Arkansas Publisher Weekly: May 18, 2023

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ADG tops website category in Great Plains Journalism Awards

Guest Column:

Lack of paper, news sad for one town

By Ellen Kreth

Kelly to retire after nearly 40 years in newspaper advertising

A well-known maxim in the business world is that nothing happens until somebody sells something.

That somebody for almost 40 years in the Southeast Arkansas newspaper world has been Vicki Kelly, advertising manager at the Advance-Monticellonian, a weekly publication in Monticello.

Kelly will conclude her highly successful career May 31 and is looking forward to spending a lot more time with her family – most notably her three greatgrandchildren.

Kelly has seen and done it all in the community newspaper field, starting as

a salesperson for a shopper in Jacksonville before heading an award-winning advertising staff in her hometown of White Hall.

She can laugh now about her introduction to sales in 1983 at the shopper, but it was sheer terror at the time.

“On the first day they just threw me out on the street and I didn’t have a clue,” Kelly remembers. “It was basically sink or swim. I was scared to death.”

She went into a store and asked to see the manager. One of his first comments was that he used to be in the newspaper

business. “I thought, oh crap, this isn’t going to be good.” Kelly said her response to each question he asked was, “I’ll find out the answer and get back to you.” By the last question, she was in tears.

Despite that difficult beginning, Kelly soon realized she had what it takes to be a salesperson and took that knowledge and confidence to a great run at the White Hall Journal, first owned by Neil Clark and then Frank Lightfoot.

Kelly and Lightfoot had a great working relationship. The newspaper prospered and the advertising department

Ernie Deane-Brenda Blagg Award for column writing endowed

A new award, the Ernie Deane-Brenda Blagg Award, has been endowed to honor excellence in column writing.

The annual $1000 award 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.

“Naming this award honors the memory of two of

Arkansas’s all-time outstanding newspaper columnists: Ernie Deane and Brenda Blagg,” said Skip Rutherford, ANF board member and friend of the Deane and Blagg families. “Not only were they teacher (Ernie) and student (Brenda), they shared a deep love for Arkansas and were role

models for many journalists and the journalism profession. We are grateful to Frances Deane Alexander, Ernie’s daughter and Brenda’s friend, for helping make this possible.”

“APA is grateful for this annual gift that not only recognizes the best work of Arkansas columnists but also honors the memory of two Arkansas journalism giants,” said APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley. “This special award will no doubt be one of the most coveted in the industry for years to come."

The first Ernie Deane-Brenda Blagg Award for column writing will be presented at the 2023 APA Convention in July.

Vicki Kelly

Brenda Blagg

Ernie Deane

Kelly to retire after nearly 40 years in newspaper advertising

Continued from page 1

generally swept all the major awards in its circulation category in the annual Arkansas Press Association contest.

“I enjoyed so much working with Frank,” Kelly said. “We spent a lot of time seeing who could out-prank the other.”

The two of them had extensive connections in the White Hall and Pine Bluff markets, which led to a successful community publishing experience. They had a staff of five, increased the circulation to around 2,000 and published 16 to 20 pages a week, along with numerous special sections and promotions.

Lightfoot retired and sold the Journal to GateHouse Media, with Kelly accepting the position of publisher. In that role she still handled all advertising sales but added responsibilities on the editorial and business sides of the operation.

“I put in a lot of hours as publisher, but I’ve always worked a lot of hours,” Kelly said.

After about five or six years, she decided it was time for a change in her career and accepted an offer from publisher Tom White as the advertising director at the Advance- Monticellonian.

“Monticello has been great,” she said. “This newspaper is awesome and Tom White is the best. He leads by example, and that is very important.”

Kelly has worked at the newspaper for almost eight years. She made the onehour commute every day for five years and then started working from home

during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to health issues she has developed, Kelly was appreciative when White suggested she continue working remotely. It has worked out well due to the extensive connections she has developed in the Monticello community.

“Give me a legal pad, a computer and a phone and I am good to go,” she said.

The Monticellonian runs 20-plus pages each week and publishes a lot of special sections, Kelly said.

During her tenure as advertising manager,

“I am really going to miss all the people on the staff,” she said.

Kelly has strong views on what it takes to be a successful salesperson. “If a salesperson doesn’t have anything to do, they aren’t doing their job,” she said. “I am very goal-oriented and have always worked hard to reach those goals. The idea is to be persistent, but not pushy.

“One reason I always loved the newspaper business was that it is never boring. There is always something to do. Get it done or make it happen. Some people give up too easily, but keep planting a seed and you will have a harvest. “I give all the credit to God because He has always kept me from getting down. And any talent we have, He has given to us.”

Kelly also has been very conscious that she is working for her advertisers. “We want the most success possible for our advertisers. That’s what it’s all about.”

the newspaper won the sweepstakes award every year in the APA contest except for this past contest, when it placed second. She credits the outstanding work of graphics designer Kristie Nall as a key to the success of the department.

“Overall, it is the best team I’ve ever worked with,” she said. “From the front door to the back door, everyone is committed to the job.”

The result is a community that loves the newspaper and looks forward to it each Wednesday. “We even give away popcorn when people come in to get their paper,” she said.

She especially appreciates it when an advertiser shares a specific annual budget total and trusts her to help make basic decisions on where to spend that money. “It’s my job to know the business well and then go from there. It makes it a lot easier.”

Kelly used those community connections during several years of involvement with Arkansas Children’s Dreams, an organization that provided exciting trips and events for kids with life-threatening illnesses. She formed a Jefferson County chapter and served as state vice president. The organization sponsored chartered plane trips to places such as Disney World

Kelly and former Advance bookkeeper Melaina Long outside the historic Allen House in Monticello

Kelly with daughter Amanda James

Kelly to retire after nearly 40 years in newspaper advertising

Continued from page 2

and Universal Studios and held large Christmas parties for the youngsters. Kelly joked that advertisers would say “here comes trouble” when they saw her walk in the door, thinking “she’s going to want an ad or a donation for the kids – or both.”

“My own thought on it is that God placed me in a position to develop all those connections so that down the road I was able to do so much for all those kids,” she said.

Looking back over the years, Kelly said the “flexibility” of the newspaper industry was very important to her. It enabled her to bring her young daughter to work when she was ill and sometimes stay home with her. She also was able to attend virtually

all her school activities. “And my daughter basically grew up at the newspaper. My view is God, family and work – in that order,” Kelly said.

“I’ve made a lot of lifelong friends in the newspaper business,” Kelly said, “and I have been blessed to live in White Hall, which is just a great place.”

Kelly’s daughter lives in North Carolina, along with two granddaughters. One grandson lives with her in White Hall and the other is in the Army in Alaska. She has two great-grandchildren in North Carolina and another in Alaska. The latter was born in December.

“I just want to be able to enjoy my family.” Kelly said of retirement. “And I want to spend more time in North Carolina.”

She does plan to continue with several special publications developed for businesses and events in White Hall. Some are youth-oriented and are distributed at the local school. The biggest project is a Founders Day magazine published each October.

Despite all the challenges facing community newspapers, Kelly believes they can still prosper if the publisher and staff work hard to develop great connections with local people. “I think that, if the paper is run correctly and with integrity, it will succeed. Monticello is an example.

“And it also doesn’t hurt to give away popcorn each week. By the way, that popcorn is danged good, let me tell you.

ADG tops website category in Great Plains Journalism Awards

The Arkansas DemocratGazette won Best Website at the Great Plains Journalism Awards earlier this month.

The annual awards are presented by the Tulsa Press Club and Benevolent Association. Winners and finalists were announced at a luncheon in the Crystal Ballroom at the Mayo Hotel in Tulsa on Friday, May 5.

The newspaper’s awardwinning website can be found at arkansasonline. com. In addition, two Arkansas Democrat-Gazette staff members picked up individual awards. Columnist Philip Martin won the Entertainment Feature with “Jerry Lee Lewis” and photographer Thomas Metthe won General News Photography with “Davis Trial.”

Other Arkansas journalists named as finalists for awards this year include Wally Hall, Stan Denman, Emily Gist, Gwen Faulkenberry, Stephen Swofford, Colin Murphey, Teresa Moss, Joshua Snyder, Sarah Campbell-Miller and Maggie McNeary,

all of the Arkansas DemocratGazette.

In the student category, Mary Beth Kemp, Sarah Komar and Robert Stewart of the University of Arkansas’s student newspaper, The Arkansas Traveler, were named as finalists. Victoria Hernandez and Blaise Keasler of the student magazine, The Hill, were also selected.

The annual contest, now in its 14th year, honors newspaper, magazine, television and web journalism from Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South

Dakota. Entries were judged by award-winning professional journalists from across the country.

The Tulsa Press Club was founded in 1906 as a members-only professional organization offering networking, education events and social opportunities. The club promotes the highest standards in journalism with an emphasis in recognizing young journalism talent through its annual scholarship initiatives. Visit tulsapressclub.org for more information.

APA welcomes Axios-Northwest Arkansas as a Media Member

news that is relevant to its northwest Arkansas readership. A daily newsletter summarizing top stories has over 19,000 subscribers.

APA is pleased to announce the Media Membership of Axios-Northwest Arkansas, a news organization focusing on Washington County coverage.

Axios-Northwest Arkansas is a local branch of the news website Axios, which was founded in 2016 and launched in 2017. Axios-Northwest Arkansas was launched in May 2021. The daily news site covers Washington and Benton County events and politics, and also statewide

The key beats of reporters Worth Sparkman and Alex Golden are business, healthcare, education, transportation, local government, technology, the University of Arkansas and local business powerhouses J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods and Walmart.

Axios-Northwest Arkansas can be found at axios.com/local/nwarkansas. APA is proud to welcome them to the association.

Great Plains Journalism Awards

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.

LETS GET SOCIAL

Delta Crossroads magazine announces name change to Arkansas Crossroads

A quarterly lifestyle magazine in northeast Arkansas is changing its name to Arkansas Crossroads.

The magazine was launched in early 2010 as Delta Crossroads, and at that time was published by Rust Communications. CherryRoad Media acquired the title from Rust in 2019.

Arkansas Crossroads will be accessible to readers throughout the state, not just the Delta area. Pocahontas Star Herald editor John Allen French will be at the helm. Dianna Risinger, editor of the Clay County Times-Democrat in Piggott, will also play a key role at the magazine.

“With this new development, the magazine will now have wider coverage,” said French in the announcement of the rebranding. “Arkansas Crossroads is committed to bringing readers fun, entertaining, insightful, thoughtful and meaningful stories quarterly.”

The magazine’s new name reflects its commitment to promoting the entire state of Arkansas.

“Readers can expect compelling and engaging content that highlights the unique culture, history and lifestyle of the Natural State,” said French.

The first edition of Arkansas Crossroads will premiere in August.

Reporter, author Potts to hold reading at Little Rock bookstore

Arkansas native Monica Potts will discuss her upcoming debut memoir, “The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America,” with Karen Martin, Perspective section senior editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2023 at Wordsworth Books in Little Rock.

Growing up in Clinton, Potts and her best friend Darci bonded over a shared love of reading and learning, even as they navigated the challenges of their tumultuous family lives and declining town. They pored over the giant map in their middle-school classroom, tracing their fingers over the world that awaited them, vowing to escape. In the end, Potts left Clinton for college and fulfilled her dreams, but Darci, along with many in their circle of friends, did not. Pott’s book explores the choices that sent them on such different paths and then widens the lens to explain why those choices are so limited.

Potts is a senior politics reporter for the website FiveThirtyEight. Her previous work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The New Republic, and on NPR. She was a 2015-16 New America Fellow and is a former senior writer with The American Prospect. “The Forgotten Girls” is her first book. A book signing will follow the discussion. RSVP for the event by emailing lynne@wordsworthbooks.com.

@ArkansasPressAssociation @ARPressAssoc

Monica Potts

National Newspaper Association asks Postal Regulatory Commission to drop periodicals class rate surcharges

On Wednesday, May 10, National Newspaper Association Chair John M. Galer asked the Postal Regulatory Commission to stop adding a 2% surcharge onto postage rate increases as part of its efforts to bring Periodicals mail back into being a profitable product for the Postal Service.

Galer, publisher of The Journal-News in Hillsboro, Illinois, also expressed support for a new postage discount for marketing mailers. Under USPS’ current proposal, saturation shopper publications (sent to every address or ever residential address at marketing mail rates) will receive a 10% discount if they mail packages under 2 ounces that contain at least four different advertiser’s messages. The mailings will have to be sent at least 10 times a year.

USPS plans to implement another postage increase in excess of 8% for most newspapers’ Periodicals mail on July 9. That change will push the increases since January 2021 to more than 30% over

rates charged before the PRC changed the postal rate rules in 2020. Among the charges are a regulatory 2% surcharge for every mail class that does not produce enough revenue to cover USPS costs.

“This surcharge is adding insult to injury,” Galer said. “In the history of newspapers and magazines in the mail, they have

rarely covered all postal costs. A small exception was in 2006 just after USPS implemented an extraordinarily large increase — and before iPhones came out. That lasted just a couple of years. Since then, Periodicals have been under water.

“Subscribers, who are the ultimate payers of these rates, simply cannot keep up with the ever-rising postage costs,” he continued. “The Commission may have thought that these aggressive charges would somehow change that equation, but it has not and it will not. The surcharge provides USPS with very little revenue, but it is hurting newspaper subscribers. We think it is time for the PRC to change its rule.”

The Postal Service is required to seek PRC review of its semiannual postage increases. Typically, the PRC approves the increases.

Read NNA’s letter here.

I visited a college roommate in Zionsville, Indiana recently. Her husband was running for and won the Republican primary for mayor.

As I celebrated with them that night, we watched the returns run across the TV screen and checked the various polling locations and county clerks’ offices for numbers. The one place we didn’t check was the local newspaper because much to my distress,the small newspaper serving that city closed during the pandemic.

The town has a population of around 33,000 people.

I cannot imagine a town that size without the press, a viable newspaper, a paper serving their community. We do that every week. We hold government and school officials accountable (see page 1A of The Record this week) celebrate members of the community, (see 1B), report school and community news (see 1A and 2A), cover community events, (see our coverage of First Friday this week) and run local obituaries, classifieds and legals.

Another paper in Indiana has tried to step in, but it covers several counties and runs

Guest Column: Lack of paper, news sad for one town

By Ellen Kreth

news from all of those cities, leaving each city with very little coverage of their own. The week I visited,three news stories about Zionsville were in the current edition: one story on a pedestrian being hit by a car and a couple of news releases that had been typed up and reprinted. The edition was full of other press releases from other cities that had nothing to do with Zionsville.

What was missing was journalism in the form of stories written by local reporters who have their ears to the ground about what is really taking place in that community.

In the upcoming general election in Zionsville, five of the seven Town Council members will be new. Who will profile them, who will research their backgrounds, who will encourage citizens to vote, who will hold them accountable for spending and decision-making processes after they take office?

Voter turnout for the primary was 18 percent. Less than 20 percent of the population showed up to vote on races that will impact their lives and decisions made on their behalf with their tax dollars.

Watching people show up at the polls to cast their votes was exciting and encouraging. But the reality is that the community will never know that because no reporter was there to capture it.

This week, voters cast their ballots in a Huntsville School Board election. We profiled the candidates, challenged them on what issues they thought the district faced, and the election results were printed on the front page this week.

Reporting news to communities makes those areas a better place to live and keeps citizens engaged.

We’re proud of our work for this community and appreciate our advertisers, readers and subscribers for supporting our work and keeping The Record viable and award-winning.

Ellen Kreth is publisher of the Madison County Record and can be reached at ekreth@mcrecordonline.com. Originally published on May 11, 2023. Reprinted with permission.

P R E S S P A

What is Earn Your Press Pass?

Earn Your Press Pass is a simple course, covering the basics of community journalism

It is designed to train those with limited or no news experience to work for their local newspaper,helping to create valuable coverage It is taught by Lindsey Young, a community journalist and publisher with 10 years of high school teaching experience.

What does the course include?

V.

A. Parts of a newspaper

B Other terms to know

A. Who should I interview?

B Preparing for an interview

C. Conducting an interview

D Interview follow-up

E. Source problems and issues

F. Let’s practice.

A Newsworthiness

B. News-writing basics

C Breaking and hard news stories

D. Covering a meeting

E. Working a press release

F Writing a feature story

G Covering sports

H. Opinion writing

A. Writing on deadline

B. Fun with leads

C Using quotes

D Headline writing

E. Cutline writing

F Thinking outside the pyramid

Writing Techniques Associated Press Style Editing

VI. VII. VIII. Journalist Rights and Ethics

A. Tips for effective editing

B. Revising and rewriting

C Let’s practice

A Your right to know

B. Avoiding libel

C Journalism ethics

D Contradictions of community journalism

IX. Photography Final Bits of

A. Taking good photos

B. Editing photos

C Dealing with submitted photos

X.

Advice

A. Keeping yourself organized

B Preparing files for layout

C I have nothing to write about. Help!

•

Sections are feature videos and printable cheat sheets

• Lessons will continue to be added/updated.

“I was extremely impressed Lindsey even taught this old dog some new tricks The content is solid, it’s easy to use, and you can sign into and out of the program as your time allows. Lindsey’s engaging nature makes the lessons enjoyable, which makes you look forward to the next segment.”

For more information, contact Ashley Kemp Wimberley at ashley@arkansaspress