Arkansas Publisher Weekly: February 16, 2023

4

Guest Editorial:

Public notice— How will you know?

8

Guest Column:

Reasons some newspapers grow

By Kevin Slimp

Gaines takes reins of family-owned newspaper group; sees great potential and challenges ahead

By Wesley Brown

Eliza Hussman Gaines’s easy smile belies the huge task she has ahead as the new publisher at WEHCO Media Inc. and its flagship newspaper, the Arkansas DemocratGazette

Not only is Gaines stepping in the shoes of her father, one of Arkansas’s most legendary newspapermen, but she is assuming the top role at the company’s video and digital divisions as well.

In her downtown office, looking out over the ADG newsroom, Gaines shared her vision for the family-owned newspaper chain founded in 1909 by her great-grandfather. After stepping down at the end of the year, Walter E. Hussman Jr. remains chairman of the family-run company he led for more than 50 years.

During APA’s inaugural Arkansas Press Freedom Gala in October, Hussman announced he was stepping down from his post after spending most of his life in the family’s namesake business. While the retirement announcement surprised many at the event, Eliza said her father had been preparing her for the moment for several years.

“I was not surprised — he had told me two years ago that he was planning on retiring when he turned 75. So, it was not a shock, because we had been talking about it,” Gaines recalled. “My husband and I had just decided to have a baby, and I told him he may have to wait a little bit. But the timing worked out very well.”

Gaines, 35, took the reins as publisher on Jan. 1. The first woman to lead the parent company and Arkansas’s most prominent newspaper, founded in 1878, she has served as executive editor of the ADG since January 2021. Prior to that, she served as managing editor for the Arkansas daily nearly two years, since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Gaines said she is proud to be the first woman to lead the newspaper, and the fourth generation of the PalmerHussman family to be in the newspaper business in

Eliza Gaines

Arkansas. Only a few months after returning to the job from maternity leave, she jumped right into the position, and has been going nonstop since.

“So, now I am the public face of the newspaper, and obviously, I’ve gone from being focused on just the newsroom to focusing on the company as a whole. Now, I’m working with circulation and advertising, whereas I had been used to being in a ‘newsroom hole’ a long time,” Gaines said. “But it is great because I feel like I had an advantage because of having Walter Hussman as my father, and it is not like I’m

Turner set to retire from NWADG after 40 years in industry

Rusty Turner announced on Monday his intent to retire in May of this year.

Turner, editor of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette and executive editor of the Pea Ridge Times, Siloam Springs Herald-Leader, the Westside EagleObserver in Gravette, and the Washington County Enterprise-Leader, has set the date for his last day on the job as May 19, his 62nd birthday.

“It just kind of feels like the time is right,” he said.

A 1983 graduate of the University of Arkansas, Turner has been in the newspaper industry for 40 years. After college he worked as a news reporter and sports writer for newspapers in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. He took on his first editor job in June 1991 with the Northwest Arkansas Morning News in Rogers, then became managing editor in 1994 after that paper merged with the Springdale News to become the Springdale Morning News. He was promoted to editor of the Morning News in 2003.

In 2009, the Morning News merged with WEHCO Media to become Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. Turner was named executive editor over all publications involved in the merger except for what was then the Northwest edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He later helped oversee the transition in 2015 when the four separate daily newspapers operated by Northwest Arkansas Newspapers and the Northwest edition of the Democrat-Gazette were consolidated to become a single regional newspaper, the Northwest Arkansas DemocratGazette.

In 2020, Turner began a year and a half as president of APA’s board of directors. Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley described him as a “phenomenal” leader.

“The service he’s given to the Arkansas Press Association and, through that, to newspapers across the state, has been invaluable,” Wimberley said. Turner and his wife, Anita Turner, an elementary school principal in Rogers, have two adult

sons and two grandchildren. The couple plan to remain in northwest Arkansas following Turner’s retirement.

Rusty Turner

Gaines takes reins of family-owned newspaper group; sees great potential and challenges ahead

Continued from Page 1

brand-new, because I’ve really been able to see how the newspaper works together working with him.”

As the new spokesperson for the ADG and other WEHCO newspapers and media platforms, Gaines said one of the most important lessons she learned from her father is understanding that newspapers play a central role in local communities. “I think that just by watching him and how he explained to people the newspaper business and why it is important to support newspapers and not just say ‘please buy a subscription,’ explained Gaines. “It’s more of ‘you are investing in your community when you buy a newspaper,’ and for us to be the watchdog, cover government, and do things other news sources don’t cover.”

Gaines said remaining a family-owned newspaper is vital to her and the family legacy as she guides the company’s future.

“It has been really sad, honestly, to see some newspapers lose that local coverage,” she said. “I think that is where we set ourselves apart by focusing on the local coverage, and as an Arkansan, that matters to me.”

Gaines said ADG’s focus on being “hyperlocal” has been one of the keys to WEHCO’s success. Another crucial element of the newspaper group’s long run of profitability has been innovation. She said the Democrat-Gazette was one of the first newspapers in 2002 to set up a paywall for online content when other media platforms gave it away for free –a decision that has now been hailed and copied nationally.

The state’s largest daily was also at the forefront of media innovation again in 2018 when it transitioned readers from print to

digital with the iPad newspaper replica. After rolling out the risky experiment in stages across Arkansas, most of the ADG’s daily and Sunday subscribers are now reading the newspaper on iPads supplied at no additional charge by the company.

“I think that those decisions – giving up the paywall when everybody else was giving it away for free, and the iPad, were extremely bold and forwardthinking decisions and very proactive,” said Gaines. “I think a lot of people in the newspaper industry are very reactive, so you really have to be thinking years and years ahead on how we’re going to have our newspaper survive.”

As the newspaper’s chief decision-maker, Gaines said her biggest challenge ahead is getting millennials and younger readers to pay for news content. The Gen-X publisher said once the current older generation of readers is gone, newspapers will have to solve that dilemma to stay relevant.

“The next big (innovation) is going to have to be ‘how are we going to get these younger readers to subscribe,’” she said.

In her first 45 days on the job, Gaines has begun a “learning tour” to all the WEHCO newspapers. She toured the 164-year-old Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee in early February. That 33,000-subscriber newspaper in Tennessee’s fourth-largest city ended daily print delivery in favor of iPads at the end of 2021.

“I go in and talk to all the department heads and get a feel for how the newspaper is doing and all the challenges they have,” Gaines said. “I have been doing a standup speech where I say what my vision is –which is putting readers first and focusing on experimenting with new ways to reach

audiences.”

This week, Gaines’s travels will take her to the Texarkana Gazette and the Hot Springs Sentinel Record. For the rest of the month and in March, she will visit the company’s other properties in Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee, including the Banner News in Magnolia, the Camden News, The El Dorado News-Times, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the River Valley Democrat-Gazette in Fort Smith.

Besides the Chattanooga newspaper, WEHCO’s out-of-state dailies include the News Tribune in Jefferson City, Mo., and the Fulton (Mo.) Sun. The company also owns eight other weekly newspapers, the well-liked Hawgs Illustrated and six other magazines, nine local cable TV stations and an assortment of digital and marketing platforms.

Explaining her travels during the first three months on the job, Gaines said she is “getting up to speed” on all the company’s operations in six states. “I’ve been so focused on the ADG rather than our other newspapers, and I haven’t been in any of those locations because of COVID, a baby and everything else,” she said. When she’s not traveling and leading one of the nation’s remaining family-owned newspaper groups, Gaines thoughts turn to her own loved ones. The Little Rock native, who received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, breaks out a big smile when she talks about her family and husband, Alec Gaines, a Little Rock attorney.

The couple’s four children are Holden (8), Mary Helen (6), Hamilton (4), and Hill, who will be one year old next month. “They are my joy,” she said proudly.

I think there’s always satisfaction that comes from digging in and telling a story and being on the front line and writing about it. I think there’s a venue available if you look. Even print journalism is in good shape in areas.

—Cameron Crowe

Guest Editorial: Public notice—How will you know?

Editor’s Note: The Saline Courier in Benton has graciously made this editorial against House Bill 1399 available for APA member newspapers to reprint. HB 1399, if passed, would move certain types of public notice from newspapers

A text document of the editorial was emailed to membership on Saturday, Feb. 11. To request it again, please contact info@arkansaspress.org

We love the state of Arkansas.

It’s full of dichotomous beauty. Like the Ozark Mountains and the Mississippi Delta, both are beautiful for different reasons. With talent ranging from Al Green to Johnny Cash to Justin Moore, Arkansas’s musicality is as wide ranging and diverse as its people.

We’re also a state of firsts, some good and some bad. Central High School was the first high school to integrate its students, first state to ban doctors from performing gender-affirming treatment for trans youth, first Walmart store, first state to mandate computer science classes for high schoolers, first state whose first lady ran for President of the United States.

Elected representatives in the Arkansas Legislature are currently introducing and reviewing a bill that would be another first for us. If this bill passes, we would be the first generation of Arkansans to be less informed than our parents about government activities that impact each of us.

Legislators have re-written a bill that works for the public into a bill that works for them.

If House Bill 1399 passes, it would allow Arkansas cities and counties to conduct the people’s business without publishing details about it in local newspapers. Alternatively, these same legislators who are most definitely internet-driven individuals, are assuming that the rest of us have the time, patience and broadband connectivity in every corner of the state’s 75 counties to search online and find notices about how they are spending taxpayers’ money.

Or, perhaps they are hoping you won’t be able to see that their idea of “small government” is your city government policing itself and assuming the watchdog role assigned to the free press. This bill isn’t complicated; it removes newspapers from the process allowing government to make moves without a checks and balance. A Constitutional conservative would see the flaw there.

Newspapers are the town criers. We are the independent watchdogs, without prejudice, that are easily accessible at the corner convenience store or newspaper rack for readers who are not as ‘wired’ for online searching as our elected representatives.

As an official newspaper of record, we provide verification in the form of copies of the printed pages

onto government-run websites.

ome governmental officials want to move public

Deadline for APA Ad Contest is Feb. 28

APA member newspapers have about a week and a half remaining to submit their most creative and eyecatching work from the 2022 calendar year to the annual Better Newspaper Advertising Contest.

The entry deadline for this year’s contest is Tuesday, Feb. 28. The Better Newspaper Advertising Contest recognizes the best work from APA member newspapers in multiple categories, including single ad, ad campaign, special section, best original photo in advertising and many more.

The awards ceremony will be held at the annual APA Advertising Conference in Little Rock on April 28.

Complete contest rules and instructions for entering are on the contest website at newspapercontest.com/Contests/ ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx. In addition, the rules are printed on pages 11-15 of this issue of Arkansas Publisher Weekly.

If you have questions about the contest or the online submission process, contact Terri Cobb at (501) 374-1500 or email terri@arkansaspress.org.

LET US KNOW

Guest Editorial: Public notice—

How will you know?

Continued from Page 3

and affidavits that the cities and counties met obligations and that the message was delivered to readers. And we archive every publication so it can be searched regardless of security breaches, unlike what happened in the fall as municipalities were pulling together delinquent tax lists.

How does this affect you? Suppose you look out your window and see bulldozers and construction workers building a gas station where your neighbor’s house used to be. If you read the newspaper, you might have known about the rezoning plans and variances granted well before the workers showed up.

But under the proposed bill, the Legislature is putting the onus on you, the citizen, to track city and county websites to keep tabs on what your elected leaders are doing.

Open meetings, the freedom to access information that should be public and notifying citizens about how governments spend the taxpayers’ money are the areas that belong outside the government.

Why would Arkansas legislators deter community governments from openness and transparency? That’s not smaller government. That’s a government that’s too big for its britches.

And that’s not Arkansans first.

Advertising conference set for April 28

Mark your calendars and save the date for the 2023 APA Advertising Conference on Friday, April 28.

The ad conference will be held at Red & Blue Events Venue, near the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock. The day will include a morning session, a luncheon and the Better Newspaper Advertising Contest awards ceremony.

Marianne Grogan, president of Coda Ventures in Nashville, Tennessee, will be the keynote presenter at this year’s ad conference. Grogan’s primary focus is working with newspaper clients to deliver high-quality, innovative audience and strategic research to help grow and sustain revenue. In her session, she will take participants through the results of the Arkansas statewide study commissioned by APA and demonstrate how the data can be used by newspapers for successful sales conversations.

Tickets for the conference will be $65. For more information, email info@arkansaspress. org

—30— Steve Leavell

APA, Banker’s Association to host “Medical Marijuana in the Workplace” webinar

APA is partnering with the Arkansas Bankers Association to present a live webinar on medical marijuana, and the issues and challenges that face employers and those responsible for workplace regulatory compliance and risk management regarding such.

Brett W. Taylor, a seasoned litigator with experience practicing before the federal and state courts of Arkansas and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, will lead the webinar. His broad experience includes defending employers against civil rights claims, professional liability and medical malpractice actions, and a range of other commercial disputes.

The webinar will provide an overview of the failed recent ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas, then

shift into the need to adopt appropriate workplace policies related to medical marijuana, which is legal in the state.

The webinar will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 2 from 10 to 11 a.m. The cost is $50. For more information or to register, call the Arkansas Bankers Association Professional Development Department at (501) 376-3741 or email kami.coleman@ arkbankers.org

Former Conway printer dies at 97

Steve Leavell of Dover died Feb. 7, 2023. He was 67.

A native of Russellville, Leavell was a freelance journalist for The Courier, The Atkins Chronicle and The Dover Times He also taught English in the Dover School District for more than 35 years.

“Working with Steve Leavell was a great pleasure,” Ginnie Tyson, co-publisher of The Atkins Chronicle and The Dover Times, said. “He was intelligent, informed, witty, and at the same time cooperative, responsive and punctual. When he became the editor of The Dover Times, it was a great day for me and Van Tyson as owners. He elevated the quality of our newspapers.”

Leavell was predeceased by his parents, Kirby Joe and Frances Kay Wait

Leavell, and a brother, Dan Leavell. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Liz

Leavell; son Adam Leavell of Dover; son and daughter-in-law Ben and Sara

Leavell of Dardanelle; daughter Rachel

Leavell of Dover; sister and brother-in-law

Susan and Chad Easley of Dover; sisterin-law Sherrie Leavell of Dover and three grandchildren.

Services were held Feb. 10 in Dover.

Hubert Lee Ferguson, of Boxley, died on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. He was 97.

Born in Stuttgart and raised in Conway, Ferguson met Mary Virginia Robins in junior high and remained with her until her death. Their only separation was his combat service in World War II with the 1st Battalion 341st Infantry, Company A, 4th Platoon. After their marriage in 1946 they attended George Washington University, then returned to Conway to complete their degrees at Arkansas State Teachers College, now UCA.

Ferguson then joined his father-in-law, Frank Robins, at Conway Printing Company, publishers of the Log Cabin Democrat. He continued to run the commercial printing operation until his retirement in 1980, after which the couple moved to the Boxley Valley on the upper Buffalo River and started Jimmy Creek Farm, raising Hereford cattle.

He was active in the American Red Cross, the Arkansas Democratic Party and the Ozark Society. An avid reader throughout his life, in his later years he embraced technology as his iPad allowed him to read three newspapers daily: the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Ferguson was preceded in death by his wife; brother W.C. Ferguson, Jr.; sister

Eleanor Baldridge and son William L.

“Bill” Ferguson. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law John and Gloria Ferguson of Conway and and daughter and son-in-law Francie and Brian Bolter of Mayflower and 18 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, May 20, at 11 a.m. in Boxley.

Steve Leavell

Hubert Ferguson

Like you, we understand the value of information. That’s why our media coordinators are available 24 hours a day to answer any of your questions, including storm restoration and outage updates, energy conservation e orts, customer service details and more.

Put the power of information to work for you and our communities. Call on us for everything you need to know, straight from the source.

Arkansas Media Line

501-500-3581

For media contacts, visit entergynewsroom.com/press-contacts.

Guest Column: Reasons some newspapers grow

It’s not luck. There are definite correlations among growing papers.

By Kevin Slimp

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I don’t plan these columns in advance. Most months, I receive an email from newspaper industry executive Jack Guza reminding me that my column is due in a day or two. Jack’s messages generally prompt me to take a seat in my upstairs writer’s lair to pen a few words, typically about 800, concerning the current state of newspapers. After 25 years of writing this column, I’ve found that my most popular tend to be columns written just before deadline. And like most writers, I’ll use any excuse to delay the inevitable.

It’s early January, and as I drove home tonight after spending the day with a newspaper staff in Tennessee, it dawned on me that I have a lot to say to my readers as we begin this new year. Possibly inspired by today’s group, as well as several interactions I’ve had with publishers in recent weeks, I’d like to share some thoughts about where I see community newspapers heading in 2023.

I noted a few months back that my schedule has become surprisingly busy. Most everyone in the newspaper

consulting work that I know noticed a serious drop in requests for help beginning a few years ago. Several stopped working with newspapers altogether and moved into consulting with other industries. I wasn’t immune. Newspapers requesting my help took a serious dip three or four years ago. I used the opportunity to begin a couple of new businesses – using much of the advice I had been giving others for the past 30 years – which have turned out to be quite successful, figuring my days working with newspapers were near an end.

Then came 2022. I can’t explain why, but the phone – and inbox – began ringing…a lot. I was busier than ever in 2022 – advising papers, redesigning papers, leading webinars, and fulfilling other requests. I hired additional staff to help with my other businesses to free up time to take advantage of the work offered by newspapers. My calendar in 2023 has just a few free days remaining. I’m busier than ever.

Which begs the question: “What is going on?”

I can only make an educated guess, but I’m sensing undeniable correlations as I hear from and visit publishers these days. I’m learning that many locally owned community papers had an excellent year in 2022, prompting them to reinvest in growing their papers. Unlike in prior years, I hear from papers with increasing readership and advertising revenue. Luck? Maybe a little. But most of what’s happening at these papers can’t be attributed to chance. Here are some of the correlations I’m seeing in growing community papers:

Growing papers invest in their communities. Locally owned papers have an undeniable stake in their communities, causing them to invest more heavily in those areas.

Growing papers invest in their staff. In my experience, it’s rare to see staff cuts at successful papers. We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t cut your way to growth.” I’ve certainly found this true in my businesses and the newspapers I’ve worked with over the years. Growing

Continued on Page 9

Reasons some newspapers grow

It’s not luck. There are definite correlations among growing papers.

Continued from Page 8

papers train and reward their staff, creating better newspapers.

Growing newspapers create additional revenue by creating income through related products, not “get rich quick” schemes. Papers I’ve worked with that experience growth tend to generate niche publications, quality special sections, and other products that fit the work they’ve been doing for decades.

Growing papers maintain a quality online presence while understanding most of their income will come from print products for the foreseeable future. Planning for the long term doesn’t mean giving up on the successes of the past.

Growing papers have management and staff that work together as teams.

Reporting to “unknown” voices in faraway cities leads to disjointed staff, often competing against each other instead of working together toward a common goal.

Growing newspapers make their customers feel important. While visiting with circulation staff at newspapers, I often suggest writing personal notes on each resubscription notice that goes out. It’s just one of many ways we make readers feel important.

I could go on, but I’m guessing you get the idea. There are a lot of community papers doing well right now. Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed by the requests but feel very fortunate at the same time. My 2023 calendar includes consultations, redesigns, staff training events, and more.

I’ve had to cut back on my convention speaking to keep up with all the requests. Most of the publishers who call me don’t need my help for their papers to be successful. They’re already successful. And that may be the ultimate clue to what is happening at these newspapers. Growing papers tend to invest in their communities and staff to succeed longterm, not just produce quick income in the short term.

My work today is done. 811 words.

Kevin Slimp is former director of The University of Tennessee Newspaper Institute and founder of NewspaperAcademy.com. Contact him at kevin@kevinslimp.com.

HB 1099

Rep. Collins

94th Arkansas General Assembly

Legislative Report

APA is monitoring the following filed bills of interest to our industry and the public:

An act to expand the Arkansas FOIA - Expands the time a custodian, requester, or the subject of certain public records can seek an opinion from the Attorney General on whether the decision by a public-records custodian to release those records is consistent with FOIA.

https://bit.ly/3HcRslh

HB 1399

Rep. Cavanaugh

SB 87

An act to amend the law regarding publication requirements for counties and municipalities; to amend the law concerning elections; and to amend the law concerning tax delinquency lists.

https://bit.ly/3xqOiEM

Amends Arkansas law concerning the creation and

2023 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, 2022 - December 31, 2022.

3. DEADLINE for submitting entries is February 28, 2023.

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 - Circulation 500 -10,000

Div. 4 - Circulation less than 2,000

Div. 5 - Circulation 2,000 - 5,000 APA holds the right to re-assign a newspaper’s division to insure a fair number of newspapers are distributed in each division.

Div. 3 - Circulation Over 10,000

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 or 800569-8762.

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.

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.

CATEGORY 20 – Automotive Ads

Classified 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.

LOGIN, UPLOAD & SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1 – Acquire your login information from APA. Contact Terri Cobb at Terri@arkansaspress.org.

Step 2 – Login at www.newspapercontest.com/arkansas. You will see a page showing any entries you have already submitted. Complete rules for the contest are available above. Some browsers, such as Safari, will open the rules in a new window; others will require you to download the PDF file to your computer.

Step 3 – Click on the “Add New Entry” link.

Step 4 – On this page, select your newspaper name. A lot of information will autofill. If that information is incorrect, please contact APA. Your division will be selected for you based on your circulation. Fill in the preparer’s name. (The preparer is the person uploading the entry into the online contest platform, not the staffer that will be credited for any award.)

Step 5 – Select the Newspaper Group from the drop-down menu for the contest you are entering. You must select Open, All Daily, All Weekly or Contests By Division.

Step 6 – Select the contest category from the drop-down menu. When you select the category, special instructions will appear below it. If you don’t see the category you’re looking to enter, make sure you’ve selected the correct Newspaper Group (See Step 5). This field will clear each time you save an entry, so you must select a category for each new entry.

Step 7 – Enter the title/cutline for your entry. When uploading full-page PDF files, make sure the entry name matches the headline on the page so the judges can find it easily.

Step 8 – Include the name of the person or people who should be credited for any award. This is generally the writer, photographer, graphic artist, cartoonist, etc.

Step 9 – Add your file or files. You can drag and drop files or use the “Add files” button to navigate your files.

Step 10 – IMPORTANT: When you have completed your submission, click the “Save” button. If you click the “Back to list” button, you will lose the entry you just completed. After clicking “Save,” you will be directed back to the list of your entries.

Step 11 – To submit another entry, click “Add New Entry.” As long as you have not logged out of the system, your newspaper name will still be in place and you can simply start at Step 5 again. You may log out and log back in later to continue adding entries. You will need to select your newspaper name each time you log in.

Step 12 – If you are done submitting entries, please review the list. You may not change an entry, but you may delete an entry and resubmit it. When done uploading all your entries, click the “Billing” button on the last page. This will take you to a page where the entry fees are generated. You may click the PayPal Link to pay by credit card or mail your payment to: APA Contest, 411 S. Victory St. Little Rock AR 72201. Once payment is made, we will mark your newspaper paid and complete.