newsclips
JANUARY 2017
Happy New Year & Association Updates
A Message From Caroline Medwell, OCNA Executive Director
Happy New Year from the OCNA’s board of directors and staff! We’re kicking off 2017 with a few exciting changes and upcoming events, the first of which is the launch of our new website. The old design was roughly 10 years old, and had become dated, cluttered and difficult to navigate. Our new platform is more user friendly for members, potential advertisers and the general public seeking information about the community newspaper industry. As we should have expected, we ran into some troubles with the members-only section of the new site, particularly the AdLine and eTearsheeting system. We really appreciate all the patience and goodwill our members showed during the transition! Adjustments have been made and both systems are now working as they did prior to the switch. We hope you enjoy the new look. Welcoming A New OCNA/Ad*Reach Team-Member The association is also excited to welcome a new sales team member, Pam Portt, who joined us in early November, and is already making a difference. Pam started in agency media planning and was a Media Research Director at Urban Outdoor, where she worked with mapping and demographic software programs to create solid sales stories for the sales teams. She joined the Globe and Mail, where she spent the last 15 years as a National Account Manager, working with advertising agencies and National advertisers such as Rogers, TD Bank, Chrysler, GE, and Bell. Pam is a strong sales professional, team player and she is passionate about community newspapers. We are happy to have her on board. Upcoming Events/Awards The start of a new year is typically very busy for the OCNA with a number of awards programs and events scheduled for the first quarter. On the go at the moment is judging for the 2016 Ontario Junior Citizen Awards, which saw a number of nominations submitted for outstanding youth across the province. The final 12 recipients will be announced on Friday, January 27 and these individuals will be invited to receive their awards during a special ceremony in the spring. A certificate of recognition has been mailed to each newspaper with nominees from their communities. We ask that these members make arrangements for a presentation and invite their local TD Bank branch manager to help. This program is possible with the generous support of TD Bank Group, who have been a corporate sponsor of the Ontario Junior Citizen Awards since 2006. In addition, submissions for the 2016 Better Newspapers Competition are also currently being judged. Stay tuned for an announcement listing the finalists in each category on Tuesday, February 14. First, second and third place winners will be presented during the BNC Awards Gala on Friday, April 7 at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel, which is also the venue for OCNA’s annual spring convention. Join us for the full-day event to learn from a variety of educational sessions and share ideas or experiences with friends from the industry, both old and new. We look forward to seeing you there!
WHAT’S INSIDE: January 2017
FAMILY LITERACY DAY Celebrate the largest national family literacy event in Canada on January 27.
See Page 4
HANDLING UNSPOKEN OBJECTIONS “Any sales person will tell you, the most common curveball is an objection.”
See Page 6
TOP 10 DESIGN TIPS Ed Henninger’s top 10 tips to become a better designer.
See Page 8
PUBLICATION OF THE ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION 1
www.ocna.org
ASSOCIATION NEWS
OCNA Board Seeking Volunteers The new year is upon us and, just like you, OCNA is planning for the year ahead. Specifically, we’re looking for volunteers who would be willing to put their names forward to serve on the association’s board of directors. The board meets three to four times a year (usually in Toronto) and holds conference calls and e-mail votes as required. Any publisher, editor or other high ranking person within an OCNA member newspaper or company (provided they’re over 18 years old) can submit their name to the Nomination Committee for consideration. While the committee does try to maintain a balance between corporate and independent directors as well as provide representation from across the province, there are no quotas for any one category or location of member. If you’d like to put your name forward or find out more about the board please contact committee chair Gordon Cameron at 905-523-5800 ext. 339 or gocameron@hamiltonnews.com by February 22, 2017. Once all expressions of interest have been received, the Nomination Committee will meet to recommend a slate of directors to the membership at the AGM. Thank you for your interest in your interest in helping Ontario’s Community Newspapers strong.
NEWSCLIPS VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01 37 Front Street E, Ste 200 Toronto, ON M5E 1B3 P. 416-923-7724 w. www.ocna.org e. info@ocna.org
OCNA BOARD PRESIDENT
Dave Adsett
FIRST VP
Ray Stanton
SECOND VP
Anne Marie Creskey
SECRETARY/ TREASURER
John Willems
PAST PRESIDENT
Gordon Cameron
DIRECTORS
Abbas Homayed Alicia McCutcheon Craig Barnard Darren Murphy Rick Shaver
CONNECT WITH US! @OCNAAdreach Follow us for frequent association updates, industry news, upcoming events and more!
IN THIS ISSUE...
OCNA STAFF
04 .........................................................CELEBRATE FAMILY LITERACY DAY 05 ..............................IBC COMMUNITY AWARD OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS 06 ...........................................HOW TO HANDLE UNSPOKEN OBJECTIONS 07 ...................................BECOME AN ‘OUTSTANDING’ VS ‘OK’ MANAGER 08 ...................................................................................TOP 10 DESIGN TIPS 09 ....................................UPCOMING ONLINE MEDIA CAMPUS WEBINARS 10 ...................................................................................KNOW WHEN TO FOLD
January 2017
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Caroline Medwell
CONTROLLER
Corey Blosser
MEMBER SERVICES
Karen Shardlow Kelly Gorven
ACCOUNTING
Lucia Shepherd
AD*REACH
Ted Brewer Pam Portt Carolyn Press Erica Leyzac
www.ocna.org
ASSOCIATION NEWS
CCNA & Great Idea Awards Open For Entries
OCNA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Publishers are invited to submit their entries for Newspapers Canada’s two flagship award programs: the Great Idea Awards and the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards. The national industry awards celebrate outstanding editorial work and promotional initiatives among our daily and community newspaper members. The Canadian Community Newspaper Awards celebrate the best in community publishing from across the country, with categories covering editorial, photography and multimedia work in various circulation classes. Open to daily and community newspapers, the annual Great Idea Awards recognize the most creative and innovative examples of newspaper marketing and promotion, in order to showcase as many outstanding initiatives as possible. The entry deadline for both competitions is Tuesday, January 31.
ORLEANS STAR PURCHASED BY FORMER MANAGING EDITOR Fred Sherwin, a former editor and managing editor of the Orleans Star, a 30-year-old community newspaper, has purchased the publication from Transcontinental Media. “Community newspapers, and especially locally-owned and operated community newspapers, have traditionally served as the heart of the community,” said Sherwin. “It’s a position and responsibility I want The Star to take on as it begins this latest chapter of its existence.” Sherwin joined the paper in 1989 and left in 2001 to start an online news portal, orleansonline.ca, which is still active today. The Orleans Star will be moving from a weekly to bi-weekly schedule.
GRACE PEACOCK APPOINTED EDITOR-INCHIEF AT METROLAND MEDIA TORONTO Grace Peacock is now editor-in-chief for Metroland Media Toronto. She directs editorial strategy for nine community newspapers and the group’s website, insidetoronto.com. Prior to this appointment, Peacock served as managing editor with Metroland Media Toronto for eight years. Last year, Peacock was awarded Editor of the Year by OCNA at the 2016 BNC Awards Gala in Vaughan. “We’re fortunate to have a journalist of Grace’s calibre leading our Toronto news team,” Metroland Media vice-president Dana Robbins, said in a statement. “She’s a passionate, innovative journalist who cares about the communities we serve. I know our readers will be well served by her leadership.”
Journalist/Editor
(Maternity Leave Contract Position) The Valley Gazette is a progressive, award-winning community newspaper located in beautiful Barry’s Bay, Ontario. The paper is distributed throughout Eastern Renfrew County and beyond. We are currently seeking an enthusiastic individual to fill a journalist/editor role; a position that will be left vacant due to a one-year maternity leave taking effect June 2017. This exciting opportunity includes generating new story ideas, interviewing residents, visitors, business owners and community leaders, as well as editing, attending events/meetings, photography and more. Qualifications - A degree or diploma Journalism (asset) or related work experience - Strong writing and grammar skills - Strong interviewing skills - Experience in photography - Ability to meet tight deadlines - Experience in managing various social media accounts - Has a flexible schedule - Owns a reliable vehicle
January 2017
Want to contribute to NewsClips? If you have news you would like to share about your paper - it could be a new project, recognition from the community, awards you’ve won or an upcoming anniversary, please send them to newsclips@ocna.org. Photos are also welcome!
Applications from interested candidates, along with three writing samples, can be forwarded to Publisher Michel Lavigne at michel@thevalleygazette.ca. Please submit applications no later than February 10 at 4:00 p.m.
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
Celebrate Family Literacy Day On January 27, 2017 Each year ABC Life Literacy encourages organizations, schools, libraries and the media to celebrate Family Literacy Day, the largest national family literacy event in Canada. Print and web advertisements are available for download online at http://abclifeliteracy.ca/fld/downloads. Members are encouraged to use these resources and hold literacy events in their communities to promote Family Literacy Day.
New Newspapers Canada Industry Ads Newspapers Canada has released a series of new promotional ads that focus on the strength of newspapers in the financial category. The slogan is ‘People Who Read Newspapers And People Who Have Money Have One Thing In Common’, which is the fact that newspaper print and online advertisements play a key role in helping readers make banking and investment decisions. These ads are available for members to use as often as desired and can be found online at http://newspaperscanada.ca/ad-resources/industrycampaign/financial/.
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PEOPLE WHO READ NEWSPAPERS AND
PEOPLE WHO HAVE MONEY
HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON.
Newspaper ads, both print and online, play a key role in helping people make their banking and investment decisions. Newspapers and their sites outperform all other media in
engaging Canadians, including high-income Canadians, boomers, moms and even young adults. All of which makes advertising in newspapers a very smart move.
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Mark Your Calendar: OCNA’s Annual Spring Convention and Awards Gala FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017 @ THE TORONTO AIRPORT MARRIOTT HOTEL Join the OCNA for this one-day event, which provides member publishers, editors, advertising managers and production coordinators the opportunity to learn from a variety of educational sessions and share ideas or experiences with friends from the industry, both old and new. The evening will conclude with the association’s event of the year - the Better Newspaper Awards Gala! Celebrate the hard work and dedication of community newspapers as the OCNA announces first, second and third place winners in a series of Premier and General Excellence categories. We hope to see you there! For more information please contact Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocna.org or 416-923-7724 x 4432.
800.223.1600
service@metro-email.com metrocreativeconnection.com
January 2017
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2016 Insurance Bureau of Canada Community Award in Memory of Mary Knowles Mary Knowles The Insurance Bureau of Canada Community Award in Memory of Mary Knowles was created by the Ontario Community Newspapers Foundation in memory of Mary Knowles, a dedicated newspaper employee and active community member who died from breast cancer in 1996. This award recognizes both the contributions of individuals and the intimate connection community newspapers have with their communities.
Nominations will be accepted for the 2016 Insurance Bureau of Canada Community Award in Memory of Mary Knowles until February 24, 2017. This year’s recipient will be invited to accept the award at OCNA’s Better Newspapers Awards Gala on Friday, April 7, 20176 at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel. Travel and accommodation will be provided for the recipient. All nominees will receive a certificate recognizing their valuable contributions to their communities. This year’s recipient will be announced on March 3, 2017.
Nomination Criteria • Nominees will be considered for their outstanding personal, volunteer contributions in their communities. They are committed to the growth and development of their community; preserve their community’s history and heritage, devote time and energy to the social and cultural aspects of their community, and make their community a better place. • Nominations must be made by an owner/ employee of an OCNA member newspaper. Supporting documentation may come from the community. • Nominees must be over the age of 18 and be an owner or employee of an OCNA member newspaper, working in any department. Nominations may also be made for a couple, providing one person is an owner/employee of the member newspaper. • Volunteer contribution must have taken place during 2016 although length and duration of service will be considered. • Judging will be done by members of the community newspaper industry. The Judges’ decisions are final.
Know someone who should join this prestigious group? Complete the attached nomination form and send it to k.gorven@ocna.org. 2009 - Dennis & Jackie Smyk Ignace Driftwood
2004 - Mary & Mervyn Fowler Dundalk Herald
2008 - Mike Williscraft Grimsby Lincoln News
2003 - Joanne Burghardt Metroland Durham Region
2012 - Gerry Harvieux Tilbury Times
2007 - Lynda Hillman-Rapley Zurich Lakeshore Advance
2002 - John Pierce Fort Frances Times
2011 - Heidi Ostner Ayr News
2006 - Lois Tuffin Kawartah Lakes This Week
2010 - Faye Craig Fergus Wellington Advertiser
2005 - Mark Cripps Dundas Star News
2015 - Scott Rosts Niagara This Week 2014 - Pamela Steel Metroland Muskoka 2013 - Linda Plumridge Fort Frances Times
January 2017
2001 - Sandra Lee Johnston Iroquois Chieftain 2000 - Carolyn Mullin Voice of Pelham 1999 - Jack Brezina Minden Times
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ADVERTISING
How To Handle Unspoken Objections By John Foust Raleigh, NC
Brandon is an advertising manager who wants his team to be prepared for all sales situations. “We spend a lot of time on sales strategy,” he said, “because that helps us cut down on unexpected surprises. To use a baseball comparison, we want to be able to hit the curveball. “As any sales person will tell you, the most common curveball is an objection,” Brandon explained. “Most prospects have some kind of objection, even if they don’t say it out loud. Unspoken objections can be real sales killers. You’re sailing along thinking everything is going fine, then at the end of the conversation the prospect says, ‘I’ll think about it and let you know.’ That creates a real predicament for a sales person. “There’s an old saying that silence is golden, but that’s not true in selling,” Brandon said. “Sometimes it’s your job to verbalize what the prospect is thinking. If you don’t, the objection that is lurking below the surface may never come to light. I disagree with the idea that you can’t answer an objection you don’t hear. An unspoken objection can sink your presentation just as fast as one that is shouted. Brandon explained that the key is to be prepared to weave answers to objections into the presentation. The good news is that most objections are predictable. If a sales person has done his or her homework, there’s no reason to be surprised to hear a question about price, readership statistics, ad position or production. “Take price, for example,” he said. “A prospect may be embarrassed to say, ‘I don’t think I can afford to advertise in your paper.’ You can address that by bringing up the objection yourself, then reassuring them that it’s natural to be concerned about price. I encourage our team to say something like, ‘Some advertisers
wonder about the affordability of advertising in our paper.’ Or ‘People often ask how our rates compare to other media outlets.’ Or ‘You may be wondering how this could fit your ad budget.’ Then they answer the objection just like they would if the prospect brought it up.” This is a variation of the old ‘Feel-Felt-Found’ formula, which says, “I understand how you feel about price. Other advertisers have felt the same way. And they found benefits such as…” The difference here is that the sales person brings up the topic. But as Brandon cautions, don’t use the words ‘feel’, ‘felt’ or ‘found’. That formula has been around so long – and those words have been misused by so many sales people – that they can make prospects think they are being manipulated. “Some prospects actually seem relieved when a difficult objection is mentioned by the sales person,” he said. “I’ve seen them nod their heads and say, ‘Yeah, I was thinking about that.’ In a sense, it clears the air and makes them more receptive in the rest of the conversation.” In other words, your prospects probably won’t object when you mention their unspoken objections.
(c) Copyright 2016 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
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
January 2017
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We want to hear from you! Please share your news and/or opinions with us: newsclips@ocna.org
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HUMAN RESOURCES
The Single Most Important Thing To Becoming An ‘Outstanding’ VS. ‘OK’ Manager A TwoGreySuits Article by Ron Guest, Co-Founder In my experience of coaching managers and counseling employees at all levels, I have found one thing that truly separates outstanding managers and average managers. Great managers have one skill which is very well honed and utilized. Over my career I have had over a dozen managers, and there were perhaps only two that really knew how to manage people, well above all the rest combined. Looking back, it was these two that I knew best and who knew me best. This was for one reason. They knew how to give feedback even if it wasn’t always positive. Surprisingly, studies have suggested employees actually want to hear constructive feedback more than positive feedback. Unfortunately, most people don’t like delivering this highly sought after information—including managers. Think about it – people genuinely want to be able to do a good job and to know where they stand. To do a good job, you need feedback on how you are doing, and what to do differently, plain and simple. Feedback provides the opportunity for behaviour change and a different way of doing things. Sure, we all like positive feedback, and it is also a very powerful and under estimated tool managers can use but constructive feedback given properly will shape employee behaviour and develop their skills set. Now, how you give feedback is as important as the feedback itself. Most managers, in my view, do not like giving corrective feedback to their direct reports and extensive research also tells us they’re not good at it. You can make your job and your life a lot easier if you can master the skill of providing constructive feedback in a way that will leave people feeling inspired, motivated, supported and valued. The real good news is that we can all get better at delivering constructive feedback. Below are four tips to help all managers become more candid and effective with feedback.
we were able to identify this customer segment buying trend and adjust our inventories accordingly which allowed for uninterrupted product supply to key customers and over achieving our quarterly sales targets.” It is always better to use facts and figures rather than opinions and emotions to get your point across.
3. Know the right time to give feedback.
If, as a manager, you are in an angry or emotional state, corrective or constructive feedback will not come across as it should. If the person receiving the feedback is not in a state to receive feedback, it will be lost too. If the person is coming back from bereavement leave and you want to provide constructive feedback, OK, but understand the different state of mind a person might be in, same thing if a person is not a ‘morning’ person, you will be getting perhaps only a portion of their attention.
4. Be transparent in your ‘want’ to develop your employee’s skill sets.
Know that difficult or sensitive feedback conversations are based on a sincere desire of helping your employees develop instead of showing them how they were wrong. Feedback, given correctly should make the person feel valued, supported, inspired and encouraged. Giving feedback is a must – especially when it’s constructive, but also when positive too. Employees want and need it to develop. If you truly want to be an outstanding manager, providing feedback is a skill you have to master – there is no substitute here! Providing proper feedback can make the difference between an employee who does just enough to get by, and an employee who performs at the very highest levels of employee engagement.
1. Avoid using vague words and phrases.
Vague or non-factual feedback can hold your employees back – especially women. A recent Harvard Business review article concludes that vague feedback is correlated with lower performance ratings for females. If you’re going to take the time to give feedback, make sure it’s clear and direct. Have your facts correct, seriously important.
TwoGreySuits is a leading edge provider of on-line human resource management information, processes, tools and forms servicing the North American market.
2. Link feedback to business goals and outcomes whenever possible. Avoid using vague comments like, “You have great attention to detail.” Instead, try, “Because of your attention to detail, January 2017
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DESIGN
Top 10 Design Tips By Ed Henninger Henninger Consulting
I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with publishers, editors and designers at Kevin Slimp’s Institute of Newspaper Technology. It’s a kick being with them for a few days. This was my fifth time with the Institute and I hope there will be many more to come. One of the presentations we set for this year’s institute was titled : ‘Ed’s Top 10 Design Tips…and Maybe More’, and here’s a chance for me to share some of them with you. Over the years, these tend to become more or less important. Tip number one may slip to tip number five…tip number seven may become tip number three. But these are all worth keeping in the top 10…for now.
with Nimrod by placing a leg of Nimrod next to it, in the same size and spacing. Nimrod is larger and more readable. Every time. In 27 years…every time.
Here they are (in no order of importance):
1. KEEP SCREENS LIGHT over infoboxes, graphics and
8. DITCH OUTLINED TYPE.
2. KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
between tracking and kerning. Tracking is adjusting the space between all letters in the type you’ve selected, whether it be a word, sentence, paragraph. Kerning is the adjustment of space between a pair of characters, such as in the word `to’.
9. TAKE STUFF AWAY. There’s always that temptation to
3. SUGGESTED HEADLINES
10. MAKE MISTAKES.
It looks like something designed in the 1960s. That was fifty years ago. If you want to overlay a headline on a photo, try using a drop shadow behind the headline instead of outlining the headline. More contemporary, more classy.
the like. How light? As light as your press can hold. That way, readers won’t have a problem reading the type. And I prefer screens in gray. To my thinking, gray is the ultimate neutral colour.
put one more element—a rule, colour, another photo—into a design. But the better move is to look for those elements you can remove. You become a better designer with every element you take away from your designs. Simple is best…less is more.
are OK…but understand that reporters don’t know the configuration or length of the headline you need. Remember, the word here is ‘suggested’. As the designer, you need to re-write and paraphrase the suggested head to work for your design..and your readers.
One of the beauties of newspapering is that we create a new product with every issue. And we get to make new mistakes in every issue. The trick is to not make the same mistake twice. But you’ll never grow as a designer unless you give yourself the courage to fail. Without that, you’ll never have the courage to succeed.
4. CREATE HEADLINE STANDARDS. How many decks of headline can you use in three columns of 48 point? How about one column of 36 point? Or two columns of 42 point? Write them down…and use them.
There are other tips…lots of them. That’s why I do a design hint every week. I’ve done hundreds of them…and there are still hundreds to come. But if you observe the 10 above, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better designer.
5. OUTLAW FUNKY FONTS. No Hobo. No Dom Casual. No University Roman. No Curlz. And never…ever…Comic Sans.
6. PROOF YOUR PAGES.
To illustrate this point, I showed a tearsheet of a front page weather box that said ‘Fartly Cloudy’ instead of ‘Partly Cloudy’. You’ve got to check your pages…and check them again.
ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting, offering comprehensive newspaper design services at: www.henningerconsulting.com.
7. NIMROD FOR TEXT. Every time someone offers me a look at a “Wow, this is a great text font!” font, I compare it January 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.
▄▄
Friday, February 24 - Successfully Negotiating On Value Vs. Price
This program will be a fast-paced session focused on three key skills for you and your team: • • •
Negotiate smarter, not harder. Negotiate on value, not on price. Win more and lose less in sales!
This webinar will be applicable to leaders and sellers, who must negotiate to close deals, renew contracts and achieve price increases.
CLASSIFIED AD
This webinar will be ALL MEAT, NO FAT. *Registrations received after February 21 are subject to a $10 late fee. Registration for this program closes at midnight February 23. Log in instructions will be sent 48 hours ahead of scheduled program. If you are interested in participating but are unable to attend the live webinar, we encourage you to sign up anyway. As part of your webinar package, you will receive free access to the archive of this webinar by registering for the live session.
▄▄
Thursday, March 2 - Best Practices For Public Notices
The newspaper industry has had a lot of success protecting public notice in the state legislatures, but collectively we’re on the defensive. Our opponents are more motivated than ever and increasingly sophisticated in their arguments. Every newspaper must play a role in this fight. This session will focus on the state of public notice and the best practices that every publisher should follow to help the industry maintain its rightful position as the publisher of official notice of public actions. *Registrations received after February 27 are subject to a $10 late fee. Registration for this program closes at midnight March 1. Log in instructions will be sent 48 hours ahead of scheduled program. If you are interested in participating but are unable to attend the live webinar, we encourage you to sign up anyway. As part of your webinar package, you will receive free access to the archive of this webinar by registering for the live session.
For more information and to register, visit: www.onlinemediacampus.com.
January 2017
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TECHNOLOGY
Know When To Fold
When Holding Onto Hardware And Software Becomes Detrimental By Kevin Slimp While in Minnesota last week, I had an assignment similar to assignments I’ve had many times before: to spend a day with a small community newspaper group, meet with the management and staff individually, then propose two optional plans with the same goal in mind. The goal was to improve the editorial and production workflow, thereby improving the quality of the publication and efficiency of the operation. Sounds simple enough, and having completed similar assignments hundreds of times before, I felt up to the task. Every newspaper is different, so I keep their particular needs in mind when offering advice. This group is in a process that many of us find ourselves in: determining whether to tweak the current workflow using the tools available, or to upgrade hardware and software throughout the organization to achieve monumental jumps in efficiency. I understand the dilemma. Having owned several publications in the past, plus a couple of companies right now, I know what it’s like to make upfront expenditures in order to see longterm gains. Perhaps you are in the same dilemma. Should I purchase new hardware and upgrade software at the same time, or will everything be OK if we upgrade software on our current machines? Would my staff be more efficient with training or is it a waste of time? If I train them too much, will they run off and find a higher paying job somewhere else? The questions go on. What about camera raw? Will it improve my product or just slow down my workflow? Am I spending enough time on my digital products or am I possibly spending too much time on them? Speaking of staff, do I have too many or too few? Are they organized in the most efficient manner? Should we create our website in-house or use an outside vendor? The questions could go on forever. It’s enough to bring on a panic attack. Don’t panic. Let me suggest a few things to think about when faced with similar questions. Let us consider hardware and software today and I will discuss other issues in upcoming columns.
and ask a few questions. How old are my computers? If you are working on machines more than six years old, chances are they are getting pretty slow and produce all kinds of delays. I’ve noticed six years is kind of a magic point for computers. Yes, Macs can last forever, but like anything else they slow down in time. And Windows-based machines slow down more quickly than Macs. It’s just a fact of life. I have four computers I primarily use in my work. One is an eightyear-old iMac. It still works and is fine for word processing and less intensive processes. But, I notice lately that it even slows down during simple tasks like checking email. I wouldn’t dare waste my time trying to crank out pages on that computer. Sure I could do it, but it would take threetimes as long as creating the same pages on my two-year old iMac. Q. What can I do to get the most of my current hardware? A. If hardware is slowing down your workflow but new computers aren’t in the budget, one of the easiest ways to get more from your machine is to maximize its RAM memory. RAM isn’t expensive these days and I’ve seen machines double or even triple in speed by upgrading their current RAM to higher levels. Most computers can hold 8 to 16 gb of RAM. Check to see how much your machines currently have and how much they can hold, and make an investment (usually under $100) to maximize the memory in each machine. Q. Is my software too old? Do I really need to pay a monthly fee to keep from falling too far behind? A. Maybe, maybe not. Approximately a third of the newspapers I visit are using the most recent design software. If you’re an Adobe user, that means the Creative Cloud version, which requires a monthly subscription. Does this mean you’re behind the curve if you have older software? Again, maybe or maybe not. I don’t work for Adobe or Quark, so I have no reason to mislead you. You don’t have to have the latest version of InDesign or Quark to be efficient. I have three versions of Adobe’s software on the
Is my hardware too old? Is it all going to come crashing down? A. Hardware is a delicate issue. One of the quickest ways to improve efficiency is to improve the tools we use. Why do you think Amazon is always investing in new robots and distribution methods? However, hardware isn’t cheap and no one wants to waste money. I would suggest newspapers look over their current hardware January 2017
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TECHNOLOGY
machine I’m using right now: CS5, CS6 and CC. I’ve noticed no big difference in speed between CS6 and CC. That’s also the case on other machines I use. So if your staff is using CS6 software, speed probably isn’t an issue. If it is, you should check the RAM memory, as mentioned earlier. You may want to upgrade to Creative Cloud for other reasons but speed probably isn’t one of them. You might even be OK with Adobe CS5 or 5.5. If things seem to be moving along nicely and you are getting your ads and pages out in a timely manner, you might be safe for now. I wouldn’t plan to use CS5 for several more years, but your operation won’t come crashing down in the near future due to software issues. However, if you are using really old software like CS or CS2 (even CS3), your days are numbered. One day in the not-to-distant future you might walk in to learn no one can get their pages out. Even if that weren’t a possibility - and it is -it’s taking at least twice as long as it should to get your product out the door using old software. CS3 was released just under ten years ago. Not many of us are driving the same cars we were in 2007. And if we are (I’ve had mine five years), we’re probably thinking about upgrading to a newer model. It’s interesting we often update our cars before updating the things that provide our financial security. We forget that time is money. If it takes twice as long to get an issue designed due to old software and computers, the amount of time it would take to recoup the cost of new equipment is minimal. As I tell my clients, I’ll be home in a couple of days. So do what you think is best. But if it were my decision, I wouldn’t wait too long before upgrading any older software and hardware.
Getting People to Pick Up Your Paper Feb. 2 - 3:00 - 3:35 pm EST / 2:00 C / 1 M Led by Kevin Slimp
Time & Territory Management February 23 - EST / 2:00 C / 1 M Led by Tim Smith
License to Print Money Feb. 15 - 3:00 - 3:35 pm EST / 2:00 C / 1 M Led by Ed Henninger
Navigate the digital-print conundrum February 15 - EST / 2:00 C / 1 M Led by John Hatcher
Making Pics Pop Off the Page February 24 - 12 pm EST / 11 C / 10 M Led by Kevin Slimp
KEVIN SLIMP serves as director of the Institute of Newspaper Technology. He is a faculty member of the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information. www.kevinslimp.com
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 receive a 35% commission. LOGO ADS: OCNA recently introduced logo ads as an option. An All Ontario 25-word ad WITH LOGO and enhanced text is $975. 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.
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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
January 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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January 2017
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