Arkansas Publisher Weekly: February 23, 2024

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Sunshine Week set for March 10-16, media toolkit available

Guest Column:

By Helaine Williams

James Bright, general manager of the Texarkana Gazette, holds a dynamic and challenging position within the newspaper community in Arkansas, while making it clear he keeps that aspect of his life in perspective.

In his early years in the industry, Bright had a goal of “moving up” in the profession, perhaps someday reaching New York Times or Washington Post heights.

But that was before he became a husband to his wife Chelsea and father to his sons, Jackson, age 4½, and Hayes, age 1½. “Now, I am working to create work and a world that benefits my children,” he said.

“Until about five years ago, I gauged the value of my life by how far I would go professionally. Journalism, and being a journalist, were tied to my identity as much as anything else.

“Since becoming a father, I no longer tie my career to my identity. I’m driven by far more profound goals of being a good dad and husband. If, when I come to the end, I look back and say I was a fantastic journalist, but a poor husband and father, then my life will not have been well lived. But if I look back and say I was the best husband and father I could be and a good newspaper man, then I

James Bright

Clock is ticking on entering this year’s advertising contest

APA

Only one week remains for APA member newspapers to gather the best advertising from the 2023 calendar year for the annual APA Better Newspaper Advertising Contest. The deadline for this year’s contest is Thursday, February 29.

Multiple categories, including best single ad, ad campaign, special section, use of original photo in advertising and more, are available for entry. A new category is best online ad, to highlight the growing importance of digital advertising to Arkansas’s newspapers.

Complete contest rules and instructions for entering are on the contest website at https://newspapercontest.com/Contests/ ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx. In addition, the rules are printed on pages 9-13 of this issue of Arkansas Publisher Weekly

The awards will be presented during the annual APA Advertising Conference on Friday, April 19.

If you have questions about the contest or the online submission process, contact Terri Cobb at (501) 374-1500 or email terri@arkansaspress.org

James Bright: husband, father and a good newspaper man

Better Newspaper Advertising Contest

Continued from page 1

believe I have succeeded in life.

“And I feel supported in that belief. My boss has told me often my first job is as a parent and it’s one of the many reasons I love working for WEHCO. I believe being a husband and father has made me a better newspaper operator. My motivations are far stronger and committed to what I’m doing in the moment instead of how I can use my current job to get to the next one.”

While making his priorities clear, nothing detracts from the level of knowledge and commitment that exudes from Bright when discussing his profound passion for quality journalism.

Bright arrived at the Texarkana newspaper in February 2019 during a time of transition in the industry as owners and managers were struggling with the well-documented print vs. digital dilemma.

Fortunately for Bright, his company, WEHCO Media, Inc., by any objective measure, has been ahead of the curve in that respect.

“(Company chairman)

Walter E. Hussman Jr. and WEHCO embraced the challenge and have been a leader in making sure the print-digital issue is approached collaboratively rather than competitively,” Bright said.

moved across the street to the Arkansas side. “I can literally see Texas out the window of my office,” Bright said.

“You really can’t tell when you are in Texas or in Arkansas, except for the fact that Arkansas has liquor stores,” Bright joked.

The newsroom is faced with the task of covering two cities, two counties, two states and, additionally, how federal policies affect those two states.

“What’s good for Arkansas may not always be good for Texas,” Bright said.

The year following Bright’s arrival, the Texarkana Gazette transitioned to the same production format developed originally by the company’s flagship newspaper, the Arkansas DemocratGazette.

The Texarkana Gazette prints seven days a week -- with six days of single copies distributed in racks and then a Sunday edition with both rack and home delivery. A digital replica of the newspaper also is produced every day, with the company loaning an iPad to subscribers for electronic access.

Bright says the reach of the newspaper has never been more extensive. While print subscription levels were approximately 35,000 in the mid-1980s, today’s electronic product generates between 180,000 and 200,000 unique visitors per month. “Our overall impact is far broader now,” he said.

Publishing a newspaper in a city that straddles two states can be quite challenging, Bright notes. The newspaper office for years was on the Texas side of State Line Avenue. Several years ago, it was

“On the municipal level, I would say the two cities are not really competitive but not always collaborative,” he said.

Covering the two cities, counties and states does require reporters and editors to perhaps be more diligent than in most situations, making sure mistakes are avoided in such areas as datelines and headlines.

Interestingly, most nonprofits cross over by promoting both locales. As an example, the business community is served by the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce. And, in another case, Bright recently completed a term as president of Main Street Texarkana, serving the downtown area of both cities.

In a metropolitan area of roughly 160,000 population, Bright said the Texas side represents about 60 percent of the total.

Bright has a clear viewpoint on the greatest challenge he faces as a modern newspaper executive.

“I have been a newspaper operator for 10 years and, at the start, one of the things I always heard was that you shouldn’t have to pay to read the newspaper digitally,” he said. “And, to my surprise, that still is a concept that we are struggling to overcome. We are still trying to convince people that generating solid local news is expensive and they need to help pay for it.”

This is critical to the survival of local journalism, Bright believes, “because we look at audience revenue as being our primary financial driver going forward.”

He acknowledges the core of traditional newspaper subscribers is diminishing through attrition, thus leading to the critical effort

See Bright page 3

Bright and his wife, Chelsea, are parents to Hayes and Jackson

Continued from page 2

to attract younger readers. Bright sees three major hurdles in that endeavor – distrust of the media, belief that digital content should be free and competition for online subscriptions.

In earlier days, the great bulk of newspaper competition was local, in such forms as other print media, radio and perhaps billboards. “But today we are competing with huge multi-media companies,” Bright said. “There is only so much money that a 33-year-old is going to spend for online subscriptions, and it all comes from the same bucket. So, what gets left out, Netflix, Disney+ or the Texarkana Gazette? There is no question there is a market cap for online subscribers.”

Despite that specific challenge, Bright is optimistic about the future of local newspapers. He stresses the importance of educating the local community on the costs associated with providing solid professional reporting and the need to foster that effort through subscription support.

While citing the primacy of audience revenue going forward, Bright does not discount the importance of the advertising element. But new approaches are needed, he stresses.

found they really appreciated it. Four or five solid contracts were developed, and we plan to do a similar event in May.”

On the editorial side, the challenge is to continue to provide comprehensive coverage with a smaller staff. “We have to be creative in what we do, and a consolidation of a lot of the work has helped,” Bright said. “And we have an excellent staff.”

Upon the retirement of long-time editor Les Minor in March 2022, Bright also assumed that position. He now directs that department with the assistance of his section editors. “I also write some articles when I find the time,” he said.

Gone are the days of just presenting the special section schedule and other traditional print vehicles from which the advertiser is asked to pick and choose. Today’s advertising representative must be a marketing consultant with knowledge of varied print and digital opportunities. The goal is to spend time with each business and develop a comprehensive and effective plan that spans periods of months rather than immediate upcoming issues.

Bright said the goal is for the consultant to develop an approach of having “relevant conversations with my partners in business.” He said advertising consultants today must learn to be collaborative and build relationships with their clients. His experience has been that legacy representatives are especially skilled in that regard.

“Our approach is to express that the Texarkana Gazette is Texarkana’s premier multi-media marketing agency and, by the way, we also have a newspaper,” Bright said.

The Gazette recently held an advertising luncheon attended by more than 30 businesses. “The goal was to go through all the products provided and answer any questions,” Bright said. “And we

Bright describes a great working relationship with Minor, who had served as editor since 1987. Minor continued his excellent guidance of the editorial department, while Bright helped with digital transition efforts.

One problem on the news side, Bright said, is the emergence of so-called “citizenjournalists” operating local online sites and blogs. “Unfortunately, sometimes people associate us with them,” Bright said. “We often have to make up for the mistakes they make through their misinformation and poorly reported information.”

In employing reporters, Bright now leans less on journalism school graduates since that pool seems to be shrinking. He has had success in hiring teachers and history majors, often those looking for a job that is stable and interesting. “Our goal is to mold them into good reporters.” This involves intensive training that usually lasts six weeks to two months before they see their first byline.

Bright also believes newspapers must change the way they tell stories, including developing information with shorter contact time, such as perhaps a 30-second podcast or a three-inch story. “Not everyone is going to read 20-inch stories,” he said. “We need a layered product that serves all our readers.”

One new approach Bright cites is the development of a podcast entitled “Tomorrow’s News Tonight,” presenting a quick summary of the important stories that will appear in the upcoming edition.

Bright is a strong advocate of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and supports any effort to defend its role in maintaining

Bright with son Jackson and wife Chelsea

Bright

Continued from page 2

government transparency. “I think the value of the FOIA is unparalleled not just for newspapers but for individual citizens,” he said.

Government officials in the Texarkana area generally have proven to be professional in their duties, Bright said, creating a situation in which there rarely is a need to file a FOIA suit.

Bright is optimistic concerning the future of the Texarkana area, noting it is well-located with Interstates 49 and 30 passing through.

A major addition to one regional hospital is underway with a completely new hospital project also planned. “This will be a huge boon for our community,” he said. “Hopefully, we also will see a large employer move into the area in the future.”

The downtown area is doing well, Bright said, with the planned redevelopment of the Hotel Grim being a major plus. The historic hotel building will feature retail space on the first floor with residential apartment development on the other seven floors.

but he soon learned to refine his thinking in that regard.

“I, like many, first approached the newspaper business because I wanted to write for a living,” he said. “I found out quickly that the creativity of writing takes a back seat to truth telling and the story aspect of a piece. A reader should say ‘that was a good story and it was well written,’ not the other way around.”

While starting on the news side, Bright has learned over the years that he loves all aspects of the business, even circulation. He admits he knew nothing about that area at the start, but now calls it “one of the pillars” in his newspaper management repertoire.

Bright takes his newspaper management seriously in the sense that the role and mission of his local company and product depends upon his stewardship.

Looking back over his early years and education, Bright said in a previous newspaper article that, “I was a newspaper man from the moment I was born.”

Bright grew up in the Dallas suburb of Rockwall and graduated from high school there. He then attended Dallas College Eastfield Campus in Mesquite, Texas, where he developed his initial experience of writing on the campus newspaper. “I thought I had produced the greatest article ever written, concerning the retirement of the college president, and the advisor bled it dry with red ink.”

Bright then transferred to Texas A&M-Commerce, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism. It was there he became serious about his writing and served as editor of the school newspaper, The East Texan, his junior and senior years.

The newspaper achieved extensive national coverage for an incident that occurred involving the college football coach. “The coach told his team to go steal our newspapers, which had a negative story about his team on the front page,” Bright said. “Since he was employed by the state, it became a First Amendment issue.”

Upon graduation, Bright served as editor of two weekly newspapers in Rockwall. Prior to arriving in Texarkana, he served as editor, then general manager and regional publisher of daily newspapers in two Oklahoma communities, Chickasha and Duncan.

It was the love of writing that first attracted Bright to newspapers,

“Beyond reporting, our job is to foster civic discourse in the community in an effort to drive it forward,” he said. “We want to be the place where people look to learn about Texarkana and through that learning elevate it. As a business, we aim to lead the way with positive community involvement on the advertising and engagement side.”

In his time away from the newspaper, Bright enjoys spending time with his family, baseball and reading, especially fiction.

Bright during his tenure as editor of The East Texan at Texas A&MCommerce.

Contest opportunities

Multiple industry contests are now open for entry for reporters, columnists and other communications professionals to showcase their best work and compete for accolades and, in some cases, cash prizes.

• Adolph Ochs Awards for Impartial News Reporting

Friday, March 1 is the deadline for reporters to enter the inaugural Adolph Ochs Awards for Impartial News Reporting.

A total of $100,000 in awards will be presented to print, broadcast, cable television and digital media outlets for news reports published during the 2023 calendar year. Named in memory of Chattanooga Times and New York Times Publisher Adolph Ochs, the awards have been developed by WEHCO Media CEO Walter E. Hussman, Jr. and The Center for Integrity in News Reporting at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, and are meant to honor the most fair, impartial, objective news reporting in the nation.

Only news articles will be considered for judging. For more information or to submit entries, visit JournalismAwards.unc.edu

• 2024 Diamond Journalism Awards

The Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has announced

abound to showcase best journalism work

the 2024 Diamond Journalism Awards are now open for entries from newspapers, TV, radio, online, podcast, photography, design, magazines, communications professionals and journalism students living in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

Journalists, photographers and professional communicators working in traditional print, online media, television, radio and audio visual as well as journalism students are invited to showcase their exceptional work in multiple categories across nine divisions. All work must have been published in the 2023 calendar year. Entries may be in either English or Spanish. Entry deadline is Monday, March 11. You do not need to be a member of SPJ to enter. For more information about the contest visit arkansasspj.org/2024/01/18/2024diamond-journalism-awards-rules.

• Carmage Walls Commentary Writing Prize

Presented by America’s Newspapers, this prize honors excellence in courageous column and editorial writing. Three cash prizes and plaques will be awarded in each bracket: editorials from newspapers over 35,000 circulation, editorials from newspapers under 35,000 circulation, columns from newspapers over 35,000

circulation and columns from newspapers under 35,000 circulation.

The first place winner in each bracket will receive a cash prize of $2,250, second place will receive $1,000 and third place, $500, for a total of $15,000 in prizes, funded by Lissa Walls Cribb, daughter of the late Benjamin Carmage Walls, and Southern Newspapers, Inc., of which Cribb serves as CEO.

Only editorials and columns published online or in print by a daily or non-daily newspaper between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024 will be considered for judging. Entries received by April 30 will receive a discounted entry fee. For more information or to enter, visit newspapers. org/commentary-prize.

Sunshine Week set for March 10-16, media toolkit available

Sunshine Week, which highlights the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy, will be March 10-16 this year.

The annual observance stems from Sunshine Sunday, which began in Florida in 2002 by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. National Sunshine Week was launched in 2005 by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, later known as the News Leaders Association, with the

support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications took over national coordination of Sunshine Week in late 2023.

“It is an honor to carry on this decadesold tradition to inform the public about the legal rights to find out what their government is up to,” David Cuillier, director of the Brechner FOI Project, said in a news release announcing the transition. “Research shows that freedom of information improves people’s lives and encourages government to be more accountable, cost-effective and honest.”

For decades, Sunshine Week has provided an annual rallying point for educational

initiatives, including in-depth newspaper reporting projects, government proclamations, and public education through social media. All U.S. residents have the right to attend public meetings and see government documents through “sunshine laws,” shedding light on issues of public importance.

“Access to government information is more important now than ever,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley. “We hope APA member newspapers and media members will make use of the materials available to keep FOIA and government disclosure top of mind with readers.”

A toolkit with information, graphics, suggested editorials and more is available at https://sunshineweek.org/

National Archives in D.C. to host Sunshine Week panel on AI and government access

The National Archives and Records Administration will host a Sunshine Week panel discussion on “Artificial Intelligence: The Intersection of Public Access and Open Government'' at noon CDT on Thursday, March 14. For those not in the Washington, D.C. area the event will livestreamed on the National Archives YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=4iN2EiIY1ow.

A panel of open government and transparency experts will discuss AI and how it intersects with the Freedom of Information Act and access to information. Panelists include Gulam Shakir, NARA’s Chief Data Officer; Abigail Potter, Senior Innovation Specialist at the Library of Congress Digital Innovation Lab; Eric Stein, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Global Information Services at the U.S. Department of State; and Bobak Talebian, Director of the Office of Information Policy of the U.S. Department of Justice. Pamela Wright, NARA’s Chief Innovation Officer, will moderate.

Sunshine Week is an annual nationwide celebration of access to public information. Past National Archives Sunshine Week programs are available here: https:// www.archives.gov/ogis/outreach-events/ sunshine-week

The Society of Professional Journalists is seeking nominations of egregious Freedom of Information Act violators for its annual Black Hole Award.

Since 2011, SPJ has presented the Black Hole Award to highlight the most heinous violations of the public’s right to know. “By exposing such abuses, SPJ’s Freedom of Information Committee seeks to educate the public about their rights and call attention to those who would interfere with openness and transparency,” said SPJ Communications Specialist & Quill Assistant Editor Kim Tsuyuki

Previous “winners” include the Mark Fox Administration of the Three Affiliated Tribes (2023), Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin (2022), Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (2021), Connecticut State Police (2020), President Donald Trump and his administration (2018) and New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (2017).  Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 26 at communications@spj.org.

Black Hole Award nomination criteria and more information can be found at https:// www.spj.org/blackhole.asp.

A journalism professor I had shared with us students his story of working for a smalltown newspaper that, on the back page of one of its issues, was running a prominent advertisement for a shirt sale by a retail clothier in the community.

All was fine until very early the morning of publication, when it was discovered that the party who’d composed the ad during the issue’s production had left a key letter out of the word “shirt” in the “SHIRT SALE!” headline running in big letters with the ad. You can probably guess which letter was omitted.

So said the professor, we should have seen the newspaper’s officials — including him, if my memory serves me correctly — running around town, trying to retrieve copies of the newspaper from their vending boxes before hapless residents went to buy a paper and viewed the offending ad headline.

That was, in terms of newspaper history and technology, eons ago. But I say to anyone who thinks newspapers in general, print newspapers in particular, don’t matter anymore … think again.

According to recent reports, the Ouray County Plaindealer, a Colorado newspaper, suffered the theft of more than a couple hundred copies of its Jan. 18 newspapers in its distribution areas.

“The newspaper said someone deposited money into each newspaper box to open them before taking off with all the papers inside,” according to an online Fox News story, dated Jan. 20.

The story goes on to quote a newsletter in which the Plaindealer addressed the theft: “All of our newspaper racks in Ouray and all but one rack in Ridgway were hit by a thief who stole all the newspapers. From what we know so far, it seems this person put in four quarters and took all the papers at these racks.” (I always wondered about that “honor system” of inserting the cost of one paper and opening a paper box that gives access to every copy in that box. Er, how many folks have filched extra papers?)

Guest Column: Let’s Talk: Newspaper thefts

prove continued might of the pen

By Helaine Williams

Added the writer of the newsletter blurb: “It’s pretty clear that someone didn’t want the community to read the news this week. I’ll leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions on which story they didn’t want you to read.”

The first story I read about the theft, a Jan. 21 CNN piece, simply mentioned that the paper had carried a story concerning “a reported sexual assault at the local police chief’s house” dating to last May. The Fox news story elaborated: The stolen Plaindealer issue featured the case of a 17-year-old girl who had allegedly been raped by three other teens at a party at the home of the chief, who hasn’t been accused of anything. (The chief’s stepson is one of the three suspects, who are out on bail.)

First, not to take anything away from the seriousness of that case. Such an occurrence is too horrible to think about, no matter whose home it happens in. If it happened, may justice prevail.

The weird thing is that the newspaper thief — who according to CNN “confessed to taking the papers and returned them all in garbage bags to the newspaper’s office” — doesn’t appear to have skin in the game: “The suspect is ‘not a member or relative of local law enforcement and not associated with the defendants in the recent reported sexual assault,’ according to the Ouray County sheriff’s office.”

This newspaperwoman of more than four decades, who has witnessed the muchballyhooed decline in newspapers, is encouraged at even the possibility that the guy thought print newspapers of such importance that by merely stealing them, he thought he could keep the community in the dark. In this day of instant, 24-hour TV news, news websites, social media and such.

That print newspapers still mean something to some people is evident in the conversations I have with readers when out and about. As all you iPad clutchers know by now, only the Sunday section of this newspaper is mass-distributed in print.

Quite a few readers have told me that they miss the “paper” paper … the sound of it hitting their porches in the morning, the feel of it between their fingers. (Now I do hate to think there might be someone among our oldschool readers who’d resort to running around stealing papers from all the boxes when we publish something they don’t like.)

The Plaindealer paper thief’s motivation for wishing to suppress the voice of that newspaper was not revealed at the time of this writing. Having no connection to the persons in that assault case, he might have just been drunkenly acting on a dare or carrying out an elaborate “hold my beer and watch this” stunt.

But to me it looks like even in this era — where we each appear to be on the verge of having our own personal, human-looking android, let alone being able to simply click on something to get the news — the pen (and the print shop) is still mightier than the sword. And don’t you “newspapers are dead” believers forget it.

The Fox story goes on to share the parting quote in the Plaindealer’s newsletter: “We’re not going to stop doing our job, which is to shine light on important issues in our community and keep you informed. This person is not going to shut down the freedom of the press by stealing a few hundred newspapers. Our community won’t stand for it, and we won’t, either. If you meant to intimidate us, you just strengthened our resolve.”

A resolve all good newspapers bear. A resolve to tell the important stuff … and, if need be, correct any inadvertently profane misprints.

Arkansas Writers' Hall of Fame member Helaine Williams is the Sunday Style editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and can be reached by email at hwilliams@ adgnewsroom.com. This column was originally published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on January 28, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

Arkansas Press Association

Board of Directors

President

Eliza Gaines

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Vice President

John Robert Schirmer Nashville News-Leader

Jennifer Allen

Hot Springs Village Voice

Andrew Bagley

The Helena World

Tom Byrd

Mena Star

Jeremy Gulban CherryRoad Media

Scott Loftis

Carroll County News, Berryville

Brent Powers

Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Fayetteville

Immediate Past President

Lori Freeze

Stone County Leader, Mountain Home

Ashley Kemp Wimberley

Executive Director

“Serving the newspapers of Arkansas since 1873”

TO: APA Member Newspaper

FROM: Terri Cobb, Contest Coordinator

Subject: Rules for 2024 APA Better Newspaper Advertising Contest

The APA Better Newspaper Advertising contest continues as an online format and process. Be sure and read the contest rules and categories thoroughly before starting. Instructions for submitting your entries are on the following pages but also on the APA contest website: http://www.newspapercontest.com/Contests/ ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx

Contest Period: January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023

DEADLINE to submit entries is February 29, 2024.

Members of the Kentucky Press Association will judge your online entries You will be notified of the winner ’s names but specific award announcements and award plaques will be presented during the APA Advertising Conference on April 19. More information will be available soon.

Please give me a call or email (terri@arkansaspress.org if you have any questions or need to obtain your login information.

Good luck!

2024 Arkansas Press Association

Better Newspaper Advertising Contest Rules & Categories

1. ELIGIBILITY: Contest is open to daily and weekly newspaper members in good standing of the Arkansas Press Association. Entries must be submitted by the newspaper, not by an individual.

2. CONTEST PERIOD: All entries must have been published during this period — January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023.

3. DEADLINE for submitting entries is February 29, 2024.

4. ALL ENTRIES should be uploaded as PDFs. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page showing name of newspaper and date of issue. Login information and uploading instructions are on the following pages.

5. ENTRY FEE: $25 per newspaper PLUS $ 5.00 per entry.

6. ALL ADS entered MUST BE ORIGINAL with your newspaper. They must be conceived and sold by your newspaper staff.* Clip art is acceptable but no ready-made ads should be submitted, such as those from advertising agencies, and advertiser-produced. All ads must be from your regularly printed newspaper. Do not submit ads from your other publications (ex. monthly magazines, real estate guides or other niche publications submitted in Category 19).

7. A SINGLE AD should not be entered in more than one category. Exception: a single ad may also be entered as one of a campaign (Category 4); or a color entry may also be entered as one of a campaign (Category 4). The spirit of the contest is to recognize as many clever, creative ideas, people and advertisers as possible. (That translates: don’t take an entry you’ve submitted for a single ad and enter it as a color entry and a most original idea entry. Choose one BEST CATEGORY for each entry.) And please do NOT repeat ads from previous years.

8. “COVERS” are not ads: DO NOT submit special section covers as ads -- they are covers. There is a category (Category 10) to recognize special section covers.

9. In order to judge a category there must be at least three (3) entries from three (3) newspapers, otherwise those entries will be judged with the next division.

10. DIVISIONS: Your newspaper has been pre-assigned a division based on your circulation.

less than 1,500

1,500 - 3,000

Over 8,000 APA holds the right to re-assign a newspaper’s division to insure a fair number of newspapers are distributed in each division.

With the changes in our industry where larger corporations own several newspapers of various sizes in the association, and new operating alliances, the levelized playing field becomes more difficult to maintain. It is not always evident the extent of help received by the home office or sister papers, and we’ve been told in some cases “no help is received so it is unfair to make us compete with higher circulation papers.” There is no easy solution and we rely to a high degree on the integrity of the newspaper, SO please enter according to the guidelines.

*Work done by freelancers or work outsourced may be entered, but the work must have been done exclusively for the newspaper entering the material.

If you have any questions or problems submitting your entries, please call Terri Cobb at 501-374-1500.

CATEGORY 1 – Black and White Ad

Categories

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white ads only. Any size ad is acceptable. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be ROP for a SINGLE ADVERTISER. Judges will consider the basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 2 – Single Ad Over 10”and Under Half page

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the fullpage tearsheet. Ad must be ROP for a SINGLE ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 3 – Single Ad Half page and OVER

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS or section covers. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be ROP for a SINGLE ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality. Includes ads over two pages, including double trucks. Please use category 20 for your automotive ads.

CATEGORY 4 – Ad Campaign, Any Size

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white ads OR color. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Include any online ads that are a part of the campaign. Each entry consists of at least three but not more than five ads for a SINGLE ADVERTISER, with a continuing, common theme. May be ROP or classified display campaign. Judges will consider the basic idea, layout, copy, headline, typography, originality and the development of the theme. Ads may vary in size but keep within the same theme and advertiser.

CATEGORY 5 – Multiple Advertiser Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the fullpage tearsheet. Entry may be any size, including those up to and including double trucks, which features two or more advertisers under a common headline or theme. Judges will consider basic idea, layout, copy, headline, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 6 – Use of PROCESS Color in an Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO SECTION COVERS OR HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Judges will consider basic idea, copy, layout, headline, type, originality and appropriateness and clarity of color. May be single or multiple advertisers, ROP or classified display, and may be any size.

CATEGORY 7 – Best Advertising Special Section - GENERAL INTEREST- NEWSPRINT

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. For each entry, submit a single PDF of the entire section. See instructions attached for combining multiple pages into one PDF file. This is a separate, pull-out, stand-alone section of GENERAL INTEREST (NON-SPORTS) printed on NEWSPRINT (magazine stock paper, see category 9) inserted into your newspaper. Judges will consider basic idea, originality of theme used in ads and editorial content, as well as the section cover. Use of color is a bonus.

CATEGORY 8 – Best Advertising Special Section - GENERAL INTEREST- MAGAZINE

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. For each entry, submit a single PDF of the entire section. See instructions attached for combining multiple pages into one PDF file. This is a separate, pull-out, stand-alone section of GENERAL INTEREST (NON-SPORTS) printed on MAGAZINE stock paper (not printed on newsprint, see category 8) inserted into your newspaper. Judges will consider basic idea, originality of theme used in ads and editorial content, as well as the section cover.

CATEGORY 9 – Best Advertising Special Section - SPORTS

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. For each entry, submit a single PDF of the entire section. See instructions attached for combining multiple pages into one PDF file. This is a separate, pull-out, stand-alone section with a SPORTS theme inserted into your newspaper. Judges will consider basic idea, originality of theme used in ads and editorial content, as well as the section cover. Use of color is a bonus.

CATEGORY 10 – Special Section COVER

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Submit only the cover. Judges will consider design, layout, typography, artwork and use of color. The entry cover must have been from section inserted in the newspaper not the cover of your niche publication.

CATEGORY 11 – Use of Photo in an Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS OR SECTION COVERS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. The ad must feature the original photography of a staff member. Judges will consider originality, quality, appropriateness of ad theme, clarity and appeal. May be ROP OR classified display; single or multiple advertisers and be any size.

CATEGORY 12 – Use of Clip Art in Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS OR SECTION COVERS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. May be any size, black and white or color; ROP or classified display; single or multiple advertisers. Entries should show clever and creative use of art supplied by a clip art service. Overall idea or theme of the ad should be original; don’t submit “ready-made” ads. Judges will consider originality, appropriateness of art and other related advertising factors.

CATEGORY 13 – Newspaper Promotions and House Ads, Single ads and/or Campaign HOUSE ADS ONLY. May submit up to five (5) entries per paper. May be any size, black and white or color. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. The ads may promote the entire newspaper or any of its operations. For example, did you have subscriptions contests, NIE promotions, readership ads, newspaper contests, etc.? Judges will consider the basic idea, originality, layout, copy, headline, illustrations and other elements which go into the ads that contribute to the overall promotion of the newspaper. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet.

CATEGORY 14 – Most Original Idea

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad may be any size, black and white or color. This includes not only ads which are particularly unique, fresh, weird, creative and outstanding, but also any ads which just don’t fit any of the other contest categories.

CATEGORY 15 – Use of Humor in Advertising

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. NO HOUSE ADS Ad may be any size, black and white or color. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Judges will consider all aspects of the ad (basic idea, layout, copy, headline, typography and originality) plus special emphasis on how funny the ad is.

CATEGORY 16 – Special Events & Festivals Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white OR color ads. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 17 – Single Supplement ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Black and white OR color ads. NO HOUSE ADS. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet from your special section or other advertising supplement. Ads can be from any category or customer. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality. Any size ad is acceptable.

CATEGORY 18 – Best Automotive Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Any size ad. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be for a SINGLE AUTOMOTIVE (CAR DEALER) ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 19 – Best Real Estate Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Any size ad. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the fullpage tearsheet. Ad must be for a SINGLE REAL ESTATE OR PROPERTY ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 20 – Best Employment Ad

May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper. Any size ad. Each entry submitted must be a PDF of the full-page tearsheet. Ad must be for a SINGLE EMPLOYMENT (HELP WANTED) ADVERTISER. Judges will consider basic idea, headline, layout, copy, typography and originality.

CATEGORY 21 – Best Online Ad

Recognizes visual appeal and creativity in design and content of a single static or animated ad appearing online at the newspaper’s website. Submit the complete URL or submit a color copy of the ad as it appeared online. May submit up to five (5) entries per newspaper.

2024