Arkansas Publisher Weekly: June 4, 2020

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APA condemns detentions, violence against reporters

Guest Column:

Advertising is a problem-solving business

Arkansas Press Association

Publisher Weekly

By John Foust

Vol. 15 | No. 23 | Thursday, June 4, 2020 | Serving Press and State Since 1873

Vandals hit Arkansas Press Association building The Arkansas Press Association building, just one block east of the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock, was a target of vandals this week following multiple nights of demonstrations in the area.

Demonstrators, almost all of them peaceful, have congregated at the Capitol each night since Saturday to memorialize George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pinned Floyd’s neck with his knee for more than eight minutes. The protests are also intended to raise awareness of social injustice and police brutality.

The damage to the APA building was caused by a few rogue, unidentified vandals after law enforcement used tear gas to disperse demonstrators late into the protests and after Little Rock’s curfew.

The Little Rock Police Department is investigating the vandalism.

The APA issued this statement first night of vandalism: The Arkansas Press Association building stands in the shadow of the State Capitol in Little Rock as a reminder to our government leaders to recognize the necessity and importance of a free press.

Unfortunately, because of our proximity to the Capitol, the building’s windows were damaged by a rogue, violent protester late Sunday.

Windows can easily be replaced, and they will be. However, there’s no replacement for the vital role played by newspapers in our democracy. The APA is proud to be located near the Capitol as a testament to the First Amendment advocacy of our association and its newspapers.

The APA stands with demonstrators who have peacefully assembled at the Capitol, exercising their constitutional rights, and

we applaud the journalists documenting this momentous time in our history. For decades, Arkansas journalists have conscientiously reported on issues of civil rights and social justice.

In all, vandals shattered nearly 20 windows with rocks and bricks and spraypainted graffiti on part of the building. As a precaution against further damage, the

APA has covered all lower-level windows and its front doors with boards.

The APA offices have been closed to the public since the onset of the coronavirus epidemic, and the office will remain closed for the immediate future. APA employees are working remotely and may still be reached by telephone at (501) 374-1500 or by email.

APA condemns detentions, violence against reporters A reporter for the Arkansas DemocratGazette and two journalists with KATV television in Little Rock were briefly detained by law enforcement officers on Tuesday, June 2, while covering ongoing demonstrations in Little Rock.

Video of the incidents show one police officer telling KATV reporters and others detained that they would be charged with violating curfew, trespassing or “whatever else they can think of.” The reporters were detained for about 10 minutes on a pedestrian bridge near the Arkansas River before being let go. This came a night after Tony Holt, a Democrat-Gazette reporter, was attacked by rioters and suffered a broken nose and lacerations to his face.

APA Executive Director Ashley Wimberley commended journalists like Holt and others who are risking their own

safety to inform the public, and the APA in a statement on social media asked elected officials to ensure that no other reporters are detained or arrested while on the job.

The statement:

“Working, credentialed journalists have been detained and threatened with arrest while attempting to lawfully report on (the) protests. The APA condemns these actions and calls on authorities to put a stop to these dangerous tactics that undermine the freedom of the press.

Prior to the incidents in Arkansas, the National Newspaper Association, News Media Alliance and America’s Newspapers issued a rare, joint statement in which they applauded journalists who are playing an important role in informing their communities and helping to keep readers

safe. They demanded law enforcement provide reporters “with the necessary protection in order to remain safe to do their jobs, as members of the press – the rights of which are guaranteed under the First Amendment.”

The statement continued: “We stand behind (journalists) and support their right to a free press as granted under the First Amendment. We call on local law enforcement and government officials to recognize the importance of their role and ensure their safety during these dangerous and unpredictable events.”

APA members with questions about reporter safety during protests, or who are seeking legal assistance, are encouraged to call (501) 374-1500 or email Wimberley at ashley@arkansaspress.org.

Safety vests, press credentials available to APA members Arkansas Press Association member newspapers are reminded that the APA offers safety vests, press cards and window decals. These items are often necessary to accurately identify working journalists at accident or crime scenes or during demonstrations.

The press ID cards and decals are intended for member newspaper publishers, editors, reporters and photographers.

While the decals and cards do not offer a guarantee of privileges or protections, they are a key way to signify to officials and others that the cardholder or driver is a member of the press.

Decals and press ID cards are free to APA members. The brightly colored safety vests are labeled “PRESS” and are available for $20 each.

“At a time when reporters across the country and even here in Arkansas are being wrongfully detained and required

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Arkansas Press Association

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by law enforcement officers to produce credentials, we want to remind APA members of the availability of these items,” said Ashley Wimberley, APA executive director. “While the vests are typically intended to keep reporters safe at accident scenes, publishers and editors may also choose to use them to easily

identify journalists covering other events.”

INDUSTRY QUOTE

LET’S GET SOCIAL

“I became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart of the world.”

-Henry Luce

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

To purchase vests, visit https://www. arkansaspress.org/store/ListProducts. aspx?catid=411450

Follow us on Facebook & Twitter

@ArkansasPressAssociation

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@ARPressAssoc

June 4, 2020

What journalists should know about covering protests With APA member newspapers across the state covering demonstrations this week, publishers, editors, reporters and photographers may be rightly concerned about what they can and can’t do during a protest.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Michigan Press Association recently prepared an FAQ document on journalists’ rights at demonstrations. Here it is: Q) Do journalists have a First Amendment right to cover protests?

Yes, but with some limitations. Members of the media are subject to the same general laws as all citizens and do not have a special right of access. However, police may not arrest a reporter or deny access simply in retaliation for negative news coverage or prevent a reporter from covering a public demonstration.

Q) Do journalists have a First Amendment right to record the police?

Most courts recognize a First Amendment right to record the public activities of law enforcement, but the issue is not settled in all jurisdictions. Most states prohibit the recording of a private conversation without the consent of at least one party – Arkansas is a one-party consent state.

But to reduce legal risks, journalists are encouraged to clearly identify themselves as members of the press, record from safe distances and remain open and transparent about recording.

Q) Can please search and seize a journalist’s equipment?

Police can detain someone if they have reasonable suspicion to believe the

KNOW

YOUR RIGHTS person is engaged in criminal activity and may frisk or pat down someone if they believe the person is armed and dangerous. If police believe someone is committing a crime, they can arrest that person. During an arrest, police can search and seize personal property within a person’s immediate vicinity. Police cannot search the contents of a cell phone without a warrant but can still seize it during an arrest and secure it while a warrant is pending.

The government is prohibited from searching or seizing work product or documents if the journalist intends to disseminate materials to the public and is not engaged in any criminal activity related to the materials.

Journalists may consider using live streaming platforms, minimizing how much data is kept on a device and demanding a court order for any password requests. Journalists may refuse consent to searches while remaining respectful.

Q) Can journalists resist police orders?

Possibly, though it is not recommended.

Doing so could put a journalist at risk of arrest for crimes such as failure to obey, failure to disperse, obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct. Journalists should comply with requests from law enforcement but can calmly discuss their rights if they believe a request violates those rights. Journalists should remain respectful when interacting with police and avoid acting in a manner that incites violence, creates danger or interferes with law enforcement.

Q) What steps can reporters take to avoid arrest?

Identify themselves as members of the press, be aware of what is happening in their surroundings during the event being covered and avoid breaking the law.

The Reporters Committee has a tip sheet for covering protests. To access it, visit https://mcusercontent. com/46144b94a2f0475371d563ac8/files/ f4aa6364-15ab-45d2-9dc8-183f3cf3458f/ RCFP_Protest_Tip_Sheet.pdf

PPP Flexibility Act easily sails through House Legislation to give newspapers more flexibility in how they spend money from federal Paycheck Protection Program loans easily cleared the U.S. House of Representatives last week. The bill passed the Senate with no dissension on Wednesday

According to the National Newspaper Association, HR 7010 would give businesses 24 weeks from receipt of the loan to spend the money instead of the eight weeks set under current law. In addition, up to 40 percent of PPP funds could be spent on nonpayroll expenses Arkansas Publisher Weekly

like rent, mortgage interest and utilities.

In a statement, NNA President Matt Adelman said: “These funds have been indispensable for many locally-owned newspapers that have been doing their best to keep publishing under extremely trying circumstances. Congress pushed funds out the door without having a full picture of the need. Now that we see what is ahead of us, we look forward to continuing to work on support for local newspapers.”

The Arkansas Press Association and Arkansas Broadcasters Association, along 3

with trade groups based in Washington, D.C., continue to push efforts to ease affiliation rules for PPP loan eligibility.

Currently, newspapers with fewer than 1,000 employees are eligible for PPP funding but local newspapers owned by corporations with more than 1,000 employees are ineligible. Many corporateowned media outlets are independently managed in their local communities, though. The change to affiliation rules would permit PPP funding for those outlets that are managed locally but under group ownership.

June 4, 2020

Newspaper competitor okay with going it alone After a day to consider an offer from another publication in the Foxcroft neighborhood in Little Rock, Olive Wingfield last week rebuffed a request to merge her operations with a competitor a couple streets over.

potential Neighborhood News co-founder so that she could create her own brand.

Olive founded her Neighborhood News publication about the same time as the other newspaper. Both publications have been a delight to neighborhood subscribers and fans of the weather, birthday lists and other features of the weekly products.

Concerned about market share and advertising revenue, the 8- and 9-year-old operators of Foxcroft Newspaper proposed that Olive join forces with them because they viewed themselves as a “bigger business” with an advantage.

“I just want to do it alone,” Olive said. “I can just do whatever I want to do and not have to say ‘Well, why don’t we do this?’ and then we have to argue for a long time and no one would do anything!”

The business-savvy Olive even rebuffed a

Olive does accept donations, though. She’s been promised $5 by “neighbor Joe.” Neighborhood News’s circulation is 30, compared to Foxcroft Newspaper’s 50 copies, but there’s no suggestion Olive is concerned about the disparity. She’s more concerned about her delivery methods, using a cupholder on her bicycle rather than a bag because bags “flap around everywhere.”

Olive, a fourth grader at Holy Souls Elementary School in Little Rock, turned back the offer to join forces with the five-person staff at the Foxcroft Newspaper.

However, Olive adamantly opposes a merger with a company she doesn’t know – though they live in the same neighborhood, Olive and the business opposition have never met.

She’d rather produce her newspaper independently.

color, and there’s no subscription charge.

Frankly, she’s not really all that worried about the future of her business venture. She’s noncommittal about whether there will even be another edition.

“It’s just for something to do. I don’t have anything else to do at night because I have to go inside,” she said.

“My friend Olivia and I were riding our bikes together and talked about it. She left to go somewhere so I did it when she was gone,” Olive said.

Neighborhood News and Foxcroft Newspaper have differing business models as well. Foxcroft Newspaper is two- to three pages every week and charges a 50-cent per copy subscription fee. Olive’s newspaper is one-page, with

Initially, Olive and Olivia intended to operate a lemonade stand. Parents shut down that potential enterprise because of concerns about the COVID-19 epidemic.

Newspapering was their second choice, potentially because it gives Olive a reason to stay up late.

“She doesn’t have a bedtime as long as she’s creating,” said Olive’s mother, Jill. “A couple nights, I’ve seen her light on, and when we wake up there’s a new newsletter! Out of boredom comes creativity.”

Local Media Association launches new grant program resources are scarce.”

The Local Media Association this week launched a program intended to direct microgrants to assist news organizations in their investigative reporting coverage.

The LMA and Local Media Foundation expect to distribute $10 million over three years from its Fund for Local Journalism. The money will be awarded to defray costs of 1,000 investigative reporting projects in North America.

“Today, reporters are stretched thin covering the death of George Floyd and Arkansas Publisher Weekly

According to Lane, the Fund will offer assistance to news outlets to “support timely investigative reporting topics that educate the public on important issues.”

the resulting protests as well as the impact of COVID-19 on local communities,” said Nancy Lane, CEO of the Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation.

“Both issues require a deeper dive with a solutions-journalism focus at a time when 4

All local media organizations are eligible for funding and grants will be awarded by a committee of journalists and academics.

For more information, visit https:// www.localmedia.org/the-fund-for-localjournalism/ June 4, 2020

Guest Column: Advertising is a problem-solving business

By John Foust When I heard the doorbell ring that Saturday afternoon, I did something I had never done before. I bought something from a door-to-door salesperson.

It was a pest control representative who was canvassing the neighborhood for new business. The logo on his bright green golf shirt matched his truck in the driveway.

He introduced himself and said, “I see you have a vole problem. Have you tried anything?”

“How do you know there’s a vole problem?”

I asked.

“When I got out of the truck, I noticed the spongy ground next to the driveway.

That’s an obvious sign.”

In just a few seconds, he had identified a problem. Obviously, he knew what he was doing. “You’re right,” I said. “We’ve had voles in our yard for several years.

A company has been working on the problem, but that doesn’t seem to be helping.”

Voles are small mole-like rodents that burrow underground and feast on the bulbs and roots of plants. The ground in an infested area is spongy, because their tunnels are close to the surface. A mating pair can produce up to 100 voles in a year.

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

In other words, if voles settle in your yard, you’ll have a lot of them in a short period of time.

That salesperson caught me at the right time to make a sale, because he was observant. He knew without a doubt that there was a problem that needed to be solved. He said his company had a special treatment which was proven to have impressive results. I agreed to let them give it a try. Within a few weeks after their first treatment, we could tell a difference. Although the treatments haven’t eliminated the problem completely (can anything do that?), it has dramatically reduced the infestation.

His approach illustrated the importance of being observant. His company’s customer database probably revealed information about neighborhoods with vole problems.

And he looked for symptoms when he pulled into the driveway.

Although selling advertising is not quite like selling pest control services, there are a number of things to observe before approaching an advertising prospect.

Here are a few examples: 1. History. What promotions has your prospect run in past years? What were the results? What lessons can be learned?

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2. Time of year. Is there a prime buying season for the widgets your prospect sells?

People usually don’t buy lawnmowers in the winter or snowblowers in the summer.

3. News stories. Have they announced the addition of a new product line? Is there going to be a grand opening of a new location? Has there been an ownership change?

4. Ads in other media. Are they running ads in other advertising outlets? That’s a clear sign that they have a marketing budget and may be open to other ideas.

5. Competitors. What products and services are currently being promoted by their competitors? They’re running those ads now for a reason. Maybe you could follow their example.

Who knows? One of these ideas might ring a bell. (c) Copyright 2020 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

June 4, 2020