NewscClips October 2015 by Ontario Community Newspapers Association

newsclips

OCTOBER 2015

The Ontario Junior Citizen Awards Exceptional Youth, Limitless Potential Do you know someone who is involved in worthwhile community service, is contributing while living with a limitation, has performed an heroic act, demonstrates individual excellence, or is going above and beyond to help others? If so, now is the time to nominate them for the 2015 Ontario Junior Citizen Awards. Nomination forms are available for download at www.ocna.org/juniorcitizen. The deadline is November 30, and a committee of newspaper editors, publishers and the program’s sponsors will then select up to 12 individual award winners. These final recipients will be announced on Friday, January 22, 2015. Every nominee will receive an Ontario Junior Citizen certificate of recognition from their local community newspaper on behalf of the awards committee, and the final recipients will be presented their awards during a special ceremony in the spring. The Ontario Junior Citizen Awards are a public service coordinated by OCNA on behalf of its 300+ member newspapers. Nominees may be: •

involved in worthwhile community service

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contributing while living with a physical or psychological limitation

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individuals who have performed acts of heroism or bravery in the past year

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demonstrates excellence in personal achievements

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recipients may also be ‘good kids’ who go above and beyond what is expected of someone their age

This program is made possible with the generous support of corporate sponsors, TD Bank Group and the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

Where Are They Now? This year marks the program’s 35th anniversary, and to celebrate, the OCNA is coordinating a special project titled ‘Where are they now?’ Since 1981, more than 4,000 nominations from across Ontario have been reviewed by judges of the Ontario Junior Citizen Awards. Of this number, 426 individuals and 16 groups have been honoured as final recipients. OCNA is inviting members to seek out past recipients and uncover interesting stories of growth and achievement. Every story published by December 31, 2015 and sent to Kelly Gorven at k.gorven@ocna.org will be eligible to win a $200 Visa card. Depending on the volume of stories, a unique publication will be created featuring these stories, including then and now photos of past winners.

WHAT’S INSIDE:

ELECTION COVERAGE FAQs Newspapers Canada has answers to some common questions about election laws.

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DON’T JUMP INTO THE PAUSE

HOW WRITERS CAN DO BETTER

Allowing people to finish their thoughts is important for sales.

Pay more attention to how readers read.

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See Page 14

MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE ONTARIO1 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION October 2015 www.ocna.org

ASSOCIATION NEWS

The 2015 Better Newspapers Competition is Now Open for Entries The Ontario Community Newspapers Association is pleased to announce that we have again partnered with Newspaper Toolbox to offer you an online entry platform to make your submission process quicker and easier! The Competition Web site is now open for entries. Submit your entries by October 31, 2015 in PDF format by visiting the OCNA BNC Competition Web site at http://www.textuel.ca/contests_ca/OCNA/. . Changes for 2015: We have introduced two new categories: PC19. Best Headline Writing - Entries should consist of three of your best headlines or three best headlines with their decks/subheads, written by regular staff members. Judging will be based on impact, accuracy, clarity and the effectiveness of the headlines to engage the reader. PC30. Most Creative Grip and Grin - We all have to take them and run them in our papers, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. This category seeks to award the creativity and originality of a single photograph of a cheque presentation, ribbon cutting, etc. that goes beyond the ole line ‘em up and shoot ‘em.

NEWSCLIPS VOLUME 04, ISSUE 05 890 Yonge Street, Suite 200 Toronto, ON M4W 3P4 p.905.639.8720 f.905-639.6962 e. info@ocna.org w. www.ocna.org

OCNA BOARD PRESIDENT

Dave Adsett

FIRST VP

Ray Stanton

SECOND VP

Anne Marie Creskey

SECRETARY/ TREASURER

John Willems

PAST PRESIDENT

Gordon Cameron

DIRECTORS

Abbas Homayed Alicia McCutcheon Darren Murphy Rick Shaver John Willems

We have also made changes to the criteria of several categories: PC03 & PC04. Best Editorial – Layout & Placement has been removed from the judging criteria scoring. PC18. Sport & Recreation Story – Online articles may now be submitted for this category. PC20. Humour Columnist of the Year – Layout & Design has been removed from the judging criteria scoring and replaced with Reader Appeal. PC21. Columnist of the Year – Layout & Design has been removed from the judging criteria scoring. PC31. Photographer of the Year – you are no longer required to submit a biography of the photographer. GE Class 8 – College & University – members who only publish an online pdf version of their newspaper, not a print version, are now eligible to enter. If you have any questions please contact OCNA Member Services Coordinator Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocna.org or by phone at 1-800-387-7982 x4432. OCNA is pleased to be able to recognize the passion you have for your profession and the outstanding work you produce each week! Good luck and thank you for your participation!

OCNA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Caroline Medwell

CONTROLLER

Todd Frees

MEMBER SERVICES

Karen Shardlow Kelly Gorven

06 .....................WHY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS WILL ALWAYS MATTER

ACCOUNTING

Lucia Shepherd

10 ................9 WAYS TO SCREW UP A FAMILY BUSINESS SALE - OR NOT

AD*REACH

Ted Brewer Carolyn Press Erica Leyzac

IN THIS ISSUE... 11 ....................................UPCOMING ONLINE MEDIA CAMPUS WEBINARS 12 ...................................................................DON’T JUMP INTO THE PAUSE 14 .........................................................HOW WRITERS CAN WRITE BETTER 15 ..............................STAFF ON-SITE TRAINING...A THING OF THE PAST?

October 2015

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

Election Coverage: Frequently Asked Questions

OCNA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

With a federal election called for October 19, Newspapers Canada has answers to some common questions about election laws. If you have any other questions, or require further clarifications, please contact Newspapers Canada president and CEO John Hinds at jhinds@newspaperscanada.ca.

PUBLISHER WRITES A COMIC NOVEL

Are there advertising blackout periods during the campaign? The only time when candidates and political parties cannot advertise is on election day. (Section 323 of the Canada Elections Act) Do election ads need any special authorization? All ads for a candidate or political party must state that the advertisement is authorized by the official agent for that candidate or by the registered agent for the political party. (Section 320) Are there any restrictions on how much I can charge a candidate or political party? A newspaper cannot charge a political party or candidate more than the lowest rate they charge any other advertiser for equivalent space in the same issue. (section 348) Are there any restrictions on what an interest group can spend on advertising? Yes. On May 18, 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that spending by outside lobby groups is restricted under the Canada Elections Act. A group is allowed to spend up to $150,000 overall; a maximum of $3,000 may be spent promoting or opposing candidates in an individual riding. Groups must also be registered with Elections Canada.

Keith Roulston, publisher of the Blyth/Brussels Citizen has published a comic novel on the rural/urban divide for free downloading on the newspaper’s website. In the Road is about a village whose identity was so lost after it was swallowed by municipal amalgamation that it was removed from provincial maps, finding itself, through a government oversight, in the path of a major new highway. When environmental factors make it unpopular to bypass the village, the government decides to buy and demolish the entire village so the highway can proceed. In order to gain attention for their plight, the villagers declare themselves an independent republic but things threaten to get out of control when the town drunk organizes an army to defend the new country while political forces make it hard for the government to back down. The novel will be published in 15 parts, with one installment being published online each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There is no charge to read the episodes just go to www.northhuron.on.ca and follow the directions. It’s Roulston’s first novel but he has had eight plays he either wrote or co-wrote and were produced professionally.

FORMER ACTON INDEPENDENT FREE PRESS EDITOR PASSES AWAY

Are there any special rules for the Internet? The rules covering election advertising and black-out provisions also apply to the Internet. The ban on election day advertising or poll publication does not apply to the Internet if the material was already posted before the start of the ban and has not been changed.

With family by her side, Kay Dills peacefully passed away on July 9, 2015. Kay went to school in Toronto and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1950 with a degree in Modern Languages. Choosing a career in journalism she began working as a reporter and eventually editor for the Acton Free Press. Kay and her husband David were closely connected with the OCNA and CCNA through the Dills Family Fund program, which provided small independently-owned newspapers financial assistance to undertake projects to improve their business. The two were frequent attendees of both OCNA and CCNA conventions prior to retirement in 1979. With deep family roots in Acton, Kay became a proud writer of the community’s history and published many books.

When I publish an unofficial election poll or ‘streeter’, do I have to include specific wording? Yes, if you conduct a ‘streeter’ or unofficial poll, you are required to indicate that the survey is not based on recognized statistical methods. Also, if you publish someone else’s unofficial poll within 24 hours of its first publication, you must include a statement that is not based on recognized statistical methods. (Section 327) Are there any restrictions on when I can publish an opinion poll? Yes, you cannot publish a new poll on election day. (Section 328) For more questions and answers regarding election laws, visit www.newspaperscanada.ca/news/industry/election-coverage-your-questions-answered.

October 2015

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

Newspapers Leadership Summit Hosted by ACNA

OCNA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Building Capacity for Change Leadership November 12-14, 2015 Halifax, Nova Scotia.

BURLINGTON POST CELEBRATES 50 YEARS Last month marked 50 years since the Burlington Post began telling stories and covering news within the city. Happy Birthday and congratulations on this wonderful milestone!

The newspaper industry is changing faster than ever before. Many in the sector are faced with decreasing profits, staff turnover and a need to re-orient their business model and leadership practices to do more with less. Furthermore, the competitiveness between those in the industry rises as resources become more scarce. The challenge in this uncertainty is to move from feeling powerless in the face of change to working together to proactively build a future that is compelling for all involved. There is a need to bring leaders from across the industry together to see reality clearly, make strategic choices, become better managers and produce better products. The Newspapers Leadership Summit, hosted by Newspapers Atlantic will teach you how to create the conditions for teams and organizations to come together and combine all perspectives to collaboratively solve challenges. Tim Merry offers a participatory leadership process that leads to clarity rooted in the needs of stakeholders. Whether he’s working with executives in the finance sector, senior government leaders or resources industry representatives, each of them needs to learn how to create the conditions for their teams and organizations to come together and combine all their perspectives to collaboratively solve the challenges facing them. Price: $999+HST (includes breakfast and lunches). Accomodations: $152/night For more information, contact Mike Kierstead at 902-402-3777.

TWO LONGTIME MISSISSAUGA NEWS EMPLOYEES PASS AWAY It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of two dedicated newspaper professionals. The OCNA extends its condolences to the Mississauga News, colleagues, friends and family members of Ron Lenyk and Fred Loek. Ron, who spent 35 years as publisher of the paper, suffered a heart attack just last month. Fred, an award-winning photographer for the Mississauga News also died from a heart attack at the end of August. Both men had a willingness to mentor and share their knowledge with others. They left quite an impact on their communities and will be remembered fondly.

BREAKING NEWS

Newspaper layout expert goes freelance • More than 20 years’ experience in newspaper production • Deadline-driven, meticulous production professional • Reasonable rates • References available

If you are an established or start-up newspaper looking for a reliable design and production expert to work from home, give me a call...let’s chat.

613-612-5373 • patti@pattimoran.ca www.coroflot.com/pattimoran

October 2015

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OCNA’s Annual Independent Publishers’ Retreat Keeping the Passion Alive Friday Evening Nov. 6 - Saturday Nov. 7 Horseshoe Resort, Barrie Come network with your peers during the 2015 Annual OCNA Independent Publishers’ Retreat. Designed with the specific business needs of Publishers like you in mind. Also included - lots of social time to get to know and network with your peers! Sessions will include:

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• An update on Canada Post and the Canadian Periodical Fund • Connecting with your Community and Making Money in Events • Selling Digital: Digital Project Ideas and How to Monetize Locally • Update on How OCNA is Working for You Digital Initiatives from the Corporate Publishers: What Strategic Initiatives Corporate Competitors are Launching and How to Compete! • Round Table Discussions

Register with OCNA as soon as you are able, and we will make your overnight reservation as it is included in the registration cost. Your Friday night accommodation, three meals, coffee breaks, and all the sessions are only $330 for a single occupancy and $450 for double occupancy.

For more information, contact Karen Shardlow at 905-639-8720 x 4432 or k.shardlow@ocna.org.

We are grateful for the generous support from McLaren Press Graphics, allowing us to provide such a reasonable rate for this event.

October 2015

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Why Community Newspapers Will Always Matter By Julie MacLellan, New Westminster Record This photo, to me, just expresses everything that’s right and good in community newspapers. There’s a reason it won first place at the recent Canadian Community Newspaper Awards - actually, there are a lot of reasons. But let’s focus on the main one: it tells a story about the community. And it tells it well. Look at him, Hyacks running back David Haeber. Look at the excitement and enthusiasm as he enters the stadium for the 2014 homecoming game at NWSS. Look at the crowds, pumped up and ready to cheer their boys to victory. (I love the kid with the white sleeves to the right of the photo, arms raised and clearly so excited about it all.) Look at the cheerleaders, all pompoms and enthusiasm. Look at this photo and you see a community rallying together to support our team, in our stadium, on our field, in our city. Our hometown. This is what community newspapers are all about. This is why community newspapers matter - and why, in a business climate that’s fast becoming precarious for all forms of traditional media, we need to remember what value we’re bringing to the communities we serve. By ‘value’ I’m not talking about the kind that’s visible on ledgers and balance sheets, or the kind that pays executives’ bonuses and shareholders’ dividends. I’m talking about the value that led most of us - including me - into this business in the first place: the value of helping to build community. It’s something that’s been on my mind this week, what with the finalization of the Glacier Media/Black Press sale and the announcement that we’ll now be coming out one day a week. And, on the flip side, it also happens to be the week in which we’re celebrating big wins at the above-mentioned CCNA awards. It’s all served to remind me of a fundamental truth that sometimes gets lost in the discussion: Community newspapers aren’t just another commodity to be bought and sold, another interchangeable part of some corporate jigsaw puzzle that exists to make money for some nameless, faceless investors somewhere. Community newspapers are integral parts of the communities in which they reside. We are institutions that are at the centre of a town’s economy, its community, its conversations, its marketplace and, at the very core, its democracy. We’re there where no one else is - or perhaps more accurately, where everyone else is. We’re on the field at homecoming and in the theatre for the high school musical. We’re at the chamber of commerce functions and the networking events, the public hearings and the school board meetings, the new business openings and the community fundraisers. We’re at the festivals and in the parks and walking along the trails and the streets, eating at the restaurants and chatting in the coffee shops. We’re meeting the people who make a difference - the movers and shakers whom everyone recognizes on the street, and those silent, unsung souls whose contributions to their community pass by almost unnoticed. We’re there for the good times, when people win awards and open businesses and create art and win championships and achieve October 2015

greatness in all kinds of expected and unexpected ways. We’re there for the bad times, when communities are in conflict over development or traffic or roads, when crime strikes defenceless victims, when the system - be it health-care or justice or education - fails the people who rely on it, when citizens face adversity and challenge and obstacles of all kinds. We’re there with notebooks, with iPhones, with cameras, to take in everything that’s happening in our communities - to record and analyze and interpret and share the stories that beat at the heart of each and every town in B.C., in Canada and beyond. In short, community newspapers matter. And we matter more intensely with each and every day, as citizens face information overload from all forms of media, from the web, from Facebook and Instagram and Twitter and Reddit and the blogosphere and, and, and ... With a constant stream of facts and figures and names and numbers and opinions and cat videos coming at us from all sides, who’s there to help make sense of it all? Who’s there to filter out what matters to the citizens of New Westminster, to provide a forum for local discussion, to find the sense (or nonsense) in a slew of ideas, to craft stories and take photographs that interpret the city in which we live in a way that’s (hopefully) engaging and readable and memorable? Your community newspapers are. Are we alone in that cause? Absolutely not. All of the abovementioned sources of information are good ones, and New West in particular is fortunate to have a lively Twitter feed (search #NewWest if you don’t believe me) and blogosphere. But it doesn’t replace the fundamental value of the community newspaper in helping to hold the powers that be accountable, in asking the questions that need to be asked, in celebrating the successes of the community - and, in all of that, bringing together the hometown stories that matter, and delivering them to your doorstep each and every week. Are we perfect? Heck no. After all, we too are human beings, and we’re as fallible as the next person. Do we always do the job we’d 6

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INDUSTRY NEWS

like to do? No. Like everyone else, time and resources and the pressures of life mean we can’t always get to every event, take every photograph and write every story we’d like to do, in a perfect world. But we’ll sure make a stab at it. And we’ll turn to you - our neighbours, our fellow citizens, our community - to help us do it. So please, hold us accountable. Challenge what we cover and why we cover it, ask the questions we forget to ask, tell us about the things we missed or forgot or didn’t do justice to. But whatever you do, please don’t let us forget why we’re here. Because you - all of you in New West - you matter to us. And we hope that, in turn, we matter to you. We need our story - the story of a thriving, healthy, striving-to-be-all-around-awesome hometown newspaper - to be the story of each and every community in B.C. and across the country. Our communities would be poorer places without community newspapers. And we, your newspapers, would be nothing at all without you. So, yeah, I’m gonna look at that photo up there every day and it’s going to make me smile - and inspire me to take that energy, that enthusiasm, that passion for community and channel it into my work each and every day. Because there may be a big old world out there that hasn’t heard of New Westminster and couldn’t really care less if it hasn’t. But here, where I sit? New West (and #NewWest too) is my world. And I’m going to serve it the best way I know how: by telling its stories. Plain and simple.

Julie MacLellan is the assistant editor of the Burnaby NOW and Record newspapers and also keeps an eye on the arts and entertainment scene. Outside of work you’re likely to find her hiking local trails, writing fiction, singing in choirs and parenting her busy toddler.

Community Newspapers Circulation Up 1.9% in 2015 (Report) By Chris Powell, Marketing Magazine

While there has been endless speculation on the future of the daily newspaper industry, the community newspaper industry remains stable according to a new report from Newspapers Canada. There are 1,083 community newspapers in Canada, with a combined circulation of 20.97 million, according to the industry association’s latest Community Newspaper Snapshot Report. Year-over-year circulation has grown by 395,358 – or 1.9% – as of June 2015. Paid circulation accounts for just 729,404 of the total circulation, with controlled or free circulation accounting for 20.2 million. More than 90% of community newspaper titles (996) publish just one edition per week, with 71 titles (7%) publishing two editions per week, and 16 titles (1%) publishing three editions weekly. Torstar-owned Metroland Media Group is the country’s largest community newspaper publisher by circulation, with a combined circulation of 5.6 million spread over 113 titles, while T.C. Transcontinental publishes an industry leading 157 titles boasting a combined circulation of 4.6 million. Other major community newspaper publishers include Sun Media Corporation (96 titles, combined circulation of 1.2 million); Black Press Group (89 titles, 2.21 million circulation) and Glacier Media Group (70 titles, combined circulation of 1.6 million). Approximately 45% of the country’s community newspapers – a total of 484 titles – are published either by independent groups operating either two or more titles, or a single paper owner. Independent titles have a combined circulation of 4.4 million. The vast majority of community newspapers, 1,046, are tabloid, with just 140 publications still printed in broadsheet format. The report found 73% of Canadian adults read a community newspaper on a weekly basis, and they reach 76% of women. The study also found 76% of adults read newspapers for advertising, flyers/inserts along with classified advertising, real estate or employment ads. Advertisers spent $960 million on community newspapers last year, with retail/local advertising accounting for the majority (56%) of spending. Online advertising accounted for $35 million in revenue.

LONG-TIME NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEE RECEIVES SILVER QUILL AWARD Mary Newton (left), a Classified Manager with the Napanee Beaver, was presented with a Silver Quill Award from OCNA Executive Director, Caroline Medwell last month. Mary began working for the Beaver in 1989 and held this position for roughly 26 years before retiring. She experienced changes and growth with the company and excelled at her job. Congratulations, Mary! Silver Quill Awards are presented by the CCNA and OCNA to community newspaper employees for 25 years of service to the industry.

This article is courtesay of the New Westminster Record. Visit their site at www.newwestrecord.ca October 2015

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Once Again in 2015...We’re Still the One

In Communities Across Canada...Newspapers - In Print, Online and Via Mobile! By Chuck Nau Once AGAIN, a recently released Newspapers Canada study reinforces the continued strength and vitality of newspapers and newspaper Web sites, whether community, weekly, or daily, across Canada. In the newly released Newspapers Canada study (conducted in November 2014), nine out of 10 Canadians interact with a newspaper platform EACH WEEK … in print, online, or via a mobile device. Print leads the way with nearly seven out of ten Canadians, particularly Moms and Boomers, engaging on a weekly basis. 70% of Canadians turning to newspapers for their local news and information chose print as their preferred platform, reading primarily in the morning and evening. Boomers, 45 to 64 years old, access newspaper content across all platforms, but are more loyal to and prefer print and newspaper Web sites with their morning coffee or evening relaxation. Likewise, Moms, whether searching for local news or for that local bargain, sale or coupon in their community, again, indicated that print and their local newspaper Web sites are their primary avenues. Access via a mobile device when searching for that much needed family or parenting information continues to grow in the newspaper usage mix for Moms. Business Decision Makers or affectionately known as, news junkies, continue to recognize the ongoing importance of newspapers. Almost 66% of Canadian business leaders and shakers engage with their local newspaper Web sites, more than the average Canadian. Study findings showed that these community leaders utilize newspaper Web sites first thing in the morning, again mid-morning and, most often, in the evening. Young adults, 18 to 34, prefer catching up on their local communities’ news and information via a mobile device (phone primarily with tablet also an option). Complementing their mobile usage, study findings found that this highly sought after demographic values print in their weekly newspaper diet. Newspaper Web sites, a great source for local happenings and arts & entertainment news, are a solid second behind their mobile phones for these newspaper savvy young adults. Whether it’s through the traditional print format, online via digital newspaper content or via a mobile device, Boomers, Moms, Business Decision Makers and Young Adults all across Canada seek out and find their local news, information and advertising across a variety of Canadian newspaper media platforms. Once again, whether it’s the old media or the new media, in communities and cities across Canada... we’re the one readers and viewers turn to ... yesterday, today and tomorrow. Newspapers ... We’re Still the One! Newspapers and newspaper Web sites ... your newspaper and its web site are the ‘value collection’... a content combination of local news and advertising, interacting with the community in a timely and up to date manner, with a unique, trusted and well established brand that delivers October 2015

simple, identifiable and measurable response and results day after day or week after week. Why? Simply put, newspapers, whether in print, online or via mobile, have a distinct local audience that trusts them. Loyalty is print’s strongest selling point. Your neighbours, friends, business associates and you seek it out, it draws you in and talks to you about things in your life, in a specific and intimate fashion. This is a choice your neighbours, friends, business associates and you make to spend dedicated, uninterrupted time focused with and interacting with your newspaper and its various media platforms. It is all about the quality of the audience. Your newspaper Web site visitors are loyal and interactive returning to their newspaper Web site several times per day. Newspaper Web site visitors continue spending more and more time on your newspaper Web site rather than as eyeballs darting around the Internet! Newspaper Web site visitors also read their newspaper ... reinforcing advertisers’ message and increasing awareness of local news and advertisers. Newspapers’ Web sites, much like their print products, deliver original, high-quality content that continually attracts a highly educated audience, again, building a powerful and engaged audience. As we have noted in the past, year after year, study after study, in 2011, 2013 and 2014, Newspaper Canada has reported that the facts are in ... Advertisers know that newspaper advertising, both in print and online, works to motivate consumers to take action and that newspapers are the one that local community ‘influentials’ and ‘shoppers’ turn to! Newspapers, your newspaper, online and in print and via mobile, best represent your community. Through a local environment of news and advertising, your newspaper and your newspaper Web site create the marketplace for your community. Newspapers ... We’re Still the One! Does EVERYONE at your newspaper know? Do your friends, community associates, business leaders, advertisers and potential advertisers know? Don’t let newspapers, your newspaper and its various media platforms be the best kept secret in your community ... We’re Still the One!

(c) Murray & Nau, Inc. Chuck Nau of Murray & Nau, Inc. is a Seattle area based publishing consultant and sales management trainer. He has been a speaker for and conducted advertising, marking, management Comments and questions are welcome and may be directed to Chuck via e-mail: murnau@nwlink.com or at (425)-603-0984. 8

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Mark Your Calendars OCNA Spring Convention and BNC Awards Gala FRIDAY APRIL 22, 2016 Hilton Garden Inn, Vaughan Don’t miss your chance to attend OCNA’s 2016 Spring Convention! The day will be jam packed with information and sessions for all members. It’s a chance to mingle, discuss industry related issues and have some fun! The day will conclude with the BNC Awards Gala. Here we will announce first, second and third place winners of the Better Newspaper Competition.

Want to contribute to NewsClips? If you have news you would like to share about your paper - it could be a new project, recognition from the community, awards you’ve won or an upcoming anniversary, please send them to newsclips@ocna.org. Photos are also welcome!

For more information please contact Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocna.org or 905-639-8720 x 232.

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October 2015

Take a tour now and experience all of the incredible improvements and new designs we've developed just for you.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Nine Ways to Screw Up the Sale of Your Family Business - Or Not By Stefan Voswinkel The Family Business Catalyst

5. No disciplined execution of the sale strategy

Inevitably, many family businesses will be sold - yet very few owners are willing to realize that a sale takes years to prepare and execute. If you are serious about keeping the family together, selling to a good buyer and getting the money it’s worth, avoid the following mistakes:

If you ‘think of selling one day’, nothing will happen. If you are committed to selling, do it like you mean it. Get the right people in the room, decide a strategy and then build an action plan with clear accountabilities and timelines.

6. Putting the cart before the horse - focusing on tax and legal too early First you need to clarify what the hopes and expectation of individual family members are, for example time of sale, price, kind of buyer, and will some members stay with the company? Your family needs to get to a ‘negotiated compromise’ that all are committed to. Only then can you build the legal and tax structure.

1. Not ready for sale •

Family not aligned - opinions ranging between ‘cash now’ and ‘let’s keep it’ • Management not professionalized • No resilient processes and systems This will take several years to put in place - but if you don’t, you will end up with a fire sale. Even if you don’t want to sell, doing the above increases the bottom line and value of your company! Identify the most effective and value-add improvement measures, and focus on their implementation.

7. No communication strategy - with employees, customers and suppliers Once the rumour mill about the sale starts, you can’t stop it. When beginning this process, confidentiality is crucial. And then you need to cross that fine line when you must tell everyone what you are up to, and how their future is going to look like. If you don’t, your best people will leave and your customers will turn to the competition.

2. No management team in place for continued success You need to work yourself out of a job: Build a management team that will maintain success in the eye of a buyer. That includes mentoring and coaching of successors.

8. No purpose for the owners after the sale

What will be your purpose in life after you sold ‘your baby’? Starting another business? Teaching and mentoring others? More quality time with family? Do you have a hobby? Philanthropy? Lack of the above is one of the reasons why owners can’t let go and risk running the business into the ground, losing their family - and themselves. After you go, there will be family strife and a fire sale.

3. Looking for the wrong buyer

What do you want to happen to your employees, customers and suppliers? They stuck with you through all those years for a reason: The values of your family business. If you sell to a buyer with different values or even a speculator, a lot of good will gets destroyed. How important is it to you that your business legacy will continue under the new owner to the extent possible?

9. The Lone Wolf Syndrome

To navigate through this challenging and sometimes painful process, you need to secure personal and professional support for yourself, possibly including an independent sounding board like myself. It’s a tall order to lead this process to balanced success, optimizing value for all stakeholders: For you and the family, employees, customers, suppliers and potential buyers.

4. No transfer of know how and relationships

Time and again I see good will and know how being destroyed under the new owners. They may not even know the crucial contributions of certain employees and let them go thoughtlessly. The new owners may not know what was at the core of the previous owner’s success. And they may not be aware of the ingredients of your relationships with key customers and suppliers. It takes careful planning to identify critical know how and relationships, and then consciously transfer them to the right people. If you do this for the buyer, the value of your company will increase significantly. October 2015

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INDUSTRY NEWS

TRAINING ONLINE MEDIA CAMPUS WEBINARS: OCNA has teamed with the Online Media Campus to help the association fulfill its mission of providing affordable and relevant training to members. ▄▄

October 15 - Mapping Your Digital Strategy

Presented in partnership with GateHouse Media. You plan for your print paper; why wouldn’t you plan for digital? You don’t just produce a newspaper anymore — so you should know what you have and what you need to provide news on all platforms. This presentation will answer questions, including: • When should your staff meet, and how often? • What should you discuss? • How should you share information? • How should you put your plan to work? • What tools can you use?

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As a bonus, we also will include tips and best practices from GateHouse Media’s Digital Transformation project. ▄▄

October 29 - Growing Revenue in Your Local Market

Revenue growth in your local market is key to a sustainable future. It takes the right products, continuous improvement and a strong focus on customer service. In this session, you’ll learn the process behind growing your local market share and creating customer volumes that convert to sustainable revenue growth. The foundation for this is built on six steps: • • • • • •

Customer acquisition. Customer retention. Continuous product improvement. Marketing. Training. Leadership.

▄▄

November 5 - Simplify Your Rate Card: Making the Switch to Modular

Do you think your rate card is too complicated with all the discounts, PCI-jargon and secret programs? You’re not alone! In fact, many of your clients probably share that view. This session will focus on rethinking your grandfathered rate card and making it easier for all parties to understand. Today’s advertisers are busier than ever — insisting on transparency and easy-to-understand choices. Learn how you can grow your local business with a few simple ideas.

For more information and to register, visit: www.onlinemediacampus.com.

October 2015

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ADVERTISING

Don’t Jump Into the Pause By John Foust Raleigh, NC

Brian has been selling advertising for his paper for many years. “One of the most important lessons I’ve learned was from my wife,” he told me. “One evening, when she was telling me about her day at work, she said, ‘Stop jumping into my pauses.’ She said it with a smile and a pat on my arm, but she was right. Every time she paused, I finished her sentence.

which means, `I’m with you. I’m paying attention. I care about your ideas.’

4. Lean forward. The best leaders are known to instinctively lean forward in their chairs when listening. It’s as if they want to cut the distance the other’s person’s words have to travel before reaching their ears.

“Like a lot of sales people,” Brian explained, “I get revved up when I’m in a conversation. When there’s a lull, I have a tendency to fill up the silence. She taught me the importance of allowing the other person to finish their thought on their own.”

Again, this will come naturally if you’re in step with the other person. By leaning forward during a pause, you send another silent, non-interruptive signal that you are eager to hear what’s next.

That lesson has helped Brian in his business relationships. His advertisers stay more engaged in conversations, and he learns more about what’s really on their minds.

5. Repeat the speaker’s last phrase as a question. If the other person seems to be genuinely stuck in finding the right words, you can help them verbalize their thought with a simple questioning technique.

Here are some ways to deal with pauses:

1. Bite your tongue. When the other person pauses, the first thing to do is to resist the temptation to take over the conversation. Simply tell yourself, “This may not be easy, but stay quiet and give them a chance to collect their thoughts.”

Let’s say the other person expresses doubt by saying, “I’m concerned about (pause)…” If you jump in and ask, “What exactly are your concerned about?” that may be too abrupt. But if you repeat, “You’re concerned?” as a question, you can help them think it through.

2. Watch your facial expression. Body language is more powerful than words. Even if you’re silent, you’ll communicate a negative message if you frown or show impatience. Keep a pleasant expression and maintain comfortable, low intensity eye contact.

So the next time someone pauses in a conversation, put your highenergy sales personality aside. It’s better to ease into the pause than to jump into the pause.

3. Nod slowly. If you’re listening carefully, it will be easy to nod your head. There’s no need to stay in constant motion like a bobblehead doll. Simply show the other person that you’re paying close attention. Think of it as patient eagerness. You’re looking forward to hearing what they’re going to say next – and you’re willing to give them the time they need.

(c) Copyright 2015 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 videos to save time and get quick results from in-house training. E-mail for information: jfoust@mindspring.com

It will be natural to add a subtle `Uh hum’. This is a verbal nod,

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We want to hear from you! Please share your news and/or opinions with us: newsclips@ocna.org

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press card

dave adsett Publisher

2015

This certifies the individual identified has been awarded Press Credentials by the Publisher of this newspaper, and is to be used for identification purposes.

Fergus Wellington advertiser 519-843-5410 905 Gartshore St. Box 252 Fergus, ON N1M 2W8

This newspaper on the reverse side is, as of date of issue, a member in good standing of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) www.ocna.org

Caroline Medwell, Exec. Director

June 3, 2015 Date

x4439

October 2015

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DESIGN

How Writers Can Do Better By Ed Henninger Henninger Consulting

I have often stated - both on my blog and during presentations - that I am not a friend of writers. I am a friend of readers. Years ago, during a workshop I gave for a client, a reporter blurted out: “But we’re in the business of writing.” “No, we are not,” I said, slowly and carefully mouthing each word to make my position clear. “We are in the business of bringing meaning to readers’ lives.” Now, that wasn’t my statement. It’s actually the single most important sentence in ‘On Writing Well’, by William Zinsser. I recommend Zinsser’s book time and again - and many of those who have taken my advice and read it have thanked me for it. We are in the business of bringing meaning to readers’ lives. But just how do we do that?

USE INFOBOXES.

Here are some points I’d share with those who write for newspapers:

I could spend hours talking with reporters and writers. I respect who they are and I respect how hard they work. But I really want to share with them that they need to pay less attention to how they write - and more attention to how readers read.

A newsroom quip that goes w-a-a-a-y back suggests: ‘Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.’ That’s exactly what an infobox can do for you. Use the infobox to list the cold, hard facts wherever possible, saving the text for narrative, quotes and overview.

USE BY-THE-NUMBERS BOXES.

Like infoboxes, by-thenumbers boxes can help you clear the story of details that can get in the way of the narrative. And they often serve as a great hook to get readers into your story.

WRITE FOR YOUR READER. Remember who your boss is. Your boss is not your editor. Your boss is not your publisher. Your boss is not your source. Your boss is...your reader.

DO A STORY LINE. Write the gist of your story in one line (or less) across the screen of your computer. That one line will help you stay on topic as you write. If you can’t put it into one sentence, then you’re going to struggle.

BE BRIEF. You may think your story has to be long for it to be complete.

ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting, offering comprehensive newspaper design services at: www.henningerconsulting.com.

Nope. It has to be as brief as possible. Why? Because readers will see that your article goes on...and on...and on...and they will stop reading (if they ever start). They will decide they don’t have time to read your entire piece.

BREAK IT UP. Find ways to cut your story into pieces that make it

easier to follow, easier to read. If, for example, you have a story about five people running for office, it’s much better to run a package of five separate stories - one on each of the candidates - than one long piece on all of them.

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BE CLEAR. Throw the jargon in the junk bin. Just what is a ‘feasibility

study,’ really? And what does ubiquitous mean? If it’s something your 12-year-old daughter doesn’t understand, odds are your reader won’t, either.

ORDER: Set start   and stop then submit

available for IOS and Android

PUT THE BIG STUFF FIRST. Readers want to know what your story is all about - without having to wade through several paragraphs to read it. So put the important points first. Save the less important material and the background paragraphs for later in the story.

USE QUOTES. I recall hearing time and again the maxim: ‘Quotes

a 5 minute sales solution

write the story for you.’ That’s true. Also, quotes bring a humanity and credibility to the story. October 2015

ADD a photo and description

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TECHNOLOGY

Staff Training

Is On-Site Training a Thing of the Past? By Kevin Slimp I wondered how many newspapers, if presented with an easy and affordable method of getting on-site training, would take the bait and make a financial investment to bring an expert in to train and motivate their staffs. You may feel like you’re back in middle school chemistry class by the time I finish this column, but stick with me while I explain the method, the group and the results. I decided to begin with the papers in Minnesota and Iowa. I suppose I could have picked any states, but name recognition is important, and most newspaper folks in those states have known me for a long time. Plus, I hadn’t traveled much to those areas, other than to speak at conventions, in a few years. Another reason I selected those states is they have a lot of community newspapers. Most papers, it seems, are either independent or part of local newspaper groups. When compared to newspapers in my home state of Tennessee, community papers in these states are much smaller in circulation. I was surprised to find many papers with a distribution less than 1,000. So I began the experiment in January, offering to cut my fees in exchange for combining multiple newspapers during individual trips. For instance, I would visit a paper in Southwest Minnesota on Thursday, another in Northwest Iowa on Friday, and still another a few hours away on Saturday. I figured, at worst, I would do a lot of traveling and break even. But I hoped that I could get enough newspapers to schedule two or three trips to the area, making it profitable, plus giving these papers an opportunity to have on-site training that they normally couldn’t fit into their budgets. Back to the experiment. In middle school chemistry, I learned that there are six parts to an experiment. We’ve discussed the first part, usually referred to as ‘the question.’ My question was, “Will community newspapers invest in training if it’s affordable and helpful?” Which brings us to the second part of the experiment, the hypothesis. My hypothesis was that some papers would make that investment. Probably not dozens, but possibly six or eight. Area three: Research. Research was not only done on the road, but also in surveys completed by publishers over these months. I’ve already discussed the fourth area of scientific method: the experiment. In this experiment, newspaper publishers were offered a significantly discounted rate, in return for their willingness to schedule visits that worked well with other area papers. On to the fifth area of scientific method. In science, ‘analysis’ is the record of what happened in an experiment, often referred to as ‘data’. In this case, I was surprised by the results. In all, I made 19 trips to the area. Most of these trips involved training groups of newspapers onOctober 2015

site. Wade Webber’s papers in Minnesota was a good example. The staffs of his four (maybe there were five) community papers met together in one location, on a Friday, for training. There were approximately 25 folks in attendance. About one-third of my visits were to individual newspapers, not groups. The others varied in sizes of two newspaper staffs to more than 30 staffs at one stop. Yes, I was surprised. In all, I trained more than 100 newspaper staffs in Minnesota in Iowa between January and June. Originally, I planned to complete these visits in February and March. I still have a few that are trying to work out dates (I ex-tended my offer after it became clear that I couldn’t fit all the requests in during the allotted period). And finally, what you’ve been waiting for, the sixth area of scientific method: the conclusion. It seems my original hypothesis, that community newspapers would invest in staff training if it were offered in ways that made it affordable and easy to arrange, was partially correct. What I didn’t expect was the sheer number of responses. Nowhere in my wildest dreams would I have expected so many community papers, in two states, to get so excited about staff training. A funny twist was that Minnesota Newspaper Association asked me to do a day of training on May 29 for their members. I honestly worried that no one would show up. After visiting so many papers on-site over the previous four months, I didn’t expect there were many left. Probably the nicest part of this experiment was walking into a packed room, in a town just south of the Twin Cities, on May 29. I still get email daily from publishers and others that I met during my experiment in Minnesota and Iowa. Most write to say how much their products have improved or how their staffs are still talking about the training days. I’m thinking about trying this experiment again in other states in late 2015 or early 2016, if my schedule allows. You’ll be the first to know how it goes.

KEVIN SLIMP serves as director of the Institute of Newspaper Technology. He is a faculty member of the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information. www.kevinslimp.com 15

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Common Questions We Get About the HR Power Centre A TwoGreySuits Article

This article is part of the TwoGreySuits ‘Employee Performance Management’ Series and is offered by our partner, the TwoGreySuits HR Power Centre as a service to our members.

of the exercise to everyone involved. The Manager and employee will meet after the exercise is complete to discuss their individual ratings and resolve any differences. Once consensus is reached, the final list of the top five competencies is given to the person administratively responsible for inclusion on the job description and the EPR. Incidentally, there are usually very few differences between the Manager’s and the employee’s individual ratings.

Users of the HR Power Centre, our customers, use the HR Hotline or the email address hrhotline@twogreysuits.com feature regularly to ask us questions about using the site effectively. These questions and answers will be added to the FAQ’s on the site. Below are some of the questions we receive as well as questions we have answered in the past. The site has more than 280 frequently asked questions and answers categorized by topic in each of the 6 modules. Check it out, get the answer to all your HR questions.

Q. Could you explain how the Personal Action Plan form works with the objective setting document? A. The Personal Action Plan form is for use by Managers and Supervisors to capture their commitment around improving their People Management Skills. Once the plan is complete and approved by their manager, it should be recorded as one of their objectives on their Employee Performance Review along with other performance objectives agreed to and be the subject of regular progress reviews/coaching during the rating period. The Personal Action Plan form and the Guide for its completion appear in the ‘Setting Performance Objectives’ of the Getting Started module as well as in the ‘People Management Skills’ section of the Performance Management module. We did this because there are two People Management Challenges that directly relate to setting objectives and we wanted to make sure that the forms were available there as well as in the Performance Management module. When you have objective setting discussions for other objectives, you should use the Objective Setting Worksheet found in the ‘Setting Performance Objectives’ section of the Getting Started module.

Q. I am reviewing the EPR (Employee Performance Review) and objective setting. Should we not be setting objectives for the improvement in behavioural competencies it seems to be a separate rating on the EPR ? A. When implementing the HR Basics module, there is a natural sequence that should be followed – prepare job descriptions, set performance objectives and then complete the performance review process. Once the top five competencies for a position have been agreed to using the Competencies Questionnaire, they are entered on the job description and the related Competencies Assessment Sheets are attached to the employee’s EPR. You will then want to share with the employee the ‘Competencies with Observable Behaviors’ for the five competencies relevant to his/her job so they know what these behaviours look like in action. By observing the employee throughout the rating period, the manager will be in a position to rate the employee on the competencies when the annual review rolls around. When setting performance objectives with your employee for the first time, there should be one on behavioural improvement. You may want to have the employee commit to a competency improvement objective with which they are comfortable using the Competencies with Observable Behaviours as a guide. At the end of the first rating period, the manager will have enough observable data to set the next year’s competencies improvement objective so that actual observed deficiencies are addressed.

The HR Power Centre and HR Hot Line is a one-of-a-kind product specifically designed to get you the answers you need fast, in hundreds of different HR situations. Signing up is simple and free for OCNA members. You can call us today at 905-639-8720. Why wait? Don’t let important people management issues go unresolved when you can deal with them today.

Q. How do I accommodate the on line aspect of the program for example the behavioural competencies. Do I just have people use my password for access to the system is there another way? A. You should download the Competencies Questionnaire with the built in scoring key and save it. You then e-mail the Questionnaire to each employee and their manager asking them to separately complete the questionnaire and the scoring page. This should be done after you have communicated the objective October 2015

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HUMAN RESOURCES

TwoGreySuits Introduces Powerful New Benefit TwoGreySuits (TGS) has had an innovation breakthrough that can have a tremendous impact on your company’s success! Check out their new website at www.twogreysuits.com to learn more about how focusing on employee engagement can have a direct impact on profitability. The whiteboard video on the home page explains it all in less than two minutes. If you are already using the service, just log in and take advantage of one Individual Plan online training access absolutely free for OCNA members. If you are not currently taking advantage of this free member benefit, now’s the time to sign up. After experiencing the training, you will likely want all your managers and supervisors involved. You can subscribe to the TGS Corporate Plan online and enroll additional employees for only $39.50 per month per employee, a 20% discount from retail. And, you’ll be able to manage the training through an online administrative platform and measure your results using the TGS metrics package. Don’t wait! Improve Employee Engagement...Improve Profitability…by starting your training now to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

October 2015

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October 2015

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