Guest Column:
Bob Holt: not another one like him
By Bob Wisener
Arkansas Press Association PUBLISHER WEEKLY
Vol.19 | No. 50 |Thursday, December 12, 2024 | Serving Press and State Since 1873
At 26, Jillianne Moncrief steps into editor role at Jonesboro
A talented young Arkansas journalist is not only new to the state, but she also is taking her initial step into the world of newspapers.
Jillianne Moncrief took the reins as editor of the Jonesboro Sun just over a month ago after spending the early years of her career in the broadcast industry.
Interestingly, moving to Northeast Arkansas was the original decision for her and husband, Beck Moncrief, and the newspaper position followed. Moncrief explained the couple decided to make the move from Paducah, Kentucky, to be closer to his son, Logan, a six-year-old student in the Greene County Tech system.
Following her graduation with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin, Moncrief began her career at television station WSPD in Paducah, owned by Paxton Media Group, the parent company of the Jonesboro Sun.
Moncrief began as the web editor at the television station before being promoted to an associate producer role and eventually became the morning executive producer. “I got my first job at the television station during the pandemic and feel very fortunate to have been able to do that,” she said.
Sun
“Actually, it has been a pretty easy transition for me,” Moncrief said of her move to the Sun. “Probably the biggest change is that we had more reporting resources at Paducah,” she said, utilizing the combined staffs of the television station and the Paducah Sun, flagship newspaper for the Paxton operation.
“There is a plethora of differences between print and broadcast journalism,” Moncrief said. “The biggest similarity is making sure you know your audience and can connect with them. How you do that varies between the two media. The goal in broadcast is to keep it clear, concise and conversational. The news comes on while families are starting and finishing their day, they are cooking or helping their kids with homework and, overall, not usually giving the TV their full attention. It was my responsibility to present the day’s information in the most comprehensible way while also grabbing the viewer’s attention.
“In print, you have more wiggle room to add the smaller, in-depth details and the extra quotes, but you lose some of the visual components. However, readers can ingest the content on their own time, possibly making it easier for them to comprehend the full story. Print is slower paced, and you must think and plan a day or two ahead.
“When I informed the company that we were moving to the Jonesboro area, discussions began and publisher Reece Terry offered me the position as editor of the newspaper,” Moncrief said. “It just happened to line up perfectly.”
While it is her first foray into the newspaper publishing business, Moncrief gained extensive experience writing and editing in her television production positions. She also wrote copy for both the campus radio station, WUTM 90.3 “The Hawk”, and the student newspaper, The Pacer, during her college days.
“Thankfully, my years of overnight broadcast experience, as well as starting as a web editor at WPSD, prepared me for that, making the transition quite smooth. I was also fortunate that the WPSD newsroom is a regional newsroom shared with Paxton Media Group-owned newspapers, like the Paducah Sun and Mayfield Messenger. The editors of both those papers, Leanne Fuller (Paducah Sun) and Audrey Holmes (Mayfield Messenger) helped me tremendously in figuring out how to ease into print.”
Jillianne Moncrief
Moncrief
Continued from page 1
At the Jonesboro location, she currently has a staff of two reporters, a sports editor, sports reporter and a news clerk. Moncrief hopes to beef up the department in the future with more emphasis on feature stories, crime coverage and photos. The newspaper is printed Tuesday through Saturday, with a Sunday online extra as part of the mix. A digital replica of the printed newspaper is available each day to subscribers. Paxton Media bought the Sun in 2000 from the Troutt family, who had owned the publication for almost 100 years.
With her having online and video experience, Moncrief hopes to expand digital offerings. That may include employing a reporter with a social media background. She also plans to add more videos to accompany newspaper articles. “This would mainly involve providing additional information for the reader, with the videos lasting about a minute and half.”
Moncrief and her husband are adjusting to the move to Jonesboro, noting that the community is similar to Paducah. “People have been very nice and have gone out of their way to help us,” she said, citing one instance in which several high school students helped them move furniture into their new residence.
judgment,” she said. “I just fell in love with all of it.”
Her college major in communications featured a broadcast emphasis. “I guess now I should have gone the other way,” she joked in reference to her current print position.
Through all her media work, Moncrief has begun to appreciate the broader impact she can have on her community. “And I can see that also carries a lot of responsibility on my part,” she said.
“With the 24-hour news cycle, community journalists might be more important than ever,” she said. “Community members have so many options for national and international news, but only a handful of options for news that directly impacts where they live –especially those in smaller towns.
“We like to go on walks together,” she said about family activities away from work. “And I also picked up a new hobby about a year ago,” she added. “Now, just about any time, you can catch me on the couch crocheting. I love it and I’m making Christmas presents for family and friends this year.”
She and her husband also have a future goal of one day living in Germany. “It just looks so beautiful from everything I’ve seen,” she said. “And we like that the communities appear so walkable.” As a result, they are working on becoming more fluent in the German language.
Moncrief first became interested in the media as a teenager when she helped her father with the sound booth at their local church. “It eventually occurred to me that I might be able to get paid to push buttons,” she said with a laugh.
She took a mandatory radio class in college and fell in love with broadcasting. “I learned to write better and use good news
“As community journalists, it’s our responsibility to make sure busy parents know what is happening at their children’s school board meetings, community members know the decisions made by local leaders as well as ensuring those local leaders are staying transparent and accountable.
“Local journalists are not just reporting on the community, we are also a part of the community. I’m thankful to work in a newsroom with a deep knowledge of this community and journalism and I hope the community is patient with me as I continue to learn about Northeast Arkansas.”
Moncrief was born in Alabama and later moved with her family to Northwest Tennessee. She graduated from West Carroll High School in Atwood, Tennessee, before beginning her college education in Martin.
Going forward, Moncrief takes seriously her role in an industry that she feels is critical to informing readers while also promoting the communities they serve.
“There are so many different ways to ingest news nowadays, from social media, a quick Google search, or by turning on the TV,” she said. “All of those options, however, pull your attention to a screen. Community newspapers bring you back to the old days of physically holding the content you’re reading, which makes
Jillianne Moncrief with husband Beck and stepson Logan
Moncrief
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newspapers a great supporter of literacy and habitual reading.
“Newspapers give readers a chance to slow down and get information on their own time. Local newspapers also foster a sense of community. From feature stories to area school sports, local newspapers highlight the stories that bring communities together and, hopefully, create a sense of pride and belonging.”
Moncrief feels fortunate that she has found a career that suits her, agreeing with other journalists that it is an ideal profession for those who are curious about the world around them and have a desire to learn – while also meeting interesting people in all walks of life.
“One of my favorite hobbies is learning new things,” she said. “It’s only fitting that I chose a career where all I do is learn new things and then tell people. Being part of a team that keeps our community informed and safe fills me with pride and satisfaction.”
Moncrief displays a recently-completed crochet project
Helena World owners purchase two Scott County newspapers
The owners of the Helena World and Monroe County Argus recently purchased the Waldron News and the Mansfield Citizen in Scott County, which ceased publication earlier this year.
Andrew Bagley, who co-owns the newspapers with retired Helena businessman Chuck Davis and who is President of the Arkansas Press Association, announced the purchase on December 6.
“Chuck and I are proud to be able to play a role in making sure that Scott County doesn’t become a news desert and that its residents have access to a community newspaper that focuses on their stories and does an admirable job in writing the first draft of the history in
these communities,” said Bagley. “We love rural Arkansas, and the communities of Waldron and Mansfield are much like the communities of Phillips and Monroe Counties where we have newspapers.”
Bagley and Davis purchased the newspapers from Bunyard Media Group, which earlier this year bought them, along with the Mena Star and De Queen Bee, from former owner Lancaster Management Group. BMG did not continue publishing the Waldron and Mansfield newspapers after the sale.
Bagley intends to combine the two titles into one newspaper that will cover both communities. “I am respectful of the histories of each of these storied publications, but the economics, along with the logistics of managing a publication across the state from our base in the Arkansas Delta, make this the best path forward,” he said. A date to begin publishing has not yet been determined, but the plan is for it to be as soon as possible.
“I look forward to meeting and serving the people of Scott County,” said Bagley. “We have a lot left to work through, not the least of which is finding office space
and employees. We will need the help of everyone in order for this effort to be successful, but I am as excited today about this endeavour as I was when Chuck and I purchased the Helena World in our hometown. Small towns represent the best of our state and our nation and those stories should be told.”
“APA is pleased that Andrew Bagley and his business partner Chuck Davis have acquired the newspapers,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley in a statement following the announcement. “We know the citizens of Scott County and surrounding counties will benefit from having a local newspaper again, and that excellent local coverage will propel community economics and increase access to trustworthy information.”
The newspapers will be printed at Mena by BMG. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to work with Andrew and his team by providing the print work for the Waldron News at our shop in Mena, said BMG President Jay Bunyard. “We believe that readers in the Scott County area will be pleased with the weekly print product that we’ll help provide.”
Publisher Rufus Friday named new executive director of CFINR
Rufus Friday, former publisher of the Lexington Herald-Leader in Lexington, Kentucky, will join the Center for Integrity in News Reporting as its executive director at the end of this year.
In his new role, Friday will lead the Center’s effor ts to uphold and promote journalistic integrity.
Prior to his time at the Herald-Leader, he served as president and publisher of the Tri-City Herald in Kennewick, Washington, from 2005 to 2011. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Friday began his
career in circulation at the Raleigh News & Observer in 1984, later serving as vice president of circulation from 2003 to 2005. He has also worked at newspapers in Montgomery, Alabama; Rockford, Illinois; and Jackson, Tennessee.
Friday currently serves as Chairman of the Stars and Stripes newspaper publisher national advisory board of directors. He is a board member of the University of the Cumberlands, the Muhammad Ali Center and the University of Kentucky’s College of Communications and Information Dean’s Advisory Council. He also serves on the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation board.
“I am deeply honored to take on this role at the Center for Integrity in News Reporting,” Friday said. “Restoring and maintaining trust in journalism is not just a professional
responsibility but a personal mission. At a time when public confidence in news is critical to the strength of our democracy, I am eager to lead our initiatives that promote transparency, accountability and trust in news reporting.”
CFINR Trustees include Charles Overby, former chairman and CEO of the Freedom Forum; Bret Baier, executive editor of Special Report on Fox News; Mary Kissel, formerly of The Wall Street Journal editorial board; General (Ret.) Wesley Clark, a commentator on CNN; Eliza Gaines, publisher of the Arkansas DemocratGazette and its sister publications; and Walter Hussman, Jr., former publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
For more information on the Center for Integrity in News Reporting, visit www. cfinr.org.
Chuck Davis
Andrew Bagley
Rufus Friday
Thank you to volunteer judges in KPA newspaper contest
APA extends our thanks to the following members for their help in judging the Kentucky Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.
Jeanette Stewart, Log Cabin Democrat, Conway
Lauren Siebert, Hallmark Times, Hardy
Rick Kron, The Leader, Jacksonville
Lori Freeze and Ed Coates, Stone County Leader, Mountain View
Rhonda Overby, The Saline Courier, Benton
Joanna Poole and Jeff McDonald, The Advance-Monticellonian, Monticello
Jennifer Allen, Hot Springs Village Voice
James Bright, Texarkana Gazette
Karen Sherrell, Pacesetting Times, Horseshoe Bend
Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate
Sara Greene, Batesville Guard
Marine Glisovic, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas
Skip Rutherford, Arkansas Newspaper Foundation board member, Little Rock
Worth Sparkman, Axios Northwest Arkansas
Tammy Curtis, Spring River Chronicle, Hardy
Lisa Thompson, Terri Frye and Dave Perozek, Northwest Arkansas DemocratGazette
Kathy Edwards, The Daily Record, Little Rock
Shiela Yount, Philip Martin, Cary Jenkins, Bryan Hendricks, Terri Austin, Tony Holt, Eric Harrison, Staci Miller, Staton Breidenthal, Adam Vogler, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Scott Loftis and Rick Harvey, Carroll County News, Berryville
Robert Lyons, The Mountain Echo, Yellville
Jenny Tyson, Pocahontas Star Herald
The next opportunity for judging will be in February for the Tennessee Press Association 2025 Better Newspaper Contest. TPA members will in return judge the 2025 APA Better Newspaper contest in April.
Former editor named Grand Marshal of Altus Christmas Parade
Jo Eveld, longtime editor of the Ozark Spectator until its closing this past September, has been named Grand Marshal of this year’s Altus Christmas Parade.
The parade will be held on Sunday, December 15, with the theme set as “A Musical Christmas.” Santa Claus will also be present to distribute candy to children.
A lifetime Altus resident, Eveld is also volunteer for the city of Altus, a charter member and current president of the Altus Chamber of Commerce, queen and founding member of the Rolling River Red Hat Society of Ozark, Altus and beyond, a charter member of the Altus Area Sunset Rotary Club and a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Daughters of Mary organization of the church.
After publication of The Spectator ceased in September, Eveld also joined the traveling bean bag baseball team of the Ozark Senior Citizen Center and began volunteering at the Altus-Ozark Community Thrift Store.
“While I am most appreciative of the honor of being selected as parade grand marshal this year, recognition is not the motive for my efforts,” Eveld said in the article announcing her selection.
Earlier this fall America’s Newspapers launched the Resource Center, a powerful new tool designed for newspapers to maximize local advertising efforts, increase revenue and better serve local businesses. Resource Center materials are based on the recently-released Local Advertising Effectiveness Study, which offers in-depth insights into what’s driving success across 70 different advertising categories. Also included are customized sales sheets
tailored to each category and designed to equip sales teams with data-driven strategies, making it easier to connect with potential advertisers and close more deals.
America’s Newspapers advocates for the industry and shares best practices to enhance newspaper growth in the United States. Find out more about the Resource Center and register at https://member. newspapers.org
RATE CARDS REQUESTED As we prepare for 2024, APA needs your current rate cards and media kits. Please send rate cards, circulation info and demographics, if available, to rebecca@arkansaspress.org so that we can make sure we have the most up-to-date information on file.
Guest Column:
Bob Holt: not another one like him
by Bob Wisener
Anyone who follows me on X, Elon Musk’s moneymaker formerly known as Twitter, is aware that I lost a friend and colleague this week.
Bob Holt, for whom I am sometimes mistaken (but not unfavorably), and myself never worked in the same newsroom. Punching the same time clock wasn’t necessary to learn that the good things said about Holt were true. Not to like him was not to know him. Red Smith wrote of the late Grantland Rice, ‘Nothing can be said about him that he hasn’t said better about someone else.”
No kinder, fairer person ever covered an Arkansas college team than Holt, who passed away Wednesday night (December 4). He was stricken returning to the press box from a post-game conference at Faurot Field in snowy Colombia, Mo., after the Arkansas-Missouri football game on Thanksgiving Friday.
It’s as if, at 65, he chose time and place. With some say in the manner, he might have switched sites, Reynolds Razorback Stadium or Lambeau Field, the latter to watch his beloved Green Bay Packers. Bob was so nice that it would not have mattered if the University of Texas were his school and his favorite team the Dallas Cowboys.
A Missouri graduate like my local editor, Melinda Gassaway, and our past Fayetteville correspondent, Nate Allen. Bob possibly has written more words on Arkansas athletics than I about Oaklawn. As I expressed to his boss, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette sports editor Wally Hall, Bob was the right man for the right job, the most important sports beat on the state newspaper.
“We were in class together and worked together and never had a cross word,” said former D-G deputy sports editor Jeff Krupsaw, known to local readers as our Oaklawn morning-line composer.
Other writers work faster than Bob — others than this Bob, as well — but somehow drilled it into Holt that a story should not leave loose ends. He became renowned in Southeastern Conference and national circles for asking the last question at a press conference. The story goes that Nolan Richardson evaded a question so long one day that Bob asked it a third time. Finally, Nolan is to have faced him and asks ‘Bob, what do you want me to say?”
He filed important stories from Lexington, Ky., and Fayetteville in Richardson’s last days as UA basketball coach in late February 2002. After a Rupp Arena loss to Kentucky on Saturday, Nolan squawked that if the Razorbacks didn’t want him, they could
pay him off. In the coach’s infamous infamous “slaveship” press conference on Monday in Walton Arena, Nolan essentially poured napalm on bridges behind him after 17 years at the school. In an ugly split, Richardson was fired one day before the regular-season road finale (Mike Anderson coached the team to victory over Vanderbilt).
Nolan told the beat writers on Monday that they need not call his home phone for updates. “That goes for you, too, Bob,” he is said to have told Holt. I’m not convinced Nolan said that, having felt that way since he returned my phone call (he was in hometown El Paso) after the July 2006 death of beloved Razorback voice Paul Eells.
Bob lived enough to cover John Calipari’s April hiring with the Razorbacks and no doubt looked forward to UA’s road game with Miami and a rare UA visit to New York’s Madison Square Garden. What insights he might have delivered to Calipari’s first game back in Rupp Arena when Arkansas visits Feb. 1?
After the Hogs’ 76-73 victory at Miami Monday night, Calipari mentioned to the writers that Holt was on his prayer list and should be on theirs, their connection going back to Cal’s days at Massachusetts. His picture was displayed on the Walton Arena scoreboard during a UA women’s basketball game Thursday night.
John Dunne’s line, at the risk of being trite, expresses the feelings of many. I am diminished by Bob Hot’s passing, liking to think of myself as involved in mankind. Those who have worked at such major events as the Kentucky Derby, Breeders’ Cup, Super Bowl or merely an Arkansas-Texas game, in any sport, understand our loss. My Twitter comments about Bob received likes from such respected scribes as Dennis Dodd of CBS and Mike DeCourcey, formerly of the Commercial Appeal in Memphis.
No tribute about Bob would be complete without what I consider the finest first paragraph he ever penned. Sunday Adebayo, a player on Richardson’s team, had an injury that made him doubtful for the team’s next game. The order of days might not be accurate, but Bob wrote: “Sunday will learn Friday if he can play Saturday.”
Bob Wisener is a sports columnist for The Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs. He has been named Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year five times. This column was originally published in The Sentinel-Record on December 7, 2024 and is reprinted with permission.