TWN
2016 WNPA
THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER April 2016
Better Newspaper Contest April 4 (Monday) May 6 (Friday) June 1 (Wednesday) June 13 to July 8 Oct. 13 to 15
TIMELINE
Begin submitting entries on BetterBNC.com Deadline for submitting Regular Entries and General Excellence Deadline for submitting Tourism/Community Guide Special Sections Judging Period (including Open Website) Winners announced at the WNPA Convention in Wenatchee
RULES: Download Categor y List & Rules at www.wn ENTRIES: Upload entries pa.com click BNC tab at www.BetterBNC.com produced by SmallTownPapers
PASSWORDS
• Contestant Managers who submitted entries last year can use the Password link on www.BetterB same at a newspaper are authorized NC.com if needed. Contestant Managers email and password as last year; use the Forgot submit entries and also to submit their own entries. control which staff members and account information. Contestant Managers can see and edit all the • If your Contestant Manager newspaper’s entries from last year is no longer person, contact CJ Burk at your newspaper and you need the account • If no Contestant Manager(see below). email changed to a new was active at your newspaper as a Contestant using last year, create a Contestant use the temporary password Manager account by first • Authorized Entrants bnc (lowercase). logging in who submitted entries in 2015 can use the same Forgot Password link on www.BetterBNC.com email if needed. New Authorized and password information as last year; use asking them to validate their the Entrants receive an email entries. Authorized Entrants email address. Once they have done so, from BetterBNC.com Authorized Entrants can can see and edit only log in and begin submitting the entries they submit ENTRY FORMATS themselves. • Upload all entries as PDF, JPG, PNG, TIF or via URL to www.BetterB www.issuu.com or www.realview NC.com. The maximum digital.com to enter special file size is 5 MB. Please has been built into the sections and large, multi-page BetterBNC.com site. use entries. www.realviewdigital.com • Please don’t submit both • For photo entries, considerURL and PDF of the same entry. It confuses judges. providing jpeg and/or at the 2016 WNPA convention, a pdf. WNPA plans to use submitted jpegs to create Oct. 13-15 in Wenatchee. photoboards for display Please use these specs TECHNICAL SUPPORT for jpegs: 180 px/inch, 10” on longest side. • For technical help getting logged in, making entries BetterBNC” button at www.BetterB and general use of the BetterBNC platform, please NC.com to initiate a trouble • For help with rules, eligibility use the “Contact ticket. and entry fees please contact CJ Burk (see GENERAL EXCELLE below). NCE General Excellence participation is a member Sept. 23 and the week benefit. There is no fee. of Submit all issues published You may wish to create Sept. 30, 2015 (the last two issues of September). in both the week of separate pdfs/urls for Include special sections newspapers. the newspapers and and the classifieds. special sections distributed with these two weeks’ CONTEST PERIODS Regular Entries: April 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016 Tourism/Community Guide Special Sections: June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016 ENTRY FEES: $6.50/entry for Group I, $8.50 for Groups II & III, $9 for Group IV
1204 4th Ave E, Suite
4,Olympia WA 98506 • www.wnpa.com • t 360 515 0974 Contact CJ Burk: cj@wnpa. com
Contest rules in this issue Page 8
Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
Van Dyke retires; Obee chosen to lead WNPA There’s been a change in the top management of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. WNPA Executive Director Marcia Van Dyke last month announced she would retire, and, with her husband Jeff, set off on bicycles for a cross- country tour. Her last day is April 15. Acting quickly, the WNPA executive board gathered resumes, interviewed candidates and formulated a recommendation for the full board of trustees. On April 8, the full board unanimously approved hiring
Fred Obee, a long-time community newspaper editor and manager, as Van Dyke’s replacement. “It’s hard Van Dyke to believe that I will be hanging up my newspaper hat after 27 years in the business,” said Van Dyke. “It seems like yesterday that I was hired for my first newspaper job at the Skagit Valley Herald. Little did I know
Newspaper contest website ready to collect 2016 entries This year’s Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association is ready to receive entries. Entrants are encouraged to download contest rules and instructions. Those can be found at wnpa.com. Entries are uploaded at BetterBNC.com, a website produced by SmallTownPapers. See Page 8 of this edition to find contest rules, entry fees, applicable dates and other information. Awards will be announced at the annual WNPA convention Oct. 13-15 in Wenatchee. “Our convention committee has done a remarkable job planning for our annual fall
meeting,” said WNPA Executive Director Marcia Van Dyke. “It will be well worth attending, and we look forward to recognizing all the great work that’s being done at our member newspapers.” Every WNPA member newspaper is eligible to enter the coveted General Excellence award category without cost. Just submit all issues published in the weeks of Sept. 23 and Sept. 30, 2015 (the last two issues of September). Include your entire newspaper, including special sections and the classifieds. Don’t miss this chance to show the judges the great work you are doing.
See CONTEST, Page 2
then that I would find the most rewarding career anyone could ask for. I immediately fell in love with this business and over the Obee years have had the good fortune to find many excellent mentors to guide my way. “I have had the pleasure to work closely with many of you over the years and some of you I
feel like we were just getting to know each other. It’s inspiring to see the dedication to the news that all of you share. I know that it has been challenging for our industry these past years, but there is one thing I know for sure: There is no group of people more dedicated to finding the truth, holding government accountable, keeping a community informed, sharing and circulating the news than the members of WNPA. The challenges facing our industry today will pass and we will succeed because intelligent people want well-vetted
news. Our democracy depends on it and we will deliver.” Obee spent a total of 18 years at the Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader, first as a reporter and in the final 12 years, as the General Manager. Before that he was Editor of the Whidbey News-Times in Oak Harbor and Editor of the Daily Triplicate, a small daily in Crescent City, Calif. “When I retired from the Leader last July, I honestly didn’t know if I was really retired, on sabbatical or just pausing and See WNPA, Page 2
WILD RIDE
Brian Myrick of the Ellensburg Daily Record won Photographer of the Year honors in the 2015 Better Newspaper Contest for a variety of shots including this action packed rodeo photo.
WNPA: Van Dyke
planning bicycle trip across U.S. Continued from Page 1
thinking about new directions,” Obee said. “Now I know the answer to that question, and I am thrilled to help lead WNPA and build on Marcia’s strong performance. She leaves WNPA in a much stronger position than when she took the helm. That will also be my goal.” Van Dyke she said she feels good about WNPAs future. “WNPA has undergone some big changes in the past year and a half and I am happy to say that we have a good handle on our finances, our communication with members is improving and we have a strong plan for our future growth. I hope that all of you will lend a hand and volunteer to serve WNPA and some point during your newspaper career. It has been my pleasure to serve as your Executive Director.
Spending almost two years leading this organization has been remarkably rewarding. You have so much to share and learn from one another and you are fortunate to have the WNPA as vehicle for sharing your ideas. “Well, it’s off into the sunset I ride. Well, into the sunrise to be exact. My husband Jeff and I leave on our bicycles this May and head eastward across the country. We will be traveling through many small towns, and I can’t wait to see their newspapers. I’ll send the good ones to WNPA to share with all of you. Keep up the good work. I will miss you all! Thanks for the memories,” Van Dyke said. Obee begins work immediately. CJ Burk continues as WNPA’s assistant director.
The Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Established 1887
Officers: Don Nelson, President; Sandy Stokes, First Vice President; Michael Wagar, Second Vice President; Keven Graves, Past President. Trustees: Sara Bruestle, Eric LaFontaine, Donna Etchey, Scott Hunter, Michael Wagar, LuAnn Morgan and Jill FitzSimmons. Staff: Marcia Van Dyke, Executive Director; C.J. Burk, Assistant Director. THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER is the offical publication of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. It is published monthly by WNPA, 1204 Fourth Ave. East, Suite 4, Olympia, WA 98506. Marcia Van Dyke: Executive Director: 360-515-5239. Email: mvandyke@wnpa.com CJ Burk: Accounting and Advertising 360-515-0974. Email: cj@wnpa.com. Fax: 360-515-5546 2 The Washington Newspaper April 2016
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Moving ahead as others move on By Don Nelson This is not what I expected. As first vice president of the WNPA board of trustees, I knew I was in line for the presidency about seven months from now – plenty of time to get used to the idea while learning about organizational leadership from board Nelson president Lori Maxim. Then Lori announced that she was leaving Sound Publishing for a terrific job opportunity as director of revenue for Morris Multimedia. That left me next in the chain of command. So – no palace coup, no rebellious insurgency, no devious maneuvering, no battling for primacy. I’m the inevitable result of bylaws, an innocuous enough manner of succession. The WNPA is a stickler for orderly process in such matters. I knew it would be a challenge to match Lori’s energy and efficiency. Then, before I learned where the gavel is kept, before I was authorized to sign checks, before my newspaper staff learned to sing “Hail to the Chief,” the WNPA’s incredibly capable executive director, Marcia Van Dyke, announced her retirement.
Marcia has assured the board that her departure was in the works, and she’s earned a happy retirement after a long career of service to this industry. In the past year and a half, Marcia and her assistant C.J. Burk have done an extraordinary job of sorting out the WNPA’s financial situation and establishing reliable procedures for our day-to-day operations. Marcia’s tireless efforts have laid the groundwork for the WNPA’s growth as all of us adapt to seismic shifts in the newspaper business. Replacing Marcia was Job One for your newly constituted executive board – me, La Conner Weekly News publisher Sandy Stokes (first vice president), and Nisqually Valley News publisher Michael Wagar (second vice president), plus past president Keven Graves, executive editor and publisher of Sound Publishing’s Whidbey Island newspapers. Several strong candidates expressed interest in the executive director position, and we interviewed them with the goal of quickly forwarding a recommendation to the full board. We wanted to minimize the gap between Marcia’s departure (her last day is April 15) and the new executive director’s arrival. On April 8, we hired Fred Obee to replace Marcia. CJ remains in place as assistant director. Sandy will continue in her
role as chairman of the annual convention. She has done a stellar job of lining up a compelling program for our October gathering, and you’ll be hearing more about that soon. A little bit about my background. I’ve been owner, publisher and editor of the Methow Valley News in Twisp for nearly five years. My most recent job before that was editor of the daily Skagit Valley Herald in Mount Vernon. I was also editor of the Puget Sound Business Journal in Seattle for 10 years, and have worked as a reporter or editor at newspaper and magazines in Eugene, Oregon, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Chicago and Baltimore. My partner in life is Jacqui Banaszynski, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who was formerly a top editor at the Oregonian and the Seattle Times and now teaches at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Yes, we have a strange life. I’ve been on the WNPA board for several years. I love what I do here in Twisp, and appreciate my involvement with the WNPA for its professional value and the wonderful personal relationships I’ve developed. You’re my favorite people, and I look forward to hearing from you early and often. Don Nelson is the Publisher of the Methow Valley News and this year’s WNPA president.
CONTEST: Convention sponsors sought Continued from Page 1
Sponsors are being sought now for the 129th Annual WNPA Convention, Oct. 13-15 in Wenatchee, WA. Sponsors are an integral part of the convention and in a variety of yearround promotions. As a sponsor, you will connect with community newspaper publishers, marketing experts and print and online journalists from across the state. You can demonstrate your product or service or your organization’s sci-
entific, political or social interests from your exhibitor table, located in the center of our convention activities. If you want an opportunity to access local media publishers in Washington state at one time, this is your opportunity! WNPA offers a large range of sponsorship levels and benefits. A sponsorship brochure is available for download on our website, wnpa. com or you can call WNPA today at 206-5155239 for more details.
Seattle Times lauds court’s records ruling By Seattle Times Editorial Board THURSDAY’S [March 31] state Supreme Court ruling in a public-records case sends several strong messages to government agencies. The court upheld a $546,509 Superior Court judgment against the state Department of Labor and Industries finding that it repeatedly delayed the release of records related to lead exposure at Wade’s Eastside Gun Shop. This newspaper requested the records as part of an investigation that revealed thousands of gun owners, workers and their families were exposed to unsafe levels of lead at ranges that received lax scrutiny from health regulators. The series, “Loaded with lead,” demonstrated the importance of Washington’s strong Public Records Act. It enabled the public to learn about health risks and where government could improve. Penalties can encourage prompt release of records. They also discourage officials from manipulating disclosures for political reasons, such as withholding embarrassing records until after a vote. The law allows penalties up to $100 per record for each day they’re withheld. In this case, per-record penalties ranged from 1 cent to $5, the latter for records withheld even after a court ordered their release. Public agencies are created by the people to serve the people. Yet some continue to flout public-records law or seek to weaken it through courts and the
Legislature. Thursday’s 5-4 ruling reinforced the law. It further clarified an exemption for “open investigations,” which agencies cannot use as a blanket excuse to keep records secret. L&I failed to show disclosure jeopardized its investigation of Wade’s. The courts also found that L&I used this exemption to withhold records after its investigation was complete. The courts also took L&I to task for withholding records as a courtesy to companies involved. Companies were given a chance to obtain court orders blocking the release of sensitive information, but failed to do so before the state’s deadline. Still, L&I continued withholding records. These are public servants, not private servants. A minority on the court dissented, taking issue with per-page penalties imposed by a lower court, even though the law gives judges discretion here. A significant penalty was warranted because of L&I’s flagrant violations. The remaining questions are whether Gov. Jay Inslee will hold anyone accountable for this costly violation of state law and how the state will prevent this from happening again. Editorial board members are editorial page editor Kate Riley, Frank A. Blethen, Ryan Blethen, Brier Dudley, Mark Higgins, Jonathan Martin, Thanh Tan, William K. Blethen (emeritus) and Robert C. Blethen (emeritus).
Kathy Brooks of the Shelton-Mason County Journal took first place in the Color Pictorial category in Groups 3 & 4 in the 2015 Better Newspaper Contest for this sunset shot with riders in the distance.
Sea-Tac Council receives Key Award City posts plaque about open meetings
Members of the city council of SeaTac were presented a Key Award by the Washington Coalition for Open Government (WCOG) recently, in recognition of their prominently posting a plaque containing the preamble to the state Open Public Meetings Act in the council chamber at SeaTac City Hall. The large Plexiglas plaque, approximately five feet wide and two feet tall, was presented to the city on January 12 by a group of citizens supportive of government transparency. It quotes the following words, which also appear in the state Public Records
Act: “The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.” The plaque is mounted on the front wall of the council chamber in full view of the audience and where council members can see it at every meeting. The award was presented by WCOG President Toby Nixon to SeaTac Mayor Rick Forschler and the other council members in a
brief ceremony during the presented by WCOG in council’s regular business recognition of a single meeting on February 23. good act in support of “The Coalition open government. Anyone believes those three aware of such acts may sentences to be the most nominate recipients for important words in the consideration by the entire Revised Code of WCOG board by submitWashington, and we ting the nomination form quote them often.” said found at http://washingNixon. “The SeaTac toncog.org/award-nomiCity Council could have nations. placed this gift in a storWashington Coalition age room or private office for Open Government is where nobody would see a statewide, non-partisan, it, but they gave it a place non-profit organization of honor in their chamber dedicated to advocating where they and everyone for the people’s right to who comes to council know what their governmeetings will be remind- ment is doing. Membered of the proper relation- ship is open to the public. ship between the people For more information, and their government. contact WCOG at 6351 This is a great example Seaview Avenue NW, Sefor other agencies around attle, WA 98107-2664, on the state, and they are to the web at www.washingbe commended for it.” toncog.org, or call (206) The Key Award is 782-0393. The Washington Newspaper April 2016 3
Which came first? More ads or more pages? By Kevin Slimp There is a rule of thumb which almost always proves to be true at newspaper conventions: attendance drops drastically on Saturday morning. There are plenty of theories on the subject from “too much fun on Friday night” to “heading home to be with the kids.” Whatever the cause, you can imagine my surprise when I walked into a room in Des Moines, Iowa, two days ago and realized it would be necessary to add chairs. Honestly, I didn’t expect many folks to show up for a Saturday morning session where we would primarily be looking at
numbers, but show up they did. The topic was “What’s Really Slimp Going on in the Newspaper Industry.” My plan was to discuss results from my most recent survey, completed only days before the Des Moines conference. It was obvious the attendees really wanted to know my thoughts on that topic. After completing a major survey, I attempt to discuss one or two findings in each of my subsequent columns
for newspaper industry readers until we have covered the most relevant findings. As with previous studies, there is enough information to write books about the state of the industry, but I will stick to the most interesting discoveries. Perhaps the most thought-provoking discussion in Des Moines revolved around newspaper ownership. Before sharing survey results, I gave the group a little quiz. Their mission was to guess how North American newspaper publishers responded to the survey. Not to answer the questions in the survey as they related to their own newspapers.
Let’s grow your digital revenue!
“Eighty one percent of newspapers that increased the number of pages report better overall health than three years ago.” When asked to guess the percentage of newspapers that are independent, not related to any group or other newspapers, most of the attendees guessed the number would be pretty low. They were surprised to learn that 53 percent of newspapers in the U.S. and Canada are independent, without any relationship to even a small group. I found that most interesting because most of the folks in the room were from independent publications, not part of a larger group. Yet they assume that most of their brethren are from large
newspaper groups. And as I discussed in a previous column, independent papers reported better health and more growth than those that are part of a group. There were several other questions where most publishers guessed their papers were different from most others. When the numbers are broken down, however, we find that ownership plays a bigger role than anything else in determining how newspapers respond. Most independent papers respond very similarly to most questions, as do most small, mid-sized and large
group newspapers. Today, I would like to focus on one interesting correlation: page count vs. newspaper health. Most newspapers, 53 percent, responded their page count was relatively unchanged from three years ago. That is 20 percent higher than the number which reduced the number of pages over the past three years. While 33 percent reported fewer pages, 12 percent answered that they have increased the number of pages. We could argue all day whether newspapers are healthier as a result of having more pages, or whether healthier papers produce more pages because they are in better shape. I would guess that, as in most topics of disagreement, the truth is somewhere in the middle. There is, however, no doubt newspapers that report a higher page count than three years
See SLIMP, Page 4
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• Pre-publication emergency review of a story, letter or advertisement. • Analysis of a demand letter or some other challenge to something that has already been published. Michele
Earl Hubbard Call (206) 801-7510 or email michele@alliedlawgroup.com The Washington Newspaper April 2016 4
Bunting award entries sought; deadline May 31 The Washington Coalition for Open Government is now accepting submissions for the Second Annual Kenneth F. Bunting Award in journalism. Named for the late Seattle Post-Intelligencer Associate Publisher and WCOG Founding Board member, Ken Bunting, the award honors exceptional journalism that supports and demonstrates the importance of open government and transparency. There are many ways for journalism to support and demonstrate the importance of open government laws, including; stories that could not have been written without use of the Public
Records Act, Open Public Meetings Act or other open government laws. To be eligible, the work submitted must be substantially about Washington State and published during the time period of June 1, 2015 to June 1, 2016. The award can go to either the journalist, a team of reporters or organization, but preferably to named individuals. Entrants can download the Bunting Award Nomination Form at www.washingtocog.org. The deadline for submissions is May 31. Entries will be judged by legal experts and media professionals who sit on the WCOG Board of Directors.
SLIMP: Which came first: More ads or more pages? Continued from Page 4
ago also report significantly increased health over those same years. An astounding 81 percent of newspapers that increased the number of pages report better overall health than three years ago. That figure is even more amazing when compared to newspapers with decreased page counts over those same years. Of those, only 17 percent report improved health over the same period. Among the largest group, made up of papers which report the same number of pages as three years ago, 38 percent indicate improved health since 2013. This discussion could easily turn into a “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” conversation. I would suggest there are enough re-
sponses to persuade me that one of the indicators of newspaper health is page count as compared to previous years. For some newspapers, decreasing the number of pages and staff members is a sure way to improve the bottom line. But if these 859 publishers and other newspaper executives can be believed, decreasing the number of pages has a high chance of leading to diminished health, rather than increased profits. I’ll stop there. If you’re fortunate, or perhaps unfortunate, enough to be in one of my audiences in Rochester, New York; Amarillo, Texas; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; or Mitchell, South Dakota, over the next few weeks, I’m sure we’ll find plenty of time to discuss these surveys in more detail.
5 The Washington Newspaper April 2016
New squad for hire to critique newspapers By Sara Bruestle The Beacon A “groovy” squad of journalists is now available for hire to examine the quality of Washington’s community newspapers. The Hit Squad, inspired by the hippie TV show “The Mod Squad,” is comprised of three Washington Newspaper Publishers Association trustees who together offer more than 50 years of journalism experience and fresh sets of eyes to member and non-member newspapers looking to improve. Eric LaFontaine, Sara Bruestle and Michael Wagar, who serve on the WNPA’s Editorial & Journalism Education Committee, have teamed up to offer their constructive criticism of a newspaper’s print and web products, as well as its social media presence. “The Hit Squad will burst into your journalism efforts and offer solid, reasonable and groovy
suggestions for upgrades,” said Wagar, who is the squad leader. “We’ll take a deep look at your newspaper, your Bruestle website and social media practices and give you a thoughtful examination of everything from use of photos, writing and reporting skills and digital advertising, to the best cyberspace practices.” “The Mod Squad,” which ran from 1968-1973, followed the lives of three hip undercover cops – Peter “Pete” Cochran, Julie Barnes and Lincoln “Linc” Hayes – who fight crime in Southern California. Instead of fighting crime, the WNPA squad will examine newspapers and websites on the
6 The Washington Newspaper April 2016
Wagar
La Fontaine
whole, looking at the overall quality of coverage, connection to the community, writing, editing, headlines, photography, layout, design, typography, advertising and more. If members “dig it,” or if they don’t, they’ll let staff know why and offer solutions. The squad’s mission is to provide staffers with in-depth feedback – in written and verbal reports – to help them “keep the faith” and make improvements to the overall journalistic quality of their work, in print and online.
MEET THE HIT SQUAD Eric LaFontaine (aka Pete) is the publisher of the Sun Tribune. He has worked in journalism for 14 years, including 10 years as a publisher. In addition to a strong editorial and photography background, LaFontaine has been at the tip of the spear of the newspaper digital revolution. Sara Bruestle (aka Julie) is the editor of the Mukilteo Beacon and chair of the WNPA’s Membership & Bylaws Committee. She has been a journalist for 11 years, including six at The Beacon. Bruestle, who has been a copy editor as long as she has been a reporter, has a sharp eye for great photography, layout and design. She has won eight WNPA awards. Michael Wagar (aka Linc) is the publisher of the Nisqually Valley News, regional executive
editor for Lafromboise Communications Inc., and chair of the WNPA’s Editorial & Journalism Education Committee. He has won several Blethen awards as a reporter and an editor. After first reporting for 10 years, Wagar has been leading newsrooms for the past two decades, and has jump-started several weekly and daily papers. Want to hire The Hit Squad? The cost is $50 for WNPA members; $100 for non-members. All proceeds go toward WNPA operations. Mail three copies of one complete issue of a specified date to: Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, 1204 Fourth Ave. East, Suite 4, Olympia WA 98506. Provide a newspaper website (url link) and any login and password, if required. Call WNPA Executive Director Fred Obee at 360-515-5239 for more information.
WNPA JOB BOARD The following employment ads are excerpts of ads posted on WNPA’s website. For the complete ads and the full list of employment opportuniites, go to wnpa.com. ADVERTISING SALES ASSISTANT ON WHIDBEY The Whidbey News Group, with weekly news publications in Oak Harbor, Coupeville and Langley, has an immediate opening for a full-time Advertising Sales Assistant. The Ad Assistant works directly with the advertising team, keeps track of customer contracts and orders, handles ad proofs and copy, prepares sales materials, prepares internal reports and makes telephone sales calls. Requires excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a fast paced deadline-oriented environment. Base hourly wage plus
sales commission. We offer a great work environment, health benefits, 401k, paid holidays, vacation and sick time. Please e-mail your resume, cover letter, and a few samples of your work to: careers@ soundpublishing.com. Sound Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. Visit our website at www.soundpublishing.com to learn more about us! REPORTER IN PORT ANGELES Reporter sought for Port Angeles staff opening with the Peninsula Daily News, a six-day a.m. newspaper on Washington’s beautiful North Olympic Peninsula, which includes the cities of Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend and Forks. Bring your experience from a weekly or small daily – – from the
first day, you’ll be able to show off the writing and photography skills you’ve already acquired while sharpening your talent with the help of veteran newsroom leaders. This is a general assignment reporter position in which being a self-starter is required. Our circulation area covers two counties, including the Victorian seaport of Port Townsend, the sunshine town of Sequim, the “Twilight” country of Forks, five Native American tribes plus wild rivers and the “mountains to the sea” city of Port Angeles. Compensation includes medical, vision, life insurance, 401(k) and paid vacation. The PDN, nearly a century old, is a community-minded, family-focused local newspaper and Web enterprise that is the main news provider for the North Olympic Peninsula. Check us out at www.peninsuladailynews.com.
“What were you thinking?” If you are not audited by CVC you’re missing out on additional data that can increase revenue in 2016. View the new expanded 30 question survey template at research.net/r/cvc2016. For a CVC information package & discounted WNPA price quote call (800) 262-6392, or email tbingaman@cvcaudit.com.
OUR DATA SPEAKS VOLUMES
7 The Washington Newspaper April 2016
Don Gronning of the Newport Miner, won first place in the Color Feature category in Group 2 for this photo of the Kalispell Pow Wow. with a circulation of must be organized and If you meet the above about 29,000 and is have excellent verbal qualifications, email part of family-owned and written communicayour resume and cover Lafromboise Commution. A successful candiletter addressing how nications Inc. with an date has a strong attenyou fit our requirements, tion to detail, deadlines to careers@soundpublish- office located in Battle Ground, Washington. and is a team player. ing.com. No phone calls, The paper serves all The perfect match would please. northern Clark County create effective and eye communities and some in catching designs, while REPORTER IN southern Cowlitz County. working in a fast paced BATTLEGROUND The Reflector has been environment. The Reflector newsin business for more than paper seeks a full-time Job requirements are 100 years and enjoys a reporter to work up to designing and producing 40 hours each week. The unique relationship with advertising pieces, news an extremely-engaged and pages, web ads, signs, reporter will participate loyal readership. in all coverage areas etc.; prior graphic design Those interested who experience; experience including but not limited feel they meet the quali- with the Adobe Creative to general news, local fications required of the Suite; be detail oriented politics, community position should submit a and have multi-tasking events and business. formal letter of applicaThe successful candiability; work and coltion, resume, references date will have previous laborate together with and 3-5 writing samples other staff members; and newspaper experience, to: Laura Venneri, The must be highly producmust be willing to work Reflector Newspaper, tive and have the ability as part of a team. to work well with a small P.O. Box 2020, Battle Interested parties Ground, WA 98604 or staff. Candidate will should mail, email or email the documents to display an entertaining bring in a cover letter and informational writing laura@thereflector.com. and resume. style. Reporters are often Examples of design GRAPHIC DESIGNER asked to cover night and work are encouraged. weekend events. IN CENTRALIA Send application materiThe Reflector newsThe Chronicle is seek- als to: Kelli Erb, Design paper is a communitying a highly motivated Director, kerb@chronbased weekly newspagraphic designer who line.com, The Chronicle, per in northern Clark is able to multi-task ef321 N. Pearl St., CentraCounty, Washington, fectively. The candidate lia, WA 98531.
Postal rates set to decline, but will service be worse with cuts?
Community newspapers face the classic good news-bad news scenario in an announcement that postage prices will decline April 10. The good news is that the First Class Mail stamp price will fall to 47 cents and mailing classes used by newspapers will decline 3 percent to 5 percent. The bad news is that the financial relief is temporary, and the consequences could be severe to the already-worrisome service levels. National Newspaper Association President Chip Hutcheson, publisher of The Times-Leader in Princeton, KY, testified to a Senate committee in January that NNA supported the freeze in rates contemplated by Sen. Thomas Carper’s iPOST bill, S. 2051, rather than the temporary rollback. He said a survey of NNA members indicated that more than two-thirds were concerned about harm to their businesses in declining service standards. Though postage is costly, members felt that if stable rates avoided further deterioration in service, they were willing to pay the price. “We can’t be unhappy at a rate rollback, particularly when we objected to the increase in the first place, ” Hutcheson said, “but the higher rates happened and we have adjusted. Now we think a rollback is going to lead to worse pain in the future. We think the Postal Service now goes back to bleeding red ink. We had urged Congress to act quickly to prevent this pain point. I have to say, to my great regret, that Congress has failed the mailing world by not letting USPS truly reform its costs rather than just slashing service.”
2016 WNPA
Better Newspaper Contest TIMELINE April 4 (Monday) May 6 (Friday) June 1 (Wednesday) June 13 to July 8 Oct. 13 to 15
Begin submitting entries on BetterBNC.com Deadline for submitting Regular Entries and General Excellence Deadline for submitting Tourism/Community Guide Special Sections Judging Period (including Open Website) Winners announced at the WNPA Convention in Wenatchee
RULES: Download Category List & Rules at www.wnpa.com click BNC tab ENTRIES: Upload entries at www.BetterBNC.com produced by SmallTownPapers PASSWORDS
• Contestant Managers who submitted entries last year can use the same email and password as last year; use the Forgot Password link on www.BetterBNC.com if needed. Contestant Managers submit entries and also control which staff members at a newspaper are authorized to submit their own entries. Contestant Managers can see and edit all the newspaper’s entries and account information. • If your Contestant Manager from last year is no longer at your newspaper and you need the account email changed to a new person, contact CJ Burk (see below). • If no Contestant Manager was active at your newspaper last year, create a Contestant Manager account by first logging in as a Contestant using use the temporary password bnc (lowercase). • Authorized Entrants who submitted entries in 2015 can use the same email and password information as last year; use the Forgot Password link on www.BetterBNC.com if needed. New Authorized Entrants receive an email from BetterBNC.com asking them to validate their email address. Once they have done so, Authorized Entrants can log in and begin submitting entries. Authorized Entrants can see and edit only the entries they submit themselves.
ENTRY FORMATS
• Upload all entries as PDF, JPG, PNG, TIF or via URL to www.BetterBNC.com. The maximum file size is 5 MB. Please use www.issuu.com or www.realviewdigital.com to enter special sections and large, multi-page entries. www.realviewdigital.com has been built into the BetterBNC.com site. • Please don’t submit both URL and PDF of the same entry. It confuses judges. • For photo entries, consider providing jpeg and/or a pdf. WNPA plans to use submitted jpegs to create photoboards for display at the 2016 WNPA convention, Oct. 13-15 in Wenatchee. Please use these specs for jpegs: 180 px/inch, 10” on longest side.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
• For technical help getting logged in, making entries and general use of the BetterBNC platform, please use the “Contact BetterBNC” button at www.BetterBNC.com to initiate a trouble ticket. • For help with rules, eligibility and entry fees please contact CJ Burk (see below).
GENERAL EXCELLENCE
General Excellence participation is a member benefit. There is no fee. Submit all issues published in both the week of Sept. 23 and the week of Sept. 30, 2015 (the last two issues of September). Include special sections and the classifieds. You may wish to create separate pdfs/urls for the newspapers and special sections distributed with these two weeks’ newspapers.
CONTEST PERIODS
Regular Entries: April 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016 Tourism/Community Guide Special Sections: June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016
ENTRY FEES: $6.50/entry for Group I, $8.50 for Groups II & III, $9 for Group IV
8 The Washington Newspaper April 2016
1204 4th Ave E, Suite 4,Olympia WA 98506 • www.wnpa.com • t 360 515 0974 Contact CJ Burk: cj@wnpa.com