Arkansas Publisher Weekly: May 3, 2024

America’s Newspapers endorses Arkansas ballot initiatives

Guest Column:

Ad-Libs: Solving the puzzle of advertising

By John Foust

Digital

Arkansas Press Association Publisher Weekly

Vol.19 | No. 18

news site Hallmark Times spreads “good

When Lauren Siebert was planning the launch of her digital publication, Hallmark Times, at least part of her inspiration came from memories of a column written for years by reporter Marie Berryhill in the Melbourne Times.

Berryhill retired in 2019 at age 92 after covering news for free in the Franklin and Violet Hill communities for the Melbourne publication. In a style and role that often has been referred to as a “country correspondent,” she made weekly phone calls to folks in the rural communities and then compiled the news on an electric typewriter before mailing it to the newspaper office.

“I just liked the very hometown feel Mrs. Berryhill had in her column, and it was well loved,” Siebert said. “She was on top of what happened around Franklin, and I just wanted to bring that feel into the Hallmark Times.”

Siebert started her publication about three years ago after spending 10 years working as a reporter for weekly newspapers in North Central Arkansas. Hallmark Times is an APA Media Member, a membership category for digital and non-legal publications.

The founding of the online product came as the country was coming out of the disruptive COVID-19 years. Siebert had several “good job offers” but instead decided to take off on her own in the world of community journalism.

“It turned out to be the best decision I could have made,” she said, citing the enjoyment of the project and the need to help care for her mother and grandmother, both now recovered from cancer. Her mother, Jo Siebert, has helped with the publication from the start, offering content support and financial advice.

Arkansas Press Association forms ballot question committee in support of Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment & Act

APA filed a ballot question committee, Arkansans for a Free Press, on Wednesday to help pass the Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment & Act of 2024.

The committee is composed of current and former newspaper publishers, as well as Freedom of Information Act attorneys, persons in academia and other longtime supporters of FOIA. The committee was formed so those who use or have used FOIA in their everyday careers can play a bigger role in the passage of these vital initiatives.

Serving as the committee’s chair is APA past president and former Texarkana Gazette publisher Buddy King. Other officers are:

APA past president and former Harrison Daily Times owner Jane Dunlap Christenson, vice chair; APA past president and former Community Publishers president Mike Brown, secretary, and ANF board member and Dean Emeritus, Clinton School of Public Service Skip Rutherford, treasurer.

Also on the committee are APA board member and Helena World and Monroe County Argus publisher Andrew Bagley, ANF board president and Stone County Leader publisher Rusty Fraser, Phillips Media Group president Jim Holland, former associate professor in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media at the

Lauren Siebert

Hallmark

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“I wanted more freedom, to be more self-sufficient and to spend more time exploring other options, and Hallmark allows me to do that still,” she said.

Through a website and Facebook postings, she covers a wide range of events and stories throughout Sharp, Fulton and Izard counties.

“I liked the idea of being able to write and publish a story in real time,” she said. “I write the stories that people like, and that I like. I also want to provide a platform for people who don’t have a platform. And I don’t have to worry about filling a certain amount of space.”

Siebert is aided by contributors, such as columns by professionals on such topics as health, faith and car care.

“I look for what could be called ‘good news stories,’ but I realize not everything is rainbows and sunshine,” she added. So, I do cover crime, but it’s not front and center.”

Siebert looks for uplifting stories, such as the women at the Peace Lutheran Church in Cherokee Village who make teddy bears for those who are suffering. “They are looking for a situation in which a child might need a reprieve from a recent trauma,” she said.

The group works with hospitals, emergency medical personnel and law enforcement to find those who would benefit from their charity work. On occasion, they also provide the stuffed animals to elderly people in nursing homes.

That start was at the Spring River Chronicle in Sharp County as a stringer, which quickly evolved into a full-time position.

All this happened after she earned an associate in arts degree from Ozarka College and then attended a semester at Lyon College studying music education. She concluded that was not to be her career path.

“I tried several things after college,” she said. “I delivered pizza for a while, and I owned a gas station. I was really bad at that. In fact, I was bad at most of my jobs until I got into reporting.”

Siebert enjoyed English composition in school, as well as creative writing. “I really liked the idea of telling a story without inserting your own opinion into it. I loved the idea of being able to document my community’s history, even if it was just in part. I loved the possibility that, no matter what the topic was, or who had the question, I could go out, interview an expert and get those questions answered.”

“Believe it or not, the women of the church have been doing this for 50 years and there had never been a story written about it,” Siebert said.

“One thing I like about my work with Hallmark is that I get a lot of instant gratification. I have a more diverse audience than I did before.” She has readers from all over the United States, and countries such as Canada, England and India. “It’s still pretty bizarre to me, but they are out there.”

Siebert recently completed a restructuring of the digital publication and has ideas for additional improvements. At this time, she has no plans for a printed version.

“We have good newspapers in the area, and those people work hard. There is a limited amount of potential advertising, and I don’t know that I want to do anything to split that pie one more slice.”

Siebert began her career in an unusual way.

“I got my start in journalism toward the end of 2010 when I went to an event with a friend and asked ‘too many questions’ of someone she was visiting with, who turned out to be the editor of the newspaper—who then offered me a job,” she said.

Siebert spent about five years at the Chronicle before transitioning to Areawide Media, based in Salem. She focused mainly on Sharp County, but also was involved in covering Fulton and Izard counties.

“I felt like I had a really good handle on Sharp County, and I also had some good editors that I worked with,” she said.

She earned several awards from the Arkansas Press Association during that time, including best news story and best photo in her circulation category.

To say that Siebert is a busy person would be a major understatement.

About a year after starting Hallmark Times, she accepted an offer from veteran radio owner and newsman James Bragg to join his Hometown Radio network in covering events in the area and serving as one of three hosts Monday through Friday on Total Information A.M.

Siebert arrives at the station at 3 a.m. each day to begin work on the newscast. She then joins Bragg and Don Sears for a 5 to 9 a.m. show that covers local and regional news, sports and weather. “I fell in love with it pretty quickly,” she said.

“I’ve never met anyone on top of the news like James Bragg,” she said. “I work really closely with him. I guess you could say he does the heavy lifting and I carry the shovel.”

In addition to the show preparation and the on-air work, Siebert does some remote coverage, such as the recently held Cherokee Village Pie Festival.

Siebert said she loves her work both with Hallmark Times and Hometown Radio. “I would have never had that chance if I’d stayed where I was,” she said. “I work the radio in the mornings and then See HALLMARK Page 4

Ballot

Continued from page 1

University of Arkansas Gerald Jordan, APA past president and former vice president of operations at Rust Communications Ron Kemp, APA past president, ANF board member and Madison County Record publisher Ellen Kreth, APA board member and Carroll County Community Media publisher Scott Loftis, Executive Director of Arkansas Scholastic Press Association Renette Smith McCargo, professor of law at UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law Robert Steinbuch, Little Rock FOIA Attorney John E. Tull and APA past president and former Advance-Monticellonian and Warren Eagle Democrat publisher Tom White

APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley will serve in an advisory capacity.

“I am honored to serve as chair of this committee of longtime supporters and friends of the Arkansas journalism community,” King said. “While some of us have very different political views, this is not a political campaign. FOIA is non-partisan by nature and should be important to every citizen of Arkansas. It is a tool that has to be in place to sustain community journalism and democracy.”

“To that end, the Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment will enshrine the principles of freedom of information in the Arkansas State Constitution, and the Arkansas Government Disclosure Act contains the proposed policies to support those principles.”

“EVERY ARKANSAN HAS THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS DOING.”

The ballot initiatives have been endorsed by Alabama Press Association, American Court and Commercial Newspapers, America’s Newspapers, Illinois Press Association, Iowa Newspaper Association, Kansas Press Association, Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, Minnesota Newspaper Association, Mississippi Press Association, Missouri Press Association, Montana Press Association, Nebraska Press Association, Nevada Press Association, Newspaper Association Managers, New York Publishers Association, Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, South Carolina Press Association, South Dakota NewsMedia Association, Tennessee Press Association, Utah Press Association, West Virginia Press Association, Wisconsin Newspaper Association and Wyoming Press Association.

“Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller signed the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act into law in 1967, and, at the time, said, ‘We have taken the government out of the smoke-filled rooms and returned it to the people,’” Wimberley said. “Not long after, Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice George Rose Smith wrote in an opinion, ‘It is vital in a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner.’ Every Arkansan has the right to know what their government is doing.

The full text of the proposed constitutional amendment can be found at https://arcitizens4transparency.org/wp-content/ uploads/2024/03/CA-A-3.pdf

The full text of the proposed initiated act can be found at https:// arcitizens4transparency.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Act-5.pdf

Donations in support of the Arkansans for a Free Press Committee may be mailed to P.O. Box 2257, Little Rock AR 72203.

Monday is deadline for Better Newspaper Editorial Contest

Your best work from the 2023 calendar year must be received by 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 6 in order to be eligible for the 2024 APA Better Newspaper Editorial Contest.

This annual contest showcases the work of APA member newspaper and media member editors, reporters, designers and photographers in covering their communities, both in print and online. Contest categories include News Story, Feature Story, Investigative Series Reporting, Beat Reporting, Sports News Story, Sports Feature Story, Sports Column, Editorial, News/Political Column, General Interest Column, Humorous Column, Freelancer Recognition and Headline Writing.

There are also categories for the best photography, layout and design and digital news coverage, including social media and podcasts.

Entries in the column-writing categories will be in the running for the Ernie DeaneBrenda Blagg Columnist of the Year Award, which memorializes the late columnists Ernie Deane, a journalist, educator and historian who for decades wrote “The Arkansas Traveler” and “Ozarks Country,” and Brenda Blagg, whose column, “Between the Lines,” ran from 1979 until 2022. It is funded through the Ernie Deane Award Endowment, which is intended to support the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation’s charitable and educational purposes. The Deane-Blagg Award Includes a $1,000 prize as well as a plaque.

A new category this year is Arkansas Freedom of Information Reporting, for stories written using Arkansas FOIA. 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 also includes a $1,000 prize and a plaque.

Enter at newspapercontest.com/Contests/ ArkansasPressAssociation.aspx. 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. Reserve your room in the APA room block now by clicking here: ARKANSAS PRESS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION.

America’s Newspapers endorses Arkansas ballot initiatives

America’s Newspapers, a leading advocate for the nation’s newspaper industry, announced on April 24 that it enthusiastically endorses the Arkansas Government Disclosure Act of 2024 and the proposed Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment. These initiatives represent a critical step forward in protecting the public’s fundamental right to access government records and proceedings and to make government actions more transparent.

The Arkansas Government Disclosure Act aims to make state and local governments more transparent and accountable to the citizens they serve. Provisions like establishing a clear definition of public meetings, allowing courts to levy penalties for noncompliance with records requests, and requiring timely disclosure of public records align with best practices and the principles of open government.

Hallmark

Continued from page 2

work for myself after radio.”

The Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment of 2024 will enshrine the right to government transparency into the state Constitution.

“A free press and robust local journalism rely on open records and open meetings to spur civic engagement, root out

information laws and urged all Arkansans who value government accountability and the public’s right to know to sign these initiatives and then vote affirmatively.

corruption, and hold officials answerable to the people,” said Dean Ridings, CEO of America’s Newspapers. “These critical Arkansas proposals recognize the important relationship between transparency and a healthy democracy.”

America’s Newspapers commended the civic leaders behind these efforts to strengthen Arkansas’s freedom of

Siebert had an unusual childhood. She was born in Virginia, but the family moved to Arkansas after her father suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident. She said the family struggled, spending some time homeless.

They lived for six months at a Bull Shoals campground before eventually moving to Violet Hill. Siebert started school at Izard County Consolidated and then transferred to Melbourne for grades 2-8. At that point, she began homeschooling and completed a GED and numerous college courses by age 16.

While she was in school, her parents worked as long-haul truck drivers to provide for the family. Her father, Tony Siebert, recently retired. “I have never seen my parents this happy, ever,” she said. She also has a brother, Chris Siebert, who works in cybersecurity for the U.S. Army.

Siebert is very involved in the community. She serves on the board of the Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce and is a past president. She is the president and founder of Comfort Keepers Ministry, a non-profit which is involved in a host of benevolent projects for disadvantaged area residents, including heaters in the winter, fans in the summer, toys for kids at Christmas, vegetable planting and swimming safety courses.

She also is a reserve deputy for the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office and a volunteer firefighter for the Hardy Fire Department.

She received a “Citizen of the Year” award from the Highland Elks

“Open government is a cause that transcends political partisanship. It is a universal principle that benefits all citizens when their states and municipalities operate with maximum transparency. America’s Newspapers stands firmly behind measures that strengthen this ideal,” said Ridings.

America’s Newspapers is committed to explaining, defending and advancing the vital role of newspapers in democracy and civil life, putting an emphasis on educating the public on all the ways newspapers contribute to building a community identity and the success of local businesses. Learn more at newspapers.org

Lodge, was the youngest recipient ever of the E. Wilson Green Award and earned the Wilson Powell Media Support of the Year Award.

Asked what she likes to do in what little spare time she has, Siebert laughed and admitted she likes to watch cartoons and such television shows as M*A*S*H, Andy Griffith and Green Acres.

Concerning the current economic and lifestyle status of her area of Arkansas, Siebert said she wears three hats:

Chamber – “We have more businesses than ever and there was an 11 percent increase in employment in Sharp County last year.”

Ministry – “People are hurting, and we have more homeless than ever before.”

Reporter – “I live where people go on vacation. How could it be any better?”

Through it all, Siebert is thankful for the opportunity to spend her working life as a journalist and has no plans to change course.

“I feel like I’ll continue because this is the only career in the entire world where curiosity is rewarded and where those of us who tend to ask too many questions are welcomed instead of swatted away. As long as my mind is sharp and my integrity remains intact, I can do this for the rest of my natural life and, unlike other professions where gray hair may be mocked and ageism is a hurdle, in this one it is valued and revered. How much cooler can it get? What an absolute blessing.”

Arkansas Society of Association Executives

The Arkansas Society of Association Directors Board, along with Destination Rogers, hosted a dinner on April 30 at Doe’s Eat Place in Little Rock, to honor esteemed ASAE past presidents and Ken Graves Memorial Award recipients.

ASAE provides an opportunity for association executives to network with their peers, promotes education to association executives concerning topics related to association management and strives to maintain close contacts with state and national legislators in order to better serve their respective members and industries. APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley is currently serving as president of ASAE.

Former Democrat-Gazette circulation manager dies at 95

William Thomas Taylor, Sr.

William (Bill) Thomas Taylor, Sr., died on March 5 in Little Rock. He was 95.

Taylor started at the Arkansas Democrat as a paperboy at age 13 in 1941. He began dating his future wife, Juanita Johnson Taylor, in the ninth grade and never dated anyone else. He worked in construction at Oak Ridge, Tennessee through the war years. With

their parents’ blessing, the couple married on Christmas Eve in 1944.

Following the war in 1945, Taylor returned to the newspaper while the couple finished high school and college. He graduated from Little Rock University with honors in Psychology while working full-time at the newspaper. Juanita Taylor was religion editor at the Arkansas Democrat and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette before her death in 1997.

Taylor received APA’s Golden 50 Service Award in 1994. He retired from the

newspaper twice: first in 2009 as state circulation manager, then again in 2015 from his position as treasurer at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette employee credit union.

Taylor is survived by son Will Taylor of Colorado Springs; son Derrell Taylor (Nancy) of Little Rock; son David Taylor (Freda) of Kansas City; daughter Joan Cunningham of Little Rock; son John Taylor (Jennie) of Colorado Springs; daughter Suzette Taylor (Becky Parkerson) of Little Rock; nine grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren.

Hennigan joins newsroom at Arkansas Advocate

Journalist Mary Hennigan joined the Arkansas Advocate in late April. Her reporting focuses on women’s issues, housing policy and energy and the environment.

Hennigan most recently reported for the Arkansas Times. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas. As a student, she was part of a collaborative project that won several national awards in 2022, including an IRE Medal from Investigative Reporters & Editors, the Online Journalism Association, the News Leaders Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Before she joined the Arkansas Times in 2022, Hennigan worked as a reporter and assistant editor with arkansascovid.com, a daily online data and information source which used data visualization to inform its 13,000 followers in English, Spanish and Marshallese.

“I am immensely pleased to have someone as talented and versatile as Mary join our team,” said Advocate Editor-in-Chief Sonny Albarado in the announcement of Hennigan’s hiring.

“I love local journalism, and I’m excited to continue doing it in a different capacity,” said Hennigan.

Report for America places three new corps members in Arkansas newsrooms

Report for America has placed three reporters from its 2024-2025 cohort with Little Rock-based news organizations. Lucas Dufalla and My Ly will be working at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Phillip Powell has joined the Arkansas Times.

Dufalla’s beat with the Arkansas DemocratGazette will focus on the Arkansas region of the Mississippi River basin. He previously interned at PublicSource, an investigative nonprofit newsroom in his hometown of Pittsburgh, covering housing and economic development in the city and its surrounding boroughs. Before that he interned at the Portland Press Herald, Maine’s largest daily newspaper, where he covered small business in southern Maine. He attended Bowdoin College and wrote for the school’s student-run weekly newspaper, The Bowdoin Orient. Ly will report on health and poverty, covering health and family issues for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Auburn University, where she served as a managing editor, community reporter and editor for The Auburn Plainsman, the student-run newspaper.

Powell will cover agriculture and the environment for the Arkansas Times. He has previously worked as a reporter on Capitol Hill as part of his graduate studies at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, focusing on politics and foreign affairs and has taken part in large investigative projects with ProPublica and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He holds his bachelor’s degree in political science from Hendrix College, where he was a staff writer for The Profile and Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning Aonian Literary Magazine. He will graduate from Northwestern with a Master of Science in Journalism this June.

The mission of Report for America is to strengthen communities and democracy through local journalism that is truthful, fearless, fair and smart. The organization

pre-screens early career journalists, pays half their salary, up to $25,000 and provides them with ongoing training and support, and provides newsrooms with curriculum and coaching. Learn more at reportforamerica.org.

Mary Hennigan

Lucas Dufalla

My Ly

Phillip Powel

We’ve all heard challenges described as puzzles. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a real puzzle and see how it relates to the particular challenges of creating advertising. Jigsaw puzzles, of course, are illustrations, photographs or other graphic representations that are cut into many pieces. The challenge is to fit them together, each piece in its special place in the overall picture. The more pieces in the puzzle, the bigger the challenge.

In my opinion, the most important part of a jigsaw puzzle is the picture on the box which shows what the completed puzzle looks like. Imagine the difficulty of working on a puzzle without that guide. Is it a beach scene or a cityscape? Is it birds of North America or antique sports cars? You’ll never know unless there is something to follow. It’s just as difficult – and a lot more costly –to put together an ad campaign without a guideline to follow. If you dump the pieces out of the box and try to force them to fit, you’ll end up with a jumbled mess that is destined to fall apart. But if you start with a plan, you’ll have a picture to guide you along the way.

Here are some thoughts on advertising’s

Guest Column: Ad-Libs: Solving the puzzle of advertising

By John Foust

puzzle box:

1. Start with research. Roberto, who speaks glowingly of the ad team he manages, once told me, “We wouldn’t think of calling on clients unless we know as much as possible about them. Thanks to their web sites, online articles and our own files, we’re in position to start in-person conversations on the same wavelength. That usually establishes a good rapport, so we can shift our questions to their products, their prime audiences, and the history of their past advertising efforts. We focus hard on benefits, because that’s the engine of the advertising.”

2. Organize the information. When working on a jigsaw puzzle, it makes sense to sort the pieces before putting them together. A little extra time now will save a lot of time later. Put the border pieces together (they have at least one straight edge). Then put all the colors together. And so on, until there’s some order to the chaos.

It’s the same in advertising. After you gather the right kind of information, take time to separate and prioritize the pieces. As you clearly identify a target audience

matches with certain product benefits. And as you consider the way those bits can fit together, the bigger picture will begin to emerge.

3. Translate the information into advertising. After you put the information into workable order, the next step is to develop an advertising theme and specific ads to carry out that plan,” Or as Roberto described it, “Strategy first, then tactics. In other words, the theme comes first, then the copy ideas, offers and illustrations.”

The point is simple: When you open the box to work with a new advertiser, make sure to have a good picture to follow.

(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

2024 Arkansas Press Association

BETTER NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL CONTEST RULES & CATEGORIES

1. ELIGIBILITY: Contest open to employees of Arkansas Press Association member newspapers in good standing. Entries must be submitted by the member newspaper, not by individuals. The current owner of any former APA member newspaper(s) that have ceased publication may submit qualifying entries for work complete during the contest eligibility time frame. Syndicated work of an employee may only be submitted from the newspaper of origin.

2. CONTEST PERIOD: All entries must have been published January 1 through December 31, 2023.

3. DEADLINE: Entries must be submitted by midnight on May 6, 2024.

4. ALL ENTRIES must be full-page pdf documents (including photo entries) and show date of publication. Be sure to send story continuations. For entries that require more than one story, save as one pdf document in a low resolution format before uploading. To help judges locate the correct story or photo, the name of the entry (e.g. Fire Destroys Business) and the pdf file name should be the same. Entries must be submitted exactly as they were published.

5. LIMIT OF ENTRIES: There is a LIMIT of entries per newspaper in each category, but it varies, so read the rule for each category. Most news categories have a limit of four, and photo categories have a limit of five.

6. COST T O ENTER: The contest fee per member is $25 plus $5 per individual entry. Once all entries are submitted and finalized, click “Billing.” This will take you to a page where the entry fees are automatically generated. You will have an option to pay your total cost by credit card or to be invoiced.

7. DIVISION PLACEMENT: Your newspaper has been pre-assigned a division based on your paid circulation.

Div. 1 Circulation under 1200

Div. 2 Circulation 1201 - 2000

Div. 3 Circulation 2001 - 7000

Div. 4 Circulation over 7001

Div. 5 Media (online) members

(A)To be FAIR to smaller staffed, smaller circulation newspapers, multiple-ownership newspapers must submit entries in the division of their largest circulation newspaper. An exception will only be made if the entries are sent with a written statement from the publisher saying that no help from personnel at the larger circulation newspaper(s) was used in publishing the smaller circulation newspaper.

(B) If work is published in more than one newspaper in a group, the person may enter from only one newspaper and must compete in the larger circulation division.

8. JUDGING:

(A) For a category to be judged there must be at least three entries from three different newspapers. Otherwise those entries will be added to and judged with the next higher division.

(B) Judges will be asked to make comments on winning entries. Comments will be given to the newspaper after the awards ceremony..

(C) Awards will be made in first, second, and third place. Honorable mentions may be awarded at the judges’ discretion. Decisions of judges will be final.

9. GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD: Winners of the General Excellence Award will be determined by compiling points received for first, second, third place and honorable mention awards won in all categories. First place awards are worth ten points; second place, six points; third place, three points; and honorable mention, one point.

10.Announcement of winners will be made on June 29 during the 2024 APA Convention at the Embassy Suites Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro

LOGIN, UPLOAD & SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1 – Acquire your login information from APA. Contact Terri Cobb at Terri@arkansaspress.org.

Step 2 – Login at www.newspapercontest.com/arkansas. You will see a page showing any entries you have already submitted. Complete rules for the contest are available on the website. Some browsers, such as Safari, will open the rules in a new window; others will require you to download the PDF file to your computer.

Step 3 – Click on the “Add New Entry” link.

Step 4 – On this page, select your newspaper name. A lot of information will autofill. If that information is incorrect, please contact APA. Your division will be selected for you based on your circulation. Fill in the preparer’s name. (The preparer is the person uploading the entry into the online contest platform, not the staffer that will be credited for any award.)

Step 5 – Select the Newspaper Group from the drop-down menu for the contest you are entering. You must select Open, All Daily, All Weekly or Contests By Division.

Step 6 – Select the contest category from the drop-down menu. When you select the category, special instructions will appear below it. If you don’t see the category you’re looking to enter, make sure you’ve selected the correct Newspaper Group (See Step 5). This field will clear each time you save an entry, so you must select a category for each new entry.

Step 7 – Enter the title/cutline for your entry. When uploading full-page PDF files, make sure the entry name matches the headline on the page so the judges can find it easily.

Step 8 – Include the name of the person or people who should be credited for any award. This is generally the writer, photographer, graphic artist, cartoonist, etc.

Step 9 – Add your file or files. You can drag and drop files or use the “Add files” button to navigate your files.

Step 10 – IMPORTANT: When you have completed your submission, click the “Save” button. If you click the “Back to list” button, you will lose the entry you just completed. After clicking “Save,” you will be directed back to the list of your entries.

Step 11 – To submit another entry, click “Add New Entry.” As long as you have not logged out of the system, your newspaper name will still be in place and you can simply start at Step 5 again. You may log out and log back in later to continue adding entries. You will need to select your newspaper name each time you log in.

Step 12 – If you are done submitting entries, please review the list. You may not change an entry, but you may delete an entry and resubmit it. When done uploading all your entries, click the “Billing” button on the list page. This will take you to a page where the entry fees are generated. You may click the PayPal Link to pay by credit card or mail your payment to: APA Contest, 411 S. Victory St. Little Rock AR 72201. Once payment is made, we will mark your newspaper paid and complete.

CATEGORIES

CATEGORY 1 — News Story

For each entry, submit full-page document showing a single staff-written news story. Spot news and sidebar stories may be submitted. Judging will be based on community wide importance of event, timeliness, thoroughness of reporting, writing style and effectiveness of lead. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 2 — Feature Story

For each entry, submit full-page document showing a single staff-written feature story. Judges will consider writing style, originality and general interest. Portrait pieces may be included. Limit 4 entries

CATEGORY 3 —Investigative Series Reporting

For each entry, submit full-page documents showing all stories in a series on one single event or subject or news item. Minimum three (3) stories to qualify as a series. Judging will include depth of reporting, organization of material, writing style and reader interest. All winning entries will be forwarded to compete for the IF Stone Award. The IF Stone Award includes a $100 prize and plaque. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 4 —Arkansas Freedom of Information Reporting

For each entry, submit full-page documents showing all stories written with information gathered utilizing the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. Each entry should include a cover letter explaining the need to use the FOIA, the focus, scope and method of the investigation, and the subsequent results and impact following publication of the stories. Save all documents into one pdf file. All winning entries will be forwarded to compete for the Meredith Oakley FOIA Award. The award includes a $1000 prize and plaque. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 5 — Beat Reporter

For each entry, submit a minimum of three (3) articles from a single reporter covering a specific beat (courts, sports, outdoors, city council, etc.) Limit one entry each from 3 reporters.

CATEGORY 6 — Sports News Story

For each entry, submit full-page document. Judges will consider originality, style, writing and reader interest. (Enter sports features in Category 7) Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 7 — Sports Feature Story

For each entry, submit full-page document. Judges will consider originality, style, writing and reader interest. (Enter sports news/game time stories in Category 6) Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 8 — Business Story

Single story or series to include all aspects of agriculture, tourism and business, with special emphasis on coverage of local farming, tourism, businesses and industries in your community. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 9 — Education Story

Single story or series to include all aspects of education, school boards and other school activities in your community. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 10 — Health/Medical Story

Single story or series to include original local and state health and medical features and news. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 11 — Freelancer Recognition

The intent of this category is to recognize Arkansas freelance writers and non-syndicated writers. If a story is published in more than one paper, it should be entered in the largest circulation paper. For each entry, submit full-page document. Judges will consider writing style, originality and general reader interest. Limit 4 entries.

COLUMN WRITING

CATEGORY 12 — Sports Column

For each entry, submit full-page document. Columns on sports should be entered. Judging will include writing style, originality and reader impact. Columns must have bylines or standing headings and must be regularly published in your newspaper. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 13— Editorial

For each entry, submit full-page document. Must be original. Syndicated material is not eligible. Judging will be on local impact, reasoning, writing excellence and leadership shown by the editorial. An editorial represents the opinion of the newspaper. A column is NOT an editorial! Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 14 — News/Political Column

For each entry, submit full-page document. Only columns on news issues or politics should be entered. Judging will include writing style, originality and reader impact. Columns must have bylines or standing headings and must be regularly published in your newspaper. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 15 — General Interest Column

For each entry, submit full-page document. Columns on general interest, people or “slice of life” should be entered. Judging will include writing style, originality and reader impact. Columns must have bylines or standing headings and must be regularly published in your newspaper. Limit 4 entries.

CATEGORY 16 — Humorous Column

For each entry, submit full-page document. Column should be humorous in nature. Judging will include writing style, originality and reader impact. Columns must have bylines or standing headings and must be regularly published in your newspaper. Limit 4 entries.

Ernie Deane-Brenda Blagg Columnist of the Year Award – Winning entries in categories 12-16 will be judged to select one best overall columnist. The award includes a $1000 cash prize and plaque.

PHOTOGRAPHY

For each entry, submit full-page PDF. Computer created and composite photos may not be entered. Photos may be black and white or color.

CATEGORY 17 — Single News Photograph

Name of photographer must be given. Judging will include timeliness, impact and technical quality. Clearly name the photo to be judged. Limit 5 entries.

CATEGORY 18 — Single Feature Photograph

No sports photos. See category 18. Name of photographer must be given. Portrait photo may be included in this category. Judges will consider photographic excellence, reader appeal and technical quality. Clearly name the photo to be judged. Limit 5 entries.

CATEGORY 19 — Single Sports Action Photograph

Name of photographer must be given on entry form. Clearly name the single ACTION photo to be judged. Judges will consider action, newsworthiness and quality. (Sports feature photos should be entered in Category 20.) Limit 5 entries.

CATEGORY 20 — Single Sports Feature Photograph

Name of photographer must be given on entry form. Clearly name the single NON-ACTION sport photo to be judged. Judges will consider photographic excellence, reader appeal and technical quality. Limit 5 entries.

CATEGORY 21 — Picture Page/Photo

Essay

Each entry consists of one full-page document. This is a contest for one best picture page OR photo essay. It may be produced by one person or a team. Judges will consider photo quality, layout, art work, reproduction, originality and text material. Limit 4 entries.

PHOTO OF

THE YEAR

All first-place photos from the photography categories 17-20 will be judged together to determine the Photo of the Year for Arkansas Press Association. Photo of the Year will receive a special plaque presented during the awards luncheon.

LAYOUT & DESIGN

Categories 22-23 are package entries. The judges are looking at a body of work. Save all the pages as one pdf document before uploading.

CATEGORY

22 — Best Front Page

Submit three (3) FRONT pages from three different issues. Judges are looking at a body of work. Save all the pages as one pdf document. Judges will consider general news content with special emphasis on local coverage, design, news play and typography with regard to appropriateness, quality, impact, legibility, organization and creativity. Limit one (1) entry per newspaper.

CATEGORY

23 — Graphic Design Portfolio

Submit three (3) full-page pdfs from a single staff member showing effective use of design, graphics, artwork, graphics, charts, maps or other devices that provide, explain, or clarify information from a news story or feature. Judges are looking at a body of work. Save all the pages as one pdf document. Judging will be based on originality, craftsmanship and presentation of information only, not the accompanying story. Limit 3 entries (3 staff members per newspaper).

CATEGORY 24 — Headline Writing

For each entry, submit full-page pdf document. Headlines over photos can be submitted. Judges will originality, creativity (graphic presentation), appropriateness (how well it relates to the story or photo), clever use of words, impact, attention-getting quality and humor. To help judges locate the entry, the headline and pdf document title should have the same name. Limit 5 entries.

CATEGORY 25 — Best Digital Presence & Audience Engagement

For entry, submit the link to your website along with any username and password needed to view content. Include as well links and usernames to your social media you would like judged (ie Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Include podcast or youTube channel links you want to include. The judges will randomly visit all your sites between May 12-18, 2024. Judging will be based on content (quality of news, timeliness and organization); visual/ design (layout, photos, color); and activity from readership. Limit 1 entry per newspaper.