Arkansas Publisher Weekly: November 21, 2023

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Remember ANF with year-end donations Guest Column: Treasure hunt for ad ideas

By John Foust

Arkansas Press Association

Publisher Weekly Vol.18 | No. 45 | Tuesday, November 21, 2023 | Serving Press and State Since 1873

APA Members pause to share gratitude at Thanksgiving Holiday

Jane Russell

Tammy Curtis

Andrew Bagley

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection on all we are grateful for in our lives. I have been blessed to have worked with some of the best people in the news industry over the past 40-plus years. There were wonderful people who were not only fellow employees but who eventually became extended “family” members. We worked long hard hours as a team to keep our county abreast of the latest news both good and bad.

This has been a whirlwind of a year for our family. Our 20-year-old daughter-inlaw was shockingly diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma in March and life went on standstill. While I am always so very thankful for God’s grace and mercy and my wonderful family and friends, this year I am most thankful for God allowing her to survive and move on to a new chapter of life with her family, including my son and their 20-month-old baby boy.

An informed public is indispensable to keep a democracy alive. We are in a critical period and the United States is at a turning point. We should all pray to help keep the news media strong and keep honest people in office to represent us in government. I am grateful that with some great people at Paxton Media I have been able to continue this endeavor to keep the folks in Crittenden County provided with the best and most reliable news coverage we can provide. We thank and appreciate each and every one of our subscribers who support us in this mission.

Also, I reflect on what a difficult year it has been on the newspaper industry. I am beyond thankful for the support my small community, where I have lived and raised my children and worked for my entire life, provides to my newspaper. Despite having two newspapers in the area, one corporately owned, the undying amount of kindness they continue to show me allows us to grow each year and keeps me doing what I have a passion for .. telling the truth every day. The ability to do this through the newspaper is something I have never taken for granted.

This year I am thankful that Rick Kennedy, Chuck Davis and I get to continue bringing news and sports to the people of Phillips and Monroe Counties. The year 2023 saw health scares for all of us, which reminded me of the frailness of life and the admonition that tomorrow is not promised. The work we do is not only valuable but rewarding. I am thankful for this opportunity every day and immensely grateful for Chuck believing in me and my idea that a community newspaper in Helena could be a viable business enterprise under local ownership and essential for us to have a great community.

Jane Russell is a multimedia specialist with Paxton Media Group and the Evening Times in Crittenden County.

Tammy Curtis is the publisher of the Spring River Chronicle in Hardy

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

I am also immensely thankful for my wife Sandra Bagley, the glue that holds our family together. Without her support, the Helena World and Monroe County Argus would not be where they are today, not only through her taking care of the home front but also through the award-winning religious column she writes for both newspapers that I believe could stand up against those in larger dailies. Sandra is simply one of the most brilliant people that I have ever known, and not a day goes by I See Gratitude Page 3

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November 21, 2023

Congratulations on 150 years.

Simmons Bank congratulates the Arkansas Press Association (APA) on 150 years in business and all it has achieved for our state. As Arkansas’s first trade association and the oldest professional association in the state, APA has paved the way for the freedom of press.

Simmons recently celebrated 120 years in business, so we feel a special connection with organizations that share a long history of serving our local communities. We’re proud to be in great company with the APA and look forward to the next 150 years!

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October 13, 2023

Gratitude Continued from page 1

don’t recognize how blessed I am that she came into my life almost 14 years ago.

me unconditionally for which I am truly grateful.

Finally, I am thankful for the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors for the Arkansas Press Association and the opportunity to meet and work with and learn from some of the brightest minds in our industry. I am especially thankful for the opportunity to know Ashley Kemp Wimberley, our executive director. The APA is in good hands with her at the helm, and I can’t imagine any other state press association having leadership that does a better job than the work she performs on our behalf. Now let us all enjoy this holiday, visit with our family, and gain no less than five pounds!

As we all know, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year, but I like to think I observe it every day. For example, I begin my day at 6 a.m. with a hot cup of coffee, daily devotional and prayer. My prayer consists of thanking Him for a good night of rest, for His protection over my family, friends, and myself during the night, for giving me another day with the health and strength to be up and about, a job to go to and the ability to perform that job (most of the time)!! I would be remiss not to mention all of the material blessings He has bestowed upon me. But most of all, I am thankful for my Savior who has made every provision for me to spend eternity in Heaven. This may sound repetitious, and it is, but I can assure you it is heart felt every day.

Andrew Bagley is the publisher of the Helena World and Monroe County Argus.

I am thankful for my family, a daughter and son-in-law who live approximately five minutes from me, and my grandson, who lives in Conway, along with my co-workers who are like family to me, my church family (First Baptist of Clarksville), and all the friends I have made during my lifetime living in this small town.

Wanda Williams

When I was first contacted about writing a column on Thanksgiving my first thought was “Where will I begin?” I have so much to be thankful for, in addition to having so many blessings. My first blessing was the parents God chose for me. They took me to church, taught me right from wrong, provided for me, protected me, and loved

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

On Thanksgiving Day I prepare the traditional ham, turkey and dressing, and all the trimmings for my small family.

Since my husband passed in December 2011, my grandson says the blessing over the food and sits at the head of the table.

His granddad would be proud and happy to know Trey is carrying on the family tradition. We are joined by a special friend whose husband is also deceased and who has no immediate family. We have adopted her as part of our family and I think her

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feelings for us are mutual. Following the meal and perhaps a nap or two, my kids start the annual Christmas decorating of my house, inside and outside. It is then that I start “kitchen duty,” clearing the table of the food and loading the dishwasher, etc.

Our special friend lives in the country and has animals, so she leaves in time to get home before dark to feed them. We never let her leave until we get some “to go” boxes and fill them with food for her to have for the evening meal and even some the next day. My kids stay for the evening meal and afterwards the “to go” boxes are again brought out as the remainder of the food is divided for them to take to their respective homes. My grandson always brings his “fur babies,” who stay in the garage since I don’t have a fenced-in yard. They, too, participate in the Thanksgiving feast.

It is sad to see the taillights of their vehicles drive down my lane, but it is also another reminder of how blessed I am to have had another Thanksgiving with them.

In conclusion I want to wish everyone a “Happy Thanksgiving.” I also hope each of you will remember to be thankful the remaining 364 days of the year.

I am grateful to the Arkansas Press Association for extending this invitation to me to submit a Thanksgiving column. There are so many great journalists throughout the state that I count it an honor to be included in this publication.

God Bless!

Wanda Williams is promotions and accounts receivable manager at the Johnson County Graphic in Clarksville

November 21, 2023

"Let’s give Grandma’s scratchy Christmas records a rest this year."

- Vacation

Your Vacation needs more than a few boughs of holly this Christmas. Branson is a winter wonderland of excitement, filled with jolly festivals, show-stopping holiday performances, and even an express train ride to the North Pole!

This year, give your Vacation the gift of an Ozark Mountain Christmas.

Discover more at ExploreBranson.com.

O’Neill announces retirement after long-time media career Broadcaster Craig O’Neill announced on Monday that he plans to retire from KTHVTV at the close of the 10 p.m. newscast on December 29.

O’Neill, whose legal name is Randy Hankins, began his broadcast career in 1972 at a radio station which had been promoting its new disc jockey, “Craig O’Neill”. When he accepted the job, he took the name. He became known as a top morning DJ in central Arkansas in the 1970s and 1980s, starting at KAAY AM 1090 and moving on to KKYK FM 104 and KLAZ FM 98.5, gaining fame with on-air pranks and crazy characters. A highly sought-after emcee, over the years he helped to raise more than $40 million for Arkansas causes and communities.

Craig O’Neill

O’Neill joined KTHV Channel 11 as a sports

anchor and later moved to the news desk.

He has been with the station for 24 years and has received a regional Emmy award and the prestigious Edward R. Murrow award. This year, he was inducted into the NATAS Mid-America Gold Circle for his 52 years in broadcasting. He lives in Little Rock with his wife, artist Jane Hankins.

“Craig’s contributions to Central Arkansas are notable from his undying commitment to improving the lives of Arkansans to his irreverent sense of humor that had us all wanting more,” Marty Schack, president and general manager at THV11, said in the Arkansas Business report of O’Neill’s retirement. “He is a treasure to our community and while we may not see him on air after this year, I know that Craig will continue to make an impact on Arkansans young and old.”

Remember ANF with year-end donations Simpson sells As we move into the season of Executive Director Ashley second novel, to be year-end gifts, we ask you Kemp Wimberley. “The to support the important memo line read: ‘honoring published in 2025 mission of newspapers with a gift to the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation.

Founded in 1982, ANF provides services to APA member newspapers by funding paid internships to journalism students at Arkansas colleges and universities, grants for attending seminars and conferences and by aiding and advancing newspaper journalism education and newspaper readership across the state.

“Last week we received a check in the mail, made out to the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation for journalism education, from an Arkansas citizen,” said APA

hard-working journalists.’

These types of thoughtful gestures remind us why we do what we do.”

Arkansas newspapers provide an essential service to their communities and play a vital role in our democracy.

Your gift is an investment in one of the fundamental sectors of our society. Your contribution will make an impact whether you donate $5 or $500.

Checks may be mailed to the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation, 411 South Victory Street, Little Rock AR 72201. ANF is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, and all donations are tax deductible.

INFO ON INDUSTRY DEATHS SOUGHT While Arkansas Publisher Weekly has worked throughout the year to publish industry obituaries on a timely basis, some death notices may have been inadvertently missed.

If you know of a person who worked in or was retired from the Arkansas newspaper industry who passed in 2023, please email info@arkansaspress.org.

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T r a v i s Simpson, editor of The Courier in Russellville and guest columnist for the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, has sold Travis Simpson his second novel to Flux, the young-adult imprint of North Star Editions.

The book, “Cope Field”, is slated for a spring 2025 release. The novel follows a high school baseball star who has endured abuse at the hands of his father and risks losing his brother into the foster care system.

Simpson, who publishes under the name T.L. Simpson, has been a reporter at The Courier since 2012. He was named editor in 2022, and shortly afterward sold his first novel, “Strong Like You,” which will be published this coming March.

November 21, 2023

THANK YOU. Behind every business and bold move were those who made things happen.

We appreciate our communities and customers for letting us serve them.

We thank Arkansas newspapers for sharing our safety education, energy assistance and efficiency resources with readers.

Guest Column: Treasure hunt for ad ideas

By John Foust

Some years ago, I attended an exhibit of treasure from the Atocha shipwreck which treasure hunter Mel Fisher had located off the coast of Florida. The Atocha was the most famous ship in the Spanish fleet that sank in 1622 in a hurricane near the Florida Keys. The exhibit was at a jewelry store that had made special accommodations for the display. All of the regular merchandise had been stored away to make room for silver bars, gold coins and jewelry. It was an impressive show, and there was a waiting line outside.

When it was my turn to enter, a representative handed a silver bar to me and asked, “Heavy, isn’t it?” As I carefully moved the bar from hand to hand to test its weight, he mentioned that it was worth thousands of dollars. Although I’ve forgotten the exact amount, it was enough to buy a fancy new car. I told him I was just looking and spent about 30 minutes gazing at display cases and pondering buried treasure. “Just think,” I said to myself, “many years ago, these artifacts were lost at the bottom of the ocean. And here they are today, looking as good as new.”

Lost treasures have fascinated people for

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

centuries. But not all treasures consist of gold and silver. For those of us in the advertising business, some are hidden away in file cabinets and company archives.

Take Jessica, for example. She told me about one of her advertising accounts, a local lumber company which has been in business for many years. “For as long as I can remember,” she said, “the company had run generic ‘look at us, we’re in the lumber business’ ads. All of the ads featured nondescript illustrations of stacks of lumber, with the headline, ‘Three generations of service’ and their logo at the bottom. Since a lot of their customers are commercial building contractors, they saw advertising as just a way to keep their name in front of the public.

“I knew there was a better way, so I did a little research on their advertising history. I looked through a file of their old ads, and it didn’t take long to find a series on woodworking projects. I suggested that they: (1) update their image ads to offer specific discounts to contractors and (2) revive the woodworking idea to differentiate their friendly-neighbor philosophy from the big box store across town.

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“It was an easy sale, because it was an update of an idea they had previously run. We expanded their advertising to include both approaches – both with the underlying ‘Three generations of service’ theme. The first woodworking ad featured a birdhouse (with building instructions).

The second one featured a kids’ playhouse (also with instructions). The next ad spotlighted picnic tables, and it went on from there. The campaign was a real boost to their business, and it added an element of personality.”

Jessica came up with a real winner. And it all started with a treasure hunt for ideas. ___________________________________ (c) Copyright 2023 by John Foust. All rights reserved.

John Foust of Greensboro, North Carolina has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals.

Many ad departments are using his training videos to save time and get quick results from in-house training. Email for information: john@johnfoust.com

November 21, 2023

EARN YOUR

PRESS PASS 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.

I.

Introduction

II.

Newspaper Jargon

Writing Techniques A. Writing on deadline B. Fun with leads C. Using quotes D. Headline writing E. Cutline writing F. Thinking outside the pyramid

A. Parts of a newspaper B. Other terms to know

III. Interviewing

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.

IV.

VI.

Photography

X.

Final Bits of Advice

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Sections are feature videos and printable cheat sheets

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Lessons will continue to be added/updated.

Associated Press

VII. Style Editing

A. Tips for effective editing B. Revising and rewriting C. Let’s practice.

Types of Stories

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

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VIII. Journalist Rights and Ethics

A. Taking good photos B. Editing photos C. Dealing with submitted photos

A. Keeping yourself organized B. Preparing files for layout C. I have nothing to write about. Help!

A. Your right to know B. Avoiding libel C. Journalism ethics D. Contradictions of community journalism

“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.”

DONNIS BAGGETT, TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION

Executive vice president and a 50-year veteran of small and large Texas newsrooms

Arkansas Publisher Weekly

ARKANSASPRESS.ORG

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For more information, contact Ashley Kemp Wimberley at ashley@arkansaspress.org November 2, 2023