Arkansas Publisher Weekly: July 21, 2022

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APA member public notice survey to be sent, reply requested

Guest Column: Two advertising goals: Attention and Retention

Arkansas Press Association

Publisher Weekly

By John Foust

Vol.17 | No. 29 | Thursday, July 21, 2022 | Serving Press and State Since 1873

Eddington, Roedel and Rutherford join ANF board The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation Board of Directors welcomed three new members this week: Steve Eddington, Rob Roedel and Skip Rutherford.

Eddington is the vice president of public relations at the Arkansas Farm Bureau, a position he has held since 2003. Eddington also serves on the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees.

A native of Warren, Eddington is a 1984 graduate of Henderson State University with a degree in journalism and earned a masters degree in journalism from the UALittle Rock in 1997.

communications executive at Alltel Corp., Alltel Information Services and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. He is a former sports writer at the Arkansas Democrat and was sports information director at HSU. He is a past president of the HSU Alumni Association.

He and his wife, Vanna McCauley Eddington, have three children: Hannah Lamb, a teacher in Nashville, Tenn.; Sarah, a third-year psychiatry resident at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis; and Sam, a fourth-year pharmacy student at UAMS, as well as two granddaughters.

Prior to joining Arkansas Farm Bureau, Eddington was a corporate

“I am habitually hungry for news and information, particularly local news,” Eddington said. “I have had that affliction

Steve Eddington

Rob Roedel

most of my life. The need, and importance, of objective journalism is critical. I believe the value that people place on journalism, and for those who pursue that ideal, can and will return.

“I hope my experience in corporate communications can bring some helpful and meaningful perspectives to the fundraising efforts of the ANF,” he continued. “My desire is to expand the interest in and impact of the scholarships/ internships offered through the ANF to help create the next wave of reporters and editors who can move the community newspaper industry forward.”

At

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Skip Rutherford

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Eddington, Roedel and Rutherford join ANF board Continued from Page 1

Eddington was appointed as the board secretary.

Roedel is director of corporate communications for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas. A native of Jonesboro, he has worked in the communications and marketing field for 30 years.

After graduating from Arkansas State University in December 1989, Roedel spent many years in the high-tech industry sector where he designed and implemented marketing and communications plans for both publicly traded and privatelyheld technology companies. His work included both domestic and international marketing and communications programs.

He has also worked for a weekly and daily newspaper.

In 2002, Roedel began working for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.

During his tenure with the cooperatives, Roedel has led many comprehensive projects designed to help the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas communicate with approximately 500,000 members. He works extensively on social media and web-based communications, community education and contributes to Arkansas Living magazine, the largest circulation publication in Arkansas. He has been honored by the ASU department of journalism for his contributions to the communications field.

Roedel and his wife Lisa reside in Bryant, where he serves on the Bryant City Council. He and Lisa have four children, Andrew, Jake, Chase and Cayla. Roedel served as a leader in many youth-oriented associations and currently serves on the boards of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation, the Arkansas FFA Foundation, the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame board, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year board, the Arkansas STEM Coalition and the executive committee of the Arkansas State Fair and Livestock Show.

“Journalism and newspapers are crucial to ensuring that our great nation provides an unbiased source of news and information for its citizens,” Roedel said. “Community newspapers play a key role in keeping

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

government in check and ensuring that taxpayers have an advocate. In my opinion, newspapers are like local schools as they are a vital piece of any thriving community.”

“My career began in community journalism and I understand the value that newspapers provide,” he said. “I would like to expand scholarship opportunities for students and assist in ensuring that the journalism/communications field continues to grow and thrive.”

Rutherford is Dean Emeritus of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Rutherford served as Dean from 2006-2021.

Prior to becoming Dean, he coordinated the planning, construction and opening of the Clinton Presidential Library and Park in Little Rock.

Rutherford worked for the Batesville Guard in high school; majored in journalism and edited the Arkansas Traveler at the University of Arkansas where, he said, he was fortunate to work alongside talented individuals like Brenda Blagg, Gerald Jordan and others. He’s now a 50-plusyear mail subscriber of the Batesville Guard and reads several newspapers every day.

A graduate of the University of Arkansas, he is the recipient of the Journalism Department’s first Distinguished Alumnus Award. He has an extensive private sector background in communications and public relations. He has served as a visiting professor at Lyon College, the University of Arkansas, the University of the Ozarks, and the University of Central Arkansas and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Hendrix College.

Rutherford serves on the Board of Trustees at Lyon College, the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) and the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Children’s Hospital System where he promoted statewide children’s health advocacy through the formation of the Natural Wonders Partnership Council which led to the hospital’s Statewide System of

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Care. He was the founding chair of the advisory board of the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts in Hot Springs.

He has been named Headliner of the Year by the Arkansas Press Association; Arkansan of the Year by the Arkansas Broadcasters Association; Arkansan of the Year by the Arkansas Times; and was recognized as Tourism Person of the Year at the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

“I hope I can help the ANF support dailies and weeklies all over the state however and whenever I can,” Rutherford said. “I owe that to newspaper giants like Ernie Deane, J.E. Dunlap, the Jones family in Batesville, Betty and Cone Magie, Charles Sanders, Charlotte and Melvin Schexnayder and many more who inspired me and who gave so much to so many. One immediate goal of mine is to help expand student fellowship opportunities so more individuals can experience working for Arkansas newspapers.”

The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation is the non-profit arm of the Arkansas Press Association. The board is made up of nine members representing different regions of the state.

For more than 20 years, ANF has been providing paid newspaper internships to students at Arkansas colleges and universities and continuing education grants. Funds are raised through golf tournaments, silent auctions, private donations, corporate donations and memorials, as well as support from member newspapers in a wide variety of ways.

The three new members join ANF President Rusty Fraser of Mountain View; Vice President Kim Christ of Little Rock; Jeanette Lightfoot of White Hall; Steven Listopad of Benton; Frank Fellone of Little Rock and Mary Fisher of Danville.

The current board members are serving six-year terms. The ANF bylaws were changed in 2021 to shorten terms. The three new ANF board members will each serve three-year terms.

July 21, 2022

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Rusty Fraser, ANF board president and former APA board president, had a belated celebration of his 80th birthday with fellow board members and APA staff during the ANF board meeting. “I plan to complete my remaining 22 years of service on the ANF board,” joked Fraser. “I’ll only be 102.”

APA was live this afternoon with attorney John Tull of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC for a Freedom of Information Act Refresher and Update webinar.

Media representatives from newspapers, radio and TV outlets from all corners of the state as well as numerous lawyers and private citizens who utilize FOIA attended.

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July 21, 2022

APA member Nominee slate set for the annual public notice APA Board of Directors election survey to be sent, reply requested This is the required notification to membership per the APA bylaws of the nominees to fill vacant seats on the APA Board of Directors.

The nominating committee is comprised of the immediate past president, one sitting APA board member, and two at large members. Those roles were filled this year by Immediate Past President Ellen Kreth, APA Board Member Kelly Freudensprung, Rusty Fraser and Rusty Turner.

The nominees include:

The Arkansas Press Association is sending a survey to members tomorrow regarding public notices.

“Public notices are vital to the newspaper industry and to government transparency,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley. “Information belongs in the hands of the people, and officials of government should never shield the public from this constitutional right. This survey will help us quantify that importance as we prepare for the upcoming legislative session.”

According to a recently conducted Arkansas readership survey, 70% of Arkansas adults read public notices in newspapers, and 65% believe that publishing public notices in newspapers should be required.

APA asks that one employee in a management position at each member newspaper complete the survey. If your company owns more than one publication, please complete the survey for each.

The survey can be accessed here: h t t p s : / / w w w. s u r v e y m o n k e y. c o m / r / ARPublicNotices.

The deadline to complete the survey is July 29, 2022.

• Brent Powers of Fayetteville, president of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette • Wesley Brown of Little Rock, publisher of the The Daily Record • Jeremy Gulban, owner of newspapers in Berryville, Cherokee Village, Corning, Eureka Springs, Flippin, Marshall, Piggott, Pocahontas and Salem.

These three candidates, along with two other board members not currently on the executive committee, will appear on the ballot in APA’s annual election in early August.

This notification opens a one-week window for acceptance of other nominations.

A letter of recommendation from three APA newspapers in good standing is required for an at-large nomination. The newly elected APA board members will assume their respective seats on the board at the conclusion of the election.

Need a press safety vest?

Brightly colored safety vests are available from APA for $20. The safety vests, which are presently in limited supply, are required of journalists working accidents or other incidents on a public roadway.

To obtain a vest, visit our APA online store at this link: https:// arkansaspre ss.site-ym.co m/store/ ViewProduct.aspx?id=5016426

INDUSTRY QUOTE “From journalism I learned to write under pressure, to work with deadlines, to have limited space and time, to conduct and interview, to find information, to research, and above all, to use language as efficiently as possible and to remember always that there is a reader out there.”

Isabel Allende Arkansas Publisher Weekly

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

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

July 21, 2022

CherryRoad, Gulban featured in Medill Report CherryRoad Media and its CEO Jeremy Gulban were recently featured in a story on the rise of large regional newspaper chains.

underserved communities that need local journalism the most are the very places it is most difficult to sustain either print or digital news organizations.”

CherryRoad Media owns eight newspapers in Arkansas: Carroll County News in Berryville, the Lovely County Citizen in Eureka Springs, the News in Salem, the Villager Journal in Cherokee Village, the Clay County Times-Democrat in Piggott, the Mountaineer Echo in Flippin, the Marshall Mountain Wave, the Pocahontas Star Herald and the Clay County Courier in Corning.

Companies looking to purchase newspapers tend to pay more for properties located near each other and near their existing operations. That enables the purchaser to reduce costs by consolidating functions such as printing, design, sales and back-office work.

CherryRoad Media, a subsidiary of CherryRoad Technologies, entered the news industry with the purchase of a Minnesota weekly in late 2020. Since then it has purchased publications in 10 states.

According to the report, Gulban is one of several new “newspaper barons” aggressively buying dailies and weeklies in small and mid-sized markets. In less than a year, with little fanfare, CherryRoad has gone from owning one newspaper to 63 – and counting.

“It was a good time to get into this business. There were some good values to be had,” Gulban said in an interview.

“We’ll definitely look to expand again into the fall. Everything has been going in the right direction, for now.

The U.S. lost 360 newspapers between late 2019 and the end of May 2022. All but 24 of those shuttered papers were weeklies, many in economically struggling markets. Most of the communities they served did not get a replacement in digital or print form.

The U.S. has lost one-fourth of its newspapers since 2005 and could potentially lose one-third by 2025, creating vast areas without local news coverage.

More than 70 million U.S. citizens would be affected by these losses.

CherryRoad is an exception, as it has acquired properties in different areas and makes no pretense of being a genuinely “local” owner. Still, Gulban said, his approach is much more customized than that of Gannett, the previous owner of many papers he bought.

Gulban has added editorial staff where, in some cases, Gannett employed no one in the newspaper’s town. He delegates news-coverage decisions to locally based editors, he said, and lets each newspaper experiment with its look and feel. “With Gannett, the papers were made to look like USA Today. Everything was one size fits all,” Gulban said. “Now we’re getting people to cover local news, versus stuffing it with national news.”

The response, Gulban said, has been positive. “Across the board, we’re viewed skeptically at first. We’ve had to prove we’re going to add local coverage [and] invest in staff,” he said. “The era of the independent local owner is going to be very challenging to maintain going forward, and an organization that allows things to be run locally, even if as an organization we’re not based locally, that’s probably the best solution.”

The new entrants bring new strategies, as well as funding. Gulban said he used cash on hand to make his company’s purchases, a plus given how the industry’s troubled

Jeremy Gulban

economics can make banks reluctant to finance newspaper acquisitions.

CherryRoad can run its newspaper operations at a relatively low profit margin, Gulban explained, then supplement the traditional media business by offering technology services in its new markets – designing, launching and hosting websites, for instance. “I think we can get a steady 10 percent margin, and then drive other revenue at a higher margin out of it,” Gulban said.

The company also is moving to cheaper locations when leases end and considering other revenue-building options such as publishing visitor guides, and hosting bestof or local-sports-award events. “There’s a lot of potential there,” Gulban said.

Read the more at about large regional chains from the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University: https:// localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/ posts/2022/07/13/barons-state-of-localnews/

“This is a nation increasingly divided journalistically between those who live and work in communities where there is an abundance of local news and those who don’t,” said Penelope Abernathy, visiting professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications and the primary author of the State of Local News 2022 Report. “Invariably, the economically struggling, traditionally

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July 21, 2022

One-Day Law School for Journalists to be held Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts will hold its annual One-Day Law School for Journalists on Tuesday, July 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This virtual program is designed to support journalists who face the challenge of covering the courts without a law degree. The program is national and open to any journalist in any state.

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One-Day Law School for Journalists

July 26, 2022 | 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Virtual Learn everything you need to know to cover the courts.

8:35 - 9:00 AM

A Conversation with Hon. Mark A. Kearney on the Federal Judicial Process

The topics of this year’s presentations are: • A Conversation on the Federal Judicial Process • Understanding & Covering Criminal Litigation 101

9:00 - 9:55 AM

• Understanding & Covering Civil Litigatin 101

David Sonenshein Professor Emeritus, Temple University Beasley School of Law

• Right to Know & Open Records • Access to Information & the Impact of Disinformation on the Public’s Confidence in Our Courts

10:55 - 11:40 AM

Understanding & Covering Criminal Litigation 101

10:05 - 10:55 AM

Understanding & Covering Civil Litigation 101

There is no cost to attend the program, but attendees must register in advance in order to receive the information needed to access the Zoom program.

Attendees must register at this link, https:// www.pmconline.org/events.

Deborah Gross President & CEO, Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts

Right to Know & Open Records

Paula Knudsen Burke Melissa Melewsky Local Legal Initiative Staff Media Law Counsel, PA Attorney, Reporters Committee for NewsMedia Association Freedom of the Press

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM Access to Information & the Impact of Disinformation on the Public's Confidence in Our Courts

David Bodney Senior Counsel, Ballard Spahr LLP

Hon. Peter Swann Arizona Court of Appeals

Register at www.pmconline.org/events

For additional information about the program, please contact program director Kathleen Moyer at https://www.pmconline. org.

ARKANSAS NEWSPAPER CONNECTION

NEWS NEWS

Are you hiring? Let us know!

The Arkansas Newspaper Connection is a weekly newsletter published by APA connecting freelance and independent writers, editors, photographers and designers with Arkansas newspapers in need. The publication also lists available job openings and other opportunities at Arkansas newspapers and associate member organizations.

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July 21, 2022

Eagle Democrat New advertiser-ready content package in Warren debuts available from America’s Newspapers Newspapers has partnered with The July release focuses on home revamped website America’s Content That Works to provide members improvement and remodeling. Topics The Eagle Democrat in Warren launched a new website this month. The website includes breaking news, top stories, full issues and other dynamic content.

“Since purchasing The Eagle Democrat in April, we had only made a few minor changes in the publication,” said Publisher Tom White. “That changed last month with the launch of this website. We chose the Creative Circle platform for Monticello and Warren and just had a successful sales effort for both sites. I couldn’t be more pleased with the acceptance by the readers and the advertisers.”

advertiser-ready content packages in their markets. Each month, starting in July, there will be a new content package delivered on a highly relevant and sellable topic.

These content packages, produced by professional journalists, are new with each release. Newspapers can customize the content for feature content in ROP print, digital or as a standalone section.

Newspapers can also run the content all at once or over several weeks.

Visit the new site at theeagledemocrat. com.

include: Mapping out your renovation plans, today’s top tile styles, staying on budget during your remodel, and more

Each content package starts at $110, tiered by circulation size.

For more information, visit: https:// americasnewspapers.myshopify.com or contact Greg Watson, chief marketing officer with America’s Newspapers, at gwatson@newspapers.org.

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Guest Column: Two advertising goals: Attention and Retention

By John Foust As mentioned in previous articles, there are two types of advertising: image and response. Image advertising – sometimes known as institutional advertising – is designed to give people a good impression of the advertiser. (“We’re the dealership that cares.”) The objective of response advertising is to generate immediate response to a specific offer. (“Take advantage of these special discounts.”)

These two ad types have something in common. Each one – whether image or response – should strive for attention and retention. In other words, the ad has to grab attention from the outset, then make the message memorable enough to stay in readers’ minds. It’s not an easy task, but it’s necessary for the ad to have any chance of success.

Because we are bombarded with thousands of commercial messages every day – and because we can’t possibly notice or remember everything we see – we are instinctively selective. A number of factors influence attention and retention, including eye-catching illustrations, legible typography, uncluttered ad designs, plenty of white space, and reader-centered headlines. But the biggest factor is relevance. If an ad doesn’t communicate

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

instant relevance, it will fail the attention test. And if it doesn’t leave the reader with a sense of relevance, it is not likely to be retained.

Let’s say you run across an ad that attracts your eye, because it features a large, detailed photo of a new widget.

The headline is a simple statement of the major benefit of owning this new model.

The layout follows the rules of simple, easy-to-follow graphic design. As a result, you stop browsing through other ads long enough to read the copy, which is refreshingly free of exaggeration. You have owned a couple of widgets in the past, and now that you think about it, this might be a good time to consider a new one. This particular store looks like a good place to shop for one.

What just happened? In a matter of seconds, you made the jump from surfacelevel appeal (being attracted by the looks of the ad) to a deeper level (seeing the personal relevance of the product). In other words, the widget ad has won your favorable attention.

What about retention? What would compel you to remember the widget and the store where it can be purchased? There are two

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primary elements: relevance (again) and repetition.

Relevance plus repetition equals retention.

We remember the products which fill a specific need – or offer a solution to a problem we have. And we remember the things which we see and hear repeatedly.

How did you learn the multiplication tables? (By reviewing them over and over.) How did you learn the lyrics to so many rock ‘n’ roll songs? (By hearing them – and singing along – countless times.)

What does all of this mean? Attention is important, for certain, but it is only the first of two goals. In order for an ad’s core message to work, it must also be retained.

Put these two together – and you have a winner. (c) 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

July 21, 2022