Natasha Jackson named as publisher of
Guest Column:
How can we prioritize candidate and ballot
question coverage?
By Susan Benkelman
Arkansas Press Association Publisher Weekly
Vol.19 | No. 32 | Thursday, August 15, 2024 | Serving Press and State Since 1873
Gregory finds newspapers positively impact communities
Mark Gregory is Hot Springs through and through.
Except for his college years, Gregory has lived in the community his entire life. And he has chronicled those years through his journalism career at the Hot Springs Sentinel-Record, where he has been employed since Jan. 1, 1983.
During his more than 40-year career, he has held numerous newsroom positions, culminating in his promotion to editor in 2013. He assumed the full leadership role of the newsroom in 2014 following the departure of executive editor Eliza Gaines.
“She was the last executive editor of the newspaper,” Gregory said. “It is really great that a member of the Hussman family was the final person to hold that position.”
Gaines is the daughter of Walter E. Hussman Jr., chairman of WEHCO Media, Inc., the Sentinel-Record’s parent company. Gaines currently serves as publisher of WEHCO Newspapers, Inc.
Gregory acknowledges it is unusual in today’s environment for a person to remain with one publication for an entire career but is convinced his hometown paper is where he wants and needs to be.
“You can’t just do something for 40-plus years and not really enjoy it,” Gregory said.
The newspaper still prints seven days a week and is home delivered on Sundays. On other days of the week, distribution is through convenience stores and other retail outlets. The focus is on the newspaper’s daily digital replica, which mirrors the platform of the company’s flagship publication, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
“Our main emphasis now is on digital,” Gregory said. “Before, we had to wait until the next morning to get the news to our readers. We now are basically on a 24-hour basis of coverage. When we first started this, we were wondering how it was going to work. I now can’t imagine doing it any other way.”
“If you don’t feel that way, then you are certainly in the wrong career or position. I know I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“The majority of my friends in the industry have been in at least three or four different locations, but I just have felt this is the place for me. I just love Hot Springs, and a lot of my friends still live here. This is where my wife (Dana Gregory) and I wanted to live and raise our family.”
Gregory has seen a lot of changes during his time at the SentinelRecord, which began when editor Melinda Gassaway hired him for a part-time reporter position. He advanced to full-time status four months later. Gregory was excited for the opportunity since journalism jobs were “tight” in those days.
In addition to the digital replica for subscribers, the newspaper features a robust website to help attract new readers. The Sentinel-Record also maintains a strong social media presence with one staffer now fully dedicated to that task.
“We work hard to get information into the hands of our readers as quickly as possible,” Gregory said.
Staffing now is different, with less than a dozen reporter-videographers in the newsroom. Flexibility and diversification now are the key. As an example, staffer Brandon Smith oversees both sports and education. “If you think about it, those two things do kind of go hand-in-hand,” Gregory said.
“One thing we are learning today is that you have to meet people where they are, at all levels and all age groups,” Gregory said. He knows many current readers are not inclined to tackle longer stories, preferring “easily digestible bites of news,” with an expectation the information will be pertinent to them.
He said the newspaper still must cover the basics, such as city council and school board meetings, but changing expectations and preferences are acknowledged. “For example, you might not pursue a story on a retiring owner of a shoe hospital but go instead with the new tattoo shop down the street.
Mark Gregory
Gregory
Continued from page 1
“Having said that, we must not do anything to sacrifice our core values,” he said. “That’s what sets us apart as newspapers,” he said. One of those tenets is consistently questioning public officials and holding them accountable for how money is being spent and the way they treat their constituents. “We are always making a difference by just doing what we are supposed to be doing,” he said.
Gregory is concerned about the level of mistrust of the media that now is pervasive in society. “There is a loss of respect for quality journalism,” he said. “That is a dangerous thing in a democracy. When I first started, people would, of course, be upset with some of the things that ran in the newspaper, but at least they had respect for us. Now our reporters are saying that, in many instances, people just won’t talk to them. We need to work hard to regain that trust.
“While I don’t believe our basic role as a government watchdog and torchbearer for truth and information in our community has changed in the past four decades, certainly our status in the community has changed in those regards, with the rise of social media and the innumerable sources of information that simply didn’t exist 40-something years ago. Our challenge is to maintain our relevance with the older generation of readers, while cultivating a new generation of readers, meeting them at their own level.”
Gregory is proud of the impact the Sentinel-Record has had on the Hot Springs community over his years at the newspaper. He remembers that, when he first went to work in the early 1980s, the downtown area was in very poor condition with empty and boarded up buildings. “It actually was a rather depressing place to live at that time,” he said.
“The community has really pulled itself up by its bootstraps,” Gregory said. He cited outstanding hiking trails in the area, great shopping and outstanding restaurant choices.
“The challenge for Hot Springs is to keep all this going,” he said. “Complacency would be the worst thing that could happen.”
Visitor destinations such as Oaklawn Racing, Magic Springs and the Mid-America Science Museum are some of the keys to continued positivity for the area. “We are unique in Arkansas in that we don’t have any heavy industry, and our economy depends on tourism,” Gregory said.
He said the community has had good leadership in helping make the renaissance possible. “Of course, some of them have had their own agendas, but overall they have worked for the benefit of Hot Springs and its citizens. There have sometimes been disagreements expressed, but that is part of the role of a newspaper.”
In fact, the “rebirth” of Hot Springs is what Gregory lists as one of the most satisfying aspects of his long career at the newspaper.
“I only have to look back at the changes to my community during my time here at the Sentinel-Record to know the importance of a strong community newspaper, when you consider the development in downtown Hot Springs and the economic growth we have experienced and the role we played in reporting on that and keeping the public informed,” he said.
“I’ll go out on a limb and say a good community is only as good as its newspaper – which is a challenge for communities that have lost them. Our challenge, then, is to continue to stay relevant in a day and age when there are so many other media voices clamoring for attention.”
Gregory got his first taste of journalism at a young age when one of his English teachers at Central Junior High in Hot Springs recommended him for a position on the student newspaper, the Spartan Spirit. He later was motivated and encouraged by his work on the yearbook staff at Hot Springs High School.
Gregory attended Henderson State University in Arkadelphia for one year before transferring to the University of Central Arkansas at Conway. He learned under such instructors as the legendary late Dean Duncan in the journalism department. “He was a great mentor, and I stayed in touch with him over the years,” Gregory said.
Gregory interviewing former U.S. Rep. Mike Ross
Gregrory and the Sentinel-Record received a plaque from the Veterans Celebration Committee thanking the newspaper for its coverage of veterans.
He worked on the student newspaper, The Echo, at UCA and believes his time at the university was, “as far as I was concerned, a great learning experience in a top-notch journalism education program.” He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in political science. After a brief period helping his father get back on his feet following a serious health situation, he landed the job at the Sentinel-Record After his start as a reporter, he was promoted to news editor, being responsible for deadlines, layout and personnel management.
“I found out quickly that the 3 to midnight shift was not for me, even though I learned a lot,” he said. “Besides, I wanted to get back into reporting.” He said Gassaway created a senior staff writer position, where he remained until being promoted to managing editor. His next position was associate editor, prior to being named editor upon the retirement of Gassaway.
Gregory credits Gassaway for moving his career in the right direction. “When I arrived at the paper, I really knew nothing about
Gregory
Continued from page 3
the real groundwork of journalism,” he said. “She taught me some lessons I will always carry with me. One of them is the importance of a newspaper’s role in the community.
“One of the best aspects of this job has been the great people I have worked with. There have been some outstanding journalists come through this newspaper over the years.”
He cited Ron Fournier, who later worked for the Associated Press, The Atlantic magazine and Crain’s Detroit Business. Gregory also was on staff with, and remains friends with, Jerry Mitchell, a nationally known investigative reporter who worked at the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger and reported extensively on civil rights murders in Mississippi.
Gregory and his wife, a counselor at Lake Hamilton Junior High, have two sons, Alex Gregory, who lives in Conway, and Noah Gregory, who lives in Hot Springs.
When not at work, Gregory enjoys hiking, especially with his son Noah. He also enjoys working in his yard. He and his wife love to travel, with Colorado being a favorite destination.
In his present work, Gregory enjoys mentoring young journalists and guiding them in their careers. Looking back on his own early days, he notes that writing always seemed to come naturally for him, but he had a real obstacle to face when assigned to his first interview. As is the case with many beginning reporters, he felt very intimidated at the prospect of walking up to someone and starting to ask questions.
“The learning curve is steep for some of them, because (in the age of mobile phones and social media) they are not used to going out and talking to people on a one-on-one basis,” Gregory said.
He works with young reporters on improving their interviewing style, such as nuances, reactions and follow-up questions.
“I tell aspiring journalists a free press is essential to a democracy and is one of the most rewarding careers you could seek, but there are certain challenges that you have to recognize as far as pay, hours and the perception the public may have of you. But it’s worth it, if you are willing to accept the challenge.”
Natasha Jackson named as publisher of DeWitt Era-Enterprise
Natasha Jackson is the new publisher of the DeWitt Era-Enterprise, the newspaper announced last week.
Jackson brings a background in journalism, digital media and sales to the role, with five years experience at the Pine Bluff Commercial. Prior to that she worked in the circulation department at the former print edition of the Stuttgart Daily Leader. She holds an Associate Degree in business and commerce from Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas as well as certifications in digital analytics, job management and money skills. She is also a member of the Stuttgart Rotary and the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce.
The Era-Enterprise has for 140 years upheld the principles of journalistic integrity, community service and reliable reporting to the citizens of DeWitt and Arkansas County.
“Whether educating, informing, or highlighting issues or promotions, we are dedicated to the community and believe this appointment will help us build a stronger newspaper while developing new avenues for news, including a future
podcast and YouTube channel,” Reaves & Williams Publishing Group Owner/ COO Herbert Williams said in the announcement of Jackson’s hiring. RWPG recently purchased the Era-Enterprise along with other assets of Lewis County Press, LLC.
“By leveraging the latest technology, the Era-Enterprise will provide a seamless and engaging experience for its readers and advertisers.”
“We are at a critical juncture in the history of the Era-Enterprise,” Jackson said. “While our commitment to high-quality journalism remains unchanged, we must adapt to the ways people consume news today. My goal is to make sure that we continue to serve our community effectively, both in print and online. We want to know about your events and look forward to being at those events, but also wish to pursue journalism that keeps our readers protected and engaged in the community they live in.”
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
Natasha Jackson
Nelson, Wimberley are featured in Arkansas Money & Politics
APA Executive Director Ashley Kemp Wimberley and Arkansas DemocratGazette Senior Editor Rex Nelson are among those featured in the Arkansas Money & Politics “AMP Top Ten” this month.
Nelson’s profile includes an overview of his journalism career, which started at age 13 in his hometown of Arkadelphia, along with his longtime roles in politics and community relations. Nelson worked for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette before serving as director of policy and communications for former Gov. Mike Huckabee and was appointed to the Delta Regional Authority during the George W. Bush presidential administration. He also served as president of Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities for four years, then joined Simmons First National Corporation as director of corporate community relations, for which he built the bank’s communication’s department from the ground up. He returned to the DemocratGazette in 2017.
In her profile, Wimberley said her advice to anyone starting out in the industry is to remember that success requires passion.
“To be effective, you have to believe in what you are doing,” she said. “I am extremely passionate about freedom of the press, freedom of speech and the public’s right to know, and APA is a leading voice on these issues at the legislature on behalf of both the press and the public at large. The APA staff is very dedicated, and we are
going to continue to fight legislatively for government transparency.”
Wimberley also touched on the power of community journalism. “I learned as a small child what it takes to produce a community newspaper, as well as what a newspaper means to a community,” she said. “A good newspaper is an anchor in the community, recording its successes while also holding those in power accountable. As the old saying goes, I got ink in my blood watching my parents’ passion for their work and seeing firsthand the importance of journalists to a community.
OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE
“While working to maintain democracy and transparency in many ways becomes more challenging each year, it also becomes more rewarding. The work of journalists in Arkansas and around the world has never been more important.”
Featured alongside Nelson and Wimberley are Charles Coleman, Robert Coon, Becky Cranford, Ryan Flynn, Mark Lee, Miguel Lopez, Shirley Washington and Bill Yee. Read the August 2024 issue of Arkansas Money & Politics at issuu.com/ ayisaboutyou/docs/amp_august_2024
Rex Nelson
Ashley Kemp Wimberley
Journalist Driver to speak at WordsWorth Books in September
Oark native Alice Driver will discuss her new book, “Life and Death of the American Worker: The Immigrants Taking on America’s Largest Meatpacking Company” at WordsWorth Books in Little Rock on September 4 at 6 p.m.
At this event Driver will share insights from her journey in writing the book, an exposé on working conditions at the Tyson
Editor
plant in Springdale, starting with a deadly 2011 chemical accident and progressing through the pandemic.
The book won this year’s J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Prize from Columbia Journalism School and the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard.
Driver, a graduate of Berea College in Kentucky, holds a MA and Ph.D in Hispanic Studies from the University of Kentucky, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City. She additionally studied Spanish and Portuguese at Middlebury College Language Schools. Driver writes for The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Oxford American and National Geographic, and is currently designing a workshop on gender-based violence for journalists in El Salvador via the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
A Pulitzer Center grantee, Driver’s story, “Tyson Says Its Nurses Help Workers. Critics Charge They Stymie OSHA,” won
in the investigative reporting category of the 2023 James Beard Foundation Media Awards.
To RSVP for the event email info@ wordsworthbookstore.com
& Publisher’s 2024 EPPY Awards, honoring the best
in digital news publishing, open for entries through Sept. 13
Editor & Publisher magazine is accepting entries into it’s 2024 EPPY Awards competition, designed to recognize the finest in digital journalism news publishing.
Open to all facets—from traditional newspapers with digital formats to innovative digital news platforms, broadcasters and academic institutions— the EPPY Awards celebrate those who
are pushing boundaries across 45 diverse categories, including those for website design, content and college journalism.
Contest categories will be judged by more than 40 industry experts and media specialists on criteria such as design, ease of use, comprehensiveness and timeliness, with special attention to each entrant’s value added through the unique attributes of interactivity. The deadline for entry is 11:00 p.m. on Friday, September 13, 2024.
Enter at https://enter. eppyawards.com/. Any questions concerning the EPPY Awards competition can be directed to E&P Magazine Publisher Mike Blinder at Mike@EditorandPublisher.com
Alice Driver
CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG
Whether you’re planting a tree or digging a post hole, it’s critical to know what’s underground. Safety is in your hands. Every dig. Every time.
Have your buried utilities marked before you dig.
News organizations often use blueprints from previous years to plot out their election coverage plans. But while past coverage can help guide your planning, it is important not to make it the default. The electorate in your coverage area may have changed. New issues have emerged since the last big election. What worked then may not work this time around.
Here are four agenda items to help you overcome the impulse to follow “the way we’ve always done it” model.
1. Are there non-competitive races we should be covering?
It wasn’t until a month after George Santos was elected to Congress from New York in 2022 that the litany of lies he used in his campaign became widely known. There are several theories — cutbacks at the regions’ news outlets, misplaced priorities, or the fact that a rare pre-election story about Santos’ misrepresentations was done by a tiny newspaper on Long Island and didn’t get much attention. Another possibility is that journalists have a tendency to give short shrift to races that aren’t competitive. If there’s no “contest,” is there a story? Here is where the drawbacks of “horse race” journalism come into play. Newsrooms avoid paying attention to non-competitive races at their peril.
• Create a complete inventory of races in your coverage area. Putting them on a list doesn’t mean you’ll give intensive coverage to them all, but knowing what’s out there is a start. Assign coverage priority to each of these races, knowing that your decision could change if circumstances do.
• For non-competitive races, consider the stakes. Even in a race where a candidate is a shoo-in, can your journalism help people understand what’s likely to happen when this candidate wins? What policies will they prioritize? Does a
Guest Column: How can we prioritize candidate and ballot question coverage?
By Susan Benkelman American Press Institute
candidate, even if heavily favored, have things in their background that voters should know about?
2. How can we localize national races that aren’t much of a contest in our coverage area?
The presidential race is decided in a handful of swing states. If you’re not in one of them, it might be challenging to come up with new ways to cover the presidential contest in your state. As with non-competitive races, just because there isn’t a real race in your state doesn’t mean there isn’t anything at stake.
• Have reporters who cover policy areas — health care, education, business development, taxes — help identify issues where the outcomes will be determined by who controls Congress and the White House. Put together a series on what’s at stake for your community in the election, issue by issue.
3. Are there other news organizations or civic groups we trust and can partner with for certain races to spread the workload?
If you’ve assigned a level of coverage to each candidate or race and realize that some of them will get lost in the allocation of coverage resources, could a partnership help? The Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University has a trove of resources on collaborative journalism at collaborativejournalism.org/guides/
• Consider this example for inspiration: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Atlanta Civic Circle, a civic journalism nonprofit, are collaborating on a voter guide — called Georgia Decides — that will contain information on more than 700 candidates up and down the ballot.
• Create a set of criteria for potential partners. With this in hand, you won’t launch a collaboration and then discover
your partner has different standards or practices than you. For example: If it’s another news organization, is there a competitive concern? Could you agree that any stories, especially scoops, are published simultaneously? Who gets the final say on edits? If your partner is a nonnews or civic group, do you have a ready answer to potential allegations (even if unfounded) that they have an agenda or a bias, a charge that could turn off parts of your audience?
4. Where are our audience’s knowledge gaps in this election?
Even highly engaged voters can get to their polling stations and realize they didn’t fully understand every candidate and issue on the ballot. What are the best ways to identify what people are missing?
• Ask them. Community listening can happen in a number of ways –events, one-on-one encounters, or digitally. Listening can challenge your assumptions about what voters care about.
• What does your audience engagement data tell you about what people are interested in?
• Identify down-ballot races you’ve downplayed in the past. In retrospect, a school board that has become increasingly politicized might have deserved more attention at election time. For insights on this, check out DeniseMarie Ordway’s tips for contextualizing school board races at The Journalist’s Resource at journalistsresource.org/ education/school-board-electionsresearch/
Susan Benkelman is the former Director of Accountability Journalism at the American Press Institute.