newsclips
APRIL 2017
2016 BNC Award Winners Announced The OCNA is proud to recognize the outstanding work produced each week by our member newspapers and showcase it to readers and advertisers. Thank you to everyone who submitted entries for the 2016 BNC Awards and congratulations to the winners in each category. You can view the interactive Results Book online at www.ocna.org/BNCBooklet2016.
General Excellence Awards GE01 - Class 1: Circ. 1, 999 & under 1st place: New Hamburg Independent 2nd place: Minden Times 3rd place: Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette GE02 - Class 2: Circ. 2, 000 - 3, 499 1st place: Haliburton County Echo 2nd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker 3rd place: Kincardine Independent GE03 - Class 3: Circ. 3, 500 - 6, 499 1st place: Nunavut News/North 2nd place: Eganville Leader 3rd place: The Independent Serving Petrolia and Central Lambton GE04 - Class 4: Circ. 6, 500 - 12, 499 Sponsored by: Metro Creative Graphics 1st place: Haliburton Highlander 2nd place: Niagara this Week, The Leader 3rd place: Bracebridge Examiner
This year’s Gala Emcee, Georgia Balogiannis (right) poses with fellow Metroland Media Toronto colleague Grace Peacock during the BNC Awards Gala Reception. See more fabulous shots of guests on the OCNA Red Carpet on page 19.
GE05 - Class 5: Circ. 12, 500 - 22, 499 1st place: Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror 2nd place: Orangeville Banner 3rd place: Waterdown Flamborough Review
GE07 - Class 7: Circ. 45, 000 & over 1st place: Brant News 2nd place: Hamilton Mountain News 3rd place: Kitchener Post
GE06 - Class 6: Circ. 22, 500 - 44, 999 Sponsored by: Northern News Services 1st place: Cambridge Times 2nd place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser 3rd place: Waterloo Chronicle
GE08 - Class 8: College & University 1st place: Algonquin College - Algonquin Times 2nd place: Durham College - The Chronicle 3rd place: Niagara College - Niagara News
WHAT’S INSIDE:
Continued on Page 6 >>>
FAVOURITE APPS FOR JOURNALISTS
DON’T RUSH THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Editors, designers, photographers and ad reps have favourites to help with their daily tasks.
There are no substitutes for good preparation before recruitment begins.
See Page 12
See Page 15
BNC AWARDS GALA PHOTO GALLERY Moments captured on the red carpet.
See Page 19
April 2017 MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE ONTARIO1 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION www.ocna.org
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Did you know? Did you know that you can’t drag a dead horse down Yonge Street in Toronto on a Sunday? But you can sell someone’s horse if they are behind in their rent!
NEWSCLIPS VOLUME 06, ISSUE 04 37 Front Street E, Ste 200 Toronto, ON M5E 1B3 P. 416-923-7724 w. www.ocna.org e. info@ocna.org
OCNA BOARD
The latter is part of the Ontario Innkeeper’s Act, and one of the many pieces of valuable and useful information available in our updated Media Guide.
PRESIDENT
Ray Stanton
FIRST VP
Rick Shaver
SECRETARY/ TREASURER
John Willems
PAST PRESIDENT
Dave Adsett
DIRECTORS
Craig Barnard Gordon Cameron Abbas Homayed Alicia McCutcheon Darren Murphy Margaret Zwart
The new 2017 OCNA Media Guide is available online at www.ocna.org/ media-guide.
IN THIS ISSUE... 04
...................CAMERON WINS BRIAN MAZZA SCHOLARSHIP
05
...................MEET YOUR 2017-2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
10
.......................COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS DRIVE RESULTS
12
...................................FAVOURITE APPS FOR JOURNALISTS
14
...................QUALIFYING YOUR ADVERTISING PROSPECTS
15
........................DON’T RUSH THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
16
...................................................25 RULES FOR GOOD DESIGN
OCNA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Caroline Medwell
CONTROLLER
Corey Blosser
MEMBER SERVICES
Kelly Gorven Karen Shardlow
ACCOUNTING
Lucia Shepherd
AD*REACH
Erica Leyzac Pam Portt Carolyn Press
18 ...................................................BNC GALA PHOTO GALLERY
April 2017
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
2017 Spring Convention Recap
OCNA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
By Caroline Medwell, Executive Director Some OCNA members had to battle through power outages and snowed in driveways to make it to a very wet and windy Toronto for the annual OCNA Spring Convention at the Marriott Airport Hotel on April 7th, but it was worth the effort. We hosted an interesting and informed array of speakers who covered a variety of topics, selected based on a member survey. Up first, a panel discussion on building strong, effective relationships with municipalities. A mix of politicians and communications experts were moderated by Dave Adsett, OCNA Past President and publisher of the Wellington Advertiser, and himself a former mayor. Their advice included being professional and prepared, developing trust with your contact(s), staying informed yourself, and providing fair and accurate coverage. Andrea Horwath, MPP and Leader of the Ontario New Democratic party joined us mid-morning to deliver a rousing speech on the failings of the Liberal government, especially in the areas of energy, rural communities and advertising spending. She derided the government’s use of Google and Facebook, sending ad dollars to the United States, and extolled the benefits and value of community newspapers. April Lindgren, Associate Professor at Ryerson University, shared her research into local ‘news poverty’, citing local news coverage as “essential to well-functioning communities”. We then shifted gears and heard Teena Poirier, former Director at the Globe & Mail, share her learnings from years of experience and success building multi-platform, content-based, integrated campaigns for clients. Teena spoke of the difference between editorial, sponsored editorial, custom content and advertorials – and how to create and monetize certain content without detracting from your brand’s integrity. After lunch, we welcomed our Industry Panel: a collection of experts on journalism, advertising, publishing and measurement, facilitated by Abbas Homayed, a former OCNA president and VP/ Publisher of Sudbury Northern Life. We were especially pleased to hear the advertising client and strategic planner talk about the strength and power of community newspapers as an effective advertising medium, delivering broad reach and a loyal, engaged audience. The day closed with our traditional ‘round table’, facilitated by Gordon Cameron, also a former OCNA president, and Group Managing Editor of Hamilton Community News. Participants engaged in a passionate discussion about National advertising revenue, exploring options to build revenue, win back the Automotive business and create a community newspaper digital offering. You will be hearing more about all that over the next few weeks, as OCNA completes its strategic plan for digital advertising, as well as a ‘briefing kit’ for each member to talk to their MPP about growing government advertising. Many thanks to the OCNA Board for their leadership and direction, to all the great speakers who shared their knowledge and ideas with us, to Karen Shardlow for organizing the event, and to Kelly Gorven and Lucia Shepherd who ensured everything ran smoothly. April 2017
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NEW OWNERS FOR DEEP RIVER NORTH RENFREW TIMES NEWSPAPER It’s the end of one era and the start of a new. Last month, embers of the Deep River Community Association (DRCA) agreed to sell the North Renfrew Times to a new private company formed by the newspaper’s three full-time staff - former business manager Kelly Lapping, editor-in-chief Terry Myers and associate editor Vance Gutzman. A motion to approve the sale was ratified by a near unanimous vote of DRCA member clubs and the board of directors at a special general meeting held on April 13 at the North Renfrew Long Term Care Centre. DRCA president Steve D’Eon presented the proposal as a “win, win, win.” The DRCA will continue to serve the community as the umbrella organization for roughly 50 clubs and community organizations; the community will continue to have the benefit of a local newspaper reporting on local politics and events; and the staff of the newspaper will have the opportunity to chart a new path for the paper’s future. Following the meeting, an agreement to complete the sale of the newspaper from the DRCA to Digest Media was finalized. The name of the new employee-owned company - Digest Media - reflects the roots of the newspaper as the ‘Deep River Digest’, a mimeographed newsletter produced for the early residents of the community beginning in the mid-1940s. The Deep River Digest and Advertiser, as it was then known, was renamed the ‘North Renfrew Times’ following a reader contest in 1956. Speaking on behalf of the new owners, Gutzman said the focus will be on continuing to serve the local communities of North Renfrew, including features of the newspaper like ‘club news’ and the NRT editorial board. “We’re excited,” he said. “We see exciting new growth opportunities for the NRT and we look forward to sharing them with our loyal readers, advertisers and the community in the weeks, months and years to come.”
Want to contribute to NewsClips? If you have news you would like to share about your paper, please information to newsclips@ocna.org. Photos are always welcome!
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
OCNA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT OCNA COMPETITORS WORK TOGETHER Michel Lavigne, Publisher of the Valley Gazette in Barry’s Bay, was almost a no-show at this year’s BNC awards gala in Toronto. But thanks to the kindness of his nearest competitor, Gerald Tracey, Publisher of the Eganville Leader, he made it to Toronto. Much of Renfrew County was hit with a late season snow storm on April 6-7, dumping between 10 and 16 inches of snow. Mike, who lives in the rural area south of Barry’s Bay, was not only snowed in, but the storm also brought down many trees over his long laneway, making it impossible to get a vehicle out to the main road. “We got about the same amount of snow,” Gerald commented. “But we don’t live in the country so we didn’t face the same challenges.” Although their trip to Toronto was delayed a few hours, they made it safely and enjoyed the event.
Gordon Cameron Wins 2017 Brian Mazza Scholarship Hamilton Community News group managing editor and OCNA Director, Gordon Cameron has been named the recipient of the 2017 Brian Mazza Scholarship from the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. The prize is awarded to one Canadian weekly newspaper editor each year in memory of Brian Mazza, editor of the Rocky Mountain House Mountaineer, who died in 2007. The award consists of a complementary registration to the organization’s annual conference, which this year will be held in the Washington D.C. area from June 28 to July 2. As part of the scholarship, Cameron has been asked to give some remarks on the topic of how Canadian weekly newspapers are adapting to the post-Trump, post-Brexit news environment.
REMEMBERING BRIAN MAZZA
August 26, 1961 - March 4, 2007
Reprinted from the Rocky Mountain House Mountaineer, March 6, 2007
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April 2017
Brian Mazza, editor of the Mountaineer, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in his home on Sunday, March 4. He was 45. The cause of death was coronary artery disease, which was never diagnosed. It’s a shock to family and friends, since he was healthconscious and led a very active lifestyle, loving to cycle, weight train and curl. Brian became editor of the Mountaineer in 1988 after four years as a staff reporter. His career with The Mountaineer, which is a family business, began in his childhood. Brian was born in Calgary, and at six his parents, Lawrence and Mildred Mazza, returned to Rocky to purchase the newspaper. Brian spent most of his after school hours at ‘the shop’ doing odd jobs in the printing plant. By junior high school, Brian was working in the darkroom developing film and photos for the newspaper. His interest in the business quickly expanded to include writing, and he decided to pursue a career in journalism. He attended The University of Calgary and graduated with a Political Science degree. He worked at The Gauntlet, the campus newspaper, during most of his studies. Before settling in Rocky, he did a brief apprenticeship at the Eastern Graphic in Montague, Prince Edward Island. In 1997, Brian took over the newspaper business from his parents, along with brother Glen as publisher and sister Gail working in production. 4
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
Meet Your 2017-2018 OCNA Board Of Directors Top from left to right: Abbas Homayed, Publisher, Sudbury Northern Life; John Willems, Secretary/Treasurer and Regional General Manager, Metroland Media Group Toronto; Rick Shaver, Vice-President and General Manager, TC Media Cornwall; Alicia McCutcheon, Editor, Manitoulin Expositor. Bottom from left to right: Caroline Medwell, OCNA Executive Director; Ray Stanton, President and President, London Publishing Media Corp.; Dave Adsett, Past President and Publisher, Fergus Wellington Advertiser; and Gordon Cameron, Managing Editor, Hamilton Community News. Not pictured: Craig Barnard, Senior Vice President, Community Publishing and RSS, Postmedia Network Inc.; Darren Murphy, Vice President, Advertising Sales Central & Eastern Canada, Postmedia Network Inc.; and Margaret Zwart, Owner, Orono Weekly Times.
Newspapers Canada Becomes News Media Canada
2017 Canadian Community Newspaper Award Winners Announced News Media Canada recently announced the winners of the 2017 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards. Each year, the association recognizes the best in community publishing from across the country, with a diverse array of categories covering editorial, photography and multimedia. This year’s competition saw 201 publications submit 2,266 works into 34 categories. Newspapers of similar circulation size compete against each other and are judged by a panel of industry experts. Visit www.nmc-mic.ca/programs/awards/ccnawards to view a full list of winners. A special congratulations to the following OCNA members for earning awards in various categories:
Over the last few months, Newspapers Canada has been hard at work developing News Media Canada as the association’s new brand. After careful design and plenty of input, they launched a new logo and website. Visit www.nmc-mic.ca to see the rebranded site. News Media Canada is the national association of the Canadian news media industry, with over 800 titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada was created in late 2016, as a product of the agreement by its members to merge the Canadian Newspaper Association (CNA) and the Canadian Community Newspaper Association (CCNA) into a single board of directors. Prior to this change, the organization was known as Newspapers Canada. By combining resources and collaborating on a variety of different projects News Media Canada provides relevant services to all member media organizations. These services are concentrated in three major areas: • • •
Public Affairs Marketing and Research Member Services
April 2017
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Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser
Aylmer Express
Burlington Post
Elmira-Woolwich Observer
Fort Frances Times
Haldimand Press, Haldimand County
Haliburton County Echo
Hamilton Mountain News
Huntsville Forester
Kincardine Independent
Manitoulin Expositor
Milton Canadian Champion
Napanee Beaver
New Hamburg Independent
New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
Niagara News, Niagara College
Nunavut News/North
Oshawa This Week
Peterborough This Week
Stoney Creek News
Thamesville Herald
Canadian Jewish News
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
First, Second And Third Place BNC Winners >>> Continued from Front Page
College/University Awards
PC05 - Education Writing Sponsored by: Ontario Journalism Educators Association 1st place: Oshawa Express 2nd place: Mississauga News 3rd place: Ottawa West News Honourable Mention: Burks Falls Almaguin News
CU01 - Student Feature Writing Sponsored by: Ontario General Contractors Association 1st place: University of Waterloo - Bryan McGowan 2nd place: Algonquin College - Sarah Ferguson 3rd place: University of Waterloo - Riamarie Panachikal
PC06 - Environment Ontario 1st place: Brant News 2nd place: Haliburton County Echo 3rd place: Nunavut News/North Honourable Mention: Eganville Leader
CU02 - Student News Writing Sponsored by: Ontario Journalism Educators Association 1st place: University of Waterloo - Riamarie Panachikal 2nd place: University of Waterloo - Matt Lawes 3rd place: University of Waterloo - Ramona Leitao Honourable Mentions: Loyalist College - Brendan Burke, Niagara College - Ryan Thorpe
PC07 - Feature Writing, circ. over 10, 000 Sponsored by: O’Donnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo 1st place: Oshawa Express 2nd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer 3rd place: Georgina Advocate
CU03 - Student Photography 1st place: Loyalist College - Raven McCoy 2nd place: Loyalist College - Zachary Prong 3rd place: Niagara College - Utsav Gupta
PC08 - Feature Writing, circ. under 9, 999 Sponsored by: O’Donnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo 1st place: Nunavut News/North 2nd place: Haliburton County Echo 3rd place: Huntsville Forester Honourable Mention: Eganville Leader
CU04 - Best College/University Newspaper Website 1st place: Loyalist College - www.qnetnews.ca 2nd place: Centennial College - www.torontoobserver.ca 3rd place: Niagara College - www.niagara-news.com
PC09 - Health & Wellness 1st place: Canadian Jewish News 2nd place: Haliburton County Echo 3rd place: Norfolk News Honourable Mention: Burlington Post
Premier Awards PC01 - Arts & Entertainment 1st place: Kitchener Post 2nd place: Brant News 3rd place: Ottawa South News
PC10 - Heritage Sponsored by: Fort Frances Times 1st place: Gravenhurst Banner 2nd place: Peterborough This Week 3rd place: Uxbridge Times-Journal Honourable Mentions: Whitby This Week, Ottawa South News, Nunavut News/North
PC02 - Best Business and Finance Story 1st place: Peterborough This Week 2nd place: Oshawa Express 3rd place: Cambridge Times Honourable Mention: Ottawa South News PC03 - Best Editorial, circ. over 10, 000 1st place: Norfolk News 2nd place: Cornwall Seaway News 3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer Honourable Mention: Sudbury Northern Life
PC11 - Best Investigative News Story 1st place: Brampton Guardian 2nd place: Orleans News 3rd place: Oshawa Express
PC04 - Best Editorial, circ. under 9, 999 1st place: Eganville Leader 2nd place: Haliburton County Echo 3rd place: Haliburton Highlander
April 2017
PC12 - Best News Story, circ. over 10, 000 Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc. 1st place: Brampton Guardian 2nd place: Ajax Pickering News Advertiser 3rd place: Oshawa Express 6
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
PC13 - Best News Story, circ. under 9, 999 Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc. 1st place: West Carleton Review 2nd place: Haliburton County Echo 3rd place: Bracebridge Examiner Honourable Mentions: Eganville Leader, Fort Frances Times, Parry Sound Beacon Star
PC21 - Columnist of the Year 1st place: Minden Times - Jim Poling Sr. 2nd place: Brant News - Sean Allen 3rd place: Sudbury Northern Life - Mark Gentili Honourable Mention: Canadian Jewish News - Mira Sucharov PC22 - Reporter of the Year - Stephen Shaw Award Sponsored by: Ontario Power Generation 1st place: Brant News - Mike Peeling 2nd place: Oshawa Express - Joel Wittnebel 3rd place: Wasaga/Stayner Sun - Ian Adams Honourable Mention: Peterborough This Week - Todd Vandonk
PC14 - Best Rural Story, circ. over 10, 000 Sponsored by: Ontario Federation of Agriculture 1st place: Peterborough This Week 2nd place: Caledon Enterprise 3rd place: Collingwood Connection
PC23 - Best Feature Photo, circ. over 10, 000 1st place: Waterdown Flamborough Review 2nd place: Niagara this Week, St. Catharines 3rd place: Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror Honourable Mention: Mississauga News
PC15 - Best Rural Story, circ. under 9, 999 Sponsored by: Ontario Federation of Agriculture 1st place: Ayr News 2nd place: Meaford Express 3rd place: Uxbridge Times-Journal Honourable Mention: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
PC24 - Best Feature Photo, circ. under 9, 999 1st place: Uxbridge Times-Journal 2nd place: Niagara This Week, Town Crier 3rd place: Thamesville Herald
PC16 - Best Feature/News Series, circ. over 10, 000 Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc. 1st place: Port Perry Star 2nd place: Oshawa This Week 3rd place: Newmarket Era/Aurora Banner Honourable Mentions: Wasaga/Stayner Sun, Scarborough Mirror
PC25 - Best Photo Layout 1st place: Newmarket Era/Aurora Banner 2nd place: Milton Canadian Champion 3rd place: Burlington Post Honourable Mentions: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker, Whitby This Week, Kincardine Independent
PC17 - Best Feature/News Series, circ. under 9, 999 Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc. 1st place: Parry Sound North Star 2nd place: Eganville Leader 3rd place: Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette Honourable Mentions: Minto Express, Parry Sound Beacon Star
PC26 - Best Sports Photo 1st place: Oshawa This Week 2nd place: Norfolk News 3rd place: Mississauga News
PC18 - Sport & Recreation Story 1st place: Waterloo Chronicle 2nd place: Ottawa South News 3rd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
PC27 - Best Spot News Photo 1st place: Peterborough This Week 2nd place: Vankleek Hill Review 3rd place: Listowel Banner Honourable Mention: Deep River North Renfrew Times
PC19 - Best Headline Writing 1st place: Waterdown Flamborough Review 2nd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker 3rd place: Hamilton Mountain News Honourable Mention: Stoney Creek News
PC28 - Best News Photo 1st place: Peterborough This Week 2nd place: Kincardine Independent 3rd place: Eganville Leader Honourable Mention: Brant News
PC20 - Humour Columnist of the Year 1st place: Niagara This Week, Fort Erie Post - James Culic 2nd place: Brockville Recorder and Times - Jonathon Brodie 3rd place: Glanbrook Gazette - Tamara Botting
April 2017
PC29 - Most Creative Grip and Grin Photo 1st place: Ajax Pickering News Advertiser 2nd place: Aylmer Express 3rd place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser 7
Continued on Page 9 >>>
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What’s the impact of refurbishing the Darlington Nuclear Station? It’s 30 more years of clean, reliable, low-cost power.
opg.com April 2017
@opg
@opgpics 8
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
BNC Results Continued... >>> Continued from Page 7
PC30 - Photographer of the Year 1st place: Ajax Pickering News Advertiser - Justin Greaves 2nd place: Oakville Beaver - Graham Paine 3rd place: Whitby This Week - Ryan Pfeiffer Honourable Mention: Peterborough This Week - Lance Anderson
PC38 - Special Section, circ. under 9, 999 1st place: Aylmer Express - Farm Edition 2016 2nd place: Eganville Leader - The Eganville Leaders 5th annual Irish Edition 3rd place: The Haldimand Press, Haldimand County - Farm Edition 2016
PC31 - Cartoonist of the Year 1st place: Ancaster News - Mike Vukovich 2nd place: Wellington Times - Tim Snyder 3rd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker Weekender - Vicki Muir
PC39 - Best Creative Ad 1st place: Toronto Bloor West Villager 2nd place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser 3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer Honourable Mention: Manotick Messenger
PC32 - Community Service 1st place: Brant News - Push for Change 2nd place: Hamilton Mountain News - The Warmth Project 3rd place: Huntsville Forester - Support for Muskoka Women’s Advocacy Group
PC40 - In House Promotion 1st place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser 2nd place: Deep River North Renfrew Times 3rd place: Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette Honourable Mention: Creemore Echo, Aylmer Express
PC33 - Best Vertical Product 1st place: Oakville Beaver - West of the City 2nd place: Toronto Bloor West Villager - Abode Magazine 3rd place: Bracebridge Examiner - Muskoka Life magazine Honourable Mentions: Cornwall Seaway News - Cornwall and Counties Visitor Guide, Renfrew Mercury - Explore Upper Ottawa Valley
PC41 - Local Retail Layout Sponsored by: Metro Creative Graphics 1st place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser 2nd place: Vaughan Citizen 3rd place: Alliston Herald PC42 - Original Ad Idea 1st place: Aylmer Express 2nd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer 3rd place: Fort Frances Times
PC34 - Best Front Page, circ. over 10, 000 Sponsored by: Laurentian Publishing 1st place: Orangeville Banner 2nd place: Oakville Beaver 3rd place: Ancaster News Honourable Mention: Kitchener Post
PC43 - Use of Process Colour 1st place: Oakville Beaver 2nd place: Haliburton County Echo 3rd place: Fort Frances Times Honourable Mention: Vaughan Citizen
PC35 - Best Front Page, circ. under 9, 999 Sponsored by: Laurentian Publishing 1st place: Eganville Leader 2nd place: Huntsville Forester 3rd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
PC44 - Best Community Website/WebPortal, circ. over 10, 000 1st place: Sudbury Northern Life - www.sudbury.com 2nd place: Canadian Jewish News - cjnews.com 3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer - www.ObserverXtra.com
PC36 - Best Sports Section Sponsored by: Metroland Media, Southwestern Ontario Division 1st place: Sudbury Northern Life 2nd place: Brant News 3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
PC45 - Best Community Website/WebPortal, circ. under 9, 999 1st place: Creemore Echo - Creemore.com 2nd place: Manitoulin Expositor - www.manitoulin.ca 3rd place: Huntsville Forester - Muskokaregion.com PC46 - ONLINE Special Project/Event/Breaking News Coverage 1st place: Nunavut News/North - NNSL Sports - 2016 Arctic Winter Games 2nd place: Belleville News - QSS shooter/bank robbery breaking news coverage 3rd place: Sudbury Northern Life - Breaking news: Manhunt and arrest of Wahnapitae shooter
PC37 - Special Section, circ. over 10, 000 1st place: Brampton Guardian - Our City Brampton 2nd place: Mississauga News - Reader’s Choice Awards 2016 3rd place: Oakville Beaver - Checking in
April 2017
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
Community Newspapers Engagement Remains Strong Research recently released from News Media Canada confirms that Canadians are engaged with community newspapers, in print and digital formats. Engagement is essential to effective advertising in order to encourage consumers to take action. News Media Canada has produced a fact sheet on community newspaper engagement with highlights from the recently released Community Newspapers Drive Results 2017 study. This follow up study surveyed more than 2,400 Canadians across the country in December 2016 with funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. Community Newspapers Drive Results 2017 measured engagement based on time spent reading community newspapers (print and digital) as well as reasons for reading, relevance as a source for local information as well as trust in advertising formats and response to advertising in newspapers. Other highlights from the study include: •
The printed community newspaper continues to hold the position of favourite source of local news and information in communities large and small across Canada. Not surprisingly, the predominant reason for reading community newspapers, in print and digital formats, continues to be local information, including news, editorial, sports, entertainment and events.
•
Community newspaper readers are multi platform readers. They are choosing a combination of print and digital platforms to access newspaper content. Print remains the primary medium for community newspaper readers, but more than four out of ten community newspaper readers access content across ALL platforms (print, computer, phone, tablet).
•
Seven out of ten community newspaper readers report that they read or look at the automotive ads that appear in their printed paper. Newspapers continue to be a key driver in the automotive path-to-purchase, even with today’s reliance on the internet.
For more information visit www. nmc-mic.ca/ad-resources/community-newspapers-drive-results or contact Kelly Levson, Director of Marketing and Research at klevson@newsmediacanada.ca.
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The Possibilities are endless: > Online Revenue - any retailer with a web site. Let the Networks drive traffic to their site for increased sales > Real Estate - any agent with vacation properties, commercial properties and luxury homes. Buyers from outside your newspaper distribution area need to know > Events - Fairs, Markets, Shows, Theatre, Concerts or Sports. Spread the word to draw more people > Help wanted - Trades and other positions that individuals would relocate or commute to
April 2017
Contact OCNA Network Classified Coordinator Lucia Shepherd for full details at l.shepherd@ocna.org or 416-923-7724 ext 4423.
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OLG SUPPORTS COMMUNITY FESTIVALS AND EVENTS ACROSS THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO INCLUDING THE BETTER NEWSPAPER COMPETITION AWARDS GALA RECEPTION. WE’RE ONTARIO’S LOTTERY & GAMING AND WE’RE ALL FOR HERE.
April 2017
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TECHNOLOGY
Favourite Apps For Journalists By Kevin Slimp
Slack (free)
In April, I was asked to speak on the topic, ‘New Tools for Newspapers’ at an industry-related conference in Des Moines, Iowa. Taking the easy way out, I quickly went online and asked newspaper professionals to share their favourite apps, programs and devices. I quickly learned editors, designers, photographers, ad reps and other folks at newspapers have definite favourites to help with their daily tasks. Let’s examine a few.
Nathan Simpson, Shelbyville, Kentucky, was the first to write to me about Slack, an app that allows teams to check of to-do lists while working together on a project. I did a little research and found examples of sales staffs, designer groups and marketing teams using Slack to keep track of their progress while all working on the same project.
Phonto (free)
Fast Scanner (free)
Phonto is a simple application that allows users to add text to pictures on their smartphones. Kim Shepherd, Dehi, New York, wrote that she used Phonto for weather updates online. She was even nice enough to send a couple of samples.
Kristi Nelson Bumpus, a metro reporter in Tennessee, was the first to comment about scanning software. She noted that her current favorite was Fast Scanner, a free app by Hang Nguyen.
One was a photo of a postal carrier trying to deliver mail in the snow, with the words ‘No Mail Today’ in bold red letters over the picture. Another reminded users a state of emergency was in effect for their county.
Fast Scanner allows the user to take a pic on their phone, then quickly convert the image to a high-res PDF which can be sent directly from the app via e-mail or messaging.
Percent Calculator - Percentage Calculator (free) Several ad reps wrote in about calculator apps. No one wants to pull out a pen and paper in front of a client to calculate percentages. Two apps, Percent Calculator and Percentage Calculator, were the most mentioned.
Snapseed (free) Snapseed may be the best photo editing application for the phone. Many of the tools available in Photoshop, Lightroom and other editing applications are available from within Snapseed. Shadows & highlights, dodge & burn, spot repair, tuning and more are available all while working from a phone or tablet.
Tout (free) Several users wrote to tell me about Tout, an application which allows users to record, upload and distribute video using smart phones and tablets. Michael Smith, Aiken, South Carolina, explained his daily newspaper used Tout to record and upload videos from the field, while an editor examined and approved the material using a desktop version of Tout. April 2017
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TECHNOLOGY
Adobe Sign
(free for Adobe CC subscribers) Adobe Sign is another scanning application with an important twist. Using their fingers, Adobe Sign allows users to sign documents on their phone screens. Documents can be scanned, converted to PDF and signed, all in one sequence. In addition, Adobe signature is legally binding, compliant with e-signature laws around the world.
Instapaper (free) Instapaper is a favourite of reporters and researchers who need to search and save information on the Internet. A simple click allows users to save web pages and stories to a phone, tablet or computer. Creating archives of web pages related to a topic is a breeze with Instapaper.
Camera+ ($2.99 - $4.99) Simply stated, Camera+ is the best app for taking pictures on an iPhone or iPad. For photographers who want total control over their photos and wish to attain the highest quality reproduction, Camera+ is a must-have app. I use Camera+ almost daily to shoot RAW images on my iPhone 7, which uses dual lenses to produce RAW images. Compared to the camera app that comes built-in with the iPhone, Camera+ produces results which are far superior. I received dozens of suggestions, which made preparing for my session in Des Moines a snap. If you have a favorite app, I’d love to know about it for future columns. Send me a note at kevin@kevinslimp.com.
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. April 2017
2017 Great Idea Awards Winners Announced News Media Canada recently announced the winners of the 2017 Great Idea Awards. Each year, News Media Canada recognizes the most creative and innovative examples of marketing and promotion from newspapers across the country. This year’s competition saw 14 publications win multiple awards from publications across the country. Congratulations to the following OCNA members: Fort Frances Times • 3rd for Newspapers Marketing and Promotion Class 5013 (Circulation Up to 9,999) for its Annual Times Staff Page •
1st for Best Promotional Campaign in Class 5023 (Circulation Up to 3,999) for Tour de Fort Partnership.
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1st for Best Advertising - Print Class 5033 (Circulation Up to 3,999) for its Focus on Farming piece.
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3rd for Best Young Reader Engagement Initiative Class 5082 (Circulation Open) for its Minor Hockey Edition
Parry Sound North Star • 3rd for Best Special Section Class 5043 (Circulation Up to 3,999) for Sanctuary 2016 •
1st and 3rd for Best Magazine Class 5053 (Circulation Up to 3,999) for Parry Sound Sideroads & Shorelines and Parry Sound Fun in the Sun
Visit www.nmc-mic.ca/programs/awards/great-idea-awards for the full list of winners. 13
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ADVERTISING
Qualifying Your Advertising Prospects By John Foust Raleigh, NC
You may have heard the old story about the door-to-door salesman who was selling vacuum cleaners way out in the country. When a lady came to the door, he dramatically emptied a bag of dirt onto the floor and boasted, “Ma’am, if this vacuum cleaner doesn’t get rid of every speck of this dirt, I’ll eat it.” She said, “Come on in. We don’t have electricity.” Although there’s almost no chance that this actually happened, it illustrates the importance of qualifying prospects. Ross, who manages the sales team at his paper, told me they place a lot of emphasis on qualifying the businesses they approach about advertising. “There’s no use to try to sell something to someone who is not is a position to buy,” he said. “So we do everything we can to look at our marketing products from the other person’s perspective.” Ross sticks to the philosophy that there are two times to qualify a prospect: (1) Before the conversation and (2) During the conversation. That’s much better than getting bad news after making a presentation. Here’s a closer look:
about their prospects to figure out what kind of marketing they need. Is this a business that traditionally advertises in print? Do their competitors have a strong online presence? Can their customers be categorized as general interest or business-tobusiness? Is their marketing based on brand identity or special offers? Do their competitors advertise in Ross’ paper? If so, does the sales person have access to ad response rates?
2. During the conversation.
“Through the years, I’ve heard stories about sales people who leave appointments feeling optimistic, but find out later that there was no way the person could buy an ad program,” Ross explained. “At my paper, we don’t want that to happen to our sales team. “No matter how much we learn in advance, there’s a lot more to discover,” he continued. “So when we have face-to-face meetings, we confirm what we’ve learned ahead of time and ask questions to fill in the blanks. We simply tell them that the more we know, the more we can help.”
1. Before the conversation. “When it comes to financial qualifying, a lot of information is available,” he said. “If the company has advertised with us before, we can easily search the files for previous budgets and invoices. And if we’ve done proposals for them in the past, we can get plenty of insights there.
Ross makes a lot of sense, doesn’t he? Without the right kind of information to qualify prospects, you might face a big, ugly pile of dirt without electricity.
“We’ve made efforts to learn the ad rates of our competitors, Of course, it’s difficult to learn about special deals and discounts, but at least we have a general idea of their starting points. If our target prospect is advertising in other media outlets, we can put together a pretty good profile of their expenses.”
(c) Copyright 2017 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: john@johnfoust.com
Beyond the budget, Ross encourages his team to learn enough
Affordable media insurance for Canadian Community Newspapers Service includes: Libel, Invasion of Privacy, Plagiarism, Piracy, Infringement of Copyright, Pre-Publication Hotline Contact us for a quote: 416-923-7724 ext. 4423
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HUMAN RESOURCES
Be Diligent & Don’t Rush The Recruitment Process A TwoGreySuits Article By Ron Guest, Senior Partner For some reason, I consistently see hiring managers who think interviewing and selection is a rush to the finish line. But why? Seems like they value having a position filled quickly more than they do in getting the best quality/fit candidate available. Simply stated – hiring too fast can be a costly mistake. Finding the right people takes time but the right people can have dramatic effects in quality of work, initiative, creativity, and work performance in general. Companies that end up doing great things have spent proper and considerable time in structuring the hiring process, they know instinctively and exactly what type of person fits the company culture. Where possible we should allow other employees to weigh in on candidates. The one underlying assumption is that employees also know what or how certain people behaviours fit in the culture and which don’t. You would think they should know, but not always the case. Many companies find that selecting and hiring of the right employee is a daunting task. This is probably the key driver of why companies have asked me over the years to help in a recruitment process, the real need to get it right, especially when they have failed before. Whenever I am called in to help with an employee performance issue, I do my research to try and understand why it is the way it is, and 8/10 times it can be tracked back to poor hiring processes. Inexperienced or lazy managers own most of the recruitment mistakes I see. Seasoned managers know very well how significant a difference it is when you have a high performing and fully engaged employee vs. not. Still, today there are managers out there who will just hire anyone who applies or, they may ask only a few questions before making an offer. These managers must see recruitment of good employees as 100% luck. Before accepting an application or advertising you should have a clear description of key responsibilities and duties or tasks for the prospective new hire. Know exactly what you need. What are the duties required? What is the desired experience level? What specific people or customer service skills or mentality are required? Discussing the answers to interview questions immediately after the fact is highly recommended when two people are interviewing.
work at. So, some selling is wise on behalf of the company, at some point in the process. I call it the EVP, Employee Value Proposition, which is a list all of the benefits and opportunities available at the company. Even small businesses have a lot to offer. Things like flexible schedules, larger scope of job responsibilities, mentorship opportunities, an entrepreneurial culture or individual development plans for each employee. Obviously, having a competitive compensation and benefits package is critical. It is not everything, but if you are trying to attract a top candidate, money often comes in to play. Including the EVP in the offer letter is a good business practice. Before interviewing candidates develop a full recruitment strategy. Know exactly what you are looking for, what experience and behaviour types will fit the culture, how the person will be measured, how they will be managed, develop job specific and behaviour specific questions. Ideally we want to have a free flowing discussion with candidates so we can see how they think and interact. Building rapport at the start of the interview is critical to be able to have this type of interview. By using open ended questions we can get the candidate to talk and become more relaxed. We want to try to understand how the candidate will behave as an employee. The best way to predict that is to find out how he or she handled situations in the past. Past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. Asking ‘behaviour based’ questions will help you predict how a candidate will potentially act as your employee. Always under any circumstances check references. I use a 12 page form found on TwoGreySuits’ website in the Recruitment module as one of four reference checking forms provided. Bottom-line here: There is too much at stake when recruiting, and there are no substitutes for good preparation before recruitment begins.
TwoGreySuits is a leading edge provider of on-line human resource management information, processes, tools and forms servicing the North American market. They have linked the HR practices associated with the key drivers of Employee Engagement in the form of an online training application for managers utilizing the vast amount of well-organized information on the website. The HR Power Centre and HR Hot Line is simple and free for OCNA members. Visit https://ocna.twogreysuits.com/sign-up/ to sign up today.
TwoGreySuits TIP OF THE DAY FOR RECRUITMENT: THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GOOD PREPARATION BEFORE YOU BEGIN RECRUITMENT Not being prepared is exactly where the mistakes end up happening, ie) not knowing what job skills are required or their rank order of importance, not knowing what behaviours are required in the job or how to interview for these behaviours. Once that you detail what you require, you should also list out why a candidate would want to work for your company. Hiring managers and even seasoned recruiters often forget that recruitment is a two way street, the candidate is also assessing if this is a place they would prefer to April 2017
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DESIGN
25 Rules For Good Design By Ed Henninger Henninger Consulting
I’m always confused and a bit disappointed when someone tells me “I just love breaking the rules” of design. More often than not, that person isn’t breaking any rules at all, because he/she doesn’t even know the rules. You can’t break the rules if you have no idea what the rules are. What are the rules? How many rules are there? Well, I’m not sure of the answers, but I do know some rules and I help my clients learn them and follow them. Here are 25 rules of news design I teach. I’m sure there are more… but these are among those I consider more important: 1.
Choose typefaces for their legibility - especially text.
2.
Treat display typefaces with respect. Keep scaling and tracking to a controlled minimum.
3.
Avoid typefaces that are overused. Times and Helvetica are two such.
4.
Avoid typefaces that are over-designed. Papyrus and University Roman are two such.
5.
Create a baseline grid and align all text to it, including captions, bylines, credit lines and jump lines.
20. Keep jumps to a minimum.
6.
Treat typography in lists differently from story text. Consider using sans serif type with a hanging indent.
21. Check and adjust justified type in a text wrap carefully if there’s excessive word spacing.
7.
Avoid the gratuitous use of colour.
22. Place page numbers to the outside corner of pages.
8.
Avoid colour screens over stories or around photos.
9.
Avoid magenta at all costs.
23. Plan for and use visuals (photos, charts, maps) throughout all your designs. Readers will not swim through a sea of gray.
Check type in a text wrap for excessive word spacing
regularly, such as photo frames.
24. Keep story length to no more than 12 to 15 inches. Reader survey after reader survey tells us readers will not finish a story that’s more than 12 to 15 inches. If a report must be longer, find ways to segment it.
10. Drop the use of boxes to frame packages. 11. Use rules to separate packages. 12. Do not clutter your nameplate with too much ancillary type and unnecessary verbiage.
25. In everything you design, place the reader first. Not the writer. Not the editor. Not yourself. The reader.
13. Learn to work in picas, rather than inches, when doing news design. 14. Learn and use the basics of headline hierarchy.
So…25 rules, none of them difficult to follow. Now you know them. So now you can break them. But you do so at your own risk.
15. Strive for consistency in the look of key design elements, such as section flags, standing heads and column sigs. 16. Allow three picas of space between packages on open pages (such as page 1, Opinion and an ad-free sports front). 17. Allow two picas of space between packages on pages with ads. 18. Create and use paragraph styles and character styles in your design software.
ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting, offering comprehensive newspaper design services at: www.henningerconsulting.com.
19. Create and use object styles for those elements you use April 2017
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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. ▄▄
Thursday, May 18 - Rural Journalism: Tracking Agriculture
If you’re in a rural area, there’s a good chance that agriculture is one of the most important topics you can deliver to readers. But where do you start? And how do you keep coming up with relevant ideas? Al Cross from the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues talks about strategies for community papers to attack agricultural issues. Meet the Presenter: Al Cross is director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based at the University of Kentucky. He publishes The Rural Blog, Kentucky Health News and the Midway Messenger. He was a reporter at The Courier-Journal in Louisville for 26 years, the last 15½ as the newspaper’s chief political writer. He was national president of the Society of Professional Journalists in 2001-02. His awards include SPJ’s top award, the Wells Memorial Key, and the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame. ▄▄
CLASSIFIED AD
Thursday, May 25 - What Would Sammy Do? Top Priorities For Sales Today
For 35 years Sammy Papert has sold, researched and consulted with newspapers. Initially, with the Papert Companies, selling tens of millions of dollars in advertising for 500 middle and small market newspapers; next, as CEO of Belden Associates conducting strategic sales surveys for newspapers and advertisers; and, currently via Wormhole, where he evaluates and promotes companies interested in selling their services to the industry. In this session Papert will cover the top sales priorities he has learned and refined through the years to grow audience, streamline processes and, most importantly, grow sales. Meet the Presenter: In 1981 Sammy Papert joined the family-owned Papert Companies, a newspaper marketing solutions firm. He pushed, cajoled, begged and pleaded both advertisers and publishers to grow with the organization to 450 middle and small market newspapers across the country and succeeded. In 1998 Papert became chairman and CEO of Belden Associates. Several years later he started Wormhole to connect businesses and audiences in unique and fast ways by leveraging new technology. ▄▄
Wednesday, June 7 - Building A Strong Service Directory To Increase Revenue
Every newspaper can grow consistent core revenue by having a strong Service Directory. The smaller the paper, the bigger the Directory should be! Sign on to this webinar to learn how to double and triple this important revenue base. Meet the Presenter: Janet DeGeorge spent 13 years at the Mercury News– much of it as a manager in the paper’s state-of-the-art classified advertising department. She then relocated to southern California as recruitment advertising manager before moving to Arizona where she was the classified advertising director of the Scottsdale and Mesa Tribune for seven years. DeGeorge is a former vice president of the Western Classified Advertising Association, a key speaker at regional and national advertising conferences and has produced numerous articles and webinars regarding classified advertising. DeGeorge has been the president of Classified Executive Training & Consulting since 2001. She specializes in classified sales training for sales reps and new managers, outbound sales training and the redesigns of print and online products and rate packages to uncover new revenue sources.
For more information and to register, visit: www.onlinemediacampus.com.
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PHOTO GALLERY
Quill Awards Presented During BNC Awards Gala Silver Quill Award David Zilstra
Publisher, Haliburton County Echo, Minden Times, Bancroft This Week David started his career as a sales representation for the Napanee Guide back in 1989. He served as general manager for a group of four papers, including the Haliburton County Echo, Minden Times, Bancroft This Week and Barry’s Bay This Week starting in 2005 before moving into the role of publisher. On top of his working role, David is also an active member of the Rotary Club in Haliburton for many years, serving as president in 2014. While living in Barrie he was on the Chamber of Commerce, also serving as president. He serves on the board of the Highlands Summer Festival, and can also be found on stage with local theatre groups in both Napanee and Haliburton.
Gold Quill Award
Rick McCutcheon
Publisher, Manitoulin Expositor Over 50 years ago, Rick McCutcheon stumbled upon an ad in the Globe and Mail seeking a reporter for the Gore Bay Recorder on Manitoulin Island. He applied for the position and received a call back with one simple question: “can you type?” Rick responded with a “yes” and quickly purchased a typewriter to learn. He was hired for the job and made the move from Toronto, beginning his life-long career as a dedicated newspaperman. He spent a year with the Gore Bay Recorder before taking on the role of editor for the Manitoulin Expositor. Not long after, in 1970, Rick purchased the paper. In 2000, he also purchased the Gore Bay Recorder, now named the Manitoulin West Recorder, coming full circle to where it all began. To this day he remains actively involved as publisher for the two papers. Since calling Manitoulin home, Rick has immersed himself in the community. He has been a long-time member of the Little Current BIA in roles of chair, secretary and treasurer; and served as a member of the board for the Manitoulin Tourism Association from the late 70s until 2013.
Diamond Quill Award Jim Schmidt
Retired - Former Publisher and Editor, Ayr News The OCNA presented the first ever Diamond Quill Award to Jim Schmidt for an incredible 75 years of service to the community newspaper industry. Jim is former publisher and editor of the Ayr News, an independent weekly newspaper purchased by his father and uncle back in 1913. As a young teen Jim became an apprentice and began learning the ins and outs of producing a quality paper. He became the sole owner, publisher and editor in 1968, bringing in other family members and new generations to help. Although now retired, Jim is still heavily involved in the production of the Ayr News, often being called upon for advice and knowledge of newspaper stories from the past. Jim also spent 50 years as a volunteer firefighter, demonstrating a desire to truly help others and make a difference within his community. One would think Jim’s plate was pretty full, but his contributions do not end there. Jim has been a tireless promoter of enhancements to community services including water and sewage systems, arenas, community centres and parks.
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PHOTO GALLERY
Moments Captured On The BNC Awards Gala Red Carpet
April 2017
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WWW.OCNA.ORG
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