Arkansas Publisher Weekly: May 9, 2024

Student journos net 49 awards at in college media contest

Guest Column:

The start of something big for local news. Congress must follow New York’s lead.

By Dean Ridings

Arkansas Press Association Publisher Weekly

Vol.19 | No. 19 | Thursday, May 9, 2024 | Serving Press and State Since 1873

Holloway wears all the hats at the Montgomery County News

It would be hard to overstate the level of personal commitment of many small-town journalists in Arkansas and across the nation as they work to preserve community newspapers in a challenging media landscape.

One example is Dewayne Holloway, owner and editor of the Montgomery County News in Mount Ida.

Holloway literally represents a one-person operation as he writes all the news, sells the ads, produces the pages and delivers the final product each week. Additionally, he somehow finds time to paginate three neighboring newspapers – the Little River Journal in Ashdown, the Hope-Prescott News and Noticiero Hispana de Hope-Prescott

While Hollowell does have some community contributors, he notes, “The only way I have found to make a living doing this is to do it all by myself.

“I’m the only paid staff, if you want to call it that,” he said with a laugh.

He admits burnout can be a problem at times and does miss experiencing an occasional vacation. As it is, he is content to enjoy the occasional long weekend off after the hectic routine of Monday through Wednesday production days each week.

result that approximately two-thirds of the land is owned by the federal government.

“We have a lot of retirees, who you might say are in the second half of their life,” Holloway said. “I am very impressed with the way the locals and the retirees interact and work together for the betterment of the county.”

One clear trade-off is being able to live in one of the most picturesque areas of Arkansas in the mountains near beautiful Lake Ouachita.

Mount Ida is a close-knit community of about 900 in Montgomery County, population roughly 8,000. Much of the county is situated in the Ouachita National Forest, the largest in the South, with the

With this type of positive mix, a vibrant community is being established with several art galleries popping up, as well as a commitment to theater with three or four musicals produced each year.

“Tourism is our only real industry,” Holloway said. Several major resorts are located on Lake Ouachita, including Mountain Harbor, Shangri La and Lake Ouachita Shores. “There are not many kids in this area that haven’t worked at one of them while growing up.”

Another huge development is mountain biking along the miles of trails in the national forest. This has resulted in some major events, such as the Ouachita Challenge bike race in March. Another headliner is the LOViT 100 mile and 100K, an ultramarathon trail running event held each February. Of course, Holloway is on hand to cover all these events for his newspaper.

The News runs about 10 pages each week, with up to 16 pages under some circumstances. Several big special sections are developed each year, including graduation, football and the county fair.

Holloway recently began a quarterly faith-based publication

Dewayne Holloway and Gail Pitts-Holloway

Holloway

called The Threshing Floor of the Ouachitas. It was a natural for him since he also serves as pastor of the Community Baptist Church in nearby Saratoga. “I chose the name because in the Old Testament the threshing floor was a place where people often met God. My desire is for this publication to be a place where people can find God in our community.”

Holloway began preaching in 1996 and said the new publication is a “good fit for the two passions I have.”

His newspaper is printed each week in Nashville, where he began his journalism career in 2008 after he worked for years in a variety of jobs following his graduation from Dierks High School. Just prior to his entrance into the journalism world, he was working at a Walmart in DeQueen and pastoring a church in Nashville.

The opportunity for a newspaper position came from his first cousin, Jim Pinson, then editor of the Graves family-owned Nashville News. “Newspaper work was something I loved right from the start,” he said.

After five years at Nashville covering news and sports, Holloway moved to Mount Ida as editor of the Montgomery County News, also a Graves-owned newspaper. “It was easy for me to fall in love with the community,” he said of his adopted hometown.

In 2016, the newspaper was acquired by John Robert Schirmer, who currently serves as owner-editor of the Nashville NewsLeader. Holloway and his wife, Gail Pitts-Holloway, then purchased the Mount Ida paper in 2019.

a few hours during the middle of the night. Campers were caught unaware and 20 people died, many of them children. “That was something you can ever unsee,” Holloway said of the tragic flood scene.

In his approach to the news at Mount Ida, Holloway attempts to both “promote and inform” his community on a weekly basis. He doesn’t avoid covering so-called hard news but does see his role as looking for the positive aspects of hometown life.

A lot of the news focus is on the three school districts in Montgomery County -- Mount Ida, Caddo Hills and Ouachita River (Oden and Acorn). “They are at the heart of the community,” he said. “That drives what we do most of the time and they are very good to work with.”

“I was very fortunate to work for the Graves family and learn from the journalistic heritage they represent,” Holloway said. “And I also really enjoyed working for and with John Robert for several years. He also was more than happy to work with us in our purchase of the newspaper and we appreciate it.”

Looking back, Holloway said his first memorable story related to the tornado which hit Mena in 2009. That same storm destroyed the Dierks water treatment plant, which he documented for the Nashville newspaper.

But his biggest story, and most heartbreaking, was the devastating Albert Pike Campground flood of June 11, 2010. “Jim and I were among the first media to arrive on the scene,” Holloway said.

The event was a flash flood in which the Little Missouri River near the community of Caddo Gap rose some 23 feet in just a matter of

As to what he likes about his profession, Holloway said, “I am drawn to the fact that our paper is the historical record of the county. As a small rural community, we don’t get the statewide coverage larger areas get. While some things are posted on social media, we are able to provide a trusted news source for city and county government, schools and local events. No one else is doing that. Working as the local journalist gives me an opportunity to be involved with all facets of our community. I get to watch kids grow up while attending our local schools and now I’m watching them start businesses and get involved in the community as adults.”

Holloway sees a correlation in his roles as journalist and minister.

“With both, you gather information, present it to the public, and let them decide if they believe it or not. Also, both fields serve the community in various ways. You become a fixture in the community that hopefully people feel they can trust. My work in the ministry actually helped me find my way into the newspaper business. I can’t imagine doing one without the other.”

Of course, Holloway is aware of the current challenges faced by newspapers, both big and small. “Looking forward, I guess it’s the same concern everyone faces – growing with the shifts in the way people are reading the news. It seems like every time we publish an obituary, it reduces our circulation by one. I have to learn to adapt to reach the younger generation of readers.”

Outside of work, Holloway enjoys reading, with the focus on science-fiction. “I am a huge fan of “The Wheel of Time” series, as well as the “Dragonriders of Pern” books,” he said. “Of course, I

Holloway with then-County Judge Sammy Jones, being presented with a proclamation declaring June 17, 2022 as “Dewayne Holloway Appreciation Day.“

The Mountain Echo editor chosen for E&P’s Editors Extraordinaire class of 2024

Robert L. Lyons, Jr. of The Mountain Echo in Yellville has been chosen as one of Editor & Publisher magazine’s Editors Extraordinaire for 2024.

“The news media industry is often focused on the people in the spotlight, but the contributions of those behind the scenes are truly immeasurable. In newsrooms

across the country, editors carry heavy responsibilities,” said E&P Editor-In-Chief Robin Blinder in the announcement.

“They lead the newsroom, determine what stories should be told and challenge assertions with unwavering commitment to the public’s interest. Their insight, experience and leadership are indispensable and elevate journalism to new heights. Despite not being as celebrated as bylined reporters or columnists, their invaluable contributions cannot be overlooked.”

Lyons has worked in news media for 10 years. He is one of 17 editors, and the only editor from Arkansas, selected nationwide for the honor.

Meet E&P’s Editors Extraordinaire class of 2024 at https://www.editorandpublisher. com/stories/meet-eps-editorsextraordinaire-class-of-2024,249590

White River Current moves offices this week to historic Coal House in Calico Rock

The White River Current this week moved its offices to the historic Coal House at 104 B Main Street, behind the Calico Rock Museum and Visitor Center.

The newspaper has for the last 15 years worked out of offices at the Calico Rock Music Hall in the former Calico Rock Methodist Episcopal Church building.

Located directly on the White River in Izard County, Calico Rock developed as a steamboat landing in the early 1800s and became a boomtown in 1902 when the railroad tracks were laid. It was the largest town in Izard County through the 1960s. The Coal House stored the coal for the entire community when the railroad was operating, and later served as the home to the city’s waterworks department and a conference center for the museum.

Other than a change of venue, everything at the newspaper will remain the same. “I am very excited about this new location,” said Managing Editor Tabitha West. “The new building puts us closer to Main Street, and gives us space to entertain more visitors.”

An official ribbon cutting will be held at a later date.

Linda Dee Rooney Card

Community columnist and author Linda Dee Rooney Card died on April 18 at her home in Caddo Gap. She was 69.

A native of Kiefer, Oklahoma, Card was a long-time contributor to the Montgomery County News through her weekly column, “Norman News with Dee Card,” and a member of the Diamond Writers Association. Under the name Dee Rooney she was the author of the 2023 novel, “Annie’s Heart,” and had just published her second novel, “The Devil’s Bathtub,” on March 8.

A former Arkansas Tobacco Control Agent, Card had also served as a member of the Caddo Gap Volunteer Fire Department. She was predeceased by her husband, D.J. “Sarge” Card. A memorial service will be planned for a later date.

LIST YOUR JOBS

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.

Robert Lyons, Jr.

Linda Dee Rooney Card

The Coal House

Arkansas Press Women to announce award winners on May 18

Arkansas Press Women will celebrate the winners of this year’s Professional Communication Contest during an awards ceremony on Saturday, May 18.

The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the historic Villa Marre in Little Rock. In addition to the awards presentation, the ceremony will include lunch and a guest speaker from the Arkansas Citizens for Transparency to give an update on their efforts to enshrine the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act in the state Constitution.

Tickets to the event are $20 and are available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ arkansas-press-women-2024-annualawards-ceremony-tickets-880967556677 If you prefer to pay in person at the event, please RSVP to Lara Farrar, APW vice president, at 501-701-2781 or farrar.lara@ gmail.com.

Contest entrants submitted their best work of 2024 in February to compete in the statewide contest. First-place winners went on to compete in the National Federation of Press Women contest. Winners of the national contest will be recognized on June 22 at the National Federation of Press Women Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

Holloway

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NE AR students enjoy tour of State Capitol

APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley helped show a group of fifth graders from her hometown of Rector around the Arkansas State Capitol building earlier this week. Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge of Marmaduke, serving District 1, led the tour. Rector alumni Landon Crancer hosted the group for lunch at the ASU System offices across the street from APA headquarters. Rector Elementary principal Mark Manchester and teachers Shawna Bucy and Gracie Hunt planned the tour.

started with “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” and just kind of read everything I could get my hands on.”

Holloway’s wife worked in hospitality and hotel sales in Hot Springs, including stints at Magic Springs and the Austin Hotel. She worked three years as director of the Mount Ida Area Chamber of Commerce before retiring.

Holloway has a daughter, Ashlee Holloway, who lives in Texarkana, and a son, Benjamin Holloway, who lives in Dierks. He has two grandchildren. Holloway also has a stepson, Cole Pitts, who lives in Lake Hamilton.

While living in a small-town environment, Holloway clearly has developed a busy and challenging day-to-day life. “My wife is constantly telling me not to take anything else on, and then I turn right around and take something else on,” he said.

The beneficiaries of that level of commitment and hard work are the citizens of Mount Ida and Montgomery County.

John Robert Schirmer with Gail Pitt-Holloway and D ewayne Holloway at their purchase of the Montgomery County News in September 2019.

Student journos net 49 awards at in college media contest

Students from Arkansas State University’s School of Media and Journalism earned 49 awards at the Arkansas College Media Association’s annual contest and spring conference in April at Ouachita Baptist University.

The Herald, A-State’s campus newspaper and online news outlet, won 42 awards while the student radio station, Red Wolf Radio, won two. ASU-TV won five awards, including the General Excellence Television Producer/ Director of the Year for Station Manager Easton John.

The Herald placed third for Newspaper of the Year and was a runner-up for Website of the Year. Herald editor-in-chief Rachel Rudd placed third for Editor of the Year as well as taking first place in InDepth News, Online News Writing, Online News Photo and Online Feature Writing; second in Newspaper Spot News Photo, Newspaper Personality Profile and Newspaper General Column; third in Newspaper In-Depth News, Online In-Depth Reporting, Online Multimedia Package, Online Topical Reporting/Blog and Audio Podcast for Red Wolf Radio; and honorable mention for Online Sports Photo and Newspaper Feature Writing.

Political coverage, Newspaper Review Writing, Newspaper Editorial Page Layout and Online Headlines; third for Newspaper Feature Writing, Newspaper Sports Story, Online News Writing, Online Personality Profile, Online Editorials/Commentary/ Blogs and Online Arts and Entertainment Articles; and honorable mention for Online Feature Photo.

Thompson, for Television Computer Graphics, as well as the team of John, Thompson, Jarida Hess and Mehr Aslam for Online Social Media Promotion-ASU-TV; and Hess, Tristan Harlen, Krystal Smith and Brady Michael for Television News Script-ASU-TV.

Additional second-place awards went to Averitt, Laila Casiano and Shelby Russom for Audio Podcast; and Jerry Don Burton for Online Arts and Entertainment Article.

Former Herald editor-in-chief Rebecca Robinson was a runner-up for Designer of the Year as well as taking first place for Newspaper Review Writing, Newspaper Sports Page Layout and Online Arts and Entertainment Review and honorable mention for Online Arts and Entertainment Review.

Caroline Averitt placed third for Reporter of the Year and took first place for Newspaper Headlines and Personality Profile; second for Newspaper Election/

Rudd and Robinson together took first place for Newspaper Front Page Layout and Online Topical Reporting/Blogs.

Other first-place winners were Colby

Russom took third place for Newspaper Spot News Photo and Newspaper Feature Photo.

Honorable mention for Television Sports Feature went to John, Harlan, Melder and Ty Phillips; Elijah Templeton for Newspaper Editorial Writing; and Quentin Takacs for Audio Podcast for Red Wolf Radio.

“I am so proud of our media and journalism students for the recognition of their stellar work. The student media outlets, such as The Herald, ASU-TV and Red Wolf Radio are an essential part of their experience,” Dr. Brad Rawlins, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication said in a press release.

“This multitude of awards is the outcome of many hours of hard work and dedication by the students and the faculty who teach and advise them.”

The state of New York, led by a powerful coalition of local publishers, has just approved game-changing legislation in the fight to preserve local news outlets and community journalism. By including a $90 million payroll tax credit for hiring and retaining local journalists in the state’s 2025 budget, New York has become the nation’s first to take such a major step to protecting this vital industry. This is a commitment to local journalism that the U.S. Congress should urgently build upon.

The Empire State’s legislation is built from the framework of the Community News and Small Business Support Act that would provide similar incentives at the federal level. Much like the New York program, the proposed tax credits would provide critically-needed sustainability for local news organizations, and would ensure that its local citizens continue to receive the news and information they need from credible sources.

As smaller publications shutter by the hundreds and news deserts across the country multiply, the decline of the local newspaper threatens civic engagement. A recent study found that just one in four Americans has access to a local daily newspaper — a dire reality that impacts voter participation, local corruption, policy debates and even affects bond ratings in the affected communities.

Yet local newspapers remain the prime driver of civic knowledge and engagement. The data is crystal clear — communities with robust local news ecosystems have higher voter turnout, better governance, coordinated emergency responses and more engaged citizens. Investing in local journalism pays exponential dividends for society.

How was the New York legislature able to pass such meaningful legislation? First, a strong coalition of local publishers came together to demonstrate the value their

Guest Column:

The start of something big for local news. Congress must follow New York’s lead.

By Dean Ridings

newspapers deliver to their communities. And, government leaders recognized the value of a vibrant local newspaper in their hometown and acted in a bipartisan manner to make a difference.

Now it’s time for Congress to follow the New York lead and take action to support the local media industry nationwide. The Community News and Small Business Support Act is a unique piece of legislation where everyone wins. Local businesses benefit from advertising credits and local citizens benefit by having professional reporters covering the most important topics impacting their lives. Incentivizing local outlets to hire and compensate reporters through tax credits is a fiscally smart way to support newsgathering and watchdog capacities without compromising editorial independence. The tax credits would provide a much-needed lifeline to local newspapers while also empowering new entrants and news startups aiming to revive media entrepreneurship.

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have a prime opportunity to build on the momentum from New York by supporting the Community News and Small Business Support Act. Congress must recognize what New York’s leadership already has: Local journalism is a public good worth supporting. The time to act is now. For more information visit www. supportcommunitynews.com

America’s Newspapers CEO Dean Ridings can be reached at dridings@newspapers.org. On behalf of its approximately 1,700 newspaper and Solutions Partner companies, America’s Newspapers is committed to explaining, defending and advancing the vital role of newspapers in democracy and civil life, and puts 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: newspapers.org.