Arkansas Publisher Weekly: January 28, 2021

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Freedom of Information Act Coalition to meet Monday APA Legislative Report

Arkansas Press Association

Publisher Weekly Vol. 16 | No. 04 | Thursday, January 28, 2021 | Serving Press and State Since 1873

College students take over newspaper operation

Many schools teach journalism out of a textbook. At Henderson State University, they’re putting textbook journalism into practice.

The Arkadelphia college has taken over operation of the city’s only community newspaper, Arkadelphia Dispatch, and the first issue of the renamed Oracle: Community Edition was published on Thursday. Student journalists are using the fundamentals they learned in the classroom to report on articles, design the newspaper, sell advertisements and distribute it.

It’s the type of experience they couldn’t get anywhere else, said Steve Listopad, adviser.

‘This is truly student-media produced, and it’s the only news game in town,” Listopad said. “These students aren’t helping out some professionals. They are the professionals.”

Continued on Page 2

Donovan Lee (left), sports editor for the Oracle and Oracle: Community Edition. Pete Tubbs (center), editor in chief of Arkadelphia Dispatch and Oracle: Community Edition. Harley Whisenhunt (right), student general manager of Reddie Media Group business operations and ad sales.

This coming Sunday marks ad contest deadline

Just a few days remain until the deadline for Arkansas Press Association members to enter the annual Better Newspaper Advertising Contest. Publishers, ad managers and designers have until Sunday, Jan. 31, to submit their entries for the opportunity to be recognized as among the best in the state.

The contest honors the best ads from the 2020 calendar year in daily and weekly newspapers in a variety of categories.

There are five separate divisions, dividing weekly and daily newspapers by size.

Entries will be judged by members of the Michigan Press Association.

2021

This year’s winners will be honored during a special, online awards ceremony during the 2021 APA Ad Conference, tentatively scheduled for mid-March. First-place winners will also receive a plaque.

President

Executive Director

Categories range from best single ad to best online ad. There is also a separate category for special sections and one for best use of humor in an advertisement.

For more information or for questions about the contest or the online submission process, contact Terri Cobb at (501) 3741500 or email terri@arkansaspress.org.

Please hurry to submit entries by Sunday.

College students take over newspaper operation

Continued from Page 1

The Oracle is the name of Henderson State’s student newspaper. Oracle: Community Edition is built upon the existing student newspaper with added coverage of news throughout Arkadelphia and Clark County.

The university decided to take on the challenge of producing a community newspaper after the Arkadelphia Dispatch published its last edition last week. Dispatch Publisher John Robert Schirmer had offered to gift the Dispatch to the university, but the school declined to accept the gift because of budget constraints and uncertainty due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Listopad said.

“We needed a Plan B, and the plan was to pick up right where the Dispatch left off with the student newspaper, the Oracle,” he said.

Listopad and HSU graduate student Pete Tubbs had been operating the Dispatch since last summer, and over the fall semester several student journalists from both Henderson State and neighboring Ouachita Baptist University were contributing to the newspaper. Also, in the fall, Schirmer agreed to let Listopad

and students get into advertising for the Dispatch.

“We had been slowly taking over more and more of the responsibilities from last May until now with the Dispatch,” Listopad said.

“It’s the same newspaper and the same content production, but now we have full ownership because it’s the Oracle.”

Schirmer provided the new newspaper with advertising leads and a solid foundation to build upon. Now, according to Listopad, “we’re going to put those to good use with a new edition of the Oracle focused on the community, a 100 percent student production, and it’s the only community news in the city.”

The newspaper will be a good training ground for student journalists at Henderson who may not otherwise be able to find a professional internship. In the fall at the Dispatch, student interns from both HSU and OBU were assigned to community, crime and courts and city hall beats.

Tubbs, editor-in-chief for the Dispatch and now the Oracle: Community Edition, joined the newspaper as an intern whose salary was funded by the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation’s annual summer internship

program.

“I like connecting with the community and learning more than I would if I didn’t work for the newspaper,” Tubbs said. “It’s great to meet all these people you would have never met.”

Tubbs is a Hamburg native who graduates in May with a master’s degree in media and popular culture. He designed the logo of the new Oracle: Community Edition.

Listopad said the newspaper is already off to a good start. Last week, student advertising salespeople secured several ad contracts, and a local grocer has been committed to placing copies of the newspaper in shoppers’ bags at checkout. The newspaper’s operators hope to attain full membership in the Arkansas Press Association next year in order to qualify as a legal newspaper and publish public notices.

“I just really want to keep community journalism alive here in Arkadelphia and have a platform for our students to practice professional journalism locally,” Listopad said. “We look for the community and industry support to help us keep this going.”

Freedom of Information Act Coalition to meet Monday

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Coalition, an advocacy group that works to protect the state’s FOI Act, will meet on Monday, Feb. 1 at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom to discuss the 93rd General Assembly and pending bills to amend FOIA.

public information; and SB208 establishes a definition of “meeting” stipulating that any discussion of public business between

This legislative session has already seen a substantial number of bills that would impact FOIA. The FOI Coalition’s aim is to work with legislators to ensure Arkansas’s open records and open meetings laws remains one of the strongest in the nation, and to maintain transparency in government.

Among the FOIA bills being considered by the Legislature this session are four proposals by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro. SBs 194, 195, 196 and 208 were filed this week.

SB194 would change FOIA to permit individuals to take photographs of public records; SB195 amends the definition of “public records” to include some records held by private entities, such as nonprofit foundations, that support public functions. SB196 allows for attorneys’ fees to be awarded to plaintiffs even in the event he or she receives the requested

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

bodies to go into executive sessions, with their attorneys, to discuss pending economic development projects.

two or among more than two members of a governing body would be subject to FOIA. Another FOIA bill, HB1280 by Rep. Delia Haak, R-Centerton, would allow governing

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The Coalition is made up of journalists, publishers, attorneys, educators and any other Arkansas resident who values the FOIA. To register to attend the meeting, email ashley@arkansaspress.org.

January 28, 2021

-30Maryln Moody

Maryln Joe Harmon Moody, 78, died Monday, Jan. 11, in McCrory. Moody was the retired advertising manager for the Woodruff County Monitor-LeaderAdvocate.

A native of Wiville, she was a graduate of Cotton Plant High School and the Memphis School of Business, and was a lifetime member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Wiville. She was employed at Sears in Memphis and at American Greetings in McCrory before starting her career at the Monitor in 1996, where she worked in advertising for 22 years.

A cancer survivor, she was a longtime volunteer for Woodruff County Relay for Life along with her husband, Terry Moody, who preceded her in death.

She is survived by a daughter, Ronda Higgins; stepson, Bryan Moody; stepdaughter, Angel Taylor; a sister, Paula Barnett of McCrory; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Barnett is publisher of the Monitor.

Conway newspaper launches podcast The Log Cabin Democrat has started a new podcast in an effort to widen and grow its audience and readership base.

The podcast, “Conway on the Record,” is available on the Apple Podcast, Soundcloud, Spotify and Google Play platforms. Its first regular episode, an interview with the CEO of Conway’s municipal utility, was released this week.

The premiere episode from the Log Cabin Democrat team, listed as “Episode 0”, was an introduction of the concept with host Drew Mitchell, newspaper editor Jeannette Anderton and publisher Frank Leto. According to the newspaper, the podcast idea was put into motion by Leto after his discussions with Mitchell, who is a radio host and a longtime Log Cabin Democrat reader.

Anderton was quoted in the newspaper as saying the podcast will help reach a “broader audience” and give local newspapers the opportunity to sit down for an extended, recorded interview.

“So often in print, we are limited by space,” she said. “We can’t always (report) as deeply into a subject as we’d like.”

The episodes will be about 20 minutes long and will cover stories independent of the print edition. The newspaper plans to release new recordings every other week.

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INDUSTRY QUOTE “The newspaper is a greater treasure to the people than uncounted millions of gold.”

—Henry Ward Beecher Arkansas Publisher Weekly

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January 28, 2021

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New intern starts Vests, ID cards available; auto decals sent APA offers for sale to Every January, the work in Salem members in its online Arkansas Press Areawide Media, publisher of The News in Fulton and Izard counties, has selected an intern for its Salem office. JR Shaufler, a senior at Salem High School, will report for The News.

Schaufler wants to pursue a career in journalism after graduation, but until then he’s working for the newspaper a few hours every week.

According to the newspaper, “spending time in the field will help him determine if journalism is the right career path for him.”

Schaufler’s first article, an interview with the new girls’ basketball coach at Salem High School, appeared in print last week.

Association distributes new auto window decals to its members. The 2021 “PRESS” decals were sent by mail to APA newspapers earlier this month. The window stickers may be placed on a vehicle to identify it as being owned and operated by a member of the working press.

store. The brightly colored vests are labeled “PRESS” and are available for $20 each. The vests are important to increase visibility and identify working journalists at accident scenes, crime scenes or during demonstrations.

The decals themselves offer no specific privilege or protection, but they are an easy way to signal to law enforcement officials and others that an individual is a working member of the press. Each APA newspaper should have received two 2021 decals, which are intended for publishers, editors, reporters or photographers.

Another way reporters can be easily identified is by wearing safety vests, which

The APA produces press ID cards for members as well. Like the window decals, the ID cards are free of charge to publishers, editors, reporters and photographers at APA member newspapers.

To request decals or ID cards, email presscards@arkansaspress.org or call (501) 374-1500.

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Arkansas Publisher Weekly

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January 28, 2021

Guest Column: 12 ad design tips

By John Foust Want to get more eyes on your ads? Let’s take a quick look at some ad design tips:

hesitate to make the image so large that it bleeds off the edge.

show the advertised product in use or demonstrate a benefit.

1. Keep things simple and uncluttered.

The four basic elements of a print ad are (1) headline, (2) illustrative element, (3) body copy and (4) logo. When they are arranged in a way that is easy to follow – and when there are no unnecessary images – the ad is more likely to be noticed.

4. Use white space. Like a room with furniture which is placed too close together, a crowded ad doesn’t provide enough room to navigate. In addition to giving readers some walking room, white space can be a powerful graphic hook.

10. Set body copy flush left. Ragged left text is nearly impossible to read, because readers are accustomed to starting each line at a consistent left margin. Justified copy blocks are problematic, as well, because they create wide spaces between some words.

2. Use easy-to-read line breaks in headlines. A line break is where one line ends and the next line begins. Since readers naturally pause for a split second at the end of a line, the break should be placed to look visually correct -- and sound right in the mind. Here are two headlines.

The second one works better.

Save big on ceiling fans Save big on ceiling fans 3. Use a graphic hook. A dominant visual element stands out on the page or on the screen. If an ad features a number of illustrations or photos, make one considerably larger than the others. Don’t

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

5. Don’t use distracting borders. It’s what’s inside the border that counts.

The border shouldn’t become an extra element.

6. Use all-caps sparingly. There are two times to use all upper-case characters: (1) in short words in a short headline or (2) in a proper name, like IBM, BMW or NHL. 7. Use readable fonts. Trendy styles can be difficult to read. It’s best to stick with traditional fonts. Generally speaking, serif fonts are more legible in lengthy body copy and bolder sans serif fonts are fine for headlines.

8. Put the logo at the bottom right or bottom center. Resist the temptation to place the logo at the top. Because we read from top to bottom and from left to right, an ad’s logical ending point – the spot for the logo – is at the bottom right or center.

9. Use relevant illustrations and photos.

Pictures must be meaningful and should clarify the headline. The best illustrations

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11. Use color with restraint. Research shows that color helps ads stand out. But don’t overdo it. Too much color creates clutter. You’ve probably seen ads that look like an accident in a crayon factory. That’s no way to appeal to readers.

12. Stay away from reverses. It’s not a good idea to use white images and words on a dark background. Readers are accustomed to dark print on a light background. Make it easy for them. © Copywright 2021 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. E-mail for information: john@johnfoust.com

January 28, 2021

93rd Arkansas General Assembly

Legislative Report APA is monitoring the following filed bills of interest to our industry and the public: Bill No. / Author

Short Description

APA Position

Current Status

HB 1007 Rep. Love

Creates a hotline and database for reported allegations of police civil rights abuses, but shields that database from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act . https://bit.ly/35EM3A4

Pending

Awaits initial hearing in House Judiciary Committee

HB 1027 Rep. Cavenaugh

Eliminates the publication requirement for sale or removal of personal property in self-storage units. https://bit.ly/2XIfWeK

Opposes

Passed House, awaits hearing in Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee

HB 1051 Rep. Eubanks

Requires private investigators to display a license number, company name or statement referring to a website or tollfree number on any advertisements. https://bit.ly/2LoYGIV

Neutral

Passed House; awaits hearing in Senate State Agencies Committee

HB 1056 Rep. L. Fite

Amends the FOIA to allow for governing bodies to meet virtually during emergencies. https://bit.ly/35H6xZ2

Neutral

Passed House; awaits hearing in Senate State Agencies Committee

HB 1139 Rep. Vaught

Provides an FOIA exemption for investigations and audits by the State Board of Embalmers, Funeral Directors, Cemeteries and Burial Services. https://bit.ly/2XMCRVX

Opposes

Withdrawn from consideration by bill sponsor

HB 1140 Rep. Vaught

Amends publication requirements for notice of construction of a crematorium to allow for publication in the digital edition of a legal newspaper. https://bit.ly/3qyJt75

Neutral

Awaits initial hearing in House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee

HB 1195 Rep. Dotson

Authorizes the Department of Health to conduct audits and obtain information about abortion providers, and establishes a FOIA exemption for all information collected by the agency. https://bit.ly/392ykFA

Neutral

Passed House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee; advances to full House

HB 1249 Rep. Bentley

Allows for the dissolution or abolition of a levee district and establishes a newspaper public notice requirement for a hearing regarding such an action. https://bit.ly/3pFoDm4

Supports

Awaits initial hearing in House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee

HB 1280 Rep. Haak

Amends the FOI Act to permit governing bodies to meet in executive session, with their attorney, to discuss certain economic development projects. https://bit.ly/3pufwov

Opposes

Awaits initial hearing in House City, County and Local Affairs Committee

SB 64 Sen. Irvin

Removes the requirement for publishing school district annual reports in a local newspaper. https://bit.ly/35GcSEg

Opposes

Awaits initial hearing in Senate Education Committee

SB 84 Sen. B. Davis

Makes minor changes to style and contents of a notice of abandoned property. https://bit.ly/35CchU3

Neutral

Passed the Senate; awaits hearing in House Insurance and Commerce Committee

SB 170 Sen. Garner

Makes it a crime to publish personally identifiable information about a minor on a social media platform if that information is intended to intimidate, abuse, threaten, harass or frighten the minor and the minor is in reasonable fear of physical injury. https://bit.ly/2M5leyM

Opposes

Awaits initial hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 166 Sen. Clark

Allows the public to have access in certain circumstances to court hearings involving child support and paternity matters. https://bit.ly/3ah3J6m

Supports

Awaits initial hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 194 Sen. Sullivan

Amends the FOI Act to specifically allow an individual to take photographs of public records https://bit.ly/3pwQrJE

Supports

Awaits initial hearing in Senate State Agencies Committee

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

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January 28, 2021

Sen. Sullivan

take photographs of public records https://bit.ly/3pwQrJE

SB 195 Sen. Sullivan

Redefines “public records” in the FOI Act to include some records from private entities such as nonprofit foundations that directly support public entities. https://bit.ly/3r1BMWY

Pending

Awaits initial hearing in Senate State Agencies Committee

SB 196 Sen. Sullivan

Permits a judge to grant attorneys’ fees to a plaintiff in a FOIA lawsuit even if the defendant receives information based on the request following the filing of a lawsuit. https://bit.ly/3ckt2az

Supports

Awaits initial hearing in Senate State Agencies Committee

SB 203 Sen. Rapert

Includes a newspaper notice requirement for the transfer or novation of insurance policies made under court order while establishing other guidelines for notice. https://bit.ly/3iX3jWN

Supports

Awaits initial hearing in Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee

SB 208 Sen. Sullivan

Defines “meeting” under the FOIA as a gathering of two or more members of a governing body to discuss any matter on which action may be taken by the governing body. https://bit.ly/2MDbMCE

Pending

Awaits initial hearing in Senate State Agencies Committee

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

Committee

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January 28, 2021