Arkansas Publisher Weekly: October 6, 2022

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Saturday, Oct. 8 is International Newspaper Carrier Day

Guest Editorial: Saving local newspapers, our unsung heroes

Arkansas Press Association

Publisher Weekly

By Pam Lowe

Vol.17 | No. 40 | Thursday, October 6, 2022 | Serving Press and State Since 1873

Filmmaker brothers Craig, Brent Renaud to receive Distinguished Service Awards at the upcoming Arkansas Press Freedom Gala Award-winning documentarian Craig Renaud has traveled to multiple countries over the course of his career so far, but will return to his hometown of Little Rock this month as he is presented with APA’s Distinguished Service Award on Oct. 20 at the Arkansas Press Freedom Gala. His late brother, documentarian Brent Renaud, will be presented with a Distinguished Service Award posthumously.

Brent was shooting footage of refugees of war earlier this year in Ukraine when he was killed, becoming the first American journalist to die covering the invasion.

“I’m extremely grateful and honored to be accepting this award for myself and on Brent’s behalf,” Craig said. “It is especially meaningful to be honored by our home state among such distinguished company.”

Early influences The brothers’ thirst for adventure and travel began at a young age.

“As bored kids on hot summer days in Arkansas, Brent and I used to let our dog Rachel loose so that we could follow her into the woods and down to the railroad tracks that run parallel to the Arkansas River,” said Craig. “We figured that if we got lost, Rachel could sniff her way home. That actually happened on several occasions, but we always managed to get home by dark.”

Their parents both worked full time, so the brothers, as “latch-key kids”, were mostly free to roam. “We would play out all kinds of adventures along those railroad tracks,” Craig remembered. “We were inspired by the movies of our childhood such as ‘Stand By Me’, ‘Indiana Jones,’ and a 1970’s documentary series called ‘Ring of Fire’ in which brother filmmakers search for lost cultures in Indonesia.”

After graduating from Hall High School in Little Rock, Craig, the younger of the two, attended the University of Oregon. “After taking one business class during my first semester, I quickly figured out that having a safe and practical career path wasn’t going to work for me,” he said. “An anthropology and Spanish major seemed like a path to travel the world.”

Continued on Page 2

Documentarians Craig Renaud and Brent Renaud

Filmmaker brothers Craig, Brent Renaud to receive Distinguished Service Awards at the upcoming Arkansas Press Freedom Gala Continued from Page 1

the kind of mentor who would throw you into the water and see if you could swim.

I remember the first shoot he sent me on so vividly. He gave me very little notice, and informed me that he needed me to film a Latin Kings national gang rally for an HBO documentary he was making about King Tone, the leader of the Latin Kings.

Jon would have to tell you if my footage was any good, but I passed his first test of showing up.”

The brothers were in the process of directing and filming their first documentary for HBO, “Dope Sick Love,” when the 9/11 attacks happened. Alpert traveled overseas to document the ensuing conflict in Afghanistan, and Brent went along to help.

Brent Renaud on location.

Craig got his chance to travel during his junior year through a study abroad program in Mexico. He was not ready to leave Mexico when the program ended, so he decided to roam through Central America with a backpack.

“Zapatista rebels had just stormed the capital of Chiapas when I reached the southern border,” Craig recalls. “I realized I had not checked in with my parents lately. I called my mom from a pay phone and was surprised to hear her panic and concern about me ‘being missing.’ It turned out she had already been talking to the U.S. Embassy and authorities and had prepared a milk carton-style missing person photo of me. At the time, I felt her reaction was overblown, despite the military tanks in the streets behind me.”

Undeterred, Craig continued south by bus through Guatemala and Honduras and had his first experience of having a gun held to his head atop the Mayan pyramids in Tikal.

“My travels eventually took me to the jungles of Costa Rica, where I lived and worked with an indigenous group called the Bribri,” he said. “I celebrated my 21st birthday there, and almost lost my hand to an infection caused by a scorpion sting.

When it was time to return to Oregon for my senior year, I was upset with myself for not thinking to document my adventures with a camera.”

Meanwhile, Brent was living in New York

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

City and pursuing a master’s degree in sociology at the Teachers College at Columbia University. He saw one of famed documentarian Jon Alpert’s films in class, and was so inspired that he showed up at Alpert’s Downtown Community Television Center to apply for an internship.

“Brent had been interning with Jon at DCTV for about six months when one day I called him from a library pay phone,” Craig said. “I caught him up on my adventures in Mexico and Central America, and told him that I was thinking more about documentary filmmaking as a career path.

I had no idea that he was already on that same path with DCTV.” Craig moved to Brent’s New York apartment and slept on the couch. Brent asked his brother to join him in the internship at DCTV, and Craig’s anthropology department agreed to grant him credits for the experience.

“Those early days at DCTV were really special,” Craig said. “Many of the other interns came and went, but Brent and I had found our creative home. Eventually we became Jon’s editors, then started filming with him in the field.”

Becoming documentarians As neither brother went to film school, they learned the art of documentary filmmaking in Alpert’s edit room and out in the field under his tutelage. “Jon was

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“Jon had covered many war zones throughout his long career, and asked us if we felt ready to go to conflict zones as the war in Afghanistan began,” Craig said.

“Only one of us could go on the first trip, which was a bummer for me, but the older brother always wins.”

Brent helped Alpert film “Afghanistan: Ground Zero to Ground Zero,” while Craig stayed stateside and worked as an editor.

At the same time, Alpert was planning a project in Iraq, as war there seemed inevitable. During the first Gulf War, Alpert had interviewed Saddam Hussein and still had the connections to get access to film in Baghdad.

“In the weeks leading up to the Iraq War we filmed with a group of Iraqi teenagers, which became ‘Bridge to Baghdad,’ my first film credit,” Craig said. “For me it was a transformative experience, working alongside Jon, who is one of the best war zone filmmakers of our time, and my brother. The fear of being in a war zone lasted just a few hours, then the realization set in of how meaningful the opportunity was.”

From their experience with Alpert, the Renauds learned to produce their own films and news stories with a cinema vertė approach so as to convey candid realism.

“Both our grandmother and mother were social workers, and we grew up being taught empathy and the importance of helping others,” he continued. “What better way to fulfill that mission than with Continued on Page 3

October 6, 2022

Filmmaker brothers Craig, Brent Renaud to receive Distinguished Service Awards at the upcoming Arkansas Press Freedom Gala Continued from Page 2

a camera and telling a story that had the potential to reach millions of people as a war loomed? Jon not only showed us how to navigate and survive dangerous places, he taught us how to intimately capture a story without letting the filmmaker’s point of view dominate.”

“Off to War,” which documented an Arkansas National Guard unit that went to Iraq in April 2004, followed.

“When we returned from Iraq after making ‘Bridge to Baghdad,’ I was at the wedding of my childhood friend, and his father, Neil Bryant, pulled me aside,” Craig said.

“Neil was a former colonel in the Arkansas National Guard, and he whispered to me that the 39th Brigade was about to be deployed to Iraq. It was the largest deployment of National Guard soldiers since the Korean War. The next week Neil introduced me to General Ron Chastain, who was leading the 39th, and that’s how we got access for ‘Off to War.’ “When we filmed ‘Off to War’ we went to great lengths to make sure that the series simply documented the historic deployment of the Arkansas National Guard without a point of view about the war,” Craig continued. “Anything we filmed with soldiers was in real time in Iraq, and we did not add any narration in the edit room. The series received critical

praise from networks across the political spectrum, which we were proud of.”

Once they started traveling and filming together, Craig said it was incredible to have his brother there with him. “The things we would see in places such as Iraq, Mexico and Haiti were sometimes not easy to handle, but Brent was incredibly calm even under fire, which put me at ease. Even when we had disagreements, which of course brothers always do, we were always on the same page creatively.”

The Renaud brothers went on to co-found 501 Films, the Little Rock Film Festival and the Arkansas Motion Picture Institute, and made films for HBO, NBC, Discovery, PBS, The New York Times, VICE News and others. “Last Chance High,” an eightpart series for VICE following students at the Moses Montefiore Academy for atrisk youth on Chicago’s West Side, won a Peabody Award, the most prestigious prize filmmakers can achieve.

The brothers chose their documentary projects largely on topics where they had unique access to interesting people or a moment in history. They would also go to places where they felt they could dig deeper than the news headlines.

“In Chicago, we wanted to tell the untold personal stories of teenagers being

impacted by violence and mental health challenges,” said Craig. “In Juarez, we wanted to show the human toll of the drug war. We were filming in Haiti before the earthquake, and returned to show how the devastation impacted children.”

Into the future Craig’s current project is a documentary series for Arkansas PBS called “Southern Storytellers.” The three-episode series, focusing on the region’s most compelling and influential creators, will air next summer.

“I’m also currently working on a documentary about Brent’s career and last assignment,” he said. “It will undoubtedly be the hardest and most important film I’ve ever made.”

The Brent Renaud Journalism Foundation was founded following his death, with the mission of creating and supporting a community of journalists which can continue the journalistic storytelling Brent was killed while trying to capture.

“Brent died in Ukraine trying to reach fleeing refugees so he could document their story in real time,” said Craig. “Now that he is gone, I’ll forever cherish those moments working alongside my brother.”

Brent Renaud takes a moment to show his equipment to young observers.

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October 6, 2022

Saturday, Oct. 8 is International Newspaper Carrier Day As National Newspaper Week 2022 comes to a close, the newspaper industry worldwide also celebrates our newspaper carriers with the annual observance of International Newspaper Carrier Day. This year International Newspaper Carrier Day is Saturday, Oct. 8.

Whether it be the traditional independent contractor or the U.S. Postal Service delivering the printed news, newspaper carriers are a critical link between the publication and its readership.

Their value cannot be understated, since they are the individuals connecting readers with a trusted source of news in their own communities.

“Every year we celebrate the carriers that bring the news of the day to doorsteps and mailboxes across the state,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley. “Newspapers are the lifeblood of our communities, and carriers are a vital part of the process.”

International Newspaper Carrier Day is sponsored by the News Media Alliance, which has created free-to-use promotional advertising for newspapers. The salute to newspaper carriers offer thanks to them for “continuing to play a critical role in providing Americans with a trusted source of reliable news coverage of the issues impacting our community and nation.”

To download the ads, visit https://www.newsmediaalliance.org/ international-newspaper-carrier-day-ad/.

For advertising, cartoons, editorials and more on National Newspaper Week, visit https://www.nationalnewspaperweek. com.

2022 ArkLaMiss returns in-person; registration now open Registration is now open for the 2022 ArkLaMiss Audience Development Conference on Nov. 17-18 at the Ameristar Hotel and Casino in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

The conference, co-hosted by APA and the Mississippi Press Association and open circulation and audience development professionals nationwide, will be held in person since for the first time 2019.

ArkLaMiss

Bill Ostendorf of Creative Circle Media Solutions, a leading firm that helps community publications increase readership and revenue, will lead two sessions on audience retention and what the pandemic taught us about content.

The conference also will include a roundtable for newspaper managers to discuss common challenges and creative solutions. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to submit their best ideas to the Hot Ideas Exchange for a chance to win a cash prize.

The 2022 ArkLaMiss Conference brochure with the complete agenda is included in this issue ofArkansas Publisher Weekly.

Find registration and hotel information at arklamissconference.com.

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

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October 6, 2022

Documentary featuring Times publisher Leveritt premieres “Boycott,” a new documentary by filmmaker Julia Bacha, will make its Arkansas premiere at the 31st Annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival at the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa in Hot Springs on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.

The documentary, described as “a timely reminder of the far-reaching personal and professional implications of laws enacted at the local level that seek to limit free speech,” tells the stories of three individuals and organizations who challenged legislation to restrict political boycotts of Israel. Arkansas Times publisher Alan Leveritt is one of them.

Leveritt launched one of the first lawsuits challenging the anti-boycott laws.

In an op-ed published in the New York Times in November of last year, he wrote, “Though boycotting Israel could not have been further from our minds and though state funding is a significant source of our income, our answer was no. We don’t take political positions in return for advertising. If we signed the pledge, I believe, we’d be signing away our right to freedom of conscience. And as journalists, we would be unworthy of the protections granted us under the First Amendment. And so, instead of signing, we sued to overturn the law.”

Leveritt and Bacha will hold a question-and-answer session following the film. To purchase tickets or learn more about the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, visit https://hsdff2022.eventive.org/welcome.

ARKANSAS PRESS CELEBRATING SUPPORTERS OF DEMOCRACY

arkansaspress.org/events

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October 6, 2022

APA seeks information on industry deaths One of the goals of Arkansas Publisher Weekly is to be a repository for historical information and important events within the Arkansas newspaper industry. As such, the Arkansas Press Association often relies on members to let the association know about job transitions, newspaper updates and, importantly, deaths within the industry.

APA works throughout the year to chronicle and publish obituaries in Arkansas Publisher Weekly, but it’s possible that some have been missed. The association asks readers to submit names of any individual whose obituary may have been inadvertently omitted.

Readers who are aware of someone who has passed away and had connections to the Arkansas newspaper industry should email APA at info@arkansaspress.org.

ARKANSAS PRESS ASSOCIATION

THROWBACK THURSDAY Revisiting the 1930 State Fair The 2022 Arkansas State Fair is coming October 14-23 and will be bursting with exciting rides, exotic foods, beautiful animals, impossible games and so much more.

Ninety-two years ago that same description would be mostly appropriate. Of course there were more wagon and animal rides back then, and fewer mechanical rides. The fair also prided itself on the shows.

According to Arkansas Publisher archives, the 1930 fair ran Oct. 6 - 11, with the opening day named as Press Day. Round-trip rail fares to the fair were only a “Cent-a-Mile” each way, and the advertisement made sure to let everyone know the highways were in “excellent condition.”

INDUSTRY QUOTE “I have no idea who coined the term ‘the New Journalism,’ or when it was coined. I have never even liked the term.

Any movement, group, party, program, philosophy or theory that goes under a name with ‘new’ in it is just begging for trouble, of course.”

—Tom Wolfe

Celebrate

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER WEEK OCT. 2-8

#newspaperpower

For free resources to promote your newspaper throughout the week, visit nationalnewspaperweek.com.

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October 6, 2022

InDesign Basics webinar hosted by Slimp October 14 Newspaper Academy director and design expert Kevin Slimp is hosting a live webinar on InDesign Basics on Oct. 14.

“Learning and Relearning Many of the InDesign Tools,” runs from 10 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. CST. Slimp worked with the team at Adobe during the development of InDesign in the 1990s and was one of the first to teach the application immediately after it was released to the public. His first class was for a group of 99 newspaper designers in Arizona.

In the years since, he has come to be known to the newspaper industry as the guru of InDesign training, tips and tricks.

“There’s so much to InDesign that most folks learn on their own and never get a grip on many of the basic tools that make the application so powerful,” Slimp said.

During this session, Slimp will look at many of the tools (in the toolbars, menus, and other places) that often get overlooked by InDesign users.

“This session will be especially useful for veteran or novice InDesign users, with plenty of information to give everyone more InDesign tools for their arsenals,” Slimp said. “Bring two pens. You’ll need them.”

The webinar is currently priced at $69. For more information visit https://bit.ly/3SWBlv7

Agriculture is

Essential Telling the story of our state’s #1 industry.

Public Relations Contacts Steve Eddington 501-228-1383 | steve.eddington@arfb.com

Rob Anderson 501-228-1640 | rob.anderson@arfb.com

For photos, video, news, commentary and more, visit www.ArFB.com

Guest Editorial: Saving local newspapers, our unsung heroes

By Pam Lowe, editor, Clay County Courier in Corning.

Every day local newspapers do the work of informing their communities about issues that affect their lives. They are the unsung heroes of democracy in rural and small community households across the country.

Newspapers even the playing field when it comes to delivering information to rural areas. Like so many treasures that are not valued until they are lost, the local newspaper is something people can take for granted until it is no longer available.

It is National Newspaper Week and while we celebrate newspapers across the country, it’s important to note their current predicament and what could actually be lost in communities without newspapers.

Two newspapers a week close or shut down in our country according to a June 29, 2022 report by the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

The country is set to lose a third of its newspapers by 2025. The bulk of the newspapers that closed were weeklies.

According to the report, the U.S. has 6,380 surviving papers: 1,230 dailies and 5,150 weeklies.

When the newspaper arrives in a reader’s hands its content truly matters. The newspaper could and should be more than a newsletter of events. It has a grander and more profound role to fulfill in its readers’ lives. Bringing experts on a topic of concern to a community through the local newspaper provides a front row seat to personalized information readers cannot receive elsewhere. Whether it is an interview with the CEO of the Arkansas Rural Water Association or the President of the Arkansas Plant Board, the role of the local newspaper has the power to bring experts into the homes of local residents. We have seen in our own town the impact our newspaper has on city and county issues in its role as watchdog and as a voice of its people.

Local newspapers’ reaction to the pandemic is a prime example of their impact on the health and lives of an area’s residents. I’m the editor of a small-town

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

newspaper in northeast Arkansas called the Clay County Courier in Corning. The following are just a few of the measures that were taken to help residents in our small county make knowledgeable decisions about their health and the health of their families.

The first article in the Courier concerning COVID-19 was an interview that appeared in the March 19, 2020 issue with Dr. Appathurai Balamurugan or Dr. Bala as he is known; Acting Chief Medical Officer at the Arkansas Department of Health. At the time of the interview Arkansas had only 22 cases of COVID-19 and they were in primarily in Pulaski County. Our readers read as Dr. Bala explained how doctors were learning about the virus and likened it to flying a plane while trying to build it.

Of great importance to our community was the research data that was personalized for Clay County from interviews with Misty Orpin, creator of ArkansasCovid.com who initially started collecting COVID-19 data because there was no way to track the record cases for the average person. She provided the specific data for Clay County for our newspaper to share with the community. Our readers had information provided that they could not get anywhere else at the time. This information was more vital to their daily lives and the health of their families than anything they saw on televised news or in large metropolitan newspapers. This is but one shining example of why community newspapers are local heroes and why they must be protected and supported.

At a time when residents were afraid of taking the vaccine, Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the state’s epidemiologist and now the Director of the Arkansas Department of Health, explained the ingredients in the three manufacturers’ vaccines and how they worked within the body. She described to the readers of the Courier the research behind the vaccines in a way that laypeople could understand. Where else could rural residents receive such information specific to them, if not from

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their local newspaper?

Through the course of the pandemic our newspaper provided news content and interviews with various COVID experts, many from the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine on the Jonesboro Campus of Arkansas State University, such as; Dr. Brookshield Laurent, Dr. Shane Speights, Dean of NYITCOM at Arkansas State University, Dr. Carl Abraham, M.D. Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Christine Hartford and Jonathan Berman, Ph.D. author of “AntiVaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement”.

We also interviewed Arkansas Center of Health Improvements (ACHI) CEO Dr. Joe Thompson a few times. As the pandemic wore on, we addressed residents’ mental health with interviews with Matt Knight, Director of Education for MidSouth Health Systems concerning how to combat anxiety and stress. We provided an interview with a travel nurse with local ties, Kylie Ballard, who alerted our community to the effects of COVID-19 on patients across the United States. She explained how dire the situation was to a rural community that had not yet felt the extreme health impact of COVID at that time.

During the beginning of the pandemic, we informed our readers of the plight of the local health care center, 1st Choice Healthcare, as they were straining to keep up with the demand for medical supplies, such as masks, gloves, gowns, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. The clinic’s need was so great that the staff was using OB dairy sleeves used in calf deliveries so when workers put their arms in a car to take care of a patient in the drive-through they were protected.

The Courier also shared the stories of good works in our community such as when the Corning School District donated the use of their 3-D printer to the healthcare clinic in order for them to create as many face Continued on Page 9

September 29, 2022

Guest Editorial: Saving local newspapers, our unsung heroes Continued from Page 8

shields as they needed for their health professionals.

cannot do great things to impact the lives of its friends and neighbors.

During virtual schooling in Arkansas our newspaper shared the local story of how the school district made sure no child went hungry during the pandemic by distributing food to children’s homes. The buses rolled out at 11 a.m. once a week with five days of breakfasts and lunches to be delivered to homes on bus routes. School administrators, cafeteria employees, bus drivers and teachers worked to pack the lunches and get the ready for delivery.

A local newspaper means different things to different people. For some, their paper is a slice of home. For others it’s information about the city council and the workings of the city. Those looking to buy or sell something head to the Classifieds.

Many people favor the Sports page, Education or Farm pages. For others, it may be the grocery circular. The Society page remains a long time favorite in our community. A newspaper enables and empowers community voices to come forward through Letters to the Editor, the sharing of their life stories and events with a community of readers.

In order to increase vaccinations in the county, the Courier started a #VaxUpClayCo campaign. We brought together our two local pharmacists and the CEO of our local health clinic to share the importance of getting immunized in ad running for six weeks. Some local businesses who supported the push to curtail the virus in our county signed on to the advertising promotion.

I was reminded during each interview with physicians and healthcare officials of the importance of the work our small local paper was doing for our community. I’ll never be convinced that small newspapers

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Local newspapers are the pulse and thermometer of a community. They are a good neighbor and watchdog rolled into a publication. The people who produce a newspaper live and/or work in their community. They have a stake in the town and what happens there. That means something.

Now is the time that businesses and the public need to support their newspapers, their local heroes. The only local news

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source that truly has the backs of a community is their newspaper. It’s time the public upholds their paper as it has championed for them.

The examples provided concerning reporting during the pandemic are but a small snapshot of what a newspaper provides to a community. There’s also the role of watchdog, Freedom of Information aspects, elections and politics, and the responsibility of transparency, etc. The list goes on of all the valuable attributes of local papers that would be missed once gone.

At the Courier our motto is “Buying a newspaper is more than having something to read. It’s an investment in the future of your hometown.” And it truly is. It’s time the public becomes aware that their local hero is also a local business that needs their support while there is still time for them to realize what is at stake and what could be lost before it is too late.

Pam Lowe is the editor at the Clay County Courier in Corning. She can be reached at (870) 455-9009.

October 6, 2022

Guest Column:

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER WEEK 2022:

Recognizing how newspapers make a difference

By Dean Ridings | America’s Newspapers National Newspaper Week began October 2. While this isn’t the typical holiday that most families celebrate, it does provide a good opportunity to take a moment and recognize all the ways that local newspapers make a difference in communities across America.

If you’re reading this, you probably already have a good understanding of why it is important to have a healthy newspaper in your town. By subscribing to or advertising in your local newspaper, you are providing much needed support to keep trained, professional journalists covering the issues important to you. Your local newspaper is committed to being the local watchdog, covering city government, public utilities and school boards to make sure your tax dollars are being spent properly.

But, there are many other ways newspapers serve their readers and communities, things even regular readers might not always consider.

Newspapers are reliable. Unlike content you can see on social media, or even from national publications or cable news channels, you can be sure that news from your local newspaper is professionally gathered, fact-checked and edited. Even

the editorials and letters to the editor go through a rigorous process to get the facts correct. You might not always agree, but you can rely on the fact that what’s published has followed the highest journalistic standards. You may not agree with the positions on your newspaper’s editorial page, but you probably realize that their goal is to provide you with objective and impartial news coverage in the rest of the paper.

Newspapers protect your right to know. In addition to covering what’s going on in your local government, most newspapers serve another critical purpose by publishing public notices.

A public notice is a notice issued by government agencies regarding proposed actions, zoning proposals, tax initiatives or other lawmaking proceedings. Most local governments are required to publish them in local newspapers, so all citizens have the opportunity to know what’s going on, and if necessary, take appropriate action.

Newspapers provide broad community distribution. Moving a public notice to a municipal website would be like hiding the notice. Newspapers help keep your government’s actions transparent!

Newspapers are more than print. Your local newspapers deliver high-quality

information in the format that works best for you. Newspapers have dynamic websites, apps, social media channels and newsletters, and they have made significant advancements in digital platforms to make sure you get the news you need when you want it and how you want it. Newspaper audiences are bigger than ever thanks to the broad reach provided by the combined print and digital channels.

Newspapers are local. Your newspaper is local, produced by local citizens who drive the same streets, shop in the same stores and have children in the same schools as you. The local newspaper’s focus is on making the community stronger, safer and healthier. The publisher and staff share the same concerns as all the other residents.

Your local newspaper makes a difference in your community in many ways! That’s true every week, not just during National Newspaper Week!

Dean Ridings is the CEO of America’s Newspapers, an organization serving more than 1,600 newspapers across the U.S. and Canada. Learn more at newspapers.org.

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER WEEK OCT. 2-8 Arkansas Publisher Weekly

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October 6, 2022

Nov. 17-18, 2022 • Vicksburg, MS

Sept. 27, 2022

Dear newspaper managers, Fall has finally arrived and the 2022 ArkLaMiss Audience Development Conference is on its way. We are pleased to be holding this event in person for the first time since 2019. We hope you will join us Nov. 17-18 at the Ameristar Hotel and Casino in Vicksburg.

The agenda includes great sessions for publications large and small. We’re looking forward to programs by Bill Ostendorf of Creative Circle Media Solutions, a leading firm that helps community publications increase readership and revenue.

The meeting will include a Roundtable for newspaper managers to discuss common challenges and creative solutions. This session will touch on a number of topics. And don’t forget to submit your ideas for the Hot Ideas exchange for your chance to win a cash prize.

Those we get in advance will be circulated to all attendees at the conference. A submission form is included here.

Our venue at the Ameristar is the longtime home of ArkLaMiss. They are providing a great room rate of $79 nightly. You can find more information on making your reservations and complete details on registration and the agenda online at arklamissconference.com.

We are looking forward to hosting you in Vicksburg soon.

Cordially,

Stephanie Patton President, Mississippi Press Association Publisher, The Leland Progress

arklamissconference.com

Agenda Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022 Noon

Lunch

1:00 p.m.

Welcome and introductions

1:15 p.m.

Is print dead or dying? Presented by Bill Ostendorf, Creative Circle Media Solutions Should you roll back publication frequency? We’ll offer a different perspective about how and why print can still thrive. There has long been an assumption out there that print is a dead end but the facts simply don’t bear that out. We’ll discuss why print is declining, how to reverse it and dispel some myths about print readership. You are part of the solution and also part of the problem.

And you don’t want to be the reason print fails in your market!

2:45 p.m.

Break

3:00 p.m.

Content that will drive your readership. Presented by Bill Ostendorf What the pandemic taught us and how to create a more interesting and engaging newspaper in print and online. If we can create more stories readers want to read, we can increase engagement, which is the key to not only surviving but for thriving in today’s environment.

4:30 p.m.

Break and check-in

5:30 p.m.

Reception

Dinner on your own Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 8:00 a.m.

Continental breakfast

9:00 a.m.

Ideas Exchange Bring your best ideas for increasing readership and revenue, promotions, expense reductions, and making budget for a chance to win a share of cash prizes.

10:00 a.m.

Break and check-out

10:30 a.m.

Roundtable Discussion A time to discuss common challenges and creative solutions with your peers.

Noon

Adjourn

Hot Ideas Exchange Ideas for making — and saving — money Title of idea _______________________________________________________________________ Submitted by _____________________________________________________________________

Newspaper________________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________ Email _________________________________ Briefly describe your idea

_____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Tell us the results of your effort

_____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ What was the revenue/benefit generated?

_____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Use the back of this page for additional comments or ideas. Please enclose samples if available. Send this form and any samples or illustrations along with your conference registration to:

By Mail » ArkLaMiss, 371 Edgewood Terrace, Jackson, MS 39206.

By email » mgilmer@mspress.org By fax » 601-981-3676

NOV. 17-18 • VICKSBURG, MS AMERISTAR CASINO & HOTEL

We will share each of the ideas submitted in a booklet to be presented at the conference.

LAST DAY TO SUBMIT IDEAS IS NOV. 11.

REGISTRATION FORM Or register online @ arklamissconference.com

November 17-18, 2022 AmeriStar Hotel & Casino, Vicksburg, MS Room rate: $79 • Call (601) 638-1000 Group code: S11MS22 • Hotel cutoff: Nov. 1, 2022 Newspaper/Company Name _______________________________________________________________________________________

Street Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone _________________________________________________ Fax _________________________________________________________ REGISTRANTS

Name ______________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________ Name ______________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________ Name ______________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________ TOTAL REGISTRANTS ______ x $125.00 =

$______

Total Amount Due:

$______

Vendor sponsorship contribution:

Exhibiting during this conference? o YES o Visa

o Mastercard

o AMEX

$______ o NO

PAYMENT

o Check enclosed

o Bill me

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