DemocratGazette reporter Bill Bowden recognized by Preserve Arkansas
95th Arkansas General Assembly Legislative Report
Arkansas Press Association PUBLISHER WEEKLY
Roby Brock takes stand for objective, impartial news reporting
For the past 25 years, Roby Brock has been at the forefront of objective reporting on important issues that affect the lives of Arkansans.
Talk Business and Politics is the multimedia vehicle that has provided critical information for the news marketplace through television productions, radio interviews, print publications and online features.
Brock is an associate member of the Arkansas Press Association and has been a strong supporter of the organization, sharing his communication skills through participation on journalism panels and serving as a master of ceremonies at various events.
Brock is the CEO and co-owner of Natural State Media, the parent company for the various news outlets. Other working partners in the company are Michael Tilley and Rob Gutteridge. Additional partners are Bennie Westphal and Chester Koprovic. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without our partners and our great staff,” said Brock.
Maintaining an objective and impartial approach in his reporting has been the keystone for Brock from the beginning. He has developed a serious concern with the growing “slant” of many news outlets and the observation that consumers now seem
prone to seek information that aligns with their pre-conceived opinions.
“I’ve been watching this trend for the last decade, but it became abundantly clear in this election cycle that we have a real bifurcated news ecosystem in America,” Brock said. “There is a group of citizens who get their news from traditional sources –the New York Times, Washington Post, Democrat-Gazette – as well as legacy media such as NBC, ABC or CBS News. They also seek news from more left-leaning or right-leaning sources in order to understand spin and biases.
“But there is a growing number of news consumers who only get their news from biased sources. They listen to slanted podcasts, read from partisan blogs, and believe everything they see in their Facebook feeds, which can often be an echo chamber. In short, they believe what’s presented to them without fact-checking or vetting.
“I’ll give you an example. When jobs reports came out over the past year, there might be a month where 235,000 jobs were added. CNBC, which leans conservative, just reported the numbers. MSNBC hypes the news as near record-breaking, while Fox News reports that jobs for the month disappointed because they were lower than last month’s, which may have been 236,000 jobs. All of this is accurate, but the takeaways are either 235,000 jobs is an incredibly high number of jobs for one month or jobs were lower than a month ago. Yes, they were near-record and yes, they may have been fewer than the month before. But in proper context, the news is a pretty positive jobs report, yet some news consumers only take away the notion that the jobs numbers were ‘disappointing’ because they were lower than a month ago.
“How do you bring balance and perspective and context to the news when the spin cycle and echo chambers are so rigid? It’s a challenge with so much fractured news segmentation in the market. All I can do is make sure our news is reliable and fair and accurate and control what I can control to earn the trust of news customers. If that approach doesn’t lead to success, then I’ll accept that readers and advertisers don’t want that and move on. But I believe there is a big space in the marketplace for trusted news.”
Brock began his current career path from the production side as opposed to the content track. He formed a video production
Roby Brock during a segment of his Sunday TV show.
Brock
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company in 1999 and quickly realized he needed repeat business to survive. In essence, that recurring business turned out to be his own reporting. Recognizing a potential void in comprehensive business and political news coverage, he found his niche and was off and running.
“I don’t think I ever saw myself as becoming a journalist,” Brock said. “My original goal was to partner with a news organization and just do the production side of the business. But there weren’t a lot of takers for partnering with me on that, so it just evolved into what we’ve become.”
And that is a dynamic multi-media organization that involves 30-minute television segments on Sunday in the Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Arkansas markets, radio productions on four NPR stations across the state, online content, social media presence, email newsletters and print publications.
The newspaper products are the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, published twice a month, and the once-a-month Northeast Arkansas Business and Politics. Both products are mailed to subscribers.
The array of products, as well as information on advertising opportunities, can be accessed through talkbusiness.net
Brock explains that his business model, to some degree, transitioned in the opposite manner from many others at the time – starting with television, on to radio and then to print.
He said significant growth for his company came in the 2009-2010 period when the internet was exploding. “A real game-changer emerged when technology became more user-friendly and we were able to post our own content on the internet.”
Major developments in the company came in 2016 through a merger with City Wire, a Fort Smith-based news bureau, and in 2017 with the acquisition of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. The Northeast Arkansas news product was started in 2018.
“What we have tried to do is listen to the marketplace and find new ways to find viewers, listeners and readers,” Brock said.
The company can tailor its interviews and articles in an appropriate manner to each of the markets it covers. “We manage to deliver content in different ways to different audiences and across our various platforms,” he said.
Natural State Media has a staff of approximately 15, including administrative positions, reporters, an art director, social media director and sales personnel. The administrative office is located in Lowell.
Brock grew up in Little Rock and graduated from Hall High School. He recognized his interest in communications during his time at Hendrix College. He spent his first three years at Hendrix largely focused on accounting studies (his father was a CPA) but eventually majored in English.
“I was taking a class in Shakespeare at the same time as another in cost accounting,” Brock said. “I realized then that I was more interested in Hamlet than first-in, first-out inventory,” he said with a laugh.
Looking back at his choice of college major, Brock said, “I think it has worked out pretty well.”
Right out of college, Brock was able to use both his academic disciplines by landing a position in marketing for a large CPA firm in Central Arkansas.
He and a friend then operated a restaurant in Little Rock for a couple of years, but he maintained a goal of securing a position in state government. That opportunity arose in an unusual manner. Brock had organized a watch party in Little Rock on the night of then-Gov. Bill Clinton’s first presidential victory. He encountered Lt. Gov. Jim Guy Tucker at the party and helped direct him through some security lines that had been established by the Secret Service.
Tucker thanked him and Brock asked, as a favor, for assistance in landing a government position. That quickly happened and Brock worked for Tucker through a couple of legislative sessions, a period in which the latter had transitioned into the Governor’s Office.
Brock later became director of a new agency, the State Board of Election Commissioners, which was formed as the result of a federal lawsuit. He worked there for about a year before undertaking private consulting work in the field of public affairs.
Next came his formation of the video production company and the launch into his exciting and rewarding journalism career.
As noted, Brock has maintained a close relationship with the Arkansas Press Association and recognizes the importance of community newspapers throughout the state.
“I do see a future for community newspapers,” he said. “It is incumbent on them to provide reliable, local news that serves the community, whether it’s hard news, features, sports, obituaries or other important community information.
“I do think those newspapers are going to have to get more creative with their revenue models. Traditional revenue streams are important to nurture – subscriptions, classifieds and advertising. Thinking about other ways to generate income, such as sponsorships or adding a community room for rent or a coffee shop to their business model, may be the type of diversification needed. I’m sure some news operations or their holding companies own real estate for their news hubs, and I hope they own extra
Brock visits with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Brock
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space that could provide rental income for their companies. I’m sure there are other ideas, but this is the type of non-traditional revenue generation I believe community newspapers and their ownership have to consider.”
In his extensive reporting, Brock has gained a unique perspective on the current state of the economy in Arkansas. “I feel like we have a lot of have and have-not situations,” he said.
Large pockets of growth and development can be seen in Central Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas, Northeast Arkansas and the Camden area of South Arkansas, Brock said. “But there is just not a lot going on in many of our rural areas,” he noted, adding that many small communities often are strongly affected by the opening or closing of a single large employer.
Brock said leaders need to find ways to develop “targeted approaches” to help many of the rural areas of the state.
He also is concerned about the potential for negative impacts from tariffs, especially as they might affect the Arkansas’ farming community. “They decimated agriculture several years ago,” he said. Brock noted the situation is difficult for farmers right now with drought in several parts of the state and overall low commodity prices.
He thinks there is opportunity in South Arkansas with lithium mining, but predicts it will be a “slow grind” rather than a quick economic explosion such as the earlier shale oil boom.
“Overall, I see a lot of bright spots in Arkansas right now,” he said.
On the political side of the equation, Brock said, “Arkansas is a very conservative state, and I don’t see that pendulum shifting any time soon.”
He sees “an unprecedented level of influence” right now with the state’s Congressional delegation, as five of the six lawmakers now hold major committee chairmanships in Washington.
Brock believes the current landscape reflects that national politics now dominate. The old adage that “all politics is local” largely has been wiped away in recent years.
Brock and his wife Stephanie, who works part-time for the company, live in West Little Rock. The Brocks recently sold the Red + Blue Events Center, which they had operated together in downtown Little Rock for the past six years.
They have three children – son Baker, 29, who works with the U.S. Professional Disc Golf Association; son Tucker, 22, a recent Hendrix College graduate who plans to become a commercial pilot, and daughter Conley, 17, a student at Pulaski Academy.
Baker and his wife have a son, Hardin, six months. Baker also coaches baseball at Pulaski Academy.
Brock said most of his time away from work revolves around his “very close-knit” family. He also enjoys woodworking.
A major activity for Brock is organizing the “Market at Chenal” twice a year at a location in West Little Rock. An extensive outdoor farmers market, it includes food trucks, arts and crafts, pet adoption opportunities and activities for children. The spring
event features 4,000 Easter eggs for kids, while the fall version has a Halloween theme.
Looking ahead, Brock is focused on learning what will interest young news consumers, citing the age group 17-29 (representing the age range of his children). “I don’t have a firm answer on that, but I am watching to see what it is that appeals to them.
“I do know you have to be relevant, but I don’t know what platform will be the best. Relevant news is always going to have an audience for consumption, and we eventually will be putting a game plan together.”
Through it all, Brock has gained personal satisfaction from his work and recognizes the great learning experience it has represented.
“I enjoy it immensely,” he said. “I enjoy learning what makes business and political decision makers tick. I enjoy learning about policies and decisions that could have a dramatic impact on people’s lives. I have been able to sit down with some of the most influential people in business and politics – I don’t know if I would have ever had that opportunity in any other profession. I find a great deal of gratification providing useful information to readers, listeners and viewers.”
He also plans to continue working diligently to make certain his reporting remains objective and fair in the midst of an environment that often appears dominated by slanted reporting and misinformation.
“I may lose the battle, but I’ll go to my grave with a smile on my face knowing that I did it right.”
Brock is a popular speaker of meetings and events around the state.
EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 15 , 2025
$125,000 in AWARDS
for Fair, impartial, Objective NEWS REPORTING
In the spirit of "to give the news impartially, without fear or favor ... " -Adolph Ochs, Publisher of The Chattanooga Times (1877-1935) And The New York Times (1896 -1935)
Five $25,000 awards for the most fair, impartial, objective news reporting that has the courage to not fear and the discipline to not favor.
$25,000 for Print Reporting
$25,000 for Broadcast Reporting
$25,000 for Television Reporting
$25,000 for Digital Reporting
$25,000 for White House Correspondents’ Association Members
Contest will be judged by a panel of State Press Association Leadership
For more information go to: www.cfinr.org
Please send entries to: https://bit.ly/ CFINR2025
River Valley Democrat-Gazette joins as newspaper member
The River Valley Democrat-Gazette has joined the APA as a newspaper member. The newspaper is headquartered in Fort Smith at 524 Garrison Ave. It was first published July 18, 2021 and belongs to Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, LLC.
There are 15 full-time employees, including Editor Randall Seyer, Managing Editor Dave Perozek, Circulation Manager Jim Tolly and reporters Campbell Roper, Penny Weaver and Shane Monaco Walter E. Hussman, Jr. owns the newspaper while his daughter, Eliza Gaines, acts as publisher and Brent A. Powers serves as president.
Printing a weekly Sunday morning edition, the newspaper boasts an average paid circulation of more than 15,000. For more information, visit www.rivervalleydemocratgazette.com
Former newspaper receptionist Betty Jane Davis dies at 87
Betty Jane Davis, former receptionist for the Northwest Arkansas Times in Fayetteville, died January 9, 2025 after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 87.
She married George V. Davis, Jr. in August 1961 after she graduated from business school in Fayetteville. The Davises lived in Benton for the past 42 years where she was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, her children Rick (Roslyn) Davis, Greg (Roxann) Davis and Steve (Stephanie) Davis, sisters Joyce Bickford and Jan (Tom) Leslie and seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Davis is preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Myrl Johnson.
ARE YOU HIRING?
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. Lists available job openings and other opportunities at Arkansas newspapers and associate member organizations. Send your listings to info@arkansaspress.org.
Focus
on florists for Valentine’s Day ad sales to fully bloom
An America’s Newspapers 2024 Local Ad Effectiveness Study revealed that 75% of consumers who shop at florist shops each year are reached by local newspapers, both online and in print. With these stats in mind, newspapers should target flower shops for advertising opportunities ahead of Valentine’s Day to boost sales.
According to the study, consumers rank local newspapers as one of the most trusted and reliable sources of information. 83% of consumers stated that newspaper advertising is important and 56% of consumers rely on newspaper advertisements to help with purchasing decisions of local products and services. 43% of respondents considered newspapers the most reliable of all local media outlets.
The study found:
• 56% visit a store location
• 56% visit the advertiser’s website
• 42% search online for more information
• 34% make a purchase
Making a concerted effort to reach florists over the coming weeks could be beneficial for both the newspaper and local businesses. Show your local florists some love this Valentine’s Day season — it could be the start of a beautiful annual relationship.
Entries open through February 28 for annual APA ad contest
Submissions are open once again for the annual APA Better Newspaper Advertising Contest. Member newspapers and media members are encouraged to present their creativity and hard work from the 2024 calendar year.
There are 20 categories across four divisions in this year’s contest, including single ad, multiple advertiser ad, best advertising special section, most original idea, use of humor in advertising and more. Winners will be recognized at the annual APA Advertising Conference on April 10-11 in Little Rock.
The deadline to enter is Feb. 28. For complete contest rules and instructions, visit https://newspapercontest.com/Contests/ ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx.
If you have questions about the contest or the online submission process, contact Terri Cobb at (501) 374-1500 or email terri@ arkansaspress.org.
Betty Jane Davis
Submissions open for 2025 Carmage Walls Commentary Writing Prize
The Carmage Walls Commentary Writing Prize by America’s Newspapers is accepting submissions for editorials and columns. $15,000 in total prize money will be awarded across the two categories judged in two circulation brackets — Editorials over 35,000 circulation, editorials under 35,000 circulation, columns over 35,000 and columns under 35,000 circulation.
Three Arkansas journalists from two publications won in last year’s contest — Pine Bluff Commercial Editor Byron Tate and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Senior Editor Rex Nelson and Editorial Page Editor David Barham were all recognized at the America’s Newspapers Senior Leadership Conference in Charleston, South Carolina.
Judges are looking for submissions that demonstrate courageous writing. “This contest has always sought to recognize strong, courageous and positive editorial page leadership,” America’s Newspapers said in a press release about the contest. “Judges will take the courage it took to write the editorials or columns into highest consideration.”
First place in any given contest bracket will win a cash award of $2,250, second place will be entitled to $1,000 and third place will receive $500. America’s Newspapers will also recognize finalists in addition to the top three in each category.
The deadline to enter is May 31 with contest fees of $25 per entry if submitted by end of the day April 30 or $30 during the month of May. The awards will be presented at the America’s Newspapers Senior Leadership Conference in Colorado Springs in November.
Entries must have been published in print or online between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025 by a daily or non-daily newspaper. For more information or to enter visit https://newspapers.org/commentaryprize/.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Bill Bowden recognized by Preserve Arkansas
Bill Bowden, an Arkansas DemocratGazette reporter from Fayetteville, will be recognized for his “extensive coverage of historic places and preservation efforts” at the 2024 Arkansas Preservation Awards, January 31 at the Robinson Center in Little Rock.
“Throughout his tenure at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Bill Bowden has consistently written about historic preservation, weaving together the history, architecture, and material culture of Arkansas,” the organization wrote in an Instagram post January 18.
“His articles present a comprehensive picture of the state’s historic contributions to the greater good. Bowden keeps historic preservation topics in the public forum,
never letting an important topic disappear from the news. Notable is his reporting on the Levon Helm Boyhood Home at Marvell. Drawing attention to the deep music history that was born of the Arkansas Delta, he has continually championed the home since 2017 as one of the very few remaining historic structures of Delta music.”
The annual awards dinner and program honors individuals and organizations who have made strides in historic preservation, education and advocacy across the state. Former Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola will emcee the event.
Currently at capacity, contact info@ preservearkansas.org or 501-372-4757 to be placed on the waiting list.
A social media post by Preserve Arkansas recognizing Bill Bowden.
Guest Column: Ad-Libs: Think like an interviewer
By John Foust
We’ve all heard and used the term “sales presentation.” It has become a catch-all term to describe a wide range of meetings with existing and potential advertisers. Many salespeople have the idea that – if they’re not presenting something in every conversation with prospects – they’re not really selling. The result is a lot of meaningless blather which is of no interest to the other person.
Corey sees things differently. “As the manager of our ad team, I never use the word ‘presentation’ to refer to first-time meetings. In those meetings, we’re there to listen, not present. Our objective is to learn about their businesses, so we can provide the services they need. I like to think of it as conducting interviews.
“The salespeople in our building have a lot in common with the reporters. They both need information in order to be at their best. Reporters spend a lot of time interviewing their subjects,” he said. “There’s no way for them to get their stories by doing all of the talking. They ask questions and learn along the way. It just makes sense for us to do the same thing with our prospects.”
According to a number of web sites, salespeople do 65 to 75 percent of the talking during their sales calls. Corey wouldn’t be surprised if those numbers are much higher for initial meetings: “Because salespeople talk way too much, it helps our team to see themselves as interviewers. We even encourage them to say at the beginning, ‘In order to make the best use of your time, would it be okay for me to ask some questions to learn more about your business?’ Since the other person has agreed to the meeting, there’s a good chance they’ll say ‘yes.’ That sets the tone for an interview format. Talk less, listen more.”
What does it take to be a good interviewer?
1. Research. In order to ask relevant questions, the first step is to learn about the person you’re interviewing. In addition to appreciating your thoroughness, he or she will be more likely to give helpful answers.
2. Ask the right questions. When a reporter calls the mayor, the questions are specific and on-topic. For example: “What are your thoughts on economic development in the next year?” Or “Where do you stand on the new budget proposal?”
3. Listen carefully. “By definition, a follow-up question follows something the interview subject just said,” Corey explained. “When you think like an interviewer and look for opportunities for followup questions, you become a better listener.”
4. Look for problems to solve. “This is where sales and news interviews differ. We work to uncover marketing challenges, so we can advance the sale to the next step. That’s how exploratory first meetings can lead to solution-focused second meetings.”
When a salesperson returns to the office, Corey’s first question is not something vague like, “How did it go?” Instead, he asks, “What did you learn?” After all, information is where good advertising starts.
John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training DVDs to save time and get quick results from inhouse training. Email for information: john@johnfoust.com.
95th Arkansas General Assembly
Legislative Report
APA is monitoring the following bills of interest to our industry and the public:
Bill No. / Author Short Description
HB 1042
Rep. Collins To Create The Direct Democracy Act Of 2025; To Repeal The Ensuring Access For All Arkansans And Voter Protection Act Of 2023; And To Amend The Procedure For The Filing Of A Ballot Initiative Petition And Referendum Petition.
https://bit.ly/3WHRRDt
HB 1141
Rep. Richardson To Create Criminal Offenses Related To Deceptive And Injurious Media In The Course Of Election Campaigns.
https://bit.ly/3El11zK
HB 1221
Rep. Ray To Amend Arkansas Law Concerning Initiatives, Referenda, And Constitutional Amendments; And To Declare An Emergency.
https://bit.ly/3Cjmjgx
HB 1222
Rep. Ray To Require The Attorney General To Review Ballot Titles For Conflicts With The United States Constitution And Federal Statutes; And To Ban Submission Of Multiple Initiative Petitions And Referendum Petitions.
https://bit.ly/4hz961L
SB 12
Sen. King To Amend The Freedom Of Information Act Of 1967; To Subject All Communication With The Board Of Apportionment To The Freedom Of Information Act Of 1967; And To Establish A Penalty.
https://bit.ly/42zIutn
Current Status
Reported correctly engrossed
Referred to the Judiciary Committee - House
Referred to the Committee on State Agencies & Govt’l Affairs - House
Referred to the Committee on State Agencies & Govt’l Affairs - House
Passed out of the Committee on State Agencies & Govt’l Affairs - Senate