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Newspapers across the country make adjustments in response to tariffs on newsprint
Guest Column:
Five newspapers doing things right By Kevin Slimp
ARKANSAS
Ar kansas
PRESS
Publisher Weekly
ASSOCIATION
Serving Press and State Since 1873
Vol. 13 | No. 30 | Thursday, July 26, 2018
Richard Folds retires from the best job he ever had
As he prepares for retirement next week, Richard Folds, 82, recalls his goal as the publisher of the Malvern Daily Record has always been to show a profit for the newspaper. In his 18 years at the helm, he missed being profitable only one or two months. “Sometimes it was small and other times it was a big profit,” Richard said. “We’ve been successful here. I’ll always remember the people who worked with – not for – me. I’ve had a good, solid staff and learned a lot from them. The secret to a good staff is having problems, working them out and still being friends.” Two long-time staffers Richard mentioned are Geneva McDaniel who has been in administration for 42 years and Kim Taber who has been business office manager for 19 years. A Georgia native, Richard moved to Malvern as a salesman for a woman’s clothing company in 1969. He had been on the road for the company for many years when he decided it was time for a change. His newspaper career began in 1988 when he was hired as an advertising account executive by Larry Boyer. Later he became the ad manager. Richard left newspapers for three years in the late ‘90s to serve as Malvern’s first 911 director. Then he got a call from Bill Elderton of Horizon Publications asking him to rejoin the Daily Record as publisher in 2000. Richard loves to sell ads because “you get to go out and call on people.” He likes to ride around town and take note
of who is not buying ads from the paper, then write up proposals of how their business can be helped by Daily Record advertising. “I appreciate the Arkansas Press Association (APA) for everything it has done for our paper,” Richard said. “I’ve had as good a relationship with APA as with anyone I’ve dealt with during the years.”
He used to kid his friend Buddy King that publishing a newspaper was the softest job in the world, but he found out he was wrong. His biggest challenges have been employee turnover and explaining rates to advertisers who don’t understand the expenses involved in publishing a newspaper. Legal rates, especially, are difficult for Malvern Daily Record Publisher Richard Folds many to understand. In addition to being one of the town’s Richard and his late wife Jo had two sons, biggest Malvern High Leopards fans and and his seven grandchildren are now living a Razorback supporter, Richard loves in Hot Springs and Conway. He expects to Georgia Bulldog football and Atlanta spend a lot more time with them after he Braves baseball. His wife was a Georgia retires. He also plans to sleep in a couple Tech fan, but they worked it out. of days. He’ll do a bit of traveling, but he “I think there will always be a place for doesn’t plan to go far. Biloxi and Atlanta small-town papers,” Richard said. “I enjoy are his destinations of choice. solving problems and helping the paper One of the reasons Richard plans to travel to Georgia is his passion for sports.
find revenue. Once I got used to it, it’s the best job I ever had.”
I think there will always be a place for small-town papers. I enjoy solving problems and helping the paper find revenue...”