newsclips
OCTOBER 2016
OCNA’s Queen’s Park Day A Success
By Gordon Cameron OCNA Past President & Managing Editor, Hamilton Community News OCNA publishers, editors and board members descended on Queen’s Park on September 21 to meet with cabinet ministers, MPPs and of course, Premier Kathleen Wynne. Politicians of all stripes were supportive or sympathetic to our issues which included changes to the recycling system, the lack of government advertising and the need to reinstate newspapers ability to access the Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit. Those we spoke to recognized that newspapers are unique in the recycling system as we’re not packaging, but the product itself. They also understood how valuable the current in-kind advertising program is not only to the sustainability of our industry, but for the value that it brings to the goal of reducing the amount of waste generated by Ontarians. While the recently passed Waste Free Ontario Act will see stewards paying 100 Photo courtesy of Jenna Muirhead Gould, Freelance Photographer, percent of the costs associated with recycling their material, Office of the Premier of Ontario those changes will be rolled out over the next several years. board members with Premier Kathleen Wynne during the OCNA’s Publishers’ Based on our conversations we are fairly confident that there OCNA Reception at Queen’s Park on Sept. 21. From left to right: Abbas Homayed, Publisher, will be little change for our members in terms of how or how Sudbury Northern Life; Alicia McCutcheon, Editor, Manitoulin Expositor; Rick Shaver, General Manager, TD Media - Cornwall Market; Premier Kathleen Wynne, Dave Adsett, much they contribute to the system in the near future. OCNA President and Publisher, Fergus Wellington Advertiser; and John Willems, General On the government advertising front, MPPs shared our Manager, Metroland Media Group Toronto. concern about Ontario tax dollars being shipped out of the country to support American companies rather than those who create jobs and news right here. While both Google and Facebook act as conduits for local news and information, they produce none. Given how the creation of local news is vital to a functioning democracy there was an understanding that government could do more to support this critical task while getting its messages out in a highly effective manner. In the 2015 budget the government announced an end to newspapers ability to access the Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit, which many members had used to recoup some of their investment in putting their papers online. As digital readership continues to grow, many members, particularly our smaller members, have found it difficult to invest in new technology due to the costs involved. By reinstating newspaper eligibility, the provincial government would be doing its part to ensure that Ontarians could continue to receive the news and information they need in the format they prefer. At our reception Premier Wynne told the crowd about how important the work we do OCNA board member John Willems with Gila Continued on Page 2 >>>
WHAT’S INSIDE: October 2016
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS’ RETREAT Join OCNA on November 4-5 at the Kempenfelt Conference Centre to network with peers.
See Page 3
Martow, MPP Thornhill.
GOOD WILL IN FAMILY BUSINESSES
NO CARTOON? NO PROBLEM.
A dangerous slide can end at a cliff.
Three ideas for visual elements on a page.
See Page 7
See Page 10
PUBLICATION OF THE ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION 1
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
>>> Continued from Front Page
NEWSCLIPS VOLUME 05, ISSUE 04
for communities is for Ontarians. Her words gave us great hope that we’ll be seeing progress on our biggest government relations files in the near future. Remember, even if you missed our Queen’s Park Day, you can do your part by arranging OCNA Past President, Gordon Cameron (left) and Vice-President, Ray Stanton (right) meetings with your met with Percy Hatfield, MPP Windsor-Tecumseh to discuss current issues impacting local MPPs to talk the community newspaper industry. to them about our issues. If you’d like more information please contact Caroline Medwell at c.medwell@ ocna.org or 416-923-7724 ext. 4428.
37 Front Street E, Ste 200 Toronto, ON M5E 1B3 P. 416-923-7724 w. www.ocna.org
OCNA BOARD PRESIDENT
Dave Adsett
FIRST VP
Ray Stanton
SECOND VP
Anne Marie Creskey
SECRETARY/ TREASURER
John Willems
PAST PRESIDENT
Gordon Cameron
DIRECTORS
Abbas Homayed Alicia McCutcheon Darren Murphy Rick Shaver John Willems
The OCNA is also sad to see the following newspapers members go: Manotick News - September 2016 Rainy River Record - September 2016 Toronto Can-India News - September 2016
IN THIS ISSUE... 03 ...................................................INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS’ RETREAT 04 ...........................................................BNC AWARDS OPEN FOR ENTRIES 05 ..........................................................................CANADA POST CHANGES 06 ...................................................GET TO KNOW THE PERSON YOU HIRE 07 ........................................................GOOD WILL IN FAMILY BUSINESSES 08 .....................................DON’T WASTE YOUR BUDGET ON TEASER ADS 09 ......................................UPCOMING ONLINE MEDIA CAMPUS WEBINARS
OCNA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Caroline Medwell
MEMBER SERVICES
Karen Shardlow Kelly Gorven
ACCOUNTING
Lucia Shepherd
AD*REACH
Ted Brewer Carolyn Press Erica Leyzac
10 ..................................................................NO CARTOON? NO PROBLEM. 12 .............................................POPULAR NEWSPAPER TRAINING TOPICS 13 ..........NEWSPAPERACADEMY.COM DISCOUNT FOR OCNA MEMBERS
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
OCNA Independent Publishers’ Retreat Is Quickly Approaching
OCNA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Mark Your Calendars: November 4-5 The Ontario Community Newspapers Association is gearing up for the fifth Annual Independent Publishers’ Retreat. This year, join us at the Kempenfelt Conference Centre in Innisfil on beautiful Kempenfelt Bay, Lake Simcoe on Friday November 4th and Saturday November 5th. This is a great opportunity to network with peers, share successes and participate in sessions that impact the industry. Friday evening will be a social event and sessions will begin on Saturday morning. Register with OCNA as soon as you are able, and we will make your overnight reservation, as it is included in the registration cost. Your Friday night accommodation, three meals, and all the sessions are only $330 for a single occupancy and $450 for double occupancy. The Registration form can be found on the members section of our website. Please note: you must be logged in as a member to access the file. Once complete, e-mail the registration form to Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocna.org. The deadline to register is Friday October 14th!
NEW PUBLISHER FOR THE VOICE OF PELHAM Central Niagara’s Voice of Pelham is pleased to announce that its Marketing Director, Dave Burket, has taken over as Publisher. “We have a great team here,” says Burket. “We share a commitment to keep the Voice viable in times that are pretty tough for small papers.” Burket has some 35 years’ experience in mass media, advertising, and business roles. “I’m lucky to have seen both sides of the news business—editorial and advertising,” says Burket. He says that sensible, day-to-day management is a must to ensure any paper’s longevity. “Priority number one is to make sure we can continue providing the increased quality of coverage and design that readers have seen starting this spring. Quality newspapers take money, and for this we depend on the loyalty of our local advertisers to support their local paper—rather than just corporate media with no ties to Pelham.” Burket says that the paper will bring on additional editorial and sales support through the autumn.
THE RAINY RIVER RECORD CEASES
Situated in the picturesque, vibrant lakeside community of The City of Temiskaming Shores, Northern Ontario’s premier printing company is
It is the end of an era. After almost 100 years the Rainy River Record has ceased publication as of September 27. “The paper, over the past several years, has been unprofitable,” said Publisher Jim Cumming. “It was hoped that a change in the prosperity of the west end of the Rainy River District would return it to profitability. Two of our major advertisers, the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario, have chosen to shun newspaper advertising in favour of buying advertisements on US social media such as Google and Yahoo. It is a blow to all newspapers in both Ontario and across Canada.” In making the decision to close the paper, the Fort Frances Times has picked up all current subscribers to the Rainy River Record. Customers having both Rainy River Record and Fort Frances Times subscriptions now have the two subscriptions added together and the subscription extended in time. After nearly 28 years as Manager Editor, Ken Johnston, is moving to Bemidji to marry his fiancee of nine years.
HIRING AN EXPERIENCED
PRESSPERSON The successful candidate is familiar and comfortable with a Community Goss press. You work as a team player responsible for a minimum of eight weekly community newspapers and specialty publications per week in a very busy shop. In addition to the rewards which come with living in a sought-out community, you will enjoy an excellent benefit and pension package.
SPEAKER
Please forward your resume to: Lois Perry Temiskaming Printing 18 Wellington St. New Liskeard, Ontario POJ 1P0 or email loisperry@northernontario.ca
NEW EDITOR FOR THE WIARTON ECHO Zoë Kessler has taken on the role as editor for the Wiarton Echo. She is also the 137-year-old paper’s first female to do so.
Printing, Publishing and Promotions
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INDUSTRY NEWS
The 2016 BNC Awards Are Now Open for Entries
OCNA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
The Ontario Community Newspapers Association is pleased to announce that we have again partnered with Newspaper Toolbox to offer an online entry platform, simplifying the submission process for members. The Competition website is now open for entries. Submit your entries in PDF format by visiting the OCNA BNC Competition website at www. contests.newspapertoolbox.com/Contests_CA/OCNA.
FIVE NEW APPOINTMENTS AT HILL TIMES PUBLISHING Asha Hingorani - Human Resources Manager and Staff Ombudsperson Asha first joined the Hill Times as editor of Parliament Now in 2011. Since then, she has also managed a small team of online editors and reporters within the Hill Times’ digital publications. Asha will also be a staff ombudsperson, and will provide HR and recruiting resources to Hill Times’ department managers.
How to: A new account must be created for each year of the contest. First, click on ‘Create an Account Now’ on the left side of the page. Now, simply choose your newspaper from the drop down menu, complete the missing information and click submit. You will then receive an e-mail containing your username and password. Return to the contest page by clicking on the link in the username/password e-mail you have just received. Enter the username and password and log in. You may change your username and password at any time by going to ‘My Account’. Instructions for submitting entries will now be on your screen. Category Descriptions and Rules of Entry can also be found on the OCNA Member Site. (Note: you must be logged in to view these documents)
Samim Massoom - Director of Business Development After his 2015 arrival at the Reader Development Department, Samim has managed multiple corporate, government and diplomatic accounts which showed immense growth. Samim also helped to grow multiple publications at the Hill Times and has been involved in policy events where he was responsible for key decision-makers, including ministers and members of Parliament.
Important dates to remember: October 1 - Submissions Open October 31 – Submissions Close! October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016 – Entries must have been published during this timeframe. February 14, 2017 – OCNA will post the top three finalists in alphabetical order at www.ocna.org. Friday April 7th, 2017 – See you at the Awards Gala, where we reveal the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners!
Steve MacDonald - Vice President of Marketing and Multimedia Sales Since joining the Hill Times in 2009 as Director of Advertising, Steve has extensive leadership experience in corporate and advocacy communications, and the advertising industry. Prior to joining the Hill Times, Steve was publisher of five national information technology publications for Toronto-based MacleanHunter. Steve now leads Hill Times sales across a wide range of media platforms to a growing and influential audience.
Submission Types: PDF – Upload PDF files for all category entries, including those you are sending to the office in hardcopy (these require front page pdf only). HARD COPY - The General Excellence Categories (Make sure you register for it online) as well as the Premier categories (Best Vertical Product and Special Section) must be mailed to the OCNA address below. OCNA must receive these hard copies NO LATER THAN October 31st, 2016, so mail them early. PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS: 37 Front Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1B3.
Katie Schultz - Editor, Parliament Now Prior to joining the Hill Times, Katie worked for the House of Commons as a transcriber and editor for committees and taught English as a second language in South Korea. She holds a BA honours in political science from Carleton University and is currently enrolled as a part time student in the Technical Writing program at Algonquin. APPOINTMENT NOTICE
Payment: Now made online at the contest Web site, and must be done be October 31st, 2016.
Hill Times is pleased to Shruti Shekar - Editor, The Lobby The Monitor announce the appointment Shruti joined the Hill Times publishing group of Shruti Shekar as editorin of The Lobby Monitor. 2015 as a reporter for the Wire Report. She moved
If you have any questions please contact Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocna.org or by phone at 1-800-387-7982 x4432.
over to the Lobby Monitor in April 2016.thePrior to Shruti joined Hill Times becoming a journalist, Shruti worked atgroup the inUnited publishing 2015 as a reporter for Wire Report. Nations High Commission for Refugees inThe Ottawa as She moved over to The Lobby a communications officer. Monitor in April 2016.
October 2016
Shruti Shekar Prior to becoming a journalist, Editor, The Lobby Monitor Shruti worked at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Ottawa as a communications officer.
She holds a double BA honours in communication studies
OCNA is pleased to be able to recognize the passion and outstanding work its members produce each week! Good luck and thank you for your participation!! 4
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Changes to Canada Post Publications Mail And Neighbourhood Mail Canada Post has announced its annual price and service changes for all Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail, including Publications Mail and Neighbourhood Mail (formerly Unaddressed Admail). These changes will take effect on January 16, 2017. The following is a brief summary of changes affecting newspaper publishers. All Canada Post customers should have received written notice of the changes. Details are also available online at www.canadapost.ca/notice. Publications Mail: Publications Mail prices for items weighing up to 100 grams and mailed under the Delivery Facility Presort category will increase as follows: National to increase by 2 cents or 2.74 percent to 75 cents; Regional to increase by 2 cents or 3.57 percent to 58 cents; and, Local Rural to increase by 2 cents or 4.76 percent to 44 cents. Incremental weight prices for items over 100 grams will increase by 0.01 cents. Publishers who mail catalogues with their newspaper should note that the price calculation is changing. Starting in January, the price of mailing a catalogue within a newspaper or magazine will be determined using the incremental weight price under Publications Mail. It will no longer be charged separately as Personalized Mail. Neighbourhood Mail: The Neighbourhood Mail price for items weighing up to 50 grams will increase by 0.2 cents or 1.17 percent to 17.3 cents. All other prices will remain unchanged for the second consecutive year. Neighbourhood Mail service changes include a number of enhancements for customers using the service for marketing campaigns. Please note that the above prices are non-contract. Updated Customer Guides will be posted online at www.canadapost.ca/notice on November 18, 2016.
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October 2016
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HUMAN RESOURCES
Getting To Know The Person You Are Hiring – Before You Hire! A TwoGreySuits Article by Ron Guest, Co-Founder TwoGreySuits Tip – take considerable time to plan out what behaviours you want/know will fit before you interview. Take as much as 2-3 hours to really think this out, ask others, prepare a list of competencies, and develop relevant interview questions. I realize this tip sounds obvious, yet, I still see many companies trying to take short cuts in the hiring process, and they almost always end up paying the price. Think about it for a moment – you could be hiring your next employee for 5-10 years or longer, and the impact they can have in that time can be hugely variable. So, why do managers try and take short cuts anyways? My answer to this is that they do not know how to properly hire or interview and the most important task at hand becomes ‘filling a seat’, or expediency. I estimate that 9/10 times when I have been called to help with a performance management issue, it can be linked to poor hiring practices. For behavioural interview questions, when I ask for specific examples of situations and how the candidate behaved, I am looking for names of other people involved, place and time. I do this because upfront I tell the candidate that the answers to these questions about past situations will
need to be verified in reference checks. Many candidates will not be used to or comfortable with these types of behaviour questions and to this extent I have also in the past listed them out hard copy and have offered the candidate the choice of responding to them on their own time in writing. This is not an exercise in memory recall, it is about understanding past behaviours because that is the best predictor of future behaviour. Some questions I have used in the past to try and get a good understanding of how a person thinks, acts and how they might do think/act in future: • How do you deal with pressure situations? • How well do you work under a deadline? • Is there anything you haven’t revealed that would affect our decision • Tell me about a time you had a problem with decisiveness • What are your pet peeves? • What is your biggest professional challenge? • What job experiences have angered you? • Why do you want to work in a job for which you are overqualified? • You’ve changed jobs quite frequently, what assurances do we have that you will stay with us? • Have you ever been asked to resign? • Have you ever been demoted? • Have you ever been fired for reasons that seem unfair? • Have you ever been laid off? • Why did you leave your last job? or Why do you want to leave your current job? • Why have you been out of work for so long? • Why is there a large gap in your employment history? • Why were you let go? • Can you provide a copy of your last performance review? • What’s the biggest mistake you can recall making? • Have you ever had a communication- problem with anyone? • Have you ever openly criticized someone else? • Have you ever worked with someone you didn’t like? • In the past, how have you dealt with co-workers who have disagreed with you? • What did you dislike about your previous company? • What did you dislike about your supervisor?
Mark Your Calendar: OCNA’s Annual Spring Convention and Awards Gala FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017 @ THE TORONTO AIRPORT MARRIOT HOTEL Join Ontario Community Newspapers Association for its Annual Spring Convention next year. Discover innovative strategies, practical ideas, and creative ways to serve and connect with your community. In addition, the coveted BNC Awards Gala will be held in the evening. First, second and third place winners of the competition will be announced and recognized during a fun-filled, celebratory night.
Bottom-line here is: WHEN HIRING THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR PROPER INTERVIEW PREPERATION, DON’T TAKE SHORT CUTS!
OCNA is still coordinating details and sessions for the event. Stay tuned for more details, but be sure to mark the date in your calendar!
For more examples of interview questions, visit www.twogreysuits. com/2016/09/13/getting-to-really-know-the-person-you-are-hiringbefore-you-hire/
We hope to see you there!
TwoGreySuits is a leading edge provider of on-line human resource management information, processes, tools and forms servicing the North American market.
For more information please contact Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocna.org or 416-923-7724 x 4432. October 2016
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BUSINESS
Good Will In Family Businesses
It Takes Decades To Build And Moments To Destroy. How To Break The Cycle. By Stefan Voswinkel The Family Business Catalyst With spirit, drive and sweat business families build their legacies. A dangerous slide that can end at a cliff:
employees, customers and suppliers? How about his family? There will be a day when he has lost them for good. Incomprehensible! In order to determine what Good Will you have built and may be putting at risk, you first need to know what your Good Will is. Many business families have no clue.
Examples of Good Will destruction: • A stellar waitress is loved by all and brings in business for the owner. She has to feed two teenagers and gets an opportunity to take an interesting position that utilizes her skills better and pays double. She gives notice and the owner is so angry that she bans her from her restaurant. News about such inadequate reaction spread like a roaring forest fire with people stating they will no longer go there. • Uncle Joe is co-owner and in charge of the company’s high-value inventory. Not only does he keep his personal stash of junk that needs to be written down ($200k), he also works around the inventory system (preventing timely orders) and allows his buddies to walk around the counter to take out what they need. Nobody has the guts to reign him in. • Dad is in his 70s and managing the company on an ad hoc basis. His two sons have the spirit and merit to be successors, yet they have no clue what the direction of the company is, and they have no reliable delegated decision power – to build confidence and respect. The option of selling the company is also diminished - no buyer is interested in a business that has no direction and depends solely on the owner. A fire sale is looming.
An example of what good will can do: There is this gem of a receptionist at a highly successful family business I know. With her courtesy, responsiveness and pride of who she works for she creates a first impression that blows you away…and makes you want to come back. Pay your receptionist a meaningful bonus and make her part of your extended business family! She will never leave. Your best safeguards to sustain your Good Will: • Operationalize your core values: anything and anyone contradicting your core values goes. Walt Disney: “Once values are clear, decisions become easy.” • Practice social courage and have a ‘consequential backbone’. • Get an outside perspective. Get your assumptions tested and take the business to the next level, with the help of a trusted advisor or an advisory board. • Ask your employees for candid feedback - they do know. • Practice realistic harmony vs. fake harmony (‘going along to get along’ destroys Good Will; realistic harmony requires ‘constructive fighting’) • Build Next Generation human capital (mentoring and coaching, in a planned fashion) • Professionalize your management - “Successful family businesses know when to consolidate their gains by adopting professional management methods.…..” (The Economist: Family Values, Aug. 20 edition) • Identify your recipe for success (the not so obvious is part of your company’s value): o Elevate it to the conscious level (then you can protect it and will want to) o Write it down o Intentionalize it (now it will be much more difficult to destroy) o Make it transferable (mentoring the Next Generation) o Perpetuate it (and with it the legacy and value of your business)
What I mean by Good Will: • Your relationships and reputation with customers, employees, suppliers and community • Your human capital • Your recipe for success including know-how Venture a guess of the percentage your company’s value is Good Will. Certainly an amount you don’t want to put at risk! How destruction of Good Will shoes up: • Frustrated employees (more sick days, damaged equipment, vanishing inventory) • Good people leave (employees, customers and...family members) • Profits decrease • The value of the company decreases • The indirect negative effects reach into not so obvious corners, doing damage every day
GOOD banks actually include Good Will in their loan assessments! Make Good Will a topic and have a deep conversation. If you are not committed to act upon what you heard, don’t even start. Follow up and hold people accountable, including yourself.
So often destruction of Good Will remains undetected or isn’t being acknowledged. Creepy! The point of no return The tragedy is that once Good Will destruction goes beyond a certain point, it becomes irreversible. An example: a founder has built a global brand. He is now in his mid-seventies and has stated that he will not cede control to anyone and deliberately run it into the ground. How about his October 2016
© All rights reserved, Stefan Voswinkel, President of YLynx Management Consulting, Inc. stefan@voswinkel.ca | 867-456-7506 7
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ADVERTISING
Don’t Waste Your Budget On Teaser Ads By John Foust Raleigh, NC information. Newspapers and their digital counterparts are sources of information. That’s where people turn for in-depth coverage of news and sports. In the reader’s mind, holding back information – even in advertising – is not fair. It doesn’t fit the general purpose of a news outlet.
I came across something in my ‘Bad Ads’ file which reminded me of ads I see every now and then. It was about an eighth of a page, with big bold type: “Big news coming to Main Street.” That’s it. No details. Just “Big news coming to Main Street.” This is known as a teaser ad. Although it was attempting to create curiosity, I’ll bet it generated little more than a collective ‘ho hum’ from readers. Teaser ads usually have mysterious headlines like, ‘Exciting new product coming soon’, or ‘You wouldn’t believe what we have in store’. But these headlines are rarely accompanied by copy that reveals what the fuss is all about. That’s why I think teaser ads are a waste of money.
5. The arrival of the Big Event often doesn’t live up to the build-up. When that happens, readers become suspicious of that advertiser’s future promotions. And the advertiser loses credibility.
6. Cleverness vs. creativity. Cleverness calls attention to itself and results in advertising gimmicks. Creativity calls attention to the product and results in sales. 7. There’s a big difference between a curiosity headline and a curiosity ad. A curiosity headline is designed to make consumers want to read the rest of the ad (which will provide them with information about a specific product or service). A curiosity ad leaves everything to the imagination. That’s not a good thing.
Here are some points to keep in mind:
1. Most teaser ads are ego driven. There is a strong ‘made you look’ element. Unfortunately, some advertisers measure the effectiveness of their advertising by the number of positive comments they hear. In the case of teaser ads, those positive comments come from family and friends – the people who actually know details about the Big Event.
8. Of course, there are exceptions. If planned properly – and if backed by accurate market research – some teaser campaigns can be effective. Most of those successful campaigns build information in layers, over a specific period of time. However, in most cases, advertisers would be wise to avoid teasers and invest their efforts on ads that tell the whole story.
2. Most merchants want immediate response from their advertising. Teaser ads can’t do that. Instead of asking readers to take action, they ask readers to wait. Teaser ads sell hype, not benefits. 3. Readers are rarely as excited about a coming attraction as the advertiser. Big news to an advertiser is not always big news to consumers. It is human nature for readers to care more about what is happening in their own world than anywhere else. That’s why the best ads dramatize ways the product or service can save money or improve the quality of the consumer’s life. 4.
(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
Readers are frustrated by advertisers who withhold
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TRAINING
ONLINE MEDIA CAMPUS WEBINARS: OCNA has teamed with the Online Media Campus to help the association fulfill its mission of providing affordable and relevant training to members. ▄▄
Thursday, October 13 - InDesign Efficiencies
Live coverage is the latest mobile and social trend to help journalists reach new audiences. Sports journalists can connect with fans via live, play-by-play broadcasts on internet radio. Reporters can enhance their storytelling on Facebook Live with a solid list of ‘best practices’ and tools like Mevo. And SnapChat’s My Story can be used to create flip book style visuals with the latest details pushing your story to the top of follower feeds. In this session we will concentrate on best practices and using cost effective tools to get the most out of live coverage. Meet the Presenter: Val Hoeppner is a digital journalist, teacher, trainer and media strategist. Hoeppner spent 20 years in newsrooms as a photojournalist, newsroom leader and multimedia director. She also spent five years working with journalism professionals, educators and students in her role as director of education for the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute. ▄▄
Friday, November 11 - Prospecting That Pay$ CLASSIFIED AD
This session provides a proven prospecting methodology that not only creates sales opportunities, but is also easily implemented and enjoyable. It will provide guidance on proactively preparing a sales strategy each month and determining your individual ‘magic prospecting number’ to achieve your goals and give yourself a raise. You will learn how to successfully approach prospects in a manner that opens doors, and keeps them open, even if prospects initially tell you they are not interested. This session is a must for those who sell, and those who lead sales teams! Meet the Presenter: For over 25 years, Kelly Wirges has helped companies increase sales and revenue in all facets of business. In 1993, she founded ProMax Training & Consulting, Inc. ProMax develops practical, customized solutions that help companies retain, develop and align talent with business strategies.
For more information and to register, visit: www.onlinemediacampus.com.
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!
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DESIGN
No Cartoon? No Problem. By Ed Henninger Henninger Consulting
Many community newspapers I’ve seen struggle to find a visual element to place on the opinion page. As a result, they’ll often place an editorial cartoon on the page that really has little interest for - or impact on - readers. They are there to be… well…there. Those cartoons may be national in scope. Some may actually apply to what is going on in the community. But far too many don’t. Some publishers commission local artists to create a cartoon that may occasionally accompany an editorial or opinion column. That costs. If you’re OK with that expense, more power to you. But, if you want a visual element on the page that won’t cost you a cent (except in staff time), here are three ideas for you to consider:
1) THE ‘BACK THEN’ PHOTO
When I show publishers this idea, they usually like it - a lot. These photos are often readily available, either in your own archives or from a local historical society. Just give your historical society a credit and they’ll usually bend over backwards to find some good ‘old-timey’ pictures for you. I like to see them at the top of your ‘Back Then’ piece, the one where you write up a few items that were published in your paper 100 years ago, 50 years ago, 25 years ago and 10 years ago. My experience is that readers like these photos a lot. And there’s no extra expense involved.
2) THE STAND-ALONE PHOTO
I usually call these the ‘butterfly on a stump’ photos. In this case, it’s a guy out for a Sunday morning sail. In the illustration, it’s a colour photo… but it doesn’t have to be. Some of the greatest scenic pictures ever taken are in black and white. If you don’t believe me, look up a guy named Ansel Adams. These photos are usually scenics: A fall leaf on a gently flowing stream; geese flying north against a sunset; a pinto pony in a desert field. You get the idea. The good thing about this kind of photo is that you don’t have to shoot it right now. It can wait. But you have to keep your eyes open...you just never know when a beautiful scenic shot is gonna jump out.
c) A poll chart. Colour if possible but black and white will do. And make it a pie chart. d) Space for reader comments. A good question is sure to stir the pot and some readers will be sure to respond with interesting comments.
3) THE READER POLL
So…you don’t have to continue to run a no-interest-here, static, boring editorial cartoon. You have three choices here.
Now, this item takes a bit more work…but if you do it right you’re bound to generate some strong reader participation. Some of the elements this requires: a) A thought-provoking question, not just “Do you think it’s going to be a wet autumn this year?” b) Offer at least five or six responses to the question. Readers can choose from among those…and/or leave a comment on your Web site. October 2016
ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting, offering comprehensive newspaper design services at: www.henningerconsulting.com. 10
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PRESS IDENTIFICATION CARDS OCNA can provide you with laminated, business card-sized Press Cards. The cost is $10 each for the first three, and $5 for each one thereafter. PRESS CARD
DAVE ADSETT Publisher
2016
2016
This certifies the individual identified has been awarded Press Credentials by the Publisher of this newspaper, and is to be used for identification purposes.
Fergus Wellington Advertiser 519-843-5410 905 Gartshore St. Box 252 Fergus, ON N1M 2W8
This newspaper on the reverse side is, as of date of issue, a member in good standing of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) www.ocna.org
Caroline Medwell, Exec. Director
July 20, 2016 Date
To place an order, please contact Kelly Gorven at k.gorven@ocna.org or call 416-923-7724 ext 4439 for the Publisher’s Authorization Form and instructions.
October 2016
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TECHNOLOGY
Most Popular Newspaper Training Topics in 2016 By Kevin Slimp
It’s that time of year again. Depending on when you are reading this, I am either racing against time to prepare for the 20th session of the Newspaper Institute (newspaperinstitute.com), or I am catching my breath after its completion. The Institute takes place at the University of Tennessee and attendees travel from Arizona and Idaho to Florida and New York. In the past, we’ve had folks from some of the biggest papers in America, and some of the smallest. Each year, we’ve added instructors and topics, with 24 classes related to sales, editing, writing, technology and design. It’s fascinating to see what newspapers are interested in these days. This year, we have a large group, but we don’t seem to have as many from the metro papers as we have in the past. On the flip side, this means we have more from smaller and midsize papers. I suppose that makes sense with increased centralization among the metro groups, leaving fewer staff to run the papers and even fewer to attend conferences and training events. Thankfully, we seem to be more popular than ever among community newspapers. Here are the class topics selected by the most attendees: • The most popular class in 2016 seems to be ‘InDesign Tips for Editors and Designers’. I must admit, I am surprised. Design topics still seem to be the biggest attraction with nearly half the students reserving a spot. And, for the first time, more folks signed up for InDesign classes than photo editing. • The second most selected topic was ‘Lessons For Newspapers that Focus on Print’. This class is designed for editors and writers. The high number of registrants for this class leads me to believe there are a lot of papers out there who are increasing the focus on their print products. • Number three, ‘An Overview of the InCopy Editorial Workflow’, really surprised me. Honestly, I threw it in at the last minute, thinking there might be a few folks interested in seeing how InCopy and InDesign work together. With the increasing number of papers using Adobe Creative Cloud, I suppose this shouldn’t have surprised me. But it did. Almost 40 percent of our participants signed up for the InCopy class.
the country for four days to learn more about design, technology, writing, editing and sales.
Industry Experts Interviewed Online I’ve become increasingly interested in finding methods to reach out to newspapers seeking to improve and grow. In late September, I began hosting an online live interview show with guests from throughout the newspaper world. Listeners from all over the U.S. and Canada have been writing in, and the free broadcasts seem be catching on. Keep up with the latest schedule at newspaperacademy.com.
Other topics popular among Institute students include John Hatcher’s ‘Selling Print in a Digital World’ and Ed Henninger’s design classes. I suppose what I’m reminded each year as I prepare for the Institute is there are plenty of newspapers who still care about creating a good product, and plenty who care enough about training to fly staff across October 2016
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 12
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TECHNOLOGY
Newspaperacademy.com Discount For OCNA Members Kevin Slimp is pleased to offer a 40 percent discount for OCNA members interested in webinars at newspapersacademy.com in October. Visit www. newspaperacademy.com to read full descriptions. (Note: prices shown are in US dollars and already reflect the discounted rate) ▄▄
Wednesday, October 19 - Tips to Improve Page Design in Newspapers ($24)
Just how much can you learn about page design in 30 minutes? A lot! Kevin Slimp speaks on this topic at newspaper and magazine conventions throughout North America, and you’ll walk away with lists of tips to make your pages more engaging.
Visit www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SGMZ7XJGQGR4J to register at the discounted rate. ▄▄
Friday, October 21 - Tips to Improve Page Design in Newspapers ($24)
Visit www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=W8RDQR6QTFCSU to register at the discounted rate. ▄▄
Wednesday, October 26 - Basic InDesign for New and Newer Users ($39)
Kevin Slimp was working in InDesign before it even had a name. He taught a large group of designers to use the application the week it was first released. In this fast-paced session, Kevin will teach you the skills to begin creating pages in InDesign.
Visit www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=74QJKKJWC5WCY to register at the discounted rate.
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
October 2016
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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October 2016
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