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ARKANSAS
ArkLaMiss conference grants available
PRESS
Ar kansas
Publisher Weekly
File your ownership statements by Oct. 1
Vol. 13 | No. 38 | Thursday, September 20, 2018
ASSOCIATION
Serving Press and State Since 1873
Garrick Feldman knows story of survival, not just in publishing This article by Kyle Massey of Arkansas Business is reprinted with permission.
Garrick Feldman was discussing plans to expand his Jacksonville newspaper, The Leader, to fill the void left by the closing of The Times of North Little Rock. In the conversation he told me a bit of his powerful family saga, too, but asked if I could keep the personal part to just a couple of sentences. Here goes. His mother, Ilona, survived Auschwitz as a teenage slave laborer for the Nazis after they murdered her mother; his father, Ferenc, survived the Mauthausen camp, freed by black U.S. soldiers who wept at what they saw. Three of Garrick Feldman’s grandparents died in Holocaust camps, and he watched his baby brother being carried by his father as little Garrick held his mom’s hand on a nightlong walk across the HungarianAustrian border ahead of the advancing Soviet army in 1956.
Having barely survived Nazi and communist annihilation, the little family made its way to America, where Ferenc and Ilona lived long lives and Feldman’s brother, Steve, became a scholar at the Holocaust Museum in Washington.
last year’s deadly neo-Nazi and white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Nazi and Confederate flags flew amid chants of “Blood and Soil,” a slogan of Hitlerism, and “Jews will not replace us.” Continued on Page 2
OK, that was three sentences. But perhaps Feldman will forgive me, and forgive all the semicolons. Here’s the business story: As an immigrant and longtime newspaperman, Feldman is deeply troubled by the antiimmigrant, anti-press tone of the Trump administration, not to mention the president’s good-people-on-bothGarrick Feldman, publisher of The Leader, says his newspaper will focus on sides response to North Little Rock more often. Photo courtesy of Arkansas Business.
FOIA Coalition set to engage for 2019 Legislative Session The 92nd General Assembly convenes strongest open records and open in just over three months, meetings laws. Ashley Wimberley, and it’s likely that legislators executive director of the Arkansas The Ark ans as will propose a number of bills Press Association and ex-officio of m Freedo to change, or even weaken, chairperson of the FOIA Coalition, Information Handbook the Arkansas Freedom of expects a busy legislative session Information Act (FOIA). as it relates to FOIA.
members who have a strong interest and dedication to the law to be a part of the coalition.”
During past legislative sessions, the Arkansas FOIA Coalition has been active in its efforts to evaluate pending legislation and protect one of the nation’s
Those who are interested in joining the coalition should contact Ashley Wimberley at (501) 374-1500 or ashley@ arkansaspress.org.
October 2017
18th Edition
Arkansas
1967 - 2017
gs, Open records, open meetin open government for all Arkansas residents.
Co-Sponsors Arkansas Governor’s Office Office Arkansas Attorney General’s Arkansas Press Association The Society of Professional Journalists Arkansas Broadcasters Association Associated Press Managing Editors Association Associated Press Broadcasters
“The FOIA Coalition must be vigilant as we safeguard this 51-year-old law,” Wimberley said. “We expect the Coalition to be active during the session. We welcome APA
The FOIA Coalition typically meets during the session to hear from bill sponsors and take positions on bills. The meetings are held in Little Rock at APA headquarters.
Garrick Feldman Continued from page 1
Imagine what all that felt like to Feldman. He rejoiced in last month’s decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission to overturn the Trump administration’s substantial tariffs on Canadian newsprint, the paper used to make newspapers, periodicals and paperback books. To the struggling publishing industry, the tariffs were the business equivalent of kicking a man when he’s down, and Feldman believes they were devised to benefit just one American paper mill owned by a private equity firm friendly with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. The newsprint levies significantly drove up operating expenses for U.S. newspaper companies, including Feldman’s, which derives about half of its revenue from outside printing jobs. The paper they print on is typically publishers’ second-leading cost, behind payroll. “Stopping the newsprint tariffs will help those [newspapers] left standing,” Feldman said, saying the tariffs were designed to take pressure off North Pacific Paper Co., also known as NORPAC,
which has a mill in Washington State. Feldman said One Rock Capital Partners LLC of New York, a connected private equity firm, and its leaders pushed for the tariffs in a meeting attended by Commerce Department officials. “They paid hundreds of millions too much for that mill, and the tariffs to bail them out were just unbelievable,” Feldman said. “I hope they go bankrupt.” Feldman dreamed of covering North Little Rock for decades, and he will finally have his chance. He detailed his plans for expanding reporting, ad sales and distribution after news of GateHouse Media Group Inc.’s decision to shut down The Times and the Lonoke County Democrat late last month. He has designated former Times writer Deborah Horn and John Hofheimer, a veteran central Arkansas journalist, as The Leader’s North Little Rock reporters, and Feldman is looking to hire ad salespeople and freelance journalists, partly to cover local sports. “We don’t have deep pockets like Stephens,” he said, referring to Stephens
Media, which owned the now-closed papers before selling them to GateHouse three years ago, “but they threw in the towel, and we’re still here.” He hopes to grow The Leader’s circulation from 11,000 to more than 20,000. Over Labor Day weekend, he put more coin paper racks around North Little Rock, and he was looking to buy more boxes from GateHouse, as well as gathering names of subscribers to The Times. The Leader, which publishes twice a week, routinely wins top prizes in the Arkansas Press Association’s annual contest. Feldman, its publisher and executive editor for 31 years, is now poised to serve the 85,000 people in the area that GateHouse left behind. “Those folks deserve a good newspaper, and I think there’s a market for it,” he said. “We’ve already picked up some advertising. I didn’t think we could compete before, but with The Times closing, I think there’s an opening.”
ArkLaMiss Conference grants available Newspaper professionals from Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi will convene in Vicksburg, Miss., in early November for the annual ArkLaMiss Circulation, Marketing and Audience Development Conference. The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation (ANF) is offering a limited number of grants to help cover the cost of the conference to qualifying Arkansas Press Association members.
the remaining grants will be awarded based on the order received.
The ArkLaMiss conference is expected to provide participants with great ideas to grow readership and revenue. The conference is intended for publishers, general managers, circulation and audience development professionals.
The featured speaker will be Peter Wagner of Creative House Print Media Consultants. The foundation will Wagner is the provide four Continuing Circulation & Marketing Conference publisher and founder Education Grants for of the N’West Iowa the conference, which REVIEW. As a veteran will be held Nov. 8 and of the newspaper and 9 at the Ameristar Hotel promotions industry, and Casino in Vicksburg. Wagner has practical Each grant of $200 will tips on building circulation, help defray the cost of leveraging a newspaper’s registration and hotel expenses. public image and community There will be one grant awarded per relationships and revenue growth. Arkansas media group, with priority going One of the most popular features of the to first time attendees. If all grants have ArkLaMiss conference is the Hot Ideas not been awarded based on this criteria,
ArkLaMiss
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Breakfast. During the breakfast, attendees will share their best revenue-generating and cost-saving tips. The breakfast will be moderated by Dennis Dunn, the circulation director of the Anniston (Ala.) Star.
The conference begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, with a newspaper roundtable open to publishers, editors and key newspaper personnel. The topics for the roundtable include revenue, expenses, special promotions and management tips. To register, visit arklamissconference. wordpress.com. Registration is $109 per person for attendees and vendors. To book hotel rooms, call (601) 6381000 and use the group code SARKLA8. Book by Oct. 24 to reserve the special conference rate of $74 per night. To apply for an Arkansas Newspaper Foundation grant, visit ArkansasPress. org. A complete agenda and registration materials are also attached as an addendum to this publication.
September 20, 2018
Press Argus-Courier hires reporter/ photographer
Bennett Horne has been named as a reporter and photographer for the Press Argus-Courier in Van Buren.
Horne comes to the paper from New Mexico, where he Bennett Horne most recently worked as a reporter for the Los Alamos Monitor. A native of Harrison, he was sports editor for the Harrison Daily Times for 11 years. He is a graduate of Harrison High School and attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He got his start in newspapers at the Northwest Arkansas Times in Fayetteville. “I love the rich history of this part of the River Valley and I am glad to be a part of the Press Argus-Courier staff,” Horne said in the newspaper’s announcement of his hiring. “… I’m very excited to be working for a paper that places a high priority on providing its readers and community with quality local news and features.”
Mark Your Calendar November 8 - 9
2018 ArkLaMiss Circulation & Marketing Conference, Ameristar Casino & Hotel, Vicksburg, MS
Reminder: “It Can Wait” essay contest now open to participating newspapers, students The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation (ANF) encourages Arkansas newspapers to participate in this year’s “It Can Wait” essay contest to raise awareness of the dangers of texting and driving.
ANF is partnering with AT&T and local newspapers to discourage texting while driving by asking students ages 14 to 19 to write an editorial or opinion column. The student essays should highlight the dangers of distracted driving and ask others to take the “It Can Wait” anti-texting and driving pledge. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving claimed 3,450 lives in 2016 alone. The essay contest typically generates entries from high school students around the state. Last year’s winner, from Van Buren, received $500 in prize money, a luncheon with Arkansas Press Association, AT&T and ANF leadership and personal tours of the state Capitol and Clinton Library. Joining in the “It Can Wait” contest allows newspapers to inform and engage with readers about the dangers of distracted driving. Appropriate local sponsors could pay for the space or provide local prizes. Sponsors could include insurance agencies, medical centers, emergency services, dentists, doctors, car dealerships, police and fire departments, school boards or chambers of commerce. Prohibited
sponsors
include
any
businesses that sell and promote adult material, tobacco or alcohol-related items. The kickoff for the contest was Sept. 13 and it can begin at any time at the direction of the newspaper. The contest ends at the local level on Oct. 25 and a local winner will be announced by local newspapers after that date. Materials may be easily downloaded at the following locations: Ad Clearinghouse on APA website: • Go to folder: ANF - ‘It Can Wait’ Contest Materials are also posted on the ANF Facebook page at: www.facebook. com/pages/Arkansas-NewspaperFoundation/157891060935155 2018 “It Can Wait” Contest Important Dates • November 2 – Deadline for newspaper’s local winning entry to be received by the ANF Executive Director. Mailing address: Arkansas Newspaper Foundation, 411 S. Victory, Little Rock, AR 72201. Email address: arknewspaperfoundation@ gmail.com. • December 1 – Statewide contest judging ends. Statewide winner announced. • January Awards TBA – Statewide winner awards and luncheon will be scheduled to coincide with the legislative session.
Industry Quote of the Week “Every time a newspaper dies...the country moves a little closer to authoritarianism.” – Richard Kluger
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September 20, 2018
National Newspaper Week set for October 7 - 13 (Editor’s Note: National Newspaper Week will be observed Oct. 7-13, marking the 78th annual observance of the importance of newspapers in the United States. The week recognizes the important service of newspapers and their employees. Newspapers are encouraged to use editorials, editorial cartoons, promotional advertisements and more that are available for download at no cost at nationalnewspaperweek.com. The theme for this year’s week is “Journalism matters. NOW more than ever.”)
the importance of our work, our craft is very much the story – especially as President Trump calls journalists the “enemy of the American people.”
The following is one of several editorial columns offered for use during National Newspaper Week.
It has never been more important for journalists to expose corruption, challenge assumptions and shine a light on sexual misconduct.
By Rusty Cunningham Executive Editor La Crosse Tribune/River Valley Media Group La Crosse, Wis. Your journalism has never been more important Not every U.S. president has agreed with Jefferson about the importance of journalism, of course. Canadian journalists battle for press freedoms every day, too. But as journalists, we share a passion, a mission, a quest. We search for the truth as watchdogs of the people elected and appointed to serve our citizenry. As journalists, we’re trained to keep a professional distance, to make sure we don’t become part of the story. But while we’re not the story as reporters,
Our theme is right on the mark: “Journalism matters. NOW more than ever.” While we’re not the story, the need for our journalism has never been more important to the people and communities we serve. It has never been more important for journalists to ask questions, scour public records and investigate malfeasance.
As journalists along the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, we’ve asked in recent months what chemicals were contained in a 10-million-gallon spill floating down a tributary. We’ve asked about a drastic increase in overdose deaths. We’ve asked why no criminal charges were filed in a boating accident in which two people died. You have your own stories to tell about the questions you ask and the journalism you produce. Make no mistake: Your journalism matters. It’s crucial that we continue to reinforce the importance of our role in society. And we’re not just watchdogs. Our journalism encourages our readers with positive stories that truly reflect the flavor of our communities. Rest assured, your journalism has never been more important.
File your Statement of Ownership by Oct. 1 Oct. 1 is the deadline for paid distribution newspapers to file the Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation form (PS Form 3526) with the United States Postal Service. Remember that paid electronic subscriptions may be included as circulation in postal statements. A paid subscriber, electronic or print, may only
be counted once. A print subscriber with free access to the electronic version of your paper cannot be counted as a paid electronic subscriber. To be considered a paid electronic subscriber, the subscriber must pay more than a nominal rate for the subscription. After filing with your postmaster, you must publish your statement according to the following timetable, depending on frequency of publication: • Publications issued more frequently
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than weekly should publish no later than Oct. 10. This applies to dailies, semi-weeklies and three-times-perweek publications.
• Publications issued weekly, or less frequently, but not less than monthly, must publish by Oct. 31. This applies to weeklies. • All other publications publish in the first issue after Oct. 1. This applies to infrequent publications such as quarterlies, bi-monthlies, etc. September 20, 2018
Guest Column: Into the Issues By Al Cross
Adapted from remarks at “Journalists in the Hot Seat: Staying safe in a hostile political climate,” a panel discussion at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications convention in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 9. (The discussion was telecast on C-SPAN and is available at https://cs.pn/2vX3LgE.) Most of us who have worked in rural newsrooms probably gave little thought to safety until the recent mass shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where a man upset with the newspaper’s coverage of his court case walked into the newsroom and shot five people to death. I once worked in newsrooms much like the Capital Gazette’s, where anyone coming in the door could spot you. In Monticello, Kentucky, where I was running the second paper in a one-paper town, my desk was right next to the front door; I was a 21-year-old from the next town, Albany, and I wanted to meet as many people as I could. In community journalism, you’ve got to be part of the community or you won’t succeed. Community journalism is relationship journalism; you have a closer and more continuing relationship with your subjects, your sources and your audience. So being accessible is not just a good idea; it’s mandatory. In Russellville, Kentucky, where I worked for the great weekly publisher Al Smith, he liked to tell how a farmer walked into his office to complain about his editorials for school consolidation, which would raise property taxes. As the farmer talked to him, Al turned to his typewriter and pecked out what the man was saying. He whipped the paper out, handed it to him and said, “You just wrote a letter to the editor. Read it, sign it and we’ll put it in the paper.” He did. My friend Jock Lauterer at the University of North Carolina, who has also run community papers, did a study that confirmed what he suspected – the smaller the newspaper, the more accessible its staff was to the public. The good thing about being accessible is that it makes Arkansas Publisher Weekly
you more accountable. And when you’re more accountable, that tends to make you more accurate. Jock calls those the Three As of community journalism. It’s one of the many community-journalism principles that work in all kinds of journalism; you’ve got to be engaged with your audience, for journalistic reasons and, increasingly, for business reasons. The Capital Gazette shooting, in a town of 40,000, shows how vulnerable journalists can be – not just in newsrooms in small towns, but on the street in big towns. Journalists and their news outlets deal with just about everything and every walk of life, and that makes them targets for people like the Capital Gazette shooter. In the wake of the shooting, one of the largest owners of community papers, Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., asked their papers to have local law enforcement come in and give a training seminar for employees on what to do in such a situation. One police officer told one newsroom in Kentucky, “You’ve got to have it ingrained in your head what’s best for you at all times. Know your doors and exits. You have to know when to run, hide and fight.” The American Society of News Editors and the Associated Press Managing Editors has a list of best newsroom safety practices, from planning to prevention to response to the aftermath. To download it, go to https://bit.ly/2N4x7A6. There are some basics, like situational awareness. If you’re going to an unfamiliar place, take someone with you or have someone meet you there. Or make a friend as soon as you can. My students and I cover a very nice and calm town of 1,800 people, Midway, Kentucky, and my policy is that I always accompany every student on his or her first visit to Midway. I want to introduce them around, and I want them to feel comfortable – and start 5
introducing themselves. Journalism educators should reassure students about the work of journalism. Take a lesson from Leonard Pitts, the Miami Herald columnist who accepted an award from AEJMC’s Critical and Cultural Studies Division. He wore his L.A. Lakers hat and talked about how the Lakers and the news media are hated, and then made his point: “Nobody hates you unless you’re having an impact.” He reminded us what journalists do: “You upset the status quo, you cause things to change . . . Maybe that’s not the worst thing in the world if you’re in the business of news.” Later, he said, “Our mission statement requires us to find the truth and tell it. But we operate in a nation where increasingly, lies not just tolerated, but embraced. And ask yourself, why shouldn’t such people hate us? If lies are your meat, if lies are your business, then people whose business is truth are by definition your natural enemies.” And what do we tell them about President Trump? That he’s a politician running a daily campaign to win the news cycle, and he thinks he has to keep saying “fake news.” And we need to say anyone who uses that term as a habit is saying the news is fake, and that is a falsehood. Then we also need to remind them that these circumstances make it all the more important that what we report is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. (Al Cross edited and managed rural newspapers before covering politics for the Louisville Courier Journal and serving as president of the Society of Professional Journalists. He is a professor at the University of Kentucky and directs its Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, which publishes The Rural Blog at http://irjci.blogspot.com.) September 13, 2018
Circulation, Marketing & Audience Development Nov. 8-9, 2018 | Vicksburg, MS
Aug. 29, 2018
Dear newspaper managers, Fall is on its way and so is the 2018 ArkLaMiss Circulation, Marketing & Audience Development Conference. The event will be held Nov. 8-9 at the Ameristar Hotel and Casino in Vicksburg. The agenda includes great sessions for both daily and non-daily publications, large and small. We’re looking forward to programs by Peter Wagner of Creative House Print Media Consultants and publisher and founder of the N’West Iowa REVIEW. A veteran of the newspaper and promotions industry, Peter will share practical information and tips on circulation building, leveraging your public image and community relationships, and growing revenue. As in recent years, the meeting will be preceded by a Round Table for newspaper managers. This session will touch on a number of topics. There is no cost to attend the Round Table, which is great for a giveand-take with fellow members. And don’t forget to submit your ideas for the Hot Ideas Breakfast idea exchange. 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 $74 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,
Paul Keane President, Mississippi Press Association Publisher, The Wayne County News, Waynesboro, MS
arklamissconference.com
Preliminary Agenda Thursday, November 8 9 am
Vendor setups —Bottle Neck Blues Bar (main level)
Newspaper Managers Round Table —Magnolia Room (upper level)
Registration Opens 11 am
Lunch available in Heritage Buffet restaurant
1 pm Welcome & Opening Remarks —Magnolia Room Paul Keane, president, Mississippi Press Association 1:10 General Session —Magnolia Room “Why and how newspapers will survive the digital age” —Presented by Peter Wagner, Creative House Print Media Consultants 2:10 General session —Magnolia Room “Building circulation through content, creativity and a commitment to community” —Presented by Peter Wagner 3 pm
Break with vendors —Bottle Neck Blues Bar
3:30 General session —Magnolia Room “Telling your print and digital story and selling your value to advertisers and readers” —Presented by Peter Wagner 4:30
Break for hotel check-ins
5:30
Hospitality Hour with vendors —Bottle Neck Blues Bar
Dinner on your own
Friday, November 9 8 am
Registration opens
Buffet breakfast —Magnolia Room
8:45
Hot Ideas Exchange —Magnolia Room Share your best ideas for success on revenue generation, expense controls, promotions, marketing and more —Moderated by Dennis Dunn, The Anniston (AL) Star
10 am
Break with vendors —Bottle Neck Blues Bar
10:30 General Session —Magnolia Room Questions and Answers: A time to discuss the issues on your mind —Moderated by Peter Wagner 11:45
Conference Wrap-up
Hot Ideas Breakfast Money makers & savers
CIRCULATION MARKETING AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Title of idea________________________________________________________________________ Submitted by_____________________________ Newspaper____________________________ Circulation________________________________ o Daily o Weekly
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. 8-9 » 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. 2.
REGISTRATION FORM
Or register online @ arklamissconference.com November 8-9, 2018 AmeriStar Hotel & Casino | Vicksburg, MS Room rate: $74 » Call (601) 638-1000 Group code: SARKLA8 » Hotel cutoff: October 24 Newspaper/Company Name________________________________________________________________________________________
Street Address________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone _________________________________________________ Fax _________________________________________________________ Check the box next to registrant’s name if attending the Nov. 8 Newspaper Managers Roundtable at 9 am. There is no added cost.
o Name ______________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________ o Name ______________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________ o Name ______________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________ TOTAL REGISTRANTS ______ x $109.00 =
$______
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
Card No: _________________________________________________________________________________ Exp. Date: ________________
CVN # ___________________ Signature ________________________________________________________________________________ REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS THURSDAY, NOV. 1, 2018
REGISTER ONLINE AT ARKLAMISSCONFERENCE.COM Or return form with payment to: ArkLaMiss, 371 Edgewood Terrace, Jackson, MS 39206 or Fax to 601-981-3676 Questions? Contact Monica Gilmer, 601-981-3060, mgilmer@mspress.org