Arkansas Publisher Weekly: November 17, 2022

Internship presented

Guest Column:

Robust public affairs coverage requires more than recording meetings

By Jim Pumarlo

Central High Tiger rebounds with a roar after pandemic

Long-time journalism teacher Beth Shull came to Little Rock Central High in the fall of 2019, but, like everyone else in the world, had no idea the school year was going to be disrupted by a global pandemic.

“When we went home on March 13, 2020, we were working on the third issue of the Tiger,” Shull remembered. “We got two issues out in the fall and winter, and we also had planned to do a Senior Issue in May. We did a pivot to online publication, and the students kept cranking out news and features as best they could from home. They would conduct interviews over the phone or through text messaging.”

The editors decided they still wanted to print a Senior Issue, so they figured out how to do that while working from individual homes. “They would work on the articles and layout, then send me screenshots to review,’’ Shull said. “When they were ready to go, we sent it over to the Saline Courier in Benton, which was printing The Tiger at the time.”

The issue didn’t come out until June, but that ended up working out for the best.

“The school had a drive-by diploma pickup event for the Class of 2020 in June, so we passed out their senior issue of The Tiger then. I met my editors in a parking lot, and we stood six or eight feet apart and looked at it together. And that was it for the school year.”

The 2020-2021 school year was “hybrid”, with the teachers in their classrooms and students choosing to either come in person or work from home.

“Most chose virtual school, so we used

Microsoft Teams and met just like on a regular school day,” Shull said. “I would be on the video in my classroom and the kids would be at their homes logged in. I had two kids that came in person, and the rest of the staff was virtual.

“We would talk every day on Microsoft Teams and do the planning,” continued Shull. “They would share docs to do revisions and edits. We lacked photography…not enough was going on at the school for photos. We did a lot of artwork: diagrams and sidebars and other graphic design.”

The pandemic forced other design changes as well.

“We switched from broadsheet to a newsmagazine format. The Metro Vocational Center for the district has a print shop, and they printed it for us. We did a small press run and the kids were able to sell some ads to businesses that had supported us. We were able to do four print issues in 2020-21, in addition to the online news site. And then last year we came back full force with six print issues plus the website.”

The 65th Anniversary of Desegregation at Little Rock Central High School

Four days of events in September marked the 65th anniversary of the desegregation

Tiger editor Gryffyn May, surrounded by staffers who worked on the 65th anniversary commemorative issue, Meredith Lipsey, Clem Fortune, Zoya Khan, Henry Chilcoat, Edward Pope, Sophia Finkbeiner, and faculty adviser Beth Shull.

Central High Tiger rebounds with a roar after pandemic

of Little Rock Central High School, with members of the Little Rock Nine, who made such an impact on the educational system in Arkansas, in attendance.

“Our principal started talking about the 65th anniversary of the desegregation of Central,” Shull said. “I wasn’t around for the celebration for the 50th anniversary, but in our building there are huge frames and displays of the celebration. Former President Bill Clinton came for that one, and it was a big to-do, so I talked to the principal about what would be happening this time. Then, I pitched the idea to the students: it’s a big weekend, the Little Rock Nine are going to be there and they’re going to rename the street in front of the school in their honor. I knew that we probably could get great photography and the kids agreed it would be a good story.”

The students were working on Issue One at the time so it got set aside until Editor Gryffyn May took charge of the project.

“She came in and said, ‘What if we did a special issue?’ Then she came back a couple of weeks later and said ‘I have a lot of ideas and plans, so can we go ahead and get started?’”

The editors decided to work on the special edition and let the rest of the staff carry on with Issue One and the online publication. Every single aspect of the commemorative

issue was student-directed. Shull was impressed with the level of dedication and professionalism the student journalists brought to the project.

“I told Gryffyn, ‘It’s yours. You figure it out, you plan it and let me know if you need help,’” Shull said. “I never saw a story assignment list. I didn’t see a budget sheet for what content was going where…I saw nothing until the week before all the events started.

“They decided to cover everything. Gryffyn sketched out, on paper, the entire 12-page issue. I was just blown away. They had gotten tickets to the things that needed tickets and they had permission from teachers to leave campus for events during the school day. They made arrangements to be at every event commemorating the 65th anniversary,” Shull said.

“I asked, ‘Are you sure that everybody’s going to do all this? They’re going to follow through?’ And they said, ‘We’ve got it covered,’” Shull laughed. “And they did! I remember several days before that deadline I felt like my eyeballs were bleeding because I read so much copy so fast!”

“It was amazing to me that they chose to make that time commitment, and then recognized the importance of it all,” continued Shull. “Gryffyn attended most,

if not all, of the events. She said it got to the point that Minijean Brown-Trickey, one of the Nine, would find her and say, ‘I was wondering if you were going to be here again!’ That was really special to Gryffyn, to be noticed like that. She was a little star-struck at first, but then she said it became like talking to your aunt. You’re just friendly with these people after spending four straight days at the events with them.”

Copies of the 65th Anniversary Commemorative Edition of The Tiger are available at the entrance to the school near the security desk, in the school library and at the the Central High Museum and Visitor Center in the Magnolia Service Station at 2125 W. Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive. The issue is currently not available online.

The Tiger staff are trying to find a balance between the printed edition and the online edition.

“We’re working on that now,” Shull said. “We had content that was only in print and different content that was only online. We’ve been talking about doubling up on some content. If you only see the website it looks like we’re not doing harder news stories, because they’re all in print. But if you only see the print edition and never

Renaming ceremony renaming of South Park Street in front of the high school to Little Rock Nine Way. — Photo by Gryffyn May

ATU senior joins The Courier as new staff reporter

Funding for Charlotte Schexnayder Journalism Internship presented by Arkansas Press Women

Tara Espinoza has joined the staff of The Courier in Russellville as a general assignment reporter. A native of Booneville, she is a currently a senior double-majoring in English and journalism at Arkansas Tech University.

“I started writing for the college newspaper my freshman year and realized writing is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Espinoza said in a recent article in The Courier

Espinoza has written news, features, opinions and social media for the Arka Tech, the ATU student newspaper, for three years.

“I hope to continue to learn new skills, make connections and be an active member in the community through my role at The Courier,” she said.

“I am excited about this new job opportunity and looking forward to all the possibilities that come with being a reporter. While here, I am hoping to learn more about sports writing, newsroom atmospheres and create lasting connections with my colleagues and community.”

ARKANSAS NEWSPAPER CONNECTION

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.

Angelita Faller, representing Arkansas Press Women, presents donations collected by APW to fund the memorial Charlotte Schexnayder Journalism Internship through the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation. APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley accepted the donations on behalf of ANF.

How adults consume news: America’s Newspapers launches research study, results expected in 2023

America’s Newspapers announced this week that it has launched a national study to identify the shifting dynamics of local news and the important role that newspapers play in providing news and information to their local communities.

Nashville-based Coda Ventures, a leading firm specializing in media research, has been commissioned to conduct the study of 5,000 adults nationwide. Coda Ventures conducted APA’s research study earlier this year.

“America’s Newspapers is proud to provide our members, and the industry overall, with comprehensive and fresh data on the role local newspapers play in their communities,” said America’s Newspapers CEO Dean Ridings in the announcement. “This study will objectively look at how adults consume local news across all platforms and which sources they deem to be the most dependable and reliable. Advertisers will value this updated research.”

In addition to America’s Newspapers, the national study was funded through contributions from a number of leading industry organizations and companies, including: The Advocate/The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com, SNPA Foundation, Southern Newspapers, Ogden Newspapers, Gannett, Adams Publishing Group, Wick Communications, Shaw Media, Paxton Newspapers, Clarity Media Group, Inland Press Foundation, WEHCO, The Seattle Times, Press Publications and Seyfarth Shaw.

The sampling for the study was conducted in late October through early November. Results will be released in early 2023. In addition to the study results, America’s Newspapers will be releasing a variety of other supporting marketing and sales materials to its members.

Central High Tiger rebounds with a roar after pandemic

go online, you also miss a lot of good content. We’re not going to duplicate every story, but we might do a longer version online, or do a bigger photo package in print. They’re working on finding the balance. Our first issue this fall had election coverage and we did very similar coverage online. I think we’ll be seeing more of that with both The Tiger and The Tiger Online

“I’ve talked to them about convergent journalism, which is bringing together multiple forms of media to tell a more effective story,” Shull continued. “You get the story and the photographs, and you’re also getting some audio clips to go online. I’m trying to figure out a way to help my students get camera, video and audio skills, in addition to writing skills.”

Shull says there will always be a place for student journalism in the curriculum.

“I think journalism is the place where a student has the opportunity to first learn about something and then analyze and interpret things for other students, who may not be able to attend the event, or understand that perspective, or walk in the shoes of the person who you read about in the newspaper,” Shull said.

“This year my students rewrote the mission statement of The Tiger to include ‘The Tiger News is produced by students, for students.’ That’s their primary audience, and they are committed to not just informing them, but finding things that students don’t already know and enlightening them on issues.”

“I

Tiger staffer Asher Simmons created this art depicting the front of the school integrated with nine candles representing the Little Rock Nine. Simmons said,

wanted to honor the courage of the Nine by showing that they lit the path for those who followed.”

Parade, staple newspaper insert for decades, ceases print publication in favor of digital-only distribution

Last week The Arena Group, publisher of the newspaper insert Parade, announced the end of print publication and transition to weekly digital-only content.

Parade had been published weekly as a Sunday newspaper magazine since 1941, and at its peak was distributed in more than 700 newspapers with a circulation of 32 million. It is known for the columns “Ask Marilyn” by Marilyn Vos Savant and “Walter Scott’s Personality Parade” and for its annual “What People Earn” special issue. The final print edition was distributed on Sunday, Nov. 13.

The newsmagazine was founded by Marshall Field III, with the first issue published as Parade: The Weekly Picture Newspaper. By 1946, Parade had achieved a circulation of 3.5 million.

John Hay Whitney, publisher of the New York Herald Tribune, bought Parade in 1958. Booth Newspapers purchased it from Whitney in 1973. In 2014, Athlon Media Group purchased it from Advance Publications, which had acquired Booth in 1976.

The Arena Group bought Parade from Athlon earlier this year. At the same time Arena announced the digital transition of Parade, it also announced the discontinuation of its monthly food and cooking insert, Relish. The October 2022 issue of Relish was the last.

Newspapers that previously inserted Parade will continue to include the newsmagazine in their weekend digital editions. Content can also be read at parade.com.

The Nov. 13 issue of Parade was the last in print.

E&P seeks “Sales Superstars” to spotlight in January

Editor & Publisher magazine seeks to shine the spotlight on the salespeople whose efforts keep newspapers rolling off the presses by inaugurating its second class of Sales Superstars.

“The past couple of years have been difficult, to say the least, for our industry sales professionals,” said E&P in an announcement about the contest. “With the decline in media advertising overall and the impact of COVID-19, it has taken almost superhuman resilience and fortitude to weather the sales climate.”

Potential nominees might be an expert at maintaining great relationships with your local advertisers, a pro at representing your audience to regional and national buyers or a fantastic team leader who knows how to coach and maximize sales performance.

If you know an advertising professional who stands out in their ability to withstand these challenging times, stay focused and get the job done for their customers, their communities and the companies they represent, you can nominate them at https://www. editorandpublisher.com/stories/help-us-recognize-your-sales-superstars,208726

The Sales Superstars Class of 2023 will be featured in the January 2023 issue.

Robust public affairs coverage requires more than recording meetings

By Jim Pumarlo

My formula for shaping newspaper content is straightforward: Present a blend of stories that people like to read and stories they should read. Under the “should read” category, consider me an advocate of vibrant coverage of local government.

Another basic element to writing any story, whether hard news or feature: Make it interesting. Specific to public affairs reporting, make it timely and relevant.

Poll after poll underscores the value of newspapers as a government watchdog. It’s no coincidence that when local journalism declines, so does government transparency and civic engagement.

Most newsrooms routinely cover local government bodies and the decisions that affect readers’ everyday lives. I encourage broadening coverage through a three-step process:

● Solid advances to inform readers and ensure robust community discussion of vital community issues.

● Meaningful meeting coverage.

● Follow-up reports that interpret the actions taken.

Many newsrooms probably can relate to this course of events. Reporters pick up an agenda maybe a couple of days in advance of a meeting. They might write a couple of paragraphs as a preview, then put the materials away. Worse yet, reporters see an agenda for the first time when they show up at a meeting.

The meeting can last hours, and then reporters face the task, often that same night, of pounding out hundreds of words of copy – all too often on the premise that if something was said at the meeting, you must record it.

The copy is plucked onto your pages, often with little forethought of what news might actually transpire from the meeting and how best to display the stories. That’s just the print edition. Now throw in all the other elements in these days of multitasking – photos and video, twitter updates, immediate online postings.

I hear the pushback: “You can’t force-feed readers with boring meeting reports.”

That likely will be the case if you do not plan coverage. If you report a meeting as if recording the official minutes, stories will go unread. Here’s one example of how to drive readers away. The report began:

“Following the 4:30 p.m. meeting of the Committee of the Whole, the City Council met Monday night at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. With no public hearings, bids, petitions, or open forum scheduled for the evening, the council quickly moved through the initial items.

“The following consent agenda items were approved by the council:

“Motion approving the minutes from the April 3 Council and Committee of the Whole meetings.

“Motion approving licenses.

“Resolution amending the fee schedule to include refuse container sanitizing charges.

“Resolution closing out debt service and capital project funds and transferring the balances.

“Resolution declaring items as surplus property and authorizing their disposal.

“After passing the consent agenda and a brief overview of two, updated city ordinances, the next resolution was for

the council to voice their support to the state legislature to increase the budget for the Local Government Aid (LGA) grant program.”

I doubt whether even the council members took any interest in the story, let alone the broader readership.

And we wonder why many reports often raise more questions than provide answers for readers.

I applaud those newspapers that are taking a fresh and substantive approach to coverage of public affairs, especially at the local level. In all cases, however, there likely is room for improvement.

Also, make no mistake, meaningful coverage takes work. It requires planning and it requires newsrooms to look at the continuum of coverage – not just reporting on the meetings.

At the same time, the effort will reap dividends for everyone. Citizens will be more engaged in policy-making. Elected bodies will appreciate the additional attention to and participation in their decisions. And newspapers will increase their relevance in readers’ everyday lives.

Jim Pumarlo is former editor of the Red Wing (Minn.) Republican Eagle. He writes, speaks and provides training on community newsroom success strategies. He is author of “Journalism Primer: A Guide to Community News Coverage,” “Votes and Quotes: A Guide to Outstanding Election Coverage” and “Bad News and Good Judgment: A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in Small-Town Newspapers.” He can be reached at www. pumarlo.com and welcomes comments and questions at jim@pumarlo.com