Arkansas Publisher Weekly: March 8, 2023

5 Guest Column:

Cartoonist Fisher’s 100th birthday commemorated with party

6 Are your news, ad departments on the same page?

By Jim Pumarlo

Carroll County local owners learning the ropes, will debut new “old” print newspaper in Eureka Springs this spring

By Wesley Brown

Over the course of just two months, Scott Loftis and his partners at the Carroll County News in Berryville have quickly learned the travails and triumphs of owning a small rural newspaper in Arkansas.

On New Year’s Day, Carroll County Community Media LLC closed on the surprise deal of acquiring the Carroll County News and the Lovely County Citizen in Eureka Springs from fastgrowing CherryRoad Media Inc., a New Jersey-based subsidiary of CherryRoad Technologies.

Since entering the newspaper industry in late 2020, CherryRoad has acquired more than 50 newspapers and online news platforms in mostly rural communities across Arkansas, Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska.

But in a reverse acquisition of sorts, the newly created Arkansas partnership fashioned a deal to return ownership

to an exisiting employee. Loftis is a former Stephens Media editor who served as the Carroll County News’s managing editor for nearly a decade. That deal made perfect sense to him, veteran photographer David Bell and former Berryville Chamber of Commerce Director Steve Johnson

“We all live and work in Carroll County, and it made good sense to bring back local ownership,” said Loftis. “I have to give a shout-out to David and Steve because, without them, we wouldn’t have been able to complete this deal.”

Loftis said that when the three partners approached CherryRoad officials with an official offer in late 2022, the New Jersey newspaper group supportively accepted the group’s offer to return the longtime Berryville newspaper to local ownership.

Less than a year ago, CherryRoad Media made a deal with Rust Communications in Cape Girardeau, Mo., to purchase five rural newspapers in Arkansas and four in Missouri for an undisclosed sum. The Arkansas newspapers included the Carroll County News and the Lovely County Citizen, plus The News in Salem,

Judges needed now for Mississippi Press editorial contest

Volunteer judges are needed to review submissions from the Mississippi Press Association Better Newspaper Editorial Contest. All judging will be online in April. Categories in the Mississippi contest include News Writing, News Columns, Feature Writing, Profile stories, Sports News and Sports Feature writing, Sport Photos, News or Feature Photos, Graphic or Layout Design and Special Sections.

You may request more than one category to judge.

“APA member newspapers are known for consistently turning out quality journalism year after year,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley. “Our friends at the Mississippi Press Association are counting on our membership’s expertise for help in judging these entries.”

Please volunteer by Friday, March 31 by filling out the form at forms.gle/kk9AcoiU9y6frejs9

Carroll County local owners learning the ropes, will debut new “old” print newspaper in Eureka Springs this spring

Continued from Page1

the Villager Journal in Cherokee Village and the Clay County Times-Democrat in Piggott.

At the time, that deal brought CherryRoad’s portfolio of Arkansas newspapers to a total of 10. In June 2021, the East Coast newspaper acquirer had also snapped up the Mountaineer Echo in Flippin, the Marshall Mountain Wave, the Pocahontas Star Herald and the Clay County Courier in Corning.

business,” he said.

Now with his feet firmly on the ground, Loftis is learning other areas of newspaper operations such as accounting, circulation, advertising and promotions. To gain new subscribers and advertising, Loftis said he and his team are trying new and different ideas that are unfamiliar to him.

“As an owner, I am learning that I will try things that I would have never done as any editor,” he said, laughing. “If I get a great offer, I may be willing to sell space on the front page, which is something I would have never thought about before becoming an owner.”

Before he goes that route, Loftis said the new Carroll County News is taking a more interactive approach to advertising. For instance, the newspaper is seeking sponsors for an “athlete of the week” spotlight and one of the local school districts is now writing a weekly feature.

Out of the 75 counties in Arkansas, Carroll County is among the 10 that have two county seats: one each in Eureka Springs and Berryville. Loftis said after the Citizen went online, people in Eureka Springs told him that the other county seat also needed a “printed paper.” The former area legal newspaper, the Eureka Springs Times-Echo, ceased publishing under that name in 2005 after merging with the Berryville Star-Tribune, itself a merger of the Green Forest Tribune and the Berryville Star-Progress, to form the Carroll County News Midweek Edition

After a legal process to regain the rights to the Times-Echo name, Carroll County Community Media plans to launch a new print edition of the former Eureka Springs newspaper, the origin of which goes back to 1894. That relaunch is scheduled to take place in mid-April, Loftis said.

Prior to CherryRoad’s deal with Rust, Loftis briefly served as general manager of the Carroll County News. In his current role, Loftis is not only an owner but also oversees day-to-day operations as the newspaper’s publisher, editor and whatever else is needed.

“I had a little feel for running a newspaper with Rust, but I still had to report up the ladder. It is a completely different deal as an owner rather than an employee,” he said. “I am starting to get used to wearing many different hats, but that is a good thing. I realize now that the buck stops now with me and my partners.”

As he gets used to wearing those many hats, Loftis said the excitement and rush of being new owners is starting to wear off and the pace of operations is returning to normal. He said after the deal closed on Jan. 1, the new owners also had to locate and move to new headquarters not connected to CherryRoad, as the sale did not include any real estate assets.

“We had a lot going on with the move and everything else, but it is starting to slow down, and we are getting used to the new pace of running our locally-owned

Loftis said that the Berryville mayor will also begin contributing an occasional column for the 1,300-subscriber weekly. Loftis added that the newspaper is also doing weekly promotions to increase circulation, adding three or four new subscribers each week.

“That is what keeps us alive.” he said. The CherryRoad deal also included a shopper, the Ozark Mountain Trader, and two specialty publications, the Eureka Spring Visitor and Currents magazine.

The Lovely County Citizen, previously a free weekly tabloid, was moved to online-

As the new owners continue to get their sea legs, Loftis said the reception from the local community has been uplifting and encouraging.

“You have moments every day when you ask yourself, ‘Scott, what are you doing?’” Loftis said of his role as owner. “But we have a positive feel from the community about local ownership, and that keeps us excited about where we are going.”

Jeremy Gulban, CEO of CherryRoad Media, serves on the APA Board of Directors. Scott Loftis is a current nominee for the board.

Scott Loftis

Rhonda Worrall, advertising coordinator, in the new office in Berryville.

P R E S S P A

What is Earn Your Press Pass?

Earn Your Press Pass is a simple course, covering the basics of community journalism

It is designed to train those with limited or no news experience to work for their local newspaper,helping to create valuable coverage It is taught by Lindsey Young, a community journalist and publisher with 10 years of high school teaching experience.

What does the course include?

V.

A. Parts of a newspaper

B Other terms to know

A. Who should I interview?

B Preparing for an interview

C. Conducting an interview

D Interview follow-up

E. Source problems and issues

F. Let’s practice.

A Newsworthiness

B. News-writing basics

C Breaking and hard news stories

D. Covering a meeting

E. Working a press release

F Writing a feature story

G Covering sports

H. Opinion writing

A. Writing on deadline

B. Fun with leads

C Using quotes

D Headline writing

E. Cutline writing

F Thinking outside the pyramid

Writing Techniques Associated Press Style Editing

VI. VII. VIII. Journalist Rights and Ethics

A. Tips for effective editing

B. Revising and rewriting

C Let’s practice

A Your right to know

B. Avoiding libel

C Journalism ethics

D Contradictions of community journalism

IX. Photography Final Bits of

A. Taking good photos

B. Editing photos

C Dealing with submitted photos

X.

•

Advice

A. Keeping yourself organized

B Preparing files for layout

C I have nothing to write about. Help!

Sections are feature videos and printable cheat sheets

• Lessons will continue to be added/updated.

“I was extremely impressed Lindsey even taught this old dog some new tricks The content is solid, it’s easy to use, and you can sign into and out of the program as your time allows. Lindsey’s engaging nature makes the lessons enjoyable, which makes you look forward to the next segment.”

For more information, contact Ashley Kemp Wimberley at ashley@arkansaspress

Nominees set for APA board election

This is the second of three required notifications to membership of a special election for seats on the APA Board of Directors. The nominees include:

• Andrew Bagley, co-owner and copublisher of the Helena Daily World and Monroe County Argus

• Tom Byrd, publisher of the Mena Star, Mansfield Citizen, Waldron News and The De Queen Bee

• Scott Loftis, co-owner, editor and publisher of the Carroll County News Ballots will be mailed to APA member newspapers following the third publication of this notice.

This notification also opens a period for acceptance of other nominations. A letter of recommendation from three APA member newspapers in good standing is required for an at-large nomination. Any at-large nominations must be received by March 16, 2023.

The newly elected members will assume their respective seats on the board at the conclusion of the election.

The Arkadelphian is new APA member

APA is pleased to announce the membership of The Arkadelphian as a Media Member.

The Arkadelphian, an online-only daily newspaper, was founded in August 2021 by veteran Arkadelphia reporter Joel Phelps

Phelps first moved to Arkadelphia to study print journalism at Henderson State University, at which he was associate editor of the student newspaper, The Oracle. After graduating in 2008, he served as managing editor of The Gurdon Times, then as lead reporter at the Daily Siftings Herald in Arkadelphia. While employed by GateHouse Media he was also responsible for the production of The Gurdon Times, Nevada County Picayune, Hope Star, Stuttgart Daily Leader, Helena World, Newport Independent, White Hall Journal and the Bastrop Enterprise. He also worked briefly as a reporter at The Saline Courier in Benton, before returning to Clark County.

Kelly Stiles joined the publication in October 2022 as advertising manager. She holds a degree in business and organizational communication from Henderson State University and served as editor-in-chief at The Oracle as a student.

The Arkadelphian’s website is arkadelphian.com. Coverage includes police, city and county government, local business and human interest stories. It serves a growing readership of more than 5,500 in and around Arkadelphia, and generated 1.1 million pageviews in 2022. We welcome them to the association.

UPDATE: Medical Marijuana webinar rescheduled for April

“Medical Marijuana in the Workplace”, the live webinar on which APA is partnering with the Arkansas Bankers Association to present, has been rescheduled to late April.

The webinar is aimed at employers and those responsible for workplace regulatory compliance. It will provide an overview of the failed recent ballot initiative to legalize

recreational marijuana in Arkansas, then shift into the need to adopt appropriate workplace policies related to medical marijuana, which is legal in the state. Brett W. Taylor, a seasoned litigator whose experience includes defending employers against civil rights claims, professional liability and medical malpractice actions, and a range of other commercial disputes,

will lead the webinar.

The webinar will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, April 25, from 10 to 11 a.m. The cost is $50 for APA and ABA members.

For more information, please see the flyer on pages 8 and 9 of this week’s Arkansas Publisher Weekly. To register, email kami.coleman@arkbankers.org.

Sunshine week is next week: March 12–18

Get involved by:

• Share your experiences, success stories, FOIA battles, new laws and other efforts on behalf of open government. Tweet @SunshineWeek or use #SunshineWeek on social media when sharing.

• Highlight the importance of openness through stories, editorials, columns, cartoons or graphics.

• Organize local forums, sponsor essay contests or press elected officials to pass proclamations on the importance of open access.

• If you would like to submit stories, editorials, columns, cartoons or graphics for public use during Sunshine Week, email your content links to sunshineweek@newsleaders.org. Please include a brief description and/or headlines.

• NIE Coordinators can use Sunshine Week to teach students how government transparency improves our lives and strengthens our communities.

Joe Phelps

Kelly Stiles

Cartoonist Fisher’s 100th birthday commemorated with party

The Central Arkansas Library System and several friends of the late political cartoonist George Fisher are planning a 100th birthday party in his memory on Saturday, April 8, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Darragh Center at the CALS Main Library, 100 Rock Street, Little Rock.

April 8 marks the 100th birthday of the award-winning cartoonist, who from 1976 to 1991 was the chief editorial cartoonist for the then-Arkansas Gazette. He later produced cartoons for the Arkansas Times. A native of Beebe, Fisher died in 2003.

Fisher drew thousands of cartoons featuring notable Arkansas political figures over his career. His first political

cartoon was in 1937 during the United States Senate special election between Governor Carl Bailey and Congressman John Miller following the death of Senator Joseph T. Robinson. His first published cartoon was of Governor Homer Adkins in 1944. One of his most notable cartoons was of Governor Orville Faubus addressing the legislature with everyone in the chamber, including legislators, statues, and even mice, looking like Faubus. He also famously portrayed then-governor Bill Clinton as a child on a tricycle, graduating him to driving a pickup truck upon his ascension to the U.S. presidency.

Several books containing his political cartoons, including those from the

popular “Old Guard Rest Home” series, have been published. His work inspired the Farkleberry Follies (1967-1999), a theatrical show spoofing politicians and the Farkleberry Restaurant (1973-1988) in Little Rock’s Regions Bank Building which featured his cartoon portraits.

Fisher’s cartoons and books will be displayed at the birthday party, and stories about him will be shared. Special music will be provided by the Rackensack Folklore Society, which was founded in Mountain View in 1963 to promote and preserve folk music. Fisher, who had a cabin at nearby Timbo, organized a Pulaski County chapter of the society in the mid-1960’s and was a regular performer.

Are your news, ad departments on same page?

By Jim Pumarlo

Editors often raise red flags – or at least hesitate – at requests for business news, and often for good reason.

A store seeks a story for its grand opening – three months after the doors have opened.

A request for a restaurant review, though maybe a good idea, would be a “first” for the newspaper and might set an uncomfortable precedent.

A request for an anniversary story is accompanied by a reminder that the florist is one of the newspaper’s largest advertisers.

Advertising departments are quick to promote business content for the promised dividends in increased revenue. And that may well be the case. Be aware, however, that haphazard coverage can be worse than no coverage at all. Newspapers instead should take a tip from the sports playbook: A deliberate offense will minimize the times that publishers and editors will have to defend a story. That strategy is best accomplished if newsrooms craft guidelines in consultation with the advertising department and management.

The exercise is especially important as newspapers are regularly challenged to

generate advertising revenue in today’s fractured media landscape. Departments must be on the same page. Develop ground rules as much as possible. Exceptions are certain to surface, but they ought to be rare.

Mention business coverage, and many editors think of the chamber of commerce and “red coat” ambassadors who welcome businesses into the business community. The chamber can be a far greater resource.

For example, chambers of commerce and economic development organizations can become partners in presenting the local economic pulse. Monthly employment figures are an excellent example of how your newspaper can provide valuable and substantive information on a regular basis and the chamber receives attention. Go beyond the numbers by identifying businesses that represent the statistics.

The broad spectrum of business stories provides rich content, and it can help generate revenue. If you devote resources to beef up coverage, be sure the efforts are noticed. Newspapers regularly promote their editorial page, sports section, lifestyle or travel stories. Package business news in similar fashion. Send a message that you are interested in telling stories of employers

and employees.

Improving business coverage is a shared responsibility. Businesses must be comfortable that reporters can get the story right, and reporters deserve to have all the facts including those that may not be so flattering. It boils down to trust. Reaching a common understanding is at the foundation of drawing the fine line between editorial and advertising departments. It’s also a slow process. The first step is to start a conversation within your newspaper and with your business community. Building business news into your everyday coverage can spell dividends for news and advertising departments.

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.

94th Arkansas General Assembly

Legislative Report

APA is monitoring the following filed bills of interest to our industry and the public:

Bill No. / Author Short

HB 1099

Rep. Collins

An act to expand the Arkansas FOIA - Expands the time a custodian, requester, or the subject of certain public records can seek an opinion from the Attorney General on whether the decision by a public-records custodian to release those records is consistent with FOIA.

https://bit.ly/3HcRslh

HB 1399

Rep. Cavanaugh

HB 1584

Rep. Watson

An act to amend the law regarding publication requirements for counties and municipalities; to amend the law concerning elections; and to amend the law concerning tax delinquency lists.

https://bit.ly/3xqOiEM

An act to amend the requirements for a tow business to give public notice in certain circumstances; and for other

Medical Marijuana in the Workplace- Virtual

MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN THE WORKPLACE VIRTUAL LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE IN ARKANSAS

REGISTER NOW

WHEN

April 25, 2023

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

During this session we will provide an overview of the failed ballot initiative in Arkansas and the future of recreational marijuana use in Arkansas, then shift into medical marijuana in the workplace, the inevitable issues and challenges that face employers, and the need to adopt and implement appropriate policies related to medical marijuana in the workplace.

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION:

WHERE

Comfort of your desk or anywhere with an internet connection.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

CEOs, COOs, Presidents, Chief Compliance Officers, Chief Risk Officers, Compliance Managers, and others responsible for regulatory compliance/risk management.

• Overview of State Regulated Cannabis

• Failure of Issue 4 (the ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana use)

• New Proposal Expected in 2024

• Current Arkansas law on Cannabis

• Cardholding Employees

• Employers of Cardholders

• Safety Sensitive Positions

o Handling Confidential Information

o Under the Influence Defined

o Good Faith Belief

o Drug Testing

o Reasonable Suspicion

• Signs and Symptoms

• Written Policy

• Documentation

Arkansas Bankers Association | Professional Development Department

1220 West Third Street | Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 | (501) 376-3741 | www.arkbankers.org

About the Instructor

BRETT W. TAYLOR is a seasoned litigator with experience practicing before the federal and state courts of Arkansas and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Brett’s broad experience includes defending employers against civil rights claims, professional liability and medical malpractice actions, and a range of other commercial disputes. As a former law clerk for the Honorable J. Thomas Ray, Chief Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Brett brings unique and invaluable insight to CGWG’s civil litigation practice.

Brett’s pragmatic approach to defending lawsuits is informed by his experience managing a small industrial supply business in his hometown of Trumann, Arkansas, where he worked after completing his undergraduate coursework in History at Arkansas State University in 2005. After learning how to manage a business, Brett pursued his law degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he graduated cum laude with several Top Paper awards in contracts, business associations, and intellectual property.

REGISTRATION FEES

ABA Members:

Price: $50

Non-Members:

Price: $100

CANCELLATION

Full registration fees will be refunded if a cancellation is received before April 10. No refunds will be given for cancellations made after April 10. All cancellations must be submitted in written format prior to the event.

VIRTUAL LIVE FORMAT

Attendees will need Internet access and a standard web browser to join this video and web conferencing. They will receive an email with a link to join the virtual meeting, handouts, and any additional information a few days before each event.

You do not need your own Zoom account. You will use the link, meeting ID and password we provide.

• You can log in on a desktop computer, laptop or download the Zoom app on your smart device.

• Internet access

• Audio on computer or a phone line

MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN THE WORKPLACE

APRIL 25, 2023

Bank/Company Name Phone

Registrant Name Title E-mail

Registrant Name Title E-mail Address City State Zip Registration Contact Phone E-mail

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Charge my: r Mastercard r Visa r American Express r Discover

Account Number

Name on Card

Expiration Date CSC Number (3-digit security code on back of your card)

Billing Zip Code

If you would prefer to give us your credit card information over the phone, please call the ABA Professional Development Department at (501) 376-3741. Please do not email credit card information.

Note: Non-Members must pay with credit card or check prior to the event.

Email: kami.coleman@arkbankers.org

Fax: (501) 376-9243

Mail: Check Payable to:

Arkansas Bankers Association Professional Development Department 1220 West Third Street Little Rock, AR 72201

ABA USE ONLY: Registered: Amount: Received: