newsclips
AUG/SEPT 2012
CORPORATE REORGANIZATIONS TAKE EFFECT IN ONTARIO
BY ANNE LANNAN OCNA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The newspaper industry has successfully dealt with some monumental changes that have impacted our business. The development of web presses and desktop publishing are two significant milestones that our industry has embraced and has helped us to thrive. The continual evolution of the Internet, though, has proven to be difficult for our industry, especially paid titles, to develop a revenue model that can sustain our core functions long term. All efforts are being made to be able to operate the news and advertising businesses, whether the distribution vehicle is print and/or electronic. As we continue to build on new opportunities to do just this, some of our corporate members have recently announced reorganizations. Sun Media has appointed Eric Morrison as Senior Vice-President of Editorial with a mandate to lead the reorganization of Sun Media's news operations on all platforms. Morrison, the former President of The Canadian Press and an award-winning journalist and broadcast executive for CTV, will head a national editorial management structure that will integrate the resources of Sun Media’s English-language newspapers, websites and broadcast channels. "Creating an effective news organization that will build on the strengths of the Sun Media network is an exciting mission. All the Sun newspapers, the community papers, local websites and the Canoe national portal are distinctive in that they have always maintained strong links to real people and their real concerns in the communities they serve,” said Morrison. Sun Media's advertising and industrial operations will also be reorganized to focus on customers and on local and national business opportunities. This will allow both areas to create maximum value across all properties for customers and advertisers. The reorganizations have eliminated the roles of the two Executive Vice President positions, held by Julia Kamula in Central region and Gordon Norrie in the Western region. >>> Continued on Page 11
WHAT’S INSIDE:
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER WEEK CAMPAIGN This year, the theme for National Newspaper Week is ‘NEWSPAPERS - The Cornerstone of Your Community’ and will take place from October 7-13. Several op-eds, an editorial cartoon, a crossword puzzle and the artwork above is available on the NNA website at http://www.nationalnewspaperweek.com/nnw/. Help promote the strength of the newspaper industry and download the promotional kit.
FIVE TACTICAL TIPS FOR SMALL ADVERTISERS
TAKING THE PULSE OF YOUR READERS
FACEBOOK MISTAKES - THE CAREER KILLERS
Advertising that invites readership invites sales
Increase reader interest by doing a poll
Facebook can help you get hire - or fired
See Page 17
See Page 18
See Page 20
MONTHLY August/September 2012 PUBLICATION OF THE ONTARIO1 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION www.ocna.org
INDUSTRY NEWS
GREAT NEWS
BY ANNE LANNAN OCNA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Great news to share with our members. Canadian Heritage’s Collective Initiative Fund has committed to participating in OCNA’s Digital Media Accelerator Project for Community Newspapers. The project has three phases: 1. Industry Study 2. Web Solution, and 3. Training
Industry Study
Community newspapers play a vital role in meeting the information needs of more than 19 million Canadians who read them. They are part of a thriving and resilient industry that generates nearly $1.2 billion a year. This project addresses the two systemic challenges facing today’s community newspaper publisher:
NEWSCLIPS VOLUME 02, ISSUE 02 3228 South Service Rd. Suite 116 Burlington, ON L7N 3H8 p.905.639.8720 f.905-639.6962 e. info@ocna.org w. www.ocna.org OCNA BOARD PRESIDENT
Mike Mount
FIRST VP
Maureen Keeler
SECOND VP
Gordon Cameron
SECRETARY/ TRESURER
Dave Harvey
PAST PRESIDENT
Don MacLeod
DIRECTORS
Dave Adsett Andrea DeMeer Abbas Homayed Rick Shaver Ray Stanton John Willems
1. The steady decrease in readership of print news in favour of online, particularly among Gen X and Gen Y readers; and 2. The migration of classified and display advertisement spending from print, primarily to web and mobile competition. The backdrop to the project is the last annual survey of community newspaper revenues that showed the median online revenue as zero for the majority of independent titles. Of the overall revenue earned by community newspapers in Ontario, only 2.6% is derived from digital, with almost all of that revenue earned by the larger corporate newspapers. OCNA has commissioned Borrell Associates, a leading firm in local media research in North America, to conduct the Industry Study, which is expected to be complete in November.
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IN THIS ISSUE... 05 ..................NOTIFICATION OF PUBLISHING CONTACT INFO
OCNA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Anne Lannan
CONTROLLER
Todd Frees
MEMBER SERVICES
Karen Shardlow Kelly Gorven
NETWORK CLASSIFIEDS
Carol Lebert
ACCOUNTING
Lucia Shepherd
08 .........JUNIOR CITIZEN AWARDS OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS 14 .............................................OCNA’S SUPPLIER SHOWCASE 17 ................FIVE TACTICAL TIPS FOR SMALL ADVERTISERS 18 ...................................TAKING THE PULSE OF YOUR READERS 19 .....................................WHEN BUSINESS IS TOUGH TO GET 20 .................FACEBOOK MISTAKES - THE CAREER KILLERS 22 .....FROM BETTER TO BEST IN BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS 24 ............ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE 6 - KEVIN’S FAVOURITES
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We’ve Moved! Our new address is: 3228 South Service Rd. Suite 116 Burlington, ON L7N 3H8 Please update your records accordingly.
www.ocna.org
ASSOCIATION NEWS
BETTER NEWSPAPER COMPETITION OCNA is currently preparing for one of its most popular member program s- the Better Newspaper Competition. In 2011, over 1800 entries were received for the 48 Premier and 8 General Excellence categories. Entries were judged by newspaper professionals from across Canada. The 2012 BNC Awards begin on October 1 with the call for entries. Entries must be received no later than October 31. Entries can be from any member newspaper published between October 1, 2011 and September 30, 2012. OCNA will again be using the online entry system for most entries. General Excellence, Special Section and Vertical Product tearsheet entries will continue to be sent to the OCNA office for judging. The top three winners of each category will be announced on our website in alphabetical order on February 14. Final results will be announced at the Awards Gala in March. More info to follow. Watch the OCNA website and your inbox for all 2012 entry rules and criteria. Important BNC dates to remember: ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄
Call for Entries Period: October 1 to October 31, 2012 Date of Entries: October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012 Results announced: February 14, 2013
CREDIT CARD PAYMENT SCAMS A member newspaper recently shared a conflict with us regarding credit card payments. They received an e-mail from a new advertiser wishing to place a ‘help wanted’ ad for one month, to be paid by visa. A credit card number was provided for payment. The card holder later disputed the charge and said it wasn’t theirs. Even though the newspaper had a string of e-mails giving authorization to charge the card, the customer received the credit because the newspaper did not have a signature. In this case, the card could have been used without permission despite the string of e-mails. Even though some newspapers have the credit card company authorization to accept cards without signatures from large companies or ordinary persons by phone, fax or e-mail, newspapers can still be left on the wrong side of the dispute.
August/September 2012
MEMBER NEWS STAFF CHANGES FOR GUIDE-ADVOCATE Jackie Rombouts has taken over for Stephanie Catrysse as editor/photographer/ reporter for the Watford Guide-Advocate, while she in on maternity leave.
NEW ONLINE SALES MANAGER FOR KAWARTHA DIVISION Bryce McGregor was recently appointed to the position of Online Sales Manager for Metroland Media’s Kawartha Division. Bryce will be directing digital sales efforts with existing Account Executives and Corporate Team to generate new revenue streams and increase current revenue. Bryce has experience in digital marketing, user experience, e-mail marketing and advertising.
NEW PUBLISHER/SALES MANAGER FOR GODERICH SIGNAL STAR John Bauman has been appointed to the position of Publisher/Sales Manager for the Goderich Signal-Star. He began his career 10 years ago as a sales representative for the Clinton News Record, where he became Advertising Manager in 2004.
METROLAND-NORTH PUBLISHER RETIRES Joe Anderson, vice-president and publisher of Metroland North, has announced that he will be retiring after almost 40 years with the company.
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
TIP OF THE (EDITOR’S) CAP
BY AMANDA SMITH-MILLAR WINCHESTER PRESS STAFF
Well, this is it – my goodbye column as Winchester Press editor. As many of our readers may be aware by now, my ‘official last day’ was Fri., July 27. Exciting opportunities are on the horizon. I’m heading back to school; first to study dance and choreography in California; then, following my return to Canada, to pursue economics at the post-secondary level. I don’t fly away to Hollywood until late August, however. Please wave if you see me running along the roadside, preparing for what should be a grueling but rewarding three weeks of instruction at the Millennium Dance Complex and Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio. While the sports section of the Press will remain unchanged, readers will see new bylines in our news pages. Reporter Matthew Uhrig is becoming the editor; we have a new reporter on staff, Sandy Casselman, who comes to the Press from the Morrisburg Leader. I know the community will be kind and supportive of this new team, just as it was when I took over as editor three years ago.
ATIKOKAN PROGRESS EDITOR RECEIVES QUEEN ELIZABETH DIAMOND JUBILEE MEDAL MP Rafferty called Michael McKinnon “a passionate voice in the life of Atikokan, particularly in recent years when the town has lost its wood mills”, adding that “Mike is the type of individual who can always be called upon when work needs to be done.” Editor of the Atikokan Progress for the past 25 years (and co-publisher with Eve Shine since 1994), McKinnon recently received a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal. McKinnon is involved in youth sports and a variety of community organizations (new arena committee, Chamber of Commerce), and has been involved in many others over the years.
QUEEN’S PARK PUBLISHERS’ RECEPTION Wednesday October 17th Publishers and General Managers are invited to come out to meet with MPPs, senior civil servants and publishers at Queen’s Park to discuss issues concerning our industry and to show the provincial government how important newspapers are to the people of Ontario. OCNA will be arranging meetings with MPPs to discuss current issues throughout the day. We are requesting that our publishers participate in these afternoon meetings. Please e-mail Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocna.org with your contact information and your local MPP.
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LAW
NOTIFICATION OF PUBLISHING CONTACT INFO – DEFAMATION LAW REQUIREMENT BY STUART ROBERTSON O’DONNELL, ROBERTSON & SANFILIPPO
The defamation statues in all provinces and territories of Canada grant special rights to newspapers when sued for libel. In most jurisdictions, newspapers have some or all of the following – (i) short periods in which they can be sued; (ii) the benefit of getting notice of the plaintiff’s intent to sue so they can do something about it before a suit starts; (iii) specific defences for reporting on public events; (iv) the crucial right to eradicate claims for most types of damages if they publish a retraction; and (v) the right to have damages against them mitigated by any other award of damages or compensation paid to other defendants for the same libel.
and/or statement of claim).
Where do you place the notice?
Newspapers in the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan must place the Notice either (i) on the front page of the newspaper, or (ii) above the lead editorial on the editorial page. (Comment – the positioning may seem out-of-date or inconsistent with the newspaper’s layout and design – but it is a legal requirement nonetheless). Newspapers in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and in the Yukon and Northwest Territories must place the Notice ‘in a conspicuous place’. The newspapers in these jurisdictions can interpret this requirement as they see fit. However, ‘conspicuous’ means the Notice must be easily found and must not be hidden.
These special rights have been granted by the legislatures for two basic reasons – first, newspapers are a vital artery through which the lifeblood of our democratic society flows – freedom of expression; and second, newspapers must be encouraged to correct their errors so that the public is not misinformed on matters of public interest.
Notice requirement.
Newspapers in Quebec must simply place the Notice ‘some place’ in the newspaper.
In order to qualify for and benefit from these protections, however, the newspaper must publish the name of the proprietor, the publisher and the address of publication in the newspaper. In the case of Manitoba and Quebec, the newspaper must also publish the identity and location of the printer of the newspaper. We will call this requirement ‘the Notice’. It must be published in every edition of the newspaper.
What about your Web site?
The statutes have not yet addressed the issues arising from the advent of the Internet. However, the courts have had to deal with defamation cases in relation to articles published on the Internet and they have ruled that the web versions of your newspapers are as much newspapers as the print version for the purpose of the statutory entitlements. And so, for your greatest protection, it is advised that you put the Notice on the home page of your Web site, or on the ‘Contact Us’ page and make certain it stays there.
Who is the ‘proprietor’?
The ‘proprietor’ of the newspaper is the person or company that actually owns the newspaper operation – employs the editorial staff and provides the physical facility where the editorial staff gathers the information and puts the newspaper together. The name of the company may be different from the name of the newspaper – the proprietor of The Herald might be 128674 Ontario Limited. And so in this example, the Notice should identify ‘128674 Ontario Limited’ as the proprietor.
If your newspaper does not publish the Notice as set out above and it is sued for defamation, you will not be entitled to rely upon the basic newspaper defences – and most importantly you will not be able to benefit fully from publishing a retraction or from mitigating your damages when someone else settles with the plaintiff for the same libel. If you put the Notice in the newspaper or on your Web site – but in a place other than as set out above – you might be able to convince a court that the positioning of the Notice is sufficient in the circumstances to allow you to benefit from the newspaper entitlements under the statute. However, the cost is arguing and winning that point can be devastatingly high.
What is the address?
The address is the municipal address of the place where the editorial staff puts the newspaper together. It is NOT the mailing address. (Comment – the underlying reason for the requirement for the address is to allow a person complaining of an article to attend at the newspaper and serve a notice August/September 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
INDUSTRY AD CAMPAIGN Dear OCNA members: The Ontario Community Newspapers Association is pleased to provide its members with an industry advertising campaign – fully adaptable to include newspaper flags. The campaign includes a series of seven ads and an editorial and has been designed to remind readers and advertisers that Community Newspapers are the original Local Social Network. With the tagline ‘Did you see in the paper…’, the series reflects that articles and ads get people connecting with one another and calls them to action, and this is what builds community.
What to do: 1. Go to www.ocna.org and log into the Member’s site (user: member,
password: ocmb2010) Under the left hand navigation bar under ‘member’, go to the OCNA Programs & Services folder. Here you will find the folder ‘2011 Social Media Ads’ which contains a subfolder for each of the ads and contains the necessary fonts and graphics.
2. Download the files. Ads have been created in CS2 – InDesign. If you do not have InDesign at your newspaper, please contact OCNA Member Services Coordinator Kelly Gorven at k.gorven@ocna.org and send her your newspaper flag. She can then send you PDFs of the ads customized for you. 3. The seven ads reflect – news, entertainment, advertising, sports, seniors, community events. Respecting copyright, trademarks, and libelous material, you may change the text and images to better reflect something in your own community, without having them look like an ad for a specific local advertiser or event. 4. Translation – member newspapers publishing in other languages may translate the ads. 5. The bubble ‘Did you see in the paper…’ can be used as an online icon on your web site if you would like to have it link
directly to your ad material or editorial.
A special note of appreciation to the Marketing Task Force for their input in this campaign.
THE MOST FREAKIN’ AMAZING BURGER CONTEST The Scugog Standard recently ran their very first burger contest. ‘The Most Freakin’ Amazing Burger Contest’ gave North Durham’s would-be top chefs the opportunity to show off their culinary talents. There were three categories: Adult (13 and up), Kids (12 and under) and Pro (open to any North Durham eatery). Prizes included barbecues, passes to the Port Perry and Lindsay Fair, CNE passes and more. All entrants received a plaque just for participating.
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GET YOUR PRESS IDENTIFICATION CARDS OCNA can provide you with laminated, business card-sized Press Cards. Cost is $10 each for the first three, and $5 for each one thereafter.
Contact Kelly Gorven at k.gorven@ocna.org or call 906-639-8720 x239 for a Publisher’s Authorization Form and instructions on how to send photos.
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2012 ONTARIO JUNIOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS Across Ontario young individuals are taking control and working hard to make a difference within their communities and around the world. The youth of today are our leaders of tomorrow. There’s one in every crowd and they deserve to be recognized for the contributions. Have a look within your community and see who stands out among the rest. The Ontario Community Newspapers Association is currently accepting nominations for the 2012 Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Awards. Help us by nominating a special individual who invests their spare time into community service, has the courage and drive to overcome the challenges of living with a disability and still dedicates time to help someone else. Most of all these individuals go above and beyong what is expected of someone their age. They take initiative to look past their own needs and inspire those around them to give rather than take.
Contact this newspaper or the Ontario Community Newspapers Association at www.ocna.org or 905.639.8720 ext. 239
Nominate someone between the ages of six and 17 today (note: must be at least six and no older than 17 by November 30, 2012). Nominations will be accepted until Friday, November 30, 2012. All nominees will receive a certificate of recognition and twelve nominees will be selected as final recipients and will be recognized at a special ceremony in the Spring of 2013. Nomination forms and further information is available at www.ocna.org/juniorcitizen or by calling the OCNA office at 905-639-8720 ext. 239.
We want to hear from you! Please share your news and/or opinions with us: newsclips@ocna.org August/September 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
ADVERTISING ALERTS: NHL ADVERTISING Source: The National Hockey League http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26389 Last updated: January 10, 2012 NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL member club logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted on the Web sites, the Services and the Content are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL member clubs or are licensed to the NHL Parties and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the NHL Enterprises. The content, including, without limitation, news articles, press releases, statistics, players’ biographies, photographs, images, and illustrations, audio and video clips is the property of, or is licensed by, NHL ICE or one or more of the other NHL Entities. Content contained in sponsor advertisements is protected by copyrights, trademarks, service marks, patents or other proprietary rights and laws.
Make Money with Network Classifieds OCNA’s Network Classified Advertising is an easy way for you to earn additional revenue. Upsell your retail and classified advertisers and earn a 35% commission. An All Ontario 25-word ad is $475. You earn $166.25 each time you upsell your client into the program. You already know that advertisers in community newspapers get results. Help your advertisers extend their reach into a region of the province, across Ontario, or right across the country. They Win – You Win. 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, Sports. Spread the word to draw more people »Help Wanted – Trades and other positions that individuals would relocate or commute to should be advertised here
Contact OCNA Network Classified Coordinator Lucia Shepherd for full details at l.shepherd@ocna.org or 1-800-387-7982 ext 223. August/September 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
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OCNA’S DIGITAL MEDIA ACCELERATOR PROJECT ▄▄
The Canadian newspaper industry already has relationships with the company, which manages revenue and benchmarking surveys, has long-standing confidentiality agreements with most publishers, and through its newspaper database and benchmarking capabilities is uniquely placed to undertake this work. The study will be designed to give substantive answers to two questions:
When should a site be selling ads based on flat-rate, CPM, or Click-through? ▄▄
How is mobile advertising being sold to local advertisers, and what forms is it taking? ▄▄
What forms of advertising are working for advertisers in terms of generating the highest ROI? ▄▄
Ad revenues for news apps and sites by type of ad (e.g. display, wallpaper, pop-ups, SMS text, etc).
▄▄
what should community newspapers be doing in the digital realm? and ▄▄
it?
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What are newspaper sites doing to retain business for the “Big 3” print classified ad categories (auto, real estate, recruitment).
how do they generate advertising revenues from doing
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Analysis of the emerging partnership models with local businesses (daily deals, local merchant auctions, etc).
Advertising is the principal source of revenue for the newspaper industry. It accounts for $2.1 billion of revenue for dailies [source: Media Digest] and in 2010 was just shy of $444 million for community papers. The major portion of this study will therefore address ad revenue generation in the digital realm, looking at both the organizational and format aspects of community newspaper publishing as well as the financial targets that publishers need to achieve. The study will therefore be:
▄▄
What forms of mobile advertising are working, and how is effectiveness assessed? Deliverables will include survey results, data, benchmarking, analysis, best practices and case studies.
Content and Delivery
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identification and analysis of the trends in advertising, looking both at where advertisers are putting their money and how much they are spending on different media;
The second section of the study will look at how companies are successfully transitioning from paper to digital. It is therefore more qualitative in nature, and examines not so much the revenues and revenue trends as questions that might include “What are the must-have components of a news site to drive traffic?” and “How are news sites using social media and other tools (RRS feeds, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) to deliver content/generate revenue?” The researchers will contrast news sites with the print product to determine (for example) what community newspapers are doing on the web that is not being done in print, such as breaking news, video, etc. It will utilize a range of techniques, but will be essentially research-based, drawing on available data, a review of relevant media properties, and interviews.
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a snapshot of the success stories in the industry that illustrates what successful companies are doing on the web, and their digital strategies; ▄▄
a road map for the future development of viable online publishing and advertising strategies, with revenue analysis and benchmarking, and using historical trends to extrapolate future projections.
Advertising
This section of the study will look at local and national advertising trends for online advertising, as they relate to community newspaper sites and mobile applications. It will answer questions such as:
Independent publishers
A subset of the study will target the smaller independent publishers. Independent publishers have 25% of the total circulation of all OCNA members, but own about 40% of the titles. Very few of them have the resources to invest adequately in digital products. It is therefore essential to find a way to assist this group of publishers to develop viable online operations. These, then, are some of the key issues that the project team will address:
▄▄
What are the historical changes in advertising dollars spent, by ad type, for recent years? ▄▄
To what media and formats are advertising dollars being directed? ▄▄
What are the CPM rates for display advertising for news sites in markets of varying size? August/September 2012
▄▄ ▄▄
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the best platforms used for community news websites; the most cost effective ad serving and content www.ocna.org
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Web Solution
management systems for smaller community newspaper publishers; ▄▄ ▄▄
This segment of the project is especially exciting for independentlyowned publishers who have struggled with the investment – in time, expertise and financial – to develop a fully-functional web solution for their markets.
metrics demanded by advertisers;
ad tracking solutions that are available to meet the need of their advertisers; ▄▄ ▄▄
Using information provided by the market study and member feedback to assist in identifying necessary capabilities to give member's community new websites the highest probability of success, we will commission the development of a web site template for newspapers. The web solution will enable small publishers to catapult themselves into the digital realm. It will include a robust content management system, an ad serving system, and be optimized for digital tablet and smart phone devices, to name a few. Members using this customizable solution will be able to add or exclude components, as the amount of content generation varies greatly among newspapers of different sizes. Training and support will be provided.
the hard costs of operating a website;
the benefits/costs of hosting a website vs. a hosted solution; ▄▄
what small(er) market newspapers are doing to successfully sell mobile advertising in their local market; ▄▄
the revenue expectations and projections.
The need to engage young readers through digital media is addressed by educating publishers, through market study results, how digital community content is effectively being delivered to readers, and what forms and content are being used to engage young adults. As well, small publishers will be able to advance dramatically the digital delivery of their content with a relatively low investment by being provided an all-in-one customizable website template that includes content management, archiving, optimization for mobile devices and integration with social media.
The timing will be relatively fast as we expect to have the solution available to publishers in the first quarter of 2013. We are always eager to receive feedback from members, so please feel free to contact me anytime at 905-639-8720 ext 228 or a.lannan@ocna.org.
This project is funded by the Canadian Heritage Collective Initiative Fund.
Ce projet est financè dans le Patrimoine Canadien Initiative Collective Fonds.
>>> Continued from front page
CORPORATE MEMBERS MAKE CHANGES Postmedia Network has also made changes throughout the summer. It is now offering its newspapers common national and international pages developed and designed by its editorial team, based in Hamilton and led by Lou Clancy. Individual papers will concentrate on local news. Its dailies the Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen and Edmonton Journal have discontinued their Sunday editions, and some printing has been outsourced. These are among changes made to streamline operations across the country.
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August/September 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
CLASSIFIEDS MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST Niagara Community Newspapers
(Niagara Region - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Fort Erie area) As a journalist at Niagara Community Newspapers you will be responsible for sourcing, and gathering a variety of news content for the weekly newspaper and Web site. News content will include council coverage, hard news as it happens, sports, entertainment, feature and human interest. The news content will appeal to a broad cross section of the community, from youth to seniors. News content will consist of print, video and audio material. You will be expected to lay out the paper using InDesign, and to update the Web site every day. You will work evenings and weekends as required.
Qualifications: ▄▄
The applicant must have strong writing, video and photography skills and be able to cover a broad spectrum of community events. He or she will have a full working knowledge of CP Style and Mac computers, with experience in InDesign and Photoshop. ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄
Must have a vehicle Photographic equipment is provided Multimedia skills including shooting and editing video, blogging, and Web site content management are a bonus.
Salary is commensurate with experience. E-mail resumes to: tom.wilkinson@sun media.ca (with ‘resume’ in the subject line.)
MEDIA AD SALES MANAGERS
MEDIACOM Inc. Digital Publishing Sales & Support Programs MEDIACOM is looking for entrepreneurs to manage online ad sales from home part time or full time. The position provides full management of line ads, display, banners, biz directory listings and more. This is a profit sharing operation where the manager receives the majority share for their efforts. This is an excellent and unique opportunity considering the transition to digital products and services. Online news, directory and newsletter style territories allow you to keep your existing position and find a territory that does not compete with your current business. Please send your letter of experience and expectation to: digits@mediacom.co. All correspondence will be held in the strictest of confidence.
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SUPPLIER SHOWCASE
OCNA’S SUPPLIER SHOWCASE SALESBUILDER PROVIDES POWERFUL INFORMATION FOR MEDIA AD SALES DEPARTMENTS OCNA Members Receive 50% OFF SalesBuilder ▄▄ ▄▄
Newsletter
SalesBuilder is the Most Powerful Weekly eNews for Publishers See current running ads from major newspapers across Canada ▄▄
▄▄ ▄▄
See Co-op Lead of the Week
See Co-op expiring brands for the month
See the Hottest News for Brands, Advertisers etc. ▄▄
▄▄ ▄▄
See Ad Ideas
Online Databases
Over 18,000 listed Canadian Advertisers
Over 50,000 listed US Advertisers, that advertise in Canada or do not have representation in Canada ▄▄
8 Online Databases for potential advertisers.
OCNA acts as a gateway to over 300 community newspapers in all areas of the province. Promote your information to our members here. Send your updates to newsclips@ocna.org.
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
DIGITALLY-FOCUSED NEWS COMPANY, PA MEDIA GROUP, ANNOUNCED
TRAINING MEMBER NEWS
KEY SUPPORT SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY ADVANCE CENTRAL SERVICES PENNSYLVANIA
OCNA’S FALL WEBINAR SCHEDULE: October 10th – Seven Habits for Effective FOI Filers – Dean Beeby, The Canadian Press
John Kirkpatrick, Publisher and President of The Patriot-News, recently announced a bold and dramatic change in strategy to meet the quickly evolving needs of the newspaper’s readers, advertisers and community. The changes, which will take effect in the new year, include the formation of a new digitally-focused news and information company, PA Media Group, which will publish and operate The Patriot-News, PennLive, Central PA Magazine and their growing suite of print and digital products. The new strategy also includes changes to The Patriot-News print schedule. Kirkpatrick will become President of the PA Media Group.
Dean Beeby teaches you how to develop regular, systematic filings of FOI requests to hold governments and officials to account -- and to produce exclusive, investigative stories. Included is advice on framing effective FOI requests, with special reference to Ontario's legislation. To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/ register/377337185
October 24th – Data Journalism and Visualization – Cheryl Vallender, Sheridan College
Another company, Advance Central Services Pennsylvania, is also being created to provide key support functions to the Media Group. D. Lee Carlson, currently General Manager of The Patriot-News, will serve as Vice President and General Manager of the company.
Cheryl teaches you about data journalism and how you can analyze and filter large data sets for the purpose of creating a new story. You will learn the where and what about open source data, and what to do with it. Then, find out about data visualization and infographics.
In January, The Patriot-News will go from a seven-day print cycle to the three days of the week readers and advertisers value the most. The days have not been decided. The move comes in response to the changing media landscape."
To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/ register/653245433
November 14th – Selling Online Advertising – John Young, JCY Associates
Over the past few years we have evolved the newspaper into bringing context to important stories and community issues while looking forward to what will happen next," Kirkpatrick said. "The print and digital mediums complement each other to meet the needs of our growing digital audience, our loyal print readers and our advertising clients."
John Young, JCY Associates, will address the ever-growing need to offer and sell ads online. Get your customers to augment their ROP advertising with an online presence. Learn the advantages and benefits as well as the language of web-based advertising.
“We are not taking this move lightly,” said Kirkpatrick. “We understand how important the daily paper is to a large number of people in our region. However, this is a major step to make sure we are leading, not trailing, in the world of innovation and solutions.”
To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/ register/295250960
November 21st - Word Usage Woes and Myths - Frances Peck, West Coast Editorial Associates
The Patriot-News plans to announce further details and how these changes will affect employees, readers and advertisers over the coming weeks and months. “While the organization is shifting how it delivers news and information, what won’t change is our deep-rooted commitment to central Pennsylvania, our home since 1854,” said Kirkpatrick. “We are excited about our future and confident the PA Media Group will allow us to remain the most comprehensive, in-depth source of news and information for our readers delivered where they want it – online, on their phone or tablet, and in print.” August/September 2012
For anyone intent on preventing (not avoiding) word errors and avoiding (not preventing) usage myths, this webinar will help. We’ll look at common errors in Canadian publications and count down the top five usage myths. To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/ register/750474793
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ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING ALERTS: ADVERTISING FOR THE SALE OF FIREARMS Source: Bill C-19, The Firearms Act Scope: National – but each province has its own Chief Firearms Officer http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?billId=5188309&Mode=1&Language=E Royal Assent 2012 – April 5 http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/sell-vendre-eng.htm The only restriction relating to advertising the sale of firearms is that the ad can’t depict or promote violence. This regulation is part of the Firearms Act as well as a condition on a gun store’s business licence. Businesses and/or individuals who are properly licensed to own a firearm can advertise. Ads can list such things as the make and model of a firearm, calibre, ammunition, price.
HERITAGE PRINTERY MUSEUM
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ADVERTISING
FIVE TACTICAL TIPS FOR SMALL ADVERTISERS BY JOHN FOUST RALEIGH, NC
The first order of business for a small advertiser is to make some strategic decisions (including competitive points of differentiation, budget, schedule, web presence and co-op availability).
in the truth. Or when they don’t know how to communicate the truth. Be specific. Tell readers exactly what makes that widget so awesome.
When it’s time to move on to the ads themselves, consider these points:
4. Use legible typography. In his outstanding book ‘Great Print Advertising,’ Tony Antin refers to typography as “the voice of print.” I like that comparison. Just like some voices are easier to understand than others, some type is easier to read than others.
1. Make an offer. This tip goes for all advertisers, especially Mom and Pop businesses that are competing with large, national chains. If you don’t give people a reason to buy from you, they’ll buy from someone else. It’s as simple as that.
Here are some quick guidelines: If you use all-caps, limit them to short headlines with short words. In body copy, serif fonts are easier to read than sans serif fonts. Stay away from script, Old English, and stylized fonts. If every word is bold, nothing will stand out.
Shoppers expect low prices from big box stores. A widget at Walmart or Best Buy costs less than the same widget at a local retailer. As a result, it is unreasonable for Mom and Pop to compete on everyday, item-by-item pricing. However, it is possible to generate traffic with occasional sales, discount coupons, and ‘buy one, get one free’ offers.
5. De-clutter. Advertisers who run smaller ads are in a constant battle to stand out on the page. But too many of them try to be noticed by cramming everything in the world into their ads. The result is the proverbial ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound sack.
‘Free’ is an important marketing word for small businesses. Offer free installation, free delivery, free training, free analysis or appraisal, or free extended warranties.
2. Sell benefits. Big boxes have the advantages of (1) low prices, (2) big selection, and (3) long hours. Advantages of small businesses include (1) customer service, (2) flexibility in available products and services, and (3) first-hand knowledge of the local market.
The truth is that clutter drives readers away. So when it comes to designing small ads, remember that less is more. Feature one dominant illustration, not ten little ones. Get rid of starbursts and reverses. Use white space. In other words, make the advertising inviting.
People don’t buy features; they buy benefits. The challenge is to focus on benefits which resonate with the designated target audience.
Advertising that invites readership invites sales.
3. Avoid puffery. Some small businesses have a tendency to use exaggerations in their advertising. They gush about ‘fantastic bargains,’ ‘unbelievable service,’ and ‘awesome products.’ And they drone on and on about being “the best” or having “the most.” All of that puffery amounts to a great big zero on the scale of influence.
(c) Copyright 2012 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
People exaggerate when they lack confidence August/September 2012
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DESIGN
TAKING THE PULSE OF YOUR READERS BY ED HENNINGER HENNINGER CONSULTING
WANT TO CREATE MORE READER INTEREST in your web site…and your print edition? Then consider doing a reader poll. Reader polls are reader grabbers, if they 1) focus on an issue readers care about, and 2) are reported in a form that’s interesting and easy for readers to follow. And the beauty of reader polls is that they’re a great tool to get your readers to go from your print edition to your web site and then back to the print edition. Here’s how that works: ▄▄ ▄▄
Ask your question in the print edition.
Have readers go to the web site to get more information and to vote. ▄▄
Report the full results in your print edition.
Other tips:
DON’T ASK
‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions. Give your readers some options like: ‘Yes, but not this year,’ or ‘No, I’d never vote for gay marriage,’ or ‘The entire issue is too complex,’ or ‘It’s a stupid question!’
A quality reader poll report should include a chart that’s easy to decipher.
SUGGEST at least four or five answers. Few polls
are more boring than those with only two responses.
CREATE A FORMAT
with which readers can become comfortable. It’s OK to tweak the format now and then for special polls, but it’s a bit much to ask readers to make sense of a different format with each poll.
ALLOW other responses. Odds are that some readers will chime in with answers you just didn’t expect.
CHART IT.
Don’t make your readers have to do mental gymnastics to make sense of the numbers. Place the results in front of them in the form of a simple, clean pie chart. Have the numbers—and the specific responses, if possible—near the areas of the chart to which they correspond. And, avoid the temptation to go color crazy. Tints of the same color serve well.
Readers react with high interest to polls—as long as those polls deal with an issue that’s important to them. Take advantage of this interest to increase your web and print readership.
INCLUDE COMMENTS
ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Directorof Henninger Consulting, offering comprehensive newspaper design services and design evaluations at www.henningerconsulting.com.
from readers with the poll report. Sure, a chart is a necessary part of the report but allowing readers to add comments—and then printing those comments—makes for more interesting reading. August/September 2012
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HUMAN RESOURCES
‘WHEN BUSINESS IS TOUGH TO GET...’ BY CHUCK NAU MURRAY & NAU, INC.
As we move into fall, all indications are that a SLOW and, possibly, slowing economy is occurring. Once again, despite the glimmer on the horizon, many of your advertisers, both current, new and old, will again be asking the question ... ‘Why Advertise?’
providers, professional businesses and companies through past advertising campaigns. Leverage that awareness and familiarity to reduce (buying) reluctance while reinforcing the advantages of safety and security in shopping locally.
Why advertise in a slow economic period, when shoppers and buyers tend to be very cautious and when business is tough to get?
The best advice and the best value ... always come from someone you KNOW! ▄▄
Maximize COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES. Help your advertisers seize the moment when their competitors may be cutting back or eliminating their advertising, by identifying and articulating what separates and makes them unique or different from others. Providing the community, the marketplace with information about ‘who they are’ and ‘what they do’ will grow market share.
Simply put...your community’s retailers, service providers, professional businesses and companies that maintain or increase their advertising spending during a challenging economic environment do, indeed, get ahead. In a slow economic recovery, business in NOT bad. Rather, business is tough to get.
▄▄
It’s all about LONG TERM. Coach your advertisers to implement the plan and preparation you helped them put in place when the business decline first began. With the economic certainty improving, remind them to continue looking to and designing the future, rather than seeking to reinvent the past!
For those local retailers, service providers, professional businesses or companies who take an assertive, yet well thought out, consistent and ongoing advertising program, opportunities arise and do exist to increase sales and profits which in turn leads to an increase in market share.
▄▄
Don’t sell an ad. Sell an IDEA, a CAMPAIGN. Talk to advertisers about investing in a series of ads, within a timeframe, with a set aside or allocated budget, to meet an identified need, problem or opportunity with a desired outcome ... rather than placing one time, single shot ads or promotions.
A REDUCTION in advertising expenditures guarantees reduced profits, sales and lost market share due, in part, to three significant impacts ... LOSS of top-of-mind awareness, LOSS of image in the marketplace and local community and a CHANGE in attitudes and perceptions held about the retailer, service provider, professional business or company.
Helping the retailers, service providers, professional businesses and companies in your community create a public awareness of ‘who they are’ and ‘what they do’ helps your community, your retailer, your newspaper, both in print and online, and you GROW.
Why should you counsel your advertisers and clients to continue to advertise in a slowing economy? To be successful, to grow and to survive, a retailer, a service provider, a professional business or company needs to have a constant presence in the marketplace. This presence comes through a community awareness of that business and ‘who they are’ and ‘what they do’. This awareness and presence takes place through a consistent and ongoing advertising program.
Newspapers, your newspaper, online and in print, best represent your community. Through a local environment of news and advertising, your newspaper franchise creates the marketplace for your community.
What strategy might you suggest to assist your client in seizing the opportunity presented by a slowing, or soon to be recovering, economy? Consider, if you will the following ...
© Murray & Nau, Inc.
▄▄
Stress BENEFITS. Talk VALUE. Your customers and potential customers are looking for reassurances during these challenging and, possibly, uncomfortable times. Stress benefits and values, rather than just price, in your advertising message thereby reducing buying risk for your customers and potential customer. ▄▄
Chuck Nau of Murray & Nau, Inc. is a Seattle area based publishing consultant and sales and management trainer. He has been a speaker for and conducted advertising, marketing, management and sales training workshops with newspapers, niche publishers, publishing groups and press associations, throughout North America.
Capitalize on local AWARENESS and FAMILIARITY.
Your readers and advertisers and their customers should be aware of and familiar with your local retailers, service August/September 2012
Comments and questions may be directed murnau@nwlink.com. or at (425) 603 - 0984. 19
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HUMAN RESOURCES
FACEBOOK MISTAKES - THE CAREER KILLERS A TWOGREYSUITS ARTICLE
Facebook is arguably the most popular social networking site out there, with over 500 million users now. And while the site is known for the casual social aspect, many users also use it as a professional networking tool. With that kind of reach, Facebook can be a valuable tool for connecting to former and current colleagues, clients and potential employers.
forum where it can be found by others is not the best career move. Though it may seem innocent, it's not the kind of impression that sits well with a new employer or boss.
3. Posting Conflicting Information to Your Resume: If you say on your resume that
In fact, surveys suggest that approximately 30% of employers are using Facebook to screen potential employees – even more than those who check LinkedIn, a strictly professional social networking site. In this seemingly newer era of authenticity, it seems we perhaps have gone too far without realizing who is capable of seeing our social media persona. What you say and how you act does matter, make no mistake! Don't make these Facebook mistakes – they might cost you a great opportunity.
your degree is from McMaster, but your Facebook profile says you went to U of T, you're likely to be immediately cut from the interview list. Even if the conflict doesn't leave you looking better on your resume, disparities will make you look at worst like a liar, and at best careless, and certainly not authentic!
4. Statuses You Wouldn't Want Your Boss to See: Everyone should know to avoid
Progressive companies are implementing policy guidelines of what is appropriate to say in regards to your employer via social media. Be careful, you may be surprised about how sensitive your employer is with what you even already have posted on your Facebook account. Here's a sampling:
statuses like "Ian plans to call in sick tomorrow so he can go to two interviews on Wednesday." But you should also be aware of seemingly harmless statuses like "Sarah is watching the gold medal hockey game online at her desk". Statuses that imply you are unreliable, deceitful, and basically anything that doesn't make you look as professional as you'd like, can seriously undermine your chances at landing that new job.
1. Inappropriate Pictures: Prospective employers or clients don't want to see pictures of you chugging a bottle of alcohol or dressed up for a night at the bar. What you see as perhaps innocent pictures of your personal life will likely not help to support the persona you want to present in your professional life.
5. Not Understanding Your Security Settings: The security settings on Facebook have
2. Complaining About Your Current Job:
come a long way since the site started. It is now possible to customize lists of friends and decide what each list can and cannot see. However, many people do not fully understand these settings, or don't bother to check who has access to what. If you are going to use Facebook professionally, and even if you aren't, make sure you take the time to go through your privacy options. At the very least, your profile should be set so that people who are not your friend cannot see any of your pictures or information.
It could be a full note about how much you hate your office, or how incompetent your boss is, or it could be as innocent as a status update about how your coworker always shows up late. While many complain about work at times, doing so in a public
6. Losing By Association: You can't control what your friends post to your profile (although you can remove it once you see it), nor what they post to their own profiles or to those of mutual friends. If a potential client or employer sees those August/September 2012
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HUMAN RESOURCES
Friday night pictures your friend has tagged you in where he is falling down drunk, it reflects poorly on you, even if the picture of you is completely innocent. It's unfortunate, but we do judge others by the company they keep, at least to some extent. Take a look at everything connected to your profile, and keep an eye out for anything you wouldn't want to show your mother.
This article is part of the TwoGreySuits Employee Performance Management Series and is offered by our partner, the TwoGreySuits HR Power Centre as a free service to our members.
Facebook Can Help You Get Hired - Or Fired
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.
The best advice is to lock down your personal profile so that only friends you approve can see anything on that profile. Then, create a second, public profile on Facebook purely for professional use. This profile functions like an online resume, and should only contain information you'd be comfortable telling your potential employer face to face. Having a social networking profile is a good thing – it presents you as technologically and professionally savvy. Just make sure your profile is helping to present your best side.
Signing up is simple and free for OCNA members. Just visit https://www.twogreysuits.com/sign_up/regform/index. html?r=OCNA complete the signup page and you’ll have immediate access. Why wait? Don’t let important people management issues go unresolved when you can deal with them today.
PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO EMPLOYEES IS CRITICAL FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE Providing effective feedback is not difficult, however, many managers feel uncomfortable giving it. Now, you can learn how to provide both positive and constructive feedback when you sign up for the TwoGreySuits HR service that OCNA is offering to our members. It’s absolutely free! Have a look at the video and then explore the HR Power Centre at www.twogreysuits.com. It contains everything you need for effective people management. And, when you need answers fast, you can talk to a senior HR Professional 24/7 through the HR Hot Line. Signing up is hassle free. Just click on the URL below and you will be taken to OCNA’s customized sign up page. Fill in the information and you will receive immediate access to the HR Power Centre. Sign up here Hassle-free, effortless HR solutions for your business ...because HR happens. For more information, call us at 905 639 8720 August/September 2012
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BUSINESS
FROM BETTER TO BEST IN BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS BY PATRICK TINNEY MANAGING PARTNER CENTROID TRAINING & MARKETING When watching professional athletes in the moments before they are about to deliver truly great physical performances they seem to drift into their own quiet mental space and block out the rest of their surroundings. They proceed into a state of visualization. They are taking years of training and hard work…. breaking all this information down into a few thoughts that allow them to focus on their entire performance from start to finish. Professional negotiators at the top of their game do exactly the same.
where are we in the process?” of thinking will almost always picture of pieces of the puzzle or purposely being hidden by
3. Objectives - Clearly understand the gap between our objectives and those of our bargaining partner will take much of the guess work and most of the unwanted surprises out of our negotiation putting us in a position to confidently plan our course of action. 4. Strategy Alignment - Whether we know it or not we all work with some type of a strategy in a business negotiation. Some business people cannot describe their strategy. Others just call it counter punching… waiting for the other side to act first. At Centroid we like to think about the strategy that will not only be effective but enticing to the other side. If our strategy is not producing the results we were expecting in the negotiation then we simply switch gears and move into one of several other strategies that we know will complement the other sides approach to bargaining while steadfastly matching our objectives for the negotiation.
Visualization of the entire negotiation is not only an imperative for them it is the formula that elevates these business professionals from better to best. Using this unique end to end thinking they are able to zero in on components of the negotiation that will offer them advantage and options not always perceptible to their negotiation partners. When professional negotiators quietly visualize before a large business negotiation begins they have a mental checklist of advanced learning, experience, training and past successes that allow them to compress massive amounts of intricate information into a few easily accessible buckets. Below are planning and action buckets that professional negotiators access and calibrate while in the heat of a bargaining session.
5. Tactical Responses - When the other side is using a wide array of tactics to push us out of our comfort zone how do we plan to respond? Grace under fire is key but more importantly can we look beyond the clever or obtuse tactic and see where they are trying to maneuver us? This is what we want to understand and this is what will drive our tactical response to theirs. This is the high stakes poker part of the negotiation!
1. Risk Philosophy - One of the ways to solidify your end to end thinking in an upcoming negotiation is to have risk perimeters that will not be compromised. Predetermine how you are going to curtail negative risk and conversely set goals to increase positive risk in the name of getting a bigger, better value piece of the negotiation pie. We want to do this while getting a smart deal done with long standing business partners.
6. ZOPA Patience - Waiting for just the right moment to invite our bargaining partner into the “Zone Of Potential Agreement” cannot be understated. If we look anxious expect them to take advantage of this moment. If the cadence of our voice or our body language changes they may pick up on it and slow events down to frustrate us into making mistakes. Be cool. Be smart. Be patient. Wait for the right moment to
2. Process - We always build process into our forward thinking because it is a road map and a compass if bargaining becomes noisy, lumpy or confusing. If the negotiation doesn’t look or sound right we can always go back to our process and ask…”so where are they trying to take us and August/September 2012
This adjustment produce a clear that are missing the other side.
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BUSINESS
move into the ZOPA. Remember we can politely say no a thousand times without offending the other side but once we say yes…we own it!
7. BATNA Flexibility - Flexibility around our ‘Best Alternative To A Negotiated Agreement” is grounded in knowing our profitability and comfort in long term pricing and value incentives. The more comfortable we become in this space the more exacting we are in cutting a compelling deal at just the right moment without hesitation!
Affordable media insurance for Canadian Community Newspapers
8. Control - The two things we want to visualize
having command over in a negotiation are the tempo of the negotiation and the content of the final agreement. If you can maneuver tempo you are driving the discussion. If you have command over the final content of the contract or agreement you will be able to tuck in the unspoken parts of the negotiation in your own language.
Service includes: •Libel • Invasion of Privacy • Plagiarism • Piracy • Infringement of Copyright • Pre-Publication Hotline
“Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”
Contact us for a quote: Todd Frees, General Manager 905-639-8720 ext. 234 t.frees@ocna.org
– William Falkner
PATRICK TINNEY is the founder of Centroid Training and Marketing, a consulting firm helping organizations make and save money through consultative selling, sales prospecting and business negotiation training.
Do you have exciting news? Share your updates and photos with us! Send all information to newsclips@ocna.org
Prior to Centroid, Patrick held various corporate sales and management positions at The Southam Newspaper Group, CanWest Media and more. Over his 30 year career Patrick has concluded multi-million dollar media sales and negotiation solutions. For more on Patrick visit centroidmarketing.com August/September 2012
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TECHNOLOGY
ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE 6
KEVIN’S FAVOURITE NEW FEATURES IN PHOTOSHOP, INDESIGN & MORE BY KEVIN SLIMP INSTITUTE OF NEWSPAPER TECHNOLOGY It’s that time of year again. Fall means lots of road trips to conventions and training events. One of the things I really enjoy when speaking at a conference is the chance to lead a workshop or two while there.
One thing I always keep in mind is that most of us can’t keep the latest version of software on our computers all the time. It can get expensive to try to stay up to date with the latest and greatest.
This fall, I took it upon myself to create all new material for my workshops. While time consuming for me, it gives people who have heard me multiple times something new to go home with. And for me, it makes teaching that much more interesting.
But every now and then, it becomes necessary to upgrade. My rule of thumb is to stay within two versions of the latest software. That means if I’m a QuarkXPress user, I’m using version 8 or 9. For InDesign users, that would be CS5 or 6. No, I didn’t forget 5.5, but let’s stick with whole numbers. Adobe recently released version 6 of the Creative Suite. I wrote about a few of the new tools in InDesign a while back. But what about the other CS applications we use? OK, here it is, in no particular order. My favourite new features in Adobe Creative Suite 6. We’ll stick with the applications most used by newspapers:
Photoshop CS6
Perspective Crop Tool: Oh geeze, I love this one. Now don’t start an e-mail campaign against me. This tool is not for use with news photos. But for those of us who are constantly working on photos and illustrations for ad design, the Perspective Crop Tool is going to be a favourite. It’s incredibly simple to use. Just take a picture shot in perspective. I shot a photo down a hallway in my home. On the wall was a caricature of my kids and me. Using the Perspective Crop Tool, I was able to select the area around the caricature and, voila, watch as it was replaced by a near perfect picture of the caricature as if taken directly in front of it. Incredible.
The new Perspective Crop Tool in Photoshop CS6 turns the pic above into the pic below.
Content Aware Patch: Adobe introduced Content Aware Fill in CS5. This allows the user to make something disappear from a photo by making a selection of the offending object and clicking a couple of buttons. It’s really handy when removing a car that’s blocking a house in a realty ad. CS6 introduces Content Aware Patch, which makes it a one-step process to duplicate something from one area of a photo to another, while seemlessly editing the surrounding pixels so the duplicated area looks like it belongs there.
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TECHNOLOGY
InDesign CS6
this feature to drag pages from one document into another.
Imagine being able to change text on one page and have it automatically change to match on other pages in the same document. Now imagine changing a story in one document and having it change automatically in another document. Linked Content allows the user to do just that. Simply select the original content, select Edit>Place and Link, and you’re ready to go.
Flash CS6
Linked Content:
HTML5 Export: I had no problem deciding what my favourite new feature in Flash was. The ability to export existing Flash files to HTML5 is the answer to the problem with Flash on iPhones and iPads. Move over SWF, HTML is the new king.
Illustrator CS6
Most of the buzz about the latest version of Illustrator surrounds its appearance. The interface has been rebuilt from the ground up, promising a more pleasant and efficient design experience for users.
Pattern Creation: Illustrator users will appreciate the ability to create repeated patterns from vector graphics that have been traced or created from scratch.
Alternate Layouts: Wouldn’t it be nice if you could design Improved Tracing: Illustrator traces more quickly and with a print version of your newspaper and an iPad version at the same time? Now it’s possible with Alternate (Liquid) Layouts. Using your Pages Panel, you can create alternate layouts for Web pages, iPads, Kindles and more. When you design the print version of your newspaper, the elements automatically are recreated as a separate layout that can be exported on its own.
more accuracy than before.
As with any major upgrade, there are thousands of enhancements in Adobe Create Suite 6. These are a few of my favorites. Download a free full functioning demo version from Adobe.com and try out these and other features for yourself.
Arrange Documents: View two or more InDesign documents side by side while working on them. Users can use
KEVIN SLIMP serves as the director of the Institute of Newspaper Technology. He is a faculty member of the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information and makes his home in Knoxville, Tennessee. Kevin’s insight on technology is highly sought after at various industry events across North America. www.kevinslimp.com
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WWW.OCNA.ORG . INFO@OCNA.ORG
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