Arkansas Publisher Weekly: May 25, 2023

Guest Column:

The Lowe Down: Respecting the cost of freedom

By Pam Lowe

Turner retires from industry after masterful 40-year career

Rusty Turner is among the fortunate ones. Prior to his retirement last week as editor of the Northwest Arkansas DemocratGazette, he spent 40 years in his dream career and the final 14 years in what could be described as his dream company.

Turner has had a front row seat in the explosive growth of the Northwest Arkansas region, covering events in a variety of editorial positions in what has been a rapidly- changing and dynamic newspaper landscape.

Over the course of Turner’s career, the four major cities in the region (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville) have retained many of their unique individual elements, but increasingly have been viewed within the arc of a booming and more cohesive metropolitan area. From a newspaper perspective, a key event occurred in 2009 when competing WEHCO Media and Stephens Media entered into a joint agreement which was the forerunner of the region’s current

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Rusty Turner

Turner retires from industry after masterful 40-year career

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single daily newspaper operation.

It was at that point that Turner, who had spent his career working at Donrey and Stephens properties, began his association with WEHCO Media and Walter E. Hussman, Jr.. During that early period of the operation, he served as editor and publisher of the community zoned editions that were inserted into the regional Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The WEHCO operation eventually transitioned into the present-day Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Turner has served as the newspaper’s editor since 2015. He has been at the helm for the dramatic changes occurring since that time, most notably implementation of a unique subscription model in which the company lends an iPad to subscribers in order to access each day’s edition electronically.

“It has been very successful,” Turner said of the digital newspaper. “It has allowed us to provide a much more robust news operation than a lot of our peer newspapers across the country.

“It has been very important to Mr. Hussman to not eliminate content providers,” he said, noting his owner maintains that limiting news coverage will lead to rapidly declining readership and subscriptions and a diminished and weak product. Turner pointed out that many communities in America now are severely underserved or, in some cases, have no newspaper at all.

In addition to the daily digital version of the newspaper, subscribers additionally have the option of a printed Sunday edition delivered to the home. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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Turner with wife Anita at an APA convention in the early 2000s

The Turner family in August 2020. From left to right, son Stephen, grandson Nathaniel, daugher-in-law Amber, granddaughter Eliza, daughter-in-law Brittany, son Matthew, Anita and Turner.

Turner retires from industry after masterful 40-year career

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covers 12 counties – Washington, Benton, Crawford, Sebastian, Scott, Franklin, Logan, Newton, Madison, Carroll, Boone and Johnson.

“I am extremely lucky to have worked for WECHO Media for the last 14 years of my career,” Turner said. He believes Hussman has been a visionary with his views on the changing industry and has insisted that “journalism remains the top priority” in the company. “Rusty has provided decades of telling meaningful stories to Arkansas,” said Brent A. Powers, president of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “He and his news teams have won many awards from the Arkansas Press Association for their work over the years. Most of all, I’m proud of how Rusty and his team handled the pandemic. During this time, our readers were kept up to date on everything they needed to know about the local community, their health and their safety. I’m sure Rusty’s next chapter will be his best.”

In looking back over his career, Turner notes it first was envisioned when he was in the eighth grade. His parents, natives of Arkansas, had moved to Tulsa and he graduated from high school there. His career focus already formed, he obtained a degree in print journalism in 1983 from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

His first job was as a reporter at the Northwest Arkansas Morning News at Rogers, covering news and sports. He moved to the Springdale News as a sportswriter in 1984.

His wife Anita accepted a teaching position in Eastern Oklahoma in 1986, and he began a four-year stint covering sports and then news at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith.

It was back to the Springdale News in 1990, working as a reporter with a principal beat at the University of Arkansas. He became editor of the NWA Morning News at Rogers a year later. Then in 1994, the Rogers and Springdale newspapers merged, and he began a role as managing editor under long-time journalist Jim Morriss, who held the position of executive editor.

Morriss retired in 2003 and Turner was promoted to executive editor. By that time, the Stephens-owned newspaper was producing zoned editions for the four major cities of the region. That format continued until what Turner termed the “shocking”

agreement between WEHCO and Stephens in 2009. That essentially concluded one of the fiercest phases of what were numerous “newspaper wars” in Northwest Arkansas over the years.

“We had maybe a month to six weeks’ notice,” Turner said. Thereafter, the competing staffs essentially were on the same overall operating team. The previous Stephens group was responsible for local community news and sports (including company-owned weeklies) while the WEHCO journalists were focused on more regional issues, such as the University of Arkansas, Walmart and the Northwest Arkansas Council. The latter also covered the Arkansas Razorbacks sports beat.

Turner said that plan was workable, but some debate often emerged relating to specific news coverage issues.

“At first there was a lot of tension and a lot of stress,” Turner said. “It was very uncertain how all that was going to play out.” He said journalists able to “put aside those old competitions” successfully moved forward as a positive and productive team.

“I learned a lot about myself and how to build professional relationships,” Turner said. “I am really proud of how these things eventually shaped up. We were able to develop strong journalism and a strong company.”

Turner has been amazed at the massive growth of his home region. He started work in Rogers (where he has lived since 1991), when the population was 18,000. The city limit sign now reads just under 70,000. “And that number is a few years old,” he said.

The city with the most dramatic level of change is Bentonville, where his wife grew up. Turner said the high school ritual for her older sisters was “cruising the downtown square” and stopping in at the Dairy-O.

Those days are long gone.

“Bentonville is now a really eclectic and cosmopolitan place,” he said. Of course, that includes the Crystal Bridges and Momentary museums and the headquarters of the world’s largest retail company. New residents are arriving from all over the country and from around the world.

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Turner (left) with Jim Morriss, longtime editor of The Springdale News and Morning News at his induction in the UA School of Journalism Hall of honor, in the early 2000s.

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Looking back over his career, Turner said “most of the big stories are all branches from the explosive growth of Northwest Arkansas.”

But for his specific reporting experience, he remembers being the first to break the confirmation of the Arkansas Razorbacks moving from the old Southwest Conference to the Southeastern Conference.

Another memory is reporting the plan to tear down Carnall Hall on the U of A campus, a building where he had attended class as a freshman. The structure had been closed and was in poor condition after a history as the first women’s dorm, a fraternity house, a sorority house and a classroom facility. The initial reporting played a part in a decision to renovate the building as a hotel and restaurant as part of an academic hospitality program at the university.

Turner also has vivid memories of visits to Northwest Arkansas from President George H.W. Bush President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush. He was photographed while attending the latter visit and made the front page of the New York Times as part of the crowd laughing at a joke told by the president.

Looking to the future of newspapers, Turner said subscription revenue has to be a bigger piece of the puzzle.

“That seems to be the key to surviving in this type of environment. We remain a trusted source of information. Our news stories are produced by people who are a part of the community. That’s a story we need to be telling more often. We are the ones who are writing about our friends and our neighbors and our local businesses.

“We also are the ones doing the work to hold local government accountable. If no one is watching the store, something bad is going to happen.”

Turner thinks the role of the Arkansas Press Association is vital. He served as president of the organization from late 2019 to the summer of 2021, most of that period during the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the APA “has always been very important in providing training and support” for newspapers and staff. But he believes an

even more critical function in the past five to ten years has been working at the state legislature to keep public notices and legal advertising in newspapers and also to fight off challenges to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Turner said the APA has been successful in those areas when compared to other states, attributing that to the hard work of the association staff and the input of local newspapers from around the state.

“It is vital that we continue to defend the public’s right to know,” Turner said.

“There are no adequate words to express how valuable Rusty Turner has been to the Arkansas newspaper industry and our trade association,” said Ashley Kemp Wimberley, executive director of the APA. “He served for two years as president of the Arkansas Press Association board of directors, has testified numerous times during legislative sessions to protect the state’s FOIA, has emceed numerous events, served as moderator of political debates – all while continuing his work as one of the state’s best newspaper editors.

“I joked with him that his retirement won’t keep him off my speed dial. I always appreciate his wise counsel, dependability and friendship.”

In retirement, Turner plans to travel more, especially to see his two grandchildren in Wichita, Kan., where his son Stephen (a Wichita State graduate and aerospace engineer) and wife reside. His other son, Matthew, and wife live in Springdale. Matthew has an engineering degree from the University of Arkansas and works for J.B. Hunt Transport Services.

Turner and his wife, the principal at Northside Elementary, are active in the Central United Methodist Church in Rogers. He also is a member of the Rogers Downtown Rotary Club.

He serves on the board of Arkansas Public Theatre in Rogers and is involved in both performing and working backstage.

Turner plans to “enjoy life” in retirement and hopes to stay involved in the industry by pursuing freelance writing and possibly teaching journalism classes.

May 18 declared Rusty Turner Day by Fayetteville mayor

Bailey tapped as first woman to lead newsroom at the Times

Austin Bailey, formerly editorial director of the Arkansas Times, has been promoted to editor-in-chief, replacing Lindsey Millar. She is the first woman in the nearly 50-year history of the Times to lead the newsroom.

Millar announced in February that he planned to leave in May after 12 years at the publication. He will continue as a contributing editor.

Bailey joined the Times in 2021. Previously she was editor of World Ark, Heifer International’s magazine. A native of Asheville, North Carolina, she has also worked as a reporter at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Pocono Record in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. She will focus primarily on the daily news on arktimes.com.

Additionally, former Managing Editor Stephanie Smittle has been promoted

to editorial director and will work mainly on the monthly Arkansas Times magazine. Smittle, a native of Cave Springs, joined the Times in 2016 as the entertainment editor.

Benji Hardy will replace Smittle as managing editor. Hardy was previously an associate editor at the Arkansas Times, and has also worked for ProPublica and served as editor for the Arkansas Nonprofit News Network.

Austin Bailey

Stephanie Smittle

Benji Hardy

Turner was presented with a proclamation from Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan which announced May 18, 2023, Turner's last day at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, as “Rusty Turner Day” in the city.

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

E&P seeks “News Pets” Photos for recognition, free subscription

Editor & Publisher is looking to lighten the mood by featuring photos of newsroom pets in their newly created E&P News Pets Hall of Fame.

“We at E&P know that news publishing is not a game for the weak of heart,” said the magazine in an article outlining the request. “Each day requires a commitment to not only serving our communities, but also fueling those critical ‘top line’ revenues that help us keep our business moving forward. With all the stress we experience each day, we know that some of you have looked to hiring furry (or scaly,

reptilian, or otherwise) friends to help create some calm at the workplace.” Those wishing to nominate their “barketing managers” or other newsroom pets may upload a photo at editorandpublisher.com/stories/ nominate-your-news-petand-well-make-em-astar,243514

“News Pets” selected to be featured will receive a complimentary full-year subscription to the print edition of Editor & Publisher magazine.

In the shadows of veteran memorials erected in towns and cities across the United States this weekend, Americans can find veterans gathered to remember and revere their fallen comrades in simple, honest observances. There likely will not be much fanfare for those who gave so much in order that our generation and those beyond experience a life of freedom.

As each living veteran prepares to attend these memorial services, I can only imagine the heaviness of thought and sense of duty they will feel. And as they stand among the many veteran graves in cemeteries scattered across the country, the spirits of the fallen veterans will be almost palpable in the light breeze as they pay tribute.

Despite what those who will celebrate the three-day weekend with barbeques, float trips, picnics and such, Memorial Day isn’t a holiday, it’s a day we honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Of all Americans, our servicemen, women and veterans know better than most that every day is a debt paid by blood, human lives and suffering. Every U.S. citizen should be thankful that somewhere at any given moment our military is protecting our freedom.

Just as each of our living veterans have a life story, so do each of the men listed on the veteran monuments. The lives of those brave people could have all been the subject of a feature film worthy of an actor of such as Tom Cruise or Charlize Theron’s caliber to portray them. But major motion pictures weren’t produced to honor them, nor were books written to tell the world of their courage. It’s up to you and me to make sure that they are not forgotten and that future generations realize their enormous gift to all Americans. And let us not forget the parents, spouses, children, and families who have also paid the dearest price of living the reality of never seeing their

Guest Column: The Lowe Down: Respecting the cost of freedom

By Pam Lowe

loved ones again and holding them to their breast. They should also be honored this weekend.

President John F. Kennedy said, “The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”

We owe our veterans who gave up their lives for our country more than a little respect. Some people may not know of their ancestors who may have given their lives or perhaps they don’t have relatives who lost their lives during a war. To these folks I suppose the holiday is nothing more than a chance to grill, swim, and relax during a three-day weekend. But Memorial Day should mean something to all of us because of the sacrifice made by these brave soldiers.

Let me share with you just a couple of our local families who have holes in their hearts over the loss and sacrifice of a loved one. People like Carolyn Miller, who lost her young husband, Edwin Cleo Harmon in the Vietnam War. Carolyn saw the Army car coming up her driveway and knew what it meant. She ran into the house to get her Daddy. They were told that Cleo was gone. After his death, she received a tape from Cleo in the mail and a fistful of letters in the days that followed. Carolyn shared that receiving the posthumous tape of Cleo was a blessing at the time. Then there’s Tammy Carr and her brothers, Bobby and Denny Cates. Tammy was almost five years old when her hero, her dad, Private First Class Norman G. Cates of Success was killed in the vicinity of Thu Bon on Go Noi Island near Liberty Bridge. Norman was in the 1st Marine Division, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, H Company. He was an Antitank Assaultman. He will always be daddy to Tammy and her brothers.

Lonnie Parker’s niece, Kathy Parker

Woodward has spent her life trying to keep her uncle’s memory alive and searching for men in his unit that might have information about him. In Lonnie’s five months in Vietnam, he wrote over 100 letters home. He turned 20 years old on January 1, 1967 in Vietnam. Every Christmas, even when she was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, Lonnie’s mother would ask the family, “You know what’s next?” The answer was always, “Lonnie’s birthday.” There are stories like these for every fallen veteran. In 2015, PBS estimated that 1.5 million American men and women had been killed in all U.S. wars. That’s a lot of brave Americans and even more broken hearts.

In my hometown, there are 22 sections of the cemetery to walk and canvas in order to place the flags. It’s a dedicated and purposeful mission for our local veterans, most in their 70s and 80s with serviceconnected physical ailments, as they walk that cemetery row by row in order to commemorate every military grave with a U.S. flag.

So how does a community and a country repay a debt so precious? Its citizens must fight to maintain the very things our fallen fought to protect; democracy and freedom. This is important now, more than ever. And furthermore, we must ensure that younger generations learn about the sacrifice of all veterans, particularly those who gave their lives, and those of our military servicemen and women. The only worthy recompense is to make sure these heroes are never forgotten. Lest we forget. Wherever you may live, participate in local veteran memorial services, place the symbol of American freedom and democracy; Old Glory, on the graves of deceased veterans. Go to the wreath ceremonies and pay tribute. Reflect on what personal strength and bravery it must have taken to face death and the true cost for our freedom.

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Guest Column: The Lowe Down: Respecting the cost of freedom

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I am proud to honor and share the names of the fallen veterans engraved on our monument in print in order that their sacrifices be commemorated. As long as we speak their names, their memory lives on. The following are just some of our Clay County, Arkansas heroes:

WORLD WAR I - 1914-1916

Ellis R. Beard

Getie Brown

Frank T. Coffeen

Homer Crumb

Guy B. Crutchfield

James A. Dortch

Bishop Gage

Joseph H. George

Ira L. Gibbs

Everett F. Harrell

Landon W. Hill

Arthur Kee

Elvis O. Pollard

William D. Sinks

Robinson C. Walker

WORLD WAR II - 1939 - 1945

Reginald K. Alexander

James D. Arnold

Samuel T. Barger, Jr.

Lester E. Bass

Willard T. Bodkin

Richard W. Braman

Earl B. Brandon

Ray T. Brandon

James T. Branson

Harley B. Bricker

Hamilton B. Carrall

William C. Causey

James H. Clark

W. Lucien Cockrum

George B. Conley

Eugene E. Cottle

Woodson B. Crawford

George O. Culbertson

Emmett D. Dempsey

Span Duncan

Lee F. Evans

Clifford C. Fowler

William E. Galemore

Elvis R. Gates

Donald E. Glasgow

Elbert L. Glasgow

Lowell A. Goforth

Loyd E. Gossett

William H. Green

John R. Gregory

Calton C. Halcomb

Floyd B. Haley

John R. Harber

Glen W. Harmon

Avery L. Harpole

Edward E. Harris

Kenneth L. Harris

Davison Hayes

John S. Hayes

Vilas L. Hendrick

Joseph G. Herren

Vernon High

Elbert Hiller

James L. Holland

Gerald R. Helms

Delbert D. Howell

George G. Hughes

Everett T. Jackson

James E. Kisner

Millard Jones

Howard P. Lawson

Loyd W. Leonard

Thomas Y. Leonard

Lest F. McGhee

James W. McNamara

Frankie H. McNeely

Loyd C. Maddox

Lavoice L. Mansker

Erwin W. Martin

Charlie H. Moore

Gaylon M. Orr

Oscar C. Palmer

Ralph W. Pankhurst

Doyle M. Parrish

Roger D. Parrish

Albert R. Poyner

Durward E. Presson

Leo B. Presson

William E. Pulliam

Arnold C. Ramer

John L. Raney

Norman N. Rapert

J.D. Redman

James E. Reynolds

Audra L. Rieves

Harold D. Robertson

Osie J. Smith

Marshall M. Sneed

Doyne D. Travillian

Frank H. Turner

Lester R. Turner

Charles E. Ward

Dois W. Ward

Herbert E. Ward

John D. Wilson

Virgil W. York

KOREA - 1950 - 1953

Joe J. Bookout

Julius E. McKinney

John T. Melton

Delbert W. Oakley

Arlanza Oliver

Henry D. Weese

Charles R. Tyler

Claudine E. Smith

George Ray Wells

VIETNAM - 1961 - 1975

Barry J. Bridges

Norman G. Cates

Carlos W. Conrad

Donnie D. Ezell

Herschell W. Green

Edwin C. Harmon

Lonnie E. Parker

Winston T. Robinson

Pam Lowe is managing editor at the Clay County Courier in Corning. She can be reached at plowe@cherryroad.com