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Arkansas Advocate launches Tuesday
Guest Column: Real stuff matters By Travis Simpson
Arkansas Press Association
Publisher Weekly Vol.17 | No. 32 | Thursday, August 11, 2022 | Serving Press and State Since 1873
Registration open for APA webinar to deliver research findings on new community newspaper business model The way many newspapers do business has remained largely unchanged since the first penny press newspaper was founded in 1833. But Dr. Teri Finneman, associate professor in the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas, has been doing research into how rural weekly newspapers can change their business model to not only survive, but thrive. APA is hosting a live webinar, “Redefining Your Newspaper Business Model”, with Finneman and Joey Young, owner of Kansas Publishing Ventures, on Thursday, August 25 at 1 p.m. Register at arkansaspress.org/events. The cost is $20 for APA members and $30 for non-members. Finneman is finishing an 18-month research project to test a new model based on data collected from rural publishers and readers to help weekly newspapers adapt, survive and thrive. This webinar will review what publishers and readers had to say, as well as hear from the weekly newspaper publisher piloting the proposed memberships, e-newsletters and events model over the next year to see how it works. The research study is in collaboration with the University of Kansas, the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Minnesota. Funding and support has Continued on Page 2
Teri Finneman
APA public notice survey extended through tomorrow APA has extended the deadline for the member public notice survey through tomorrow, August 12.
All data collected will be used to support APA’s efforts to keep public notices in our print editions. Data collected will be only used in aggregate, and no identifying information will be disclosed. All individual data will be destroyed after aggregation. “It’s imperative we hear from all of our member newspapers,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley. “Public notices are vital for public awareness of government activities. We
know from readership studies that the public want those notices in newspapers.” 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. APA staff will also be reaching out to members who have not yet completed the survey.
The survey can be accessed here: https:// w w w . s u r v e y m o n k e y. com/r/ARPublicNotices.