a dedicated journalist.

“She would go after the story no matter where it was,” Garrett said. “She sent me to Little Rock to cover the Legislature several times, so we could report it ourselves. She embodied community journalism.”

Nelson is survived by her husband Frank Wallis of Batesville; a sister, Sue (Harold) Nelson Pate of Orlando, Florida; a brother, Jim Nelson of Macomb, Illinois; three nieces and two nephews.

INDUSTRY QUOTE

LET US KNOW We want to know about your new hires, retires and promotions!

“No one needs to tell me abou the importance of the free press in a democratic society or about the essential role a newspaper can play in its community.”

Send your staffing changes to info@arkansaspress.org to be updated online and included in the Arkansas Publisher Weekly.

— Robert Kennedy

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January 27, 2022

Wallace returns to Hooper joins Features beat at NWADG NWADG as Profiles Monica Hooper has joined the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as a features editor, writer writer, announced Features section editor Becca Martin-Brown last week.

Hooper will be covering the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville and the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers, as well as local live music, album releases, art installations and other art-related news.

A native of Jonesboro, Hooper was previously entertainment editor at FYI Jonesboro, and also wrote for the Jonesboro Sun and the Paragould Daily Press. She lives in Fayetteville with her husband and son.

Be super careful with “big game” ads Becca Martin-Brown, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Features section editor, recently announced April Wallace’s return to the newspaper as Profiles editor.

Wallace had been serving as the early childhood editor and a writer for the website nwaMotherlode.com. Prior to that, she was the Rogers city reporter and the Profiles editor at the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

As February approaches, many advertisers might be mentioning “the big game,” describing things as “super” or emphasizing the sport of football in their advertising. But, it could land your publication in hot water with the National Football League if you refer to the Super Bowl by name in advertising. The NFL has trademarked the terms “Super Bowl” and “Super Sunday” and is pretty strict about use of the term.

The NFL has held the “Super Bowl” trademark since 1969, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records. The game logo, the NFL shield and team names and designs are trademarked as well, and should not be used in ads unless the advertiser has paid for the right to be an official NFL partner.

Advertisers who want to capitalize on the Super Bowl’s popularity should remember to use “the big game”, “game day” or something else other than the terms or designs trademarked by the NFL. It is, however, okay to use the terms “Super Bowl” or “Super Sunday” in news coverage.

In addition to writing the cover story each Sunday, Wallace will also cover Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and The Momentary in Bentonville, TheatreSquared in Fayetteville and the Bentonville Film Festival.

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January 27, 2022

Sixty-five APA newspapers end year with “perfect performance” At the end of the 2021 calendar year, 65 APA member newspapers were able to claim membership in the Perfect Performance Club.

The goal of the Perfect Performance program is to recognize error-free advertising placement every year. Members of the Perfect Performance Club are those APA member newspapers that publish advertising placed through Arkansas Press Services on-time and error-free. Correct and timely ad placement is one of the best methods to demonstrate to advertisers how they can maximize their ad dollars via Arkansas newspapers.

APA recognizes a Perfect Performance Club newspaper with a prize at the end of the year. This year’s winner is the Villager Journal in Cherokee Village, chosen via a random drawing. Congratulations to the Villager Journal and all Perfect Performance Club newspapers.

Batesville Daily Guard

Glenwood Herald

Nashville News-Leader

The Weekly Vista, Bella Vista

Westside Eagle Observer, Gravette

Newport Independent

The Saline Courier, Benton

South Arkansas Sun, Hampton

Osceola Times

Carroll County News, Berryville

Harrison Daily Times

Ozark Spectator

NEA Town Courier, Blytheville-Manila

Grand Prairie Herald, Hazen

Paragould Daily Press

Monroe County Herald, Brinkley

The Helena World

Pea Ridge Times

Camden News

Pacesetting Times, Horseshoe Bend

Villager Journal, Cherokee Village

The Sentinel-Record, Hot Springs

Perry County Petit Jean Country Headlight, Perryville

Johnson County Graphic, Clarksville

Hot Springs Village Voice

Clay County Courier, Corning

Madison County Record, Huntsville

Ashley News Observer, Crossett

The Leader, Jacksonville

De Queen Bee

Chicot County Spectator/Eudora Enterprise, Lake Village

DeWitt Era-Enterprise El Dorado News-Times England Democrat Lovely County Citizen, Eureka Springs Lake Area Weekly, Fairfield Bay Washington County Enterprise-Leader, Farmington Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Fayetteville

Clay County Times-Democrat, Piggott Cleveland County Herald, Rison The Courier, Russellville The News, Salem The Daily Citizen, Searcy

Arkansas Business, Little Rock

The Herald-Leader, Siloam Springs

The Daily Record, Little Rock

Lafayette County Press, Stamps

Malvern Daily Record

The Lincoln Ledger, Star City

Marshall Mountain Wave

Texarkana Gazette

The Mena Star

Poinsett County Democrat Tribune, Trumann

Conway County Petit Jean Country Headlight, Morrilton

The Times Dispatch, Walnut Ridge

Montgomery County News, Mount Ida

The Eagle Democrat, Warren

La Prensa Libre, Fayetteville

The Baxter Bulletin, Mountain Home

The Evening Times, West Memphis

The Mountaineer Echo, Flippin

Stone County Leader, Mountain View

Wynne Progress

Times-Herald, Forrest City

Murfreesboro Diamond

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January 27, 2022

Newsrooms in flux as post-pandemic workforce choices emerge In a few weeks, the U.S. will be entering the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In yet another time of uncertainty and upheaval, America’s newsrooms, like many businesses, have been redesigned and reimagined to accommodate the changing needs of the pandemic and the ongoing need to protect newspaper employees and their families as variants and breakthrough cases continue to keep the country in flux.

Many newsrooms have remained closed with staff working remotely since March, 2020. Editor & Publisher columnist Rob Tornoe reports that newsrooms across the country are being redesigned to accommodate a hybrid workforce after the pandemic as staff have learned to publish remotely through online tools and apps.

Tornoe says most commonly newsrooms are flexing to create a permanent hybrid model involving a mix of remote and office work. According to a recent survey of news leaders by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, just 9% of news organizations plan to force all their employees to return to the office as they did pre-pandemic. In comparison, 89% are all-in on a more flexible workplace.

Alan Fisco, president of the Seattle Times, said the shift to remote working was far better than they had expected.

The Times’ employees began returning to the office Jan. 10 on a primarily volunteer basis. He says the company plans to continue to offer a hybrid model where employees can decide where they prefer to work.

Seattle Times staffers who choose to work

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

in the office three or more days per week will be assigned a permanent desk in the newly redesigned newsroom, while those that choose to work remotely will have temporary seating at a multi-use desk.

Fisco acknowledges that some staffers for “certain business reasons” might be required to be in the office more than they might like. And he’s not without questions, Turnoe reports.

“As you see turnover and get more new employees, how do you assimilate them into a new organization and a new culture?” Fisco asked rhetorically. “What worries me more is when you get new employees who just moved to Seattle.

They see their co-workers on Zoom, but it’s very different from really meeting them in person.”

Still, the benefits of working remotely, including some unexpected ones, appear to be outweighing concerns, at least while some areas of the country continue to suffer a heavy toll from COVID-19 outbreaks and surges.

For instance, the flexibility of a fully remote workforce has allowed Quartz to draw in a more diverse pool of applicants, says CEO Zach Seward. Jane Barnett, the global editor for media news strategy at Reuters, said staffers communicating on Microsoft Teams made discussion more “meritocratic” and increased attendance to their editor’s conversation.

But some media companies are insisting on a full return to the office. A September Editor & Publisher survey of 91 media companies found that roughly a third of them are already fully staffed in person,

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though some remain open to returning to a hybrid model if conditions warrant it.

These full returns have been controversial among some employees, who have pushed back against the loss of flexibility they became accustomed to remote work over the past two years.

“The backlash is real,” Tsedal Neeley, a Harvard Business School professor who has studied remote work for decades, told The Boston Globe. “Employees are not only requesting that there is an adjustment to the return-to-the-office policy, but they’re also resigning.”

Mon Valley Independent, a small daily newspaper in western Pennsylvania, is among the news outlets choosing the hybrid path. The paper’s managing editor, Stacy Wolford, said most non-editorial employees have returned to the office, though most of her reporters continue to work remotely.

“I actually think my staff is more productive now. There are definitely less callouts,” Wolford says, adding that she felt more productive working from home, where fewer distractions took her away from putting together the newspaper.

She says their close-knit staff has been using Google Chat to keep in touch, and she says it’s hard to envision a scenario where everyone is always back in the office again, especially with the harsh Pennsylvania winter bearing down.

“Bad weather’s coming, and it’s nice to be able to do some things from home,” Wolford said.

January 27, 2022

Guest Column: A way to make presentations more memorable

By John Foust Samuel, the ad manager at a community paper, told me about a simple technique his sales team uses at the end of meetings with prospects and clients.

“I once read that people remember only about 25% of what they hear,” he said.

“That’s a harsh reality, because we focus our client conversations on things we think are memorable. It’s painful to walk away from a meeting knowing that the person on the other side of the desk might forget three-quarters of the discussion. Of course, we use ad examples, charts and coverage maps to add visual elements to presentations, but they still forget a large percentage of what we talk about.

“We’ve learned that one way to deal with this problem is to summarize at the end of a meeting,” he said. “It’s an easy way to repeat the important points in a conversation. And a lot of times, we find out the other person has completely missed a key fact. A summary helps us clarify things and make presentations a little easier to remember.”

SAMUEL’S PROCESS HAS 3 STEPS: 1. Restate briefly. For example, a member of Samuel’s team might say,

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

“Thank you for meeting with me today. To make sure we’re on the same page, let me recap what we’ve talked about. First, we looked at the target audience for your new Widget product, then you gave me a list of the most important features and benefits, then we talked about some special offers that could appeal to your customers.”

Notice how this brief statement hits the highlights in a logical sequence. There’s no need to go into great depth about everything that was discussed.

2. Confirm the information and ask for input. After the summary, it helps to nail it down by asking, “Does this cover everything?”

Even though it’s short, this is a crucial question. It is designed to give the other person permission to say they missed something that was covered — or even to say they would like to know something else.

If something has been misunderstood, it’s better to find out now.

3. Include an action item. For instance, “My next step is to start on that market report you want and get it to you by Monday. Will that work?”

This is the time to get some kind of

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agreement and advance the sale. If the other person is not yet ready to finalize things and sign on the dotted line, this keeps the dialogue going in a helpful, lowkey way.

“An action step can make a conversation stick in the mind,” Samuel explained. “It gives the salesperson a specific reason to get back in touch. It lets the other person know to expect a call by a certain day.

When someone is waiting for information, an action step reduces the chances that an email or a voicemail message will be ignored.”

It’s all about creating memorable presentations. When advertisers and prospects remember the key points, they are more likely to buy. © Copyright 2022 by John Foust. All rights reserved.

John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training videos to save time and get quick results from in-house training. Email for information: john@johnfoust.com.

January 27, 2022

“Serving the newspapers of Arkansas since 1873”

Arkansas Press Association Board of Directors President Ellen Kreth Madison County Record, Huntsville First Vice President Lori Freeze Stone County Leader, Mountain View Second Vice President Eliza Gaines Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock Tom White Advance-Monticellonian Monticello Britt Talent Cleveland County Herald, Rison Kelly Freudensprung The Saline Courier, Benton John Robert Schirmer Nashville News-Leader Jennifer Allen Hot Springs Village Voice

Jim Perry Phillips Media Immediate Past President Rusty Turner Northwest Arkansas DemocratGazette, Fayetteville,

Ashley Kemp Wimberley Wimberley Executive Director

TO: APA Member Newspaper--Advertising Department FROM: Terri Cobb, Contest Coordinator Rulesand for 2022 APA Better Newspaper Advertising Contest Subject: Rules Categories for 2022 APA Better Newspaper Advertising Contest The APA Better Newspaper Advertising contest continues as an online format and process. Be sure and read the contest rules and categories thoroughly before starting. Instructions for submitting your entries are on the following pages but also on the APA Contest website: http://www.newspapercontest.com/Contests/ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx http://www.newspapercontest.com/Contests/ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx Contest Period: January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021 DEADLINE for submitting entries is JANUARY 31, 2022.

Members of the Wisconsin Press Association will judge your online entries in February. You will be notified of winner’s names but specific award announcements and award plaques will be presented at the APA Advertising Conference in March.

Please give me a call or email (terri@arkansaspress.org ) if you have any questions or need to obtain your login information.

Good luck.

2022 Arkansas Press Association Better Newspaper Advertising Contest Rules & Categories 1. ELIGIBILITY: Contest is open to daily and weekly newspaper members in good standing of the Arkansas Press Association. Entries must be submitted by the newspaper, not by an individual.

2. CONTEST PERIOD: All entries must have been published during this period — January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021.

3. DEADLINE for submitting entries is January 31, 2022.

4. ALL ENTRIES should be uploaded as PDFs. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page showing name of newspaper and date of issue. Login information and uploading instructions are on the following pages.

5. ENTRY FEE: $25 per newspaper PLUS $ 5.00 per entry.

6. ALL ADS entered MUST BE ORIGINAL with your newspaper. They must be conceived and sold by your newspaper staff.* Clip art is acceptable but no ready-made ads should be submitted, such as those from advertising agencies, and advertiser-produced. All ads must be from your regularly printed newspaper.

Do not submit ads from your other publications (ex. monthly magazines, real estate guides or other niche publications submitted in Category 19).

7. A SINGLE AD should not be entered in more than one category. Exception: a single ad may also be entered as one of a campaign (Category 4); or a color entry may also be entered as one of a campaign (Category 4). The spirit of the contest is to recognize as many clever, creative ideas, people and advertisers as possible. (That translates: don’t take an entry you’ve submitted for a single ad and enter it as a color entry and a most original idea entry. Choose one BEST CATEGORY for each entry.) And please do NOT repeat ads from previous years.

8. “COVERS” are not ads: DO NOT submit special section covers as ads -- they are covers. There is a category (Category 11-12) to recognize special section covers.

9. In order to judge a category there must be at least three (3) entries from three (3) newspapers, otherwise those entries will be judged with the next division.

11. DIVISIONS: Your newspaper has been pre-assigned a division based on your circulation.

Div. 1 - Daily Circulation 10,000 or less Div. 3 - Daily Circulation Over 10,000

Div. 4 - Non-Daily Circulation 3,000 or less Div. 6 - Non-Daily Circulation Over 3,000

APA holds the right to re-assign a newspaper’s division to insure a fair number of newspapers are distributed in each division.

With the changes in our industry where larger corporations own several newspapers of various sizes in the association, and new operating alliances, the levelized playing field becomes more difficult to maintain. It is not always evident the extent of help received by the home office or sister papers, and we’ve been told in some cases “no help is received so it is unfair to make us compete with higher circulation papers.” There is no easy solution and we rely to a high degree on the integrity of the newspaper, SO please enter according to the guidelines. *Work done by freelancers or work outsourced may be entered, but the work must have been done exclusively for the newspaper entering the material.

If you have any questions or problems submitting your entries, please call Terri Cobb at 501-374-1500.

2022 Arkansas Press Association Better Newspaper Advertising Contest | 1

Categories CATEGORY 1 – Single Ad 10” Inches and Under May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white ads only. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be ROP for a SINGLE ADVERTISER. Judges will consider the basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 2 – Single Ad Over 10”and Under Half page May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. B/W or Color. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be ROP for a SINGLE ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 3 – Single Ad Half page and OVER May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. B/W or color ads. NO HOUSE ADS or section covers. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be ROP for a SINGLE ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality. Includes ads over two pages, including double trucks. Please use category 20 for your automotive ads.

CATEGORY 4 – Ad Campaign, Any Size May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white ads OR color. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Include any online ads that are a part of the campaign. Each entry consists of at least three but not more than five ads for a SINGLE ADVERTISER, with a continuing, common theme. May be ROP or classified display campaign. Judges will consider the basic idea, layout, copy, headline, typography, originality and the development of the theme. Ads may vary in size but keep within the same theme and advertiser.

CATEGORY 5 – Multiple Advertiser Ad May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the fullpage tearsheet. Entry may be any size, including those up to and including double trucks, which features two or more advertisers under a common headline or theme. Judges will consider basic idea, layout, copy, headline, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 6 – SPOT Color Ad (Use of ONE Color, plus Black) May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO SECTION COVERS OR HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Judges will consider basic idea, copy, layout, headline, type, originality and appropriateness and clarity of color. May be single or multiple advertisers, ROP or classified ads.

CATEGORY 7 – Use of PROCESS Color in an Ad May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO SECTION COVERS OR HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Judges will consider basic idea, copy, layout, headline, type, originality and appropriateness and clarity of color. May be single or multiple advertisers, ROP or classified display, and may be any size.

CATEGORY 8 – Best Advertising Special Section - GENERAL INTEREST- NEWSPRINT May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. For each entry, submit a single PDF of the entire section. See instructions attached for combining multiple pages into one PDF file. This is a separate, pull-out, stand-alone section of GENERAL INTEREST (NON-SPORTS) printed on NEWSPRINT (magazine stock paper, see category 9) inserted into your newspaper.

Judges will consider basic idea, originality of theme used in ads and editorial content, as well as the section cover. Use of color is a bonus.

CATEGORY 9 – Best Advertising Special Section - GENERAL INTEREST- MAGAZINE May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. For each entry, submit a single PDF of the entire section. See instructions attached for combining multiple pages into one PDF file. This is a separate, pull-out, stand-alone section of GENERAL INTEREST (NON-SPORTS) printed on MAGAZINE stock paper (not printed on newsprint, see category 8) inserted into your newspaper. Judges will consider basic idea, originality of theme used in ads and editorial content, as well as the section cover.

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CATEGORY 10 – Best Advertising Special Section - SPORTS May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. For each entry, submit a single PDF of the entire section. See instructions attached for combining multiple pages into one PDF file. This is a separate, pull-out, stand-alone section with a SPORTS theme inserted into your newspaper. Judges will consider basic idea, originality of theme used in ads and editorial content, as well as the section cover. Use of color is a bonus.

CATEGORY 11 – Special Section COVER - NEWSPRINT May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Submit only the cover. Judges will consider design, layout, typography, artwork and use of color. The entry cover must have been from section inserted in the newspaper not the cover of your niche publication.

CATEGORY 12 – Special Section COVER - MAGAZINE May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Submit only the cover. Judges will consider design, layout, typography, artwork and use of color. The entry cover must have been from section inserted in the newspaper not the cover of your niche publication.

CATEGORY 13 – Use of Photo in an Ad May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS OR SECTION COVERS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. The ad must feature the original photography of a staff member. Judges will consider originality, quality, appropriateness of ad theme, clarity and appeal. May be ROP OR classified display; single or multiple advertisers and be any size.

CATEGORY 14 – Use of Clip Art in Ad May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS OR SECTION COVERS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. May be any size, black and white or color; ROP or classified display; single or multiple advertisers. Entries should show clever and creative use of art supplied by a clip art service. Overall idea or theme of the ad should be original; don’t submit “ready-made” ads. Judges will consider originality, appropriateness of art and other related advertising factors.

CATEGORY 15 – Newspaper Promotions and House Ads, Single ads and/or Campaign HOUSE ADS ONLY. May submit up to five (5) entries per paper. May be any size, black and white or color. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. The ads may promote the entire newspaper or any of its operations.

For example, did you have subscriptions contests, NIE promotions, readership ads, newspaper contests, etc.? Judges will consider the basic idea, originality, layout, copy, headline, illustrations and other elements which go into the ads that contribute to the overall promotion of the newspaper. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet.

CATEGORY 16 – Most Original Idea May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad may be any size, black and white or color. This includes not only ads which are particularly unique, fresh, weird, creative and outstanding, but also any ads which just don’t fit any of the other contest categories.

CATEGORY 17 – Use of Humor in Advertising May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS Ad may be any size, black and white or color. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Judges will consider all aspects of the ad (basic idea, layout, copy, headline, typography and originality) plus special emphasis on how funny the ad is.

CATEGORY 18 – Special Events & Festivals Ad May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white OR color ads. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be ROP for a SINGLE ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 19 – Single Supplement ad May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white OR color ads. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet from your special section or other advertising supplement. Ads can be from any category or customer. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality. Any size ad is acceptable.

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Classified Ads CATEGORY 20 – Automotive Ads May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white OR color ads. Any size ad. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be for a SINGLE AUTOMOTIVE (CAR DEALER) ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 21 – Real Estate Ads May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white OR color ads. Any size ad. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be for a SINGLE REAL ESTATE OR PROPERTY ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 22 – Employment Ads May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white OR color ads. Any size ad. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be for a SINGLE EMPLOYMENT (HELP WANTED) ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

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