Arkansas Publisher Weekly: April 11, 2024

Arkansas Press Association

By John Foust

College class “whim” leads to life’s work for editor Hunter Field

In a relatively short career thus far, Hunter Field already has made a significant mark in Arkansas journalism.

He has moved from general interest daily newspapers in Jonesboro and Little Rock, to a unique non-profit publication covering state government to his new position in niche publishing as editor of Arkansas Business. Field assumed his new role on March 28.

Field succeeds Lance Turner, who was on staff for 24 years, the final two as editor. Long-time Arkansas Business editor Gwen Moritz served in an interim role until Field came on board.

In his column in the latest edition of the publication, Field wrote that taking on his new position is comparable to being handed the keys to a new sports car. He understands the standard of excellence established by the staff and the publication through years of covering the business world in Arkansas – and he hopes to take

the wheel and continue down the road of excellent journalism.

“We aren’t going to dawdle down the road,” he wrote. “We’re going to put the Porsche through its paces. That means looking for ways to be innovative, to continue presenting useful information in new ways.

“But the main thing will always stay the main thing: upholding the standard Gwen, Lance and so many others have established of providing reliable reporting on data that you can’t find anywhere else.”

Field will manage a staff of 10 journalists who cover all aspects of the business environment across the state. The weekly magazine serves as the flagship for a collection of unique niche products under the Arkansas Business Publications Group umbrella. Mitch Bettis is the company’s owner and president.

“The significance of this new role isn’t lost

Prepare to be inspired, educated at APA Advertising Conference

The 2024 APA advertising conference is next week, on Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19. Here are four reasons why you should attend:

1. To learn something new. Advertising professional Richard E. Brown will present insights on digital advertising essentials and how to prepare advertising staff for sales success at his two Thursday afternoon sessions. Friday morning will bring the always exciting Hot Ideas Exchange and a panel discussion.

2. To bond as a staff. There’s nothing that will bring a staff together more than a good road trip and overnight stay together.

3. To socialize with your industry friends in a beautiful setting. The conference returns this year to the bucolic Winthrop Rockefeller

Institute atop Petit Jean Mountain. After the Thursday afternoon sessions conference attendees will enjoy a pre-dinner reception and top-notch dining, as well as opportunities to enjoy the peaceful mountaintop setting.

4. To celebrate! Friday’s Awards Luncheon will announce and honor the winners of the APA Better Newspaper Advertising Contest.

We are sure you will leave the APA Advertising Conference full of inspiration and ideas. The registration form can be found on page 7 of this week’s Arkansas Publisher Weekly. For more information email terri@arkansaspress.org.

Hunter Field

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on me,” Field wrote in his column. “In a time when most news outlets are dwindling, this publication has found a way to thrive. I’m blessed to get this opportunity to continue making a living as a journalist, which as far as I’m concerned is the best job in the world,” he concludes in his column.

“The staff at Arkansas Business are not only incredibly talented, they’re really good people. At the top, Mitch Bettis has an excellent vision, and he cares deeply about having a great company for readers, for the community and for employees. I’m excited about the opportunity to play a small part in all of that.”

Field stresses his publication helps “set the agenda” for businesses throughout the state by providing important information, interviewing key executives and helping identify new leaders through such features as “40 under 40” and “20 in their 20s.”

“At Arkansas Business, I want us to be excellent at producing stories and data that are useful to our state’s business community and that it can’t find anywhere else,” Field said. “That comes in a lot of different shapes and sizes, ranging from our weekly lists to feature stories that give some insight about a particular industry or sector. Every week, I want our readers to see something in the latest issue that makes them pause to think or is interesting enough to bring up in conversation with a coworker or friend.”

In addition to working with an experienced and professional staff, Field also is aware he is speaking to a “very high IQ audience” of business leaders and executives. “There is no leeway to slip,” he said.

Field said Arkansas Business reaches out across the entire state for important and timely articles – focusing on such areas as economic development, plans for attracting new industry and efforts to develop a better educated workforce. Features are of interest statewide, such as the recent publishing of financial information

on banks, both large and small, throughout Arkansas.

Among current major developments in the state, Field said, are the growing steel industry in Northeast Arkansas, a potential lithium boom in South Arkansas and private equity and venture capital investments in rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas.

Infrastructure issues also are on the radar, such as water distribution problems in Helena-West Helena.

Prior to joining Arkansas Business, Field was deputy editor of the Arkansas Advocate, a non-profit online publication primarily covering state government.

His day-to-day work at the Advocate “felt the same” as when he previously was part of the State Capitol Bureau at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The main difference is the non-profit status of the Advocate, which is part of a network of publications across the nation under the auspices of States Newsroom. The Arkansas publication, launched in August 2022, notes on its website that it is funded by grants and donations from individuals and organizations “who believe an informed citizenry strengthens society and who value independent journalism.”

Field said there has been an ongoing industry reduction in the number of reporters “keeping an eye” on state government in Little Rock and policy impacts across the state. He does believe Arkansas is fortunate to have the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on the scene with solid coverage at a time when other newspapers and groups have cut back or disappeared.

The Arkansas Advocate is guided by editor Sonny Albarado, with a staff that includes a deputy editor and two other reporting positions.

While working at the Advocate, Field said reporters were free to cover news in an objective and impartial manner, with no influence

Rick Kron of The Leader in Jacksonville, Hunter Field, then of the Arkansas Advocate and Tony Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette participated in a panel discussion on investigative reporting at APA’s 150th Anniversary Convention in July 2023. The discussion was moderated by Sonny Albarado.

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from donors. “We actually didn’t have a clue where the money was coming from,” he said. He did note that financial reports are available, listing donations, many of which are from national foundations supporting independent journalism.

While on staff at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Field served initially on the city desk, later moving to the State Capitol Bureau, then to assistant city editor and finally projects editor.

During his initial position at the newspaper, Field remembers his coverage of Arkansas’ fledgling medical marijuana industry as his most interesting assignment. He was there at the start of the story, which he describes as numerous wealthy individuals wanting to get in on the ground floor of what they saw as a potentially lucrative industry.

“It was a bungled government operation from the start,” Field said. Applying firms had to be owned in the majority by Arkansas interests, but “big operators nationally wanted to get involved,” he said.

“A lot of people saw dollar signs,” he said. “There are people getting rich, there is no doubt about that, but it all has turned out a little different from what people originally thought.”

Field said licensing controversies remain in the industry in Arkansas, which involves some 40 marijuana dispensaries and seven or eight cultivation sites.

During his time as projects editor, Field said major stories included problems involving the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, a series of 8-10 executions planned during the administration of Gov. Asa Hutchinson (and issues related to the administering of lethal drugs) and coverage of abuses in the state’s Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities for children.

“I’ve been blessed with a lot of great editors and coworkers,” Field said. “Sonny Albarado, who I worked with at the Democrat-Gazette and the Advocate, has been a great mentor and friend. He’s taught me so much over the years about everything from writing to how to approach stories. I already miss working with him every day. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Managing Editor) Alyson Hoge also taught me a ton about being a manager, going to bat for your reporters and thinking about different ways to cover the news.”

Field has the career experience of working in three varied modes of journalism, featuring distinct formats, audiences and funding.

“At daily newspapers, you’re trying to tell people the news of the previous day each morning, to produce the reporting of record. The emphasis is on timeliness and the biggest and most important developments. It’s fast-paced and you’re always looking for the next bit of news or details to move a story forward.

“At the Advocate, which was all online, there was still a strong focus on daily reporting, but there was also more flexibility to take a step back and think about what stories other news organizations were missing or not covering. There was less of a demand for constant copy, so you could afford to pick and choose your spots a little more.

“At a niche weekly, a lot is different. There is far less focus on breaking news, and our concentration is much more on agenda-

setting and identifying trends and up-and-coming leaders, industries and individual businesses. The audience is also much different; you’re not writing for the general public like at a daily or an organization like the Advocate. That changes what stories you pursue and how you approach them.”

Field began his journalism career in Arkansas in 2015 as a reporter for the Jonesboro Sun. He covered Poinsett, Mississippi and Craighead counties and wrote at least two articles per day.

“I turned out a lot of copy and learned so much on a diverse range of topics,” he said. “I really look back fondly on my time at the Jonesboro Sun.”

Additionally, it was in Jonesboro that he met his wife, Baylee Field, who originally was from Cabot.

A native of Memphis, Field earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Memphis. He was a stringer in the sports department at the Memphis Commercial Appeal while a student and then landed his first full-time job at the newspaper upon graduation. He decided a shift to news from sports was in his best interest, thus leading to the position at Jonesboro.

While a student, Field initially was unsure of his career direction. “I struggled through the first year or two of college to find a major or career that really interested me.

“Somewhat on a whim, I took a basic reporting class, and it only took a week or so for me to realize that was exactly what I wanted to do. The whole thing hooked me. I loved the idea that each story gives you a chance to learn something new, usually from an expert or someone with direct knowledge about whatever it is. I loved the challenge of trying to write a lede that was succinct but also interesting enough to urge the reader to keep going.

“As my career progressed, I began to enjoy more and more piecing the puzzle of a story together and trying to uncover trends or news that someone maybe didn’t want uncovered. I still feel the

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same way about all those things and look forward to the work each week.”

Field clearly finds satisfaction in his developing career as a journalist and being a part of a profession that provides information to citizens while playing a key role in maintaining democratic institutions. He also understands some of the challenges faced in maintaining a free and viable press.

“Keeping our communities informed about what is going on around them is good and obvious, but journalists also have an impact that is much more difficult to quantify: Government officials, businesses and others behave differently if they know they’re being watched. I’ve seen, firsthand, government bodies act differently when there is no reporter in the room.

“The biggest threat, of course, is the way the economics of publishing have been turned upside down. But the proliferation of disinformation – and in some cases just poor information – paired with declining media literacy is really hurting our communities. Social media continues to grip our lives more firmly, but too many people don’t have the ability to sift through all the information online and figure out what is true.

“My career has been filled with personal satisfactions big and small. Since becoming an editor, I’ve really enjoyed getting to help reporters see a story idea that they are passionate about through to completion.”

When away from work, Field enjoys barbecuing, staying true to his Memphis roots. Other interests are fishing and kayaking.

Looking ahead, Field obviously is excited about his new position at Arkansas Business and continuing in his chosen and personally rewarding profession.

In his recent column, Field said the late David Carr of the New York Times called journalism a “grand caper” of a profession. Field said Carr notes you “leave the office, go talk to people more interesting than yourself, ask them anything and go type up your stories.”

“He was on to something. It sure beats working.”

APA Better Newspaper Editorial Contest

open for entries, deadline set for May 3

Gather your best reporting from the 2023 calendar year for the 2024 APA Better Newspaper Editorial Contest, now open for submissions.

This annual contest showcases the work of APA member newspaper and media member editors, reporters, designers and photographers in covering their communities.

A new category this year is Arkansas Freedom of Information Reporting, for stories written pertaining to the use of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. All winning entries in this category will be put forth to compete for the Meredith Oakley FOIA Award, endowed in honor of the late Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Associate

Editor and “Voices” page editor Meredith Oakley. The Oakley FOIA Award includes a $1000 prize, as well as a plaque.

Enter at https://www.newspapercontest. com/Contests/ArkansasPressAssociation. aspx

All contest entries have been published in the 2023 calendar year. Entries must be submitted by midnight on Friday, May 3. Email terri@arkansaspress.org if you need assistance.

The Better Newspaper Editorial Awards winners presentation will be made at the conclusion of the 2024 APA Convention at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center on June 29.

Raino joins sales team at Monticello paper

Courtney Raino

Courtney Raino has joined the advertising sales team at the Advance-Monticellonian in Monticello, the newspaper announced

LIST YOUR JOBS

this week.

An Arkansas native with roots in Hamburg, Raino is a graduate of Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, where she studied marketing. She and her daughter attend New Life Assembly of God Church in Monticello.

“I look forward to joining the AdvanceMonticellonian and experiencing its unique culture, atmosphere, and vibe,” Raino said in the announcement of her hiring. “I aim to connect with others, positively impact their business needs, and make a meaningful difference in the community.”

“I am overjoyed that Courtney is joining the team at the Advance newspaper,” said Publisher Ashley Hogg. “She has a skill set that I know will allow her to further help our clients with all their advertising and marketing needs.”

The Arkansas Newspaper Connection is a weekly newsletter published by APA connecting freelance and independent writers, editors, photographers and designers with Arkansas newspapers in need.

Lists available job openings and other opportunities at Arkansas newspapers and associate member organizations.

Send your listings to info@arkansaspress.org

Former ANF intern Santana named KTA Top Scholar at UA Little Rock

2023 Charlotte Schexnayder Journalism

Intern Joe Santana, a senior mass communication student, has been named Kappa Tau Alpha Top Scholar at UA Little Rock.

Kappa Tau Alpha is a college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication. The KTA Top Scholar Award is presented by each chapter to the graduating senior or graduate student with the highest grade point average. The award comes with a plaque and a KTA medallion.

Santana is a past participant in the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation Summer Internship Program. His internship at the Dumas Clarion was sponsored by donations from Arkansas Press Women, the Dumas Chamber of Commerce and Merchants & Farmers Bank of Dumas in memory of Charlotte Tillar Schexnayder, who with husband Melvin Schexnayder owned the Clarion from 1954-1998 and who was a former president of Arkansas Press Women and the National Federation of Press Women, as well as APA’s first female president.

WEHCO Media, Inc. Chairman and former Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Publisher

Walter E. Hussman, Jr. interviews former Washington Post Executive Editor and author Martin “Marty” Baron in the Kumpuris Distinguished Lecture Series at the Clinton President Center this past Tuesday in Little Rock.

The two discussed Baron’s book, “Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and the Washington Post,” which was published late last year.

Kid Scoop offers resources ahead of World Press Freedom Day

Activity pages designed to teach children about freedom and democracy ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3 are available from Kid Scoop

“Reporters are trained to look, listen, and ask questions to get all the facts,” said Vicki Whiting, Kid Scoop chief creative officer. “Their job is to write carefully so readers understand exactly the facts of what is happening. Democracy requires freedom of the press.”

“Every day, newspapers report the facts about its government, community, state, and nation: that is freedom, that is democracy in action.”

To find out more, contact Dan “Patio” Dalton at patiodan@kidscoop.com or visit https://www.kidscoop.com/ newspapers/

Joe Santana

I remember attending a graduation ceremony for a class of nursing students. One of the speakers – who was also one of their instructors – said, “You help create the atmosphere in the room – for your patients, their families, your coworkers, and the doctors and technicians with whom you work. Your feelings have an impact, whether those feelings are cheerful or sad, optimistic or fearful.” She referred to a speech she heard at a healthcare convention. That speaker compared the mood of healthcare workers to the weather. Is it sunny and cheerful? Or rainy and dreary?

Nursing is a noble profession. As my wife and I listened, we couldn’t help but think of the medical appointments we’ve had through the years, and the nurses who have lifted our spirits. The weather comparison is an accurate description – and a poignant challenge.

My former dentist (now retired) had a hygienist named Carolyn. In addition to being extraordinarily skilled, she had a joyful personality that immediately put people at ease. She greeted each patient with comments like, “Let’s see how good things are looking today.” Then she made positive comments about the

Guest Column: Ad Libs Sunshine in the weather forecast

by John Foust

patient’s dental health as she worked. Sometimes there were surprises. In one of my appointments, I noticed that she had pinned a large poster of a horse on the ceiling above the chair. “Since you’re going to stare at the ceiling while I check your teeth,” she said, “you might as well look at a nice picture.”

It was always sunny in Carolyn’s office. There’s an old saying that some people brighten the room by arriving and others brighten the room by leaving. In the years I went to that dentist, she always brightened the room.

The famous Li’l Abner comic strip had a character named Joe Btfsplk, who always had a dark cloud over his head. That cloud of negativity followed poor Joe everywhere he went. (Don’t ask how to pronounce Joe’s last name.)

We’ve all met salespeople who travel around with dark clouds over their heads. They just don’t realize that no one wants to do business with – much less, buy anything from – someone with a cloudy attitude.

Those salespeople need a strong dose of Carolyn’s cheerfulness. Her approach was simple: (1) Sincerely welcome each patient as though that person were her most

important appointment of the day; (2) Find specific and positive things to say about the patient’s dental situation throughout the appointment; and (3) Send each person away with a good feeling about the outcome of the appointment. (Nothing was faked; she meant every word.)

The same goes for your advertising interactions, whether you’re having a great day or whether you’ve just lost a big sale. Look at each conversation as a new start. (1) Open with a sincere smile and a word of cheer; (2) Be sure to point out the positives of the topic at hand along the way; and (3) Close the meeting with good news about the next step.

Try Carolyn’s technique and bring good weather into your next sales conversation.

(c) Copyright 2024 by John Foust. All rights reserved.

John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training DVDs to save time and get quick results from in-house training. Email for information: john@johnfoust.com

Conference Schedule

THURSDAY, APRIL18

1:00 PM

1:30 PM Welcome, Introductions & Announcements

Session One: Registration Opens

Digital Advertising Essentials: A Profitable and Simple Path for Beginners

Unlock the transformative potential of your traditional print newspaper organization in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Join us in this enlightening exploration, where we'll break down the complexities of engaging in digital advertising at an ABC level – accessible, basic and clear. We're here to demystify the digital advertising world and demonstrate how you can leverage your existing publisher site resources, newsletters and email marketing to embark on a profitable and sustainable journey.

Presented by Richard E. Brown

3:00 PM Break

3:30 PM Session Two:

Success from Day One: Onboarding Sales Executives for Impact

Uncover the blueprint for transforming your print newspaper organization's sales team into a powerhouse, driving revenue and reader engagement. Join us in this illuminating presentation, where we delve into the intricacies of onboarding news sales executives with a keen focus on aligning mission and action. Discover the art and science of translating your organization's mission into tangible Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and scorecard deliverables that not only keep your new sales executives aligned with your vision but also laser-focused on key deliverables that directly contribute to and enhance your bottom line.

Presented by Richard E. Brown

Conference Presenter

6:00 PM

7:00 PM

8:30 PM Reception

Lodge Great Room

Group Dining in the Dining Room

Group Gathering President's Lodge Great Room 8:00 AM

Richard E. Brown is a recipient of the News Media Alliance Rising Star award. He previously served as the director of renewals and digital sales strategy at LPi and held the position of director of digital operations and sales at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Recently, he was the head of digital subscriber churn for Gannett | USA Today Network and is the former senior director of retention for The Daily Beast. Additionally, he is a member of the board of directors for the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, a monthly columnist for Editor & Publisher magazine, a contributing writer for Digital Content Next, and a revenue sustainability coach for Local Independent Online News (LION Publishing). Richard is the owner of RE Media Holdings, LLC, and is currently leading the Ads & Sponsorships Lab Program at News Revenue Hub.