Arkansas Publisher Weekly, June 13, 2024

Arkansas State University to host APA for convention opening

Guest Column:

Ad-libs: Sometimes it’s good to create a stir

By John Foust

Arkansas Press Association Publisher Weekly

Consultant John Newby to speak at APA Convention in Jonesboro

Is there a more critical issue for those planning to attend the upcoming Arkansas Press Association annual convention than the survival and ultimate success of community newspapers in today’s challenging arena?

And what about the communities served by those newspapers? Aren’t many of them in that same survival mode?

Veteran newspaper executive and consultant John E. Newby will address these pressing issues in his presentation in the Friday morning session at the convention, planned for June 27-29 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center.

Newby’s session is entitled “Knowledge is Power: Using Data to Increase Revenue.” An offshoot of that subject will be the paramount importance for both newspapers and communities to take a hyper-local approach in their quest to stay relevant.

John Newby

As an indicator of Newby’s belief in that concept, his consulting firm is called Truly-Local and the column he writes for more than 60 newspapers across the country is entitled “Building Main Street, Not Wall Street.”

During his presentation, Newby will share information gleaned from his work with numerous survey and data companies to help “mold a direction” that will be beneficial for those responsible for revenue production at their newspapers.

“Data can sometimes be overwhelming, so the key is to take the information and develop it in a way that a sales rep can understand it easily and be persuasive in a presentation,” Newby said.

One key, he believes, is to determine where decisions are made by consumers. Research shows that, despite common perceptions, those decisions normally are not made through social media.

Determining how buying decisions are made locally is critical. “Whoever owns the data earns the market,” he notes.

Potentially, those decisions still can be made through print newspapers (with effective digital enhancement), and success stories still abound across the country. “We are not good at presenting ourselves. We let others create the narrative for us, and it is time to take that back.”

See NEWBY Page 2

Newby offers specific advice for newspapers as they indeed strive to take back their traditionally strong role in their communities. That’s where the emphasis on being the dominant LOCAL voice comes into play.

Content is one of the first problems. Newby points out that newspapers often are continuing to do a good job of covering traditional news, such as city council and school board meetings and similar civic events.

“That is fine, but that is the minimum expectation,” Newby said. “That is not the content that is going to save you. What the community really wants is a cheerleader. If you do that, the community will rally around you. They want that voice.”

He quickly acknowledges that publishers and editors may be squeamish concerning the “cheerleader” term, so he suggests “advocate” for the community may be more readily acceptable. “You are potentially the primary outlet for the community whether you want to be or not,” he said.

Newby believes it is specifically crucial to work with and promote local businesses owned and operated by members of the community. “What is it that makes a good community?” he asks. “Spending money locally is quite honestly the way a newspaper survives. Big boxes do nothing for your newspaper.”

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Thursday, June 27 - Saturday, June 29 Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center

He said studies show that money spent at a locally-owned business is three to seven times more valuable to a community than dollars spent at a corporate franchise store. Newby includes franchise stores owned locally as a positive. “Not all shopping is the same, and not everyone seems to understand that.”

Newby gave a specific example of how smaller and rural communities should be thinking. It has been standard procedure to mount efforts to attract various chain restaurants to the community. “But where would most people really rather eat – one of those chain restaurants or a locally-owned and professionally-run steakhouse?

“It is important to continue to invest in your own community,” he said. “The decks are stacked against rural America. It’s not easy for a small community to survive.” That’s where his advice to focus on Main Street comes into play.

It also is imperative for the local publisher or editor to develop a role as the “face” of the newspaper in the community, Newby believes. Corporate ownership of newspapers has been a negative factor in this regard, he contends, with publishers often responsible for multiple products to the detriment of local involvement and interaction.

“Rebuilding that local connection is critical,” Newby said. “That is probably one of the most important things you can do in rebuilding the revenue stream. When you have no positive interaction between the leadership of the newspaper and the reader, you are ripe for destruction.”

While Newby has an extensive newspaper background, in his consulting work he has begun to focus on building relationships with other

community entities such as city government, chambers of commerce and economic development agencies.

“You will never find a vibrant newspaper in a dying community,” he said. There traditionally has been an adversarial relationship between newspapers and chambers of commerce, Newby points out, but he sees the potential for exciting accomplishments when working together. As a result, when he develops a consulting contract, it now is most likely with a chamber or a city government. “Many times, however, it is the newspaper that helps get me in the door.”

On the other hand, he finds newspapers are sometimes reluctant to form working relationships with other community entities. “They can be the hardest to get on board, even though it benefits them the most.”

Interestingly, Newby finds that a lot of community chambers also are struggling and in need of rejuvenation. “A lot of chambers are where newspapers were 10 years ago,” he said.

When working with a community, Newby is looking for leaders who are excited about change and have a vision for the future. “We are not about studies,” he said. “We are about action.”

There is a synergy involved with the relationships Newby works to develop. For example, chambers and cities often can obtain grants that may mean solid advertising dollars for the newspaper, such as promotion of the arts or tourism in the community. Conversely, the newspaper can assist the chamber in its goals. “Chambers need to see that newspapers are their link to the community,” he said. “When the various entities get

Arkansas State University to host APA for convention opening

Arkansas State University will host APA members on Thursday, June 27 for a “behind the scenes” reception at Centennial Bank Stadium.

“Arkansas Press Pass Night” at Woodard McAlister Family Club at Centennial Bank Stadium will commence at 5:30 p.m., with cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres. A special tour of the Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center will start at 7 p.m.

The ASU reception and tour are open to attendees who register for the full convention.

The registration form and convention agenda can be found starting on page 6 of this week’s Arkansas Publisher Weekly

Newby

Continued from page 2

on the same page, a lot of good things can happen.”

Newby prefers to work with communities with populations of 50,000 or less. “I want to be able to move quickly on our efforts, and I want to make a difference.” Communities as small as 5,000 can be good candidates if they have leadership that understands the importance of needed change. “If you don’t like change, you will like irrelevance even less,” he said.

“I’ll work with any community that is ready to move. You can’t be happy with the status quo, even though things are wrong. You can’t be fat, dumb and happy. It has to be the right people in the right place.”

Newby lives in McDonald County, Missouri, right across the border from Benton County, Arkansas. He and his wife, Cathy Newby, honeymooned in the Ozarks and always had a goal of settling in the area.

Ironically, he serves as the part-time President and CEO of the McDonald County Chamber of Commerce. It was an interesting set of events that led him to that position.

He joined the chamber and was placed on the marketing committee. “I later was told that ‘you ARE the marketing committee’,” he said with a laugh. Four or five months later he was asked to be the chamber’s leader. He developed a contract that involved more aggressive efforts by the organization and the leadership agreed. He is enjoying working two or three days a week but also is working on an “exit strategy” in which new leadership can be developed in the future.

Newby works with the local newspaper, the McDonald County Press in Pineville, Missouri. An interesting connection is that the publisher is Brent Powers, with whom Newby was involved earlier in their careers with CNHI. The publication is part of the Northwest Arkansas Newspapers group.

Additionally, a member of the chamber board had connections with the city of Centerton in Benton County, leading to an avenue for Newby working in a consulting capacity with that community.

The son of an Army careerist, Newby lived in such places as Europe, North Carolina and California growing up.

He served in the Air Force as a weather forecaster before his initial newspaper job in circulation management at the Omaha World-Herald Newby then transitioned to marketing positions with the Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner and The Dispatch in Moline-Rock Island, Illinois. He then served as a publisher in LaPorte, Indiana, Ottawa, Illinois, and Muskogee, Oklahoma.

He also was a consultant for The Tribune and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City and for Sandusky Newspapers.

In addition to his consulting business, he serves as chief revenue officer for Editor & Publisher magazine and is the founder of 360 Media Alliance. Newby and his wife are the parents of nine children, who live all over the country (with three in Dallas). They have 30 grandchildren.

“We both love to travel,” he said when asked about activities apart from work. “But I really like what I do. When your work is fun, it’s not work.”

In his mission statement relating to his consulting and his column, Newby had this to say about newspapers and small communities in today’s environment:

“The economic pressures on local communities are mounting. As this pressure increases, so will the pressure on the local media company. We need our local communities to do well in order for news-media companies to survive.

“We have a passion for our industry and the role LOCAL journalism plays in the survival of our communities. There is no greater mission for journalism in today’s economic realities. We believe our approach has absolutely no downside but offers huge upside for the news-media company and the community they serve.”

The registration form for the 2024 APA Convention can be found on page 6 of this week’s Arkansas Publisher Weekly

A view of the football field from Woodard McAlister Family Club at Centennial Bank Stadium at ASU.

Brown named editor at Pocahontas newspaper; French to regional sales role

Elaine Brown has been named editor of the Pocahontas Star Herald, succeeding John Allen French, who has transitioned to the role of regional sales director for CherryRoad Media.

Brown joined the Villager Journal in Cherokee Village and The News in Salem, now known as Areawide News, as a reporter in 2021. A native of Dallas, she previously worked in biomedical research and teaching.

French has been serving as editor of the Star Herald since July 2021. In his new role as regional sales director he will oversee sales for the Star Herald, Areawide News, the Clay County Courier in Corning, the Clay County Times-Democrat in Piggott and the Marshall Mountain Wave. He will also serve as publisher for Arkansas Crossroads, a quarterly lifestyle magazine.

“I feel like I’m a born salesman—it’s something I’m not only passionate about,

but also enjoy. I am excited to get out and meet the people and hear about their businesses and their needs,” said French in his final editorial in the Star Herald. “With this offer, I was [also] given creative freedom for Arkansas Crossroads. I can help grow Arkansas Crossroads and expand it into areas I’ve not had a chance to cover.”

Brown said in the announcement of her promotion that her editorial philosophy will center on active listening to genuinely understand the communities she represents. She aims to capture not just the facts, but also the thoughts, ideas, hopes, and dreams of community members.

“I look forward to engaging with local government officials, first responders, public works staff and community organizations,” said Brown. “I am committed to maintaining the tradition of community interaction upheld by the Pocahontas Star Herald team, and seek to promote local events and keep the community informed.”

Former Malvern ad manager dies at 86

Former Malvern Daily Record Advertising Manager Sidney Craig Woodall died Wednesday, May 22 at his home. He was 86.

The youngest son of the late Sidney Jefferson Woodall and Lora Burns Woodall, he started as a carrier for the Malvern Daily Record at age 11. At age 15 Woodall worked for Malvern Amusement Company as projectionist, and later served as assistant manager for the Ritz Theater, the Joy Theater and Malvern Drive-in Theater, and also the Sunset Drive-in Theater in Hot Springs.

Around 1956, he returned to the Malvern Daily Record, working in circulation for a short time, after which he was promoted to advertising manager, a position he held for 23 years. He left the Daily Record to become advertising coordinator for Gibson’s Discount/Kirchoff Stores, Inc. He then worked as assistant manager at Davis Lumber Company for 17 years, until his retirement in 2002.

In addition to his parents, Woodall was preceded in death by his siblings Harry Woodall, Bobby Dale Woodall, Billy Joe Woodall and Evelyn Woodall Whitener, and a niece. He is survived by his many other nieces and nephews.

Private services are planned for a later date.

Elaine Brown

John Allen French

Craig Woodall

My wife and I have family friends who told us about their boating experiences in northern Virginia. They had a pontoon boat which was docked at a local lake. During the cold months, they used a device called a dock bubbler to keep the water around the boat from freezing.

As they explained it, a bubbler, also known as a de-icer, features a perforated hose connected to an air compressor, which is placed along the bottom of the lake next to the dock. The hose releases air bubbles that push up warmer water from below, which in turn, creates an area of unfrozen water above the hose.

In simple terms that my non-scientific brain can understand, the water won’t freeze when it’s constantly in motion while warmer water is circulating.

This talk of dock bubblers and constant motion reminds me of a conversation with Matthew, who oversees an ad team. “We fight against complacency all the time,” he said. “Once a salesperson makes a sale and the ads start running on a regular schedule, there might be a tendency to move that client to the back burner. And before you know it, a lot of time can go by without any meaningful contact. During that lapse,

Guest Column: Ad-libs: Sometimes it’s good to create a stir

By John Foust

there’s a good chance that our advertiser is hearing from other media outlets. When that happens, we want our advertiser to remember all the good reasons they are running with us.

“Our solution is to keep things stirred up – in a good way, of course,” he explained. “It’s all about staying top-of-mind with advertisers. If we fade into the background after the sale, we’re not providing good service.”

Let’s take a look at two fundamental ways to keep things stirred up:

1. Focus on the business. “The first action step is to continually monitor the results of their ads,” Matthew said. “What’s working? What could work better? What products are moving? Which ads are resonating with readers? Are competitors changing their messaging?

“Then it’s important to work together to conduct periodic reviews and adjustments. Show your advertiser that you’re always thinking about them and how to make their ads more productive.

“And don’t wait until the eleventh hour to talk about contract renewals. I’ve seen that happen, and it’s not a pretty picture. It

sends the message that we’re disorganized or not paying attention. If we’re doing our job the right way, contract renewal time usually goes much smoother.”

2. Focus on the person. Matthew mentioned the old saying: “People won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Relationships count. Years ago, I saw a bumper sticker that read, “The best vitamin for making friends is B1.” In our world, this could be delivering extra tear sheets to display in store windows – without being asked. And it could be taking time to say ‘”hi” and sincerely ask how their kid’s soccer team is doing.

Turn on your customer service bubbler. You’ll prevent freeze-ups and keep things moving.

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

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

SHARING THE NEWS SHINING THE LIGHT

2024 APA Convention Registration Form

Deadline to register is June 21st

Newspaper/Company or Individual Name

Address

City State Zip

TICKET OPTIONS:

Full Convention, $225: Includes convention swag; Thursday evening reception; Friday sessions, breaks, luncheon, Honorees’ Reception and dinner; and Saturday sessions, breaks and APA Better Newspaper Editorial Awards Luncheon

Friday & Saturday, $175: Includes Friday sessions, breaks, lunch, Honorees’ Reception and dinner; and Saturday sessions, breaks and APA Better Newspaper Editorial Awards Luncheon

Saturday Only, $30: APA Better Newspaper Editorial Awards Luncheon

ATTENDEE NAME: 1) Email Address:

Arkansas Press Association Convention Red Wolf Convention Center |

June 27 – 29, 2024

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

Noon Arkansas Press Association Board of Directors Summer Meeting

4 pm Registration opens

5:30 pm Arkansas Press Pass Night at Woodard McAlister Family Club at Centennial Bank Stadium at Arkansas State University

Enjoy cocktail hour, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a tour of the Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

7:30 am Registration opens

8:30 am Let’s Get Crackin’ Omelet Breakfast Social

Arkansas Press Association Annual Trade Show & Arkansas Newspaper Foundation Silent Auction Open

9:30 am Session: Getting More People to Read Your Newspaper

Presenter: Kevin Slimp, Founder of the Newspaper Academy

10:30 am Brews Flash Coffee Break in the Trade Show

11:00 am Session: Knowledge is power: Using Data to Increase Revenue Presenter: John Newby, Editor & Publisher

Noon Luncheon

Q&A with Arkansas State University Chancellor Todd Shields

2 pm Session: Partly Cloudy: Getting Public Records in an Age of Secrecy

Presenter: David Cuillier, Director of the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida

3 pm Pop It Like It’s Hot Popcorn Break in the Trade Show

3:30 pm Session: AI and Newspapers: What You Need to Know

Presenter: Kevin Slimp, Founder of the Newspaper Academy

5 pm Trade Show closes

6 pm APA Annual Awards Honorees’ Reception

7 pm Arkansas Press Association Honors Banquet

Special Awards and Installation of Andeew Bagley as APA Board President Emcee: Rex Nelson, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

8 am Registration opens

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

8:30 am Breakfast & APA Annual Member Meeting

9 am Session: Local media 3.0 — How to Build for the Future

Presenter: Guy Tasaka, Editor & Publisher

10:15 am Breaking Brews Coffee Break

10:30 am Panel Discussion: Newsroom Tips -- How To Best Cover Your Communities

Moderated by: Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate

Noon Arkansas Press Association Better Newspaper Editorial Awards Luncheon

Emcee: Rex Nelson, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center

Room block open for reservations

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