Fraser

Continued from page 1 the staff of various newspapers around the state. “They are paid interns who receive hands-on training in the job they are likely to be doing after graduation,” Fraser said. “It is a win-win situation for the newspapers and the students.”

The interns receive roughly $3,000 from the ANF, with the participating newspaper occasionally augmenting that amount. Funds are raised in a variety of ways, most notably now through the silent auction at the APA Convention and sponsorships and ticket sales at the annual Arkansas Press Freedom Gala, scheduled for Oct. 12 this year at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock.

“The inaugural Gala event last year was extremely successful,” Fraser said. Numerous college journalism programs from around the state have participated in the intern program. The goal is to provide a good match between each student’s career plans and the needs of individual newspapers.

An example of such a match occurred in 2022 when University of Arkansas - Little Rock student Joe Santana worked as a reporterphotographer over the summer at his hometown Dumas Clarion. He recently joined the staff of The Forum, his college newspaper, and is looking forward to a career in journalism after he graduates.

In a UALR article, Santana said, “I traveled around with my coworker, Clarion Editor Linna Jones, and went with her to cover town meetings and write feature stories. She showed me the ropes of how to be a journalist. The internship really showed me how to appreciate newspapers.”

“Joe was a great summer intern,” then-Publisher Rick Wright said, “and we enjoyed having him at the Dumas Clarion. Joe is an excellent writer and photographer and an excellent feature story writer. I see nothing but a great career in Joe’s future.”

Fraser heads a nine-member board committed to supporting young journalists such as Santana. Other members are Steve Listopad, Mary Fisher, Kim Christ, Frank Fellone, Jeanette Lightfoot, Steve Eddington, Rob Roedel and Skip Rutherford. He said the latter three members are new to the board and are not directly involved in newspapers day-to-day.

“All three are making very good board members,” Fraser said. “I guess you could say one requirement is you need to like newspapers, and they do. They are very professional in their approach and are bringing a lot to the board.”

Fraser believes the future is bright for the ANF, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and its goal of serving newspapers through support of young journalists. Those who want to help in that effort are encouraged to contact him or any of the board members. Tax-deductible donations may also be mailed care of Arkansas Press Association, 411 South Victory St., Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.

Fraser, of course, has first-hand knowledge of the importance of a trained and talented staff through his amazing newspaper career that has spanned more than 50 years.

The highlight of that career has been his ownership of the Stone County Leader, one of the most honored weekly publications in the state in terms of both news and advertising awards.

He purchased the newspaper in 1985 from Rupert Phillips and has never looked back.

“I can truthfully say this is the best staff now I have ever had in my career,” Fraser said.

At the top of that list is Editor Lori Freeze, who is now entering her 37th year at the newspaper. Fittingly, she started at her hometown Leader by working as a summer intern while attending Arkansas State University as a journalism major. Freeze also served as editor of The Herald, the student newspaper at ASU.

Freeze currently is completing a successful term as president of the Arkansas Press Association.

“Lori is just amazing,” Fraser said. “I am very proud of her. She is an extremely good editor, and she has ethics from here to yonder. She completely runs the show news-wise.”

The longevity of Fraser’s staff is remarkable, including business manager Pam Rider, now in her 30th year at the newspaper.

Continued from page 4

Rider’s sisters, Karen Younger and Sharon Robinson, also are long-time members of the staff, working in circulation and bookkeeping respectively.

Covering school board meetings is Edie Sutterfield, who has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Lyon College and a master’s from Arkansas State. On the city council beat is veteran writer Lana Mason.

Fraser also has enjoyed the good fortune of adding veteran journalist Frank Wallace, who has experience at the Arkansas Gazette, Baxter Bulletin and Batesville Guard. He works three days a week.

Manning the advertising chair is the talented Ed Coates, who recently won 32 awards in the APA advertising contest, including 14 first place plaques.

Fraser’s wife, Neal Fraser, also has been involved in a variety of tasks over her 38 years at the Leader and currently works part-time as a proofreader.

In addition to overall management, Fraser handles some advertising sales and is involved in the police beat. “Since I’ve got such a great staff, I don’t have to work nearly as hard as I used to,” he said. “I guess you could say I’m a bit impervious to some of the problems, and I sure don’t get as upset as I used to.”

Fraser purchased the Leader after an interesting early period of his career that initially started in advertising sales at the Montgomery Advertiser in his home state of Alabama. Prior to that position, he earned a degree in biology from the University of Alabama and also served in the U.S. Air Force. He eventually spent 11 years of service with the Alabama National Guard.

It was at the Advertiser that Fraser began a connection to his mentor in the industry, Harold Martin.

Martin won a Pulitzer Prize at the Advertiser for exposing a scheme in which prison authorities were allowing pharmaceutical companies to conduct drug experiments on state inmates.

Martin hired Fraser in 1976 as publisher of the Baxter Bulletin in Mountain Home, where he stayed for seven years. He then spent two years at a newspaper owned by Martin’s company in Mineral Wells, Texas.

It was there that one day Martin walked into Fraser’s office accompanied by his friend, the legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry. Martin ran in high circles for sure and was a member of the board of directors of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Fraser recalls another time when he called Martin for a weekly publisher report and was told his boss was on the phone with Alabama Gov. George Wallace. He was about to tell the secretary he would call back later when Martin suddenly broke in, saying he had put the governor on hold.

Fraser apologized for the interruption. “Harold proceeded to start talking to me about the weather and fishing,” Fraser said. “He told me he didn’t want to talk to the governor anyway.”

“I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life,” Fraser said.

“My biggest break in the industry was working for Harold Martin,” Fraser concluded.

The newspaper in Mineral Wells was sold to a publisher in Oklahoma after Fraser had been on the job for two years. During an initial telephone conversation, the new owner announced he wanted Fraser to sell sponsorships for the police news.

“I flat out refused,” Fraser said. “I told him I love selling advertising as much as anyone, but that is going too far.”

At the time, Fraser owned a house in Mineral Wells and another in Mountain Home.

The new owner asked if he would resign and move on if he (the owner) would purchase Fraser’s Texas house.

Fraser quickly agreed. “What he didn’t know was that I had a ‘golden parachute’ with the other company that gave me enough money to eventually buy the Mountain View paper,” Fraser said.

“I was beginning to think that maybe I could make a pretty good living getting run off from places,” he said with a laugh. So, Fraser loaded up his belongings in a U-Haul trailer and headed back to Arkansas for good.

Fraser knew the Leader was for sale and immediately began negotiations to purchase. “I just really liked Mountain View,” he said. “I enjoyed playing music (guitar and mandolin) on the square. It was a neat place, and the paper was affordable.”

Despite a challenging newspaper environment, the Leader has maintained a strong circulation of about 3,500 and regularly publishes 20 pages or more. A glossy regional magazine and a visitors guide are each published twice a year. Numerous special sections and promotions help in the revenue department.

This pattern of success has continued despite what Fraser says is a rather stagnant local market. “In the last census we had grown by 64 people,” he said.