february 2013 colorado editor

editorcolorado Inside: Design is fun, but it takes hard work. PAGE 6

Official publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXIV, No. 2 February 2013

SUNSHINE on page 7

The 2013 award will be given for work published between Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2012.

Eligible are individual report-ers working at newspapers, wire services and online news sources in the United States who regularly cover police and crime. Entries may be a single story or a body of work, not to exceed six stories. An individual’s entry may include one or two double-bylined stories. En-trants may submit online reporting of breaking news along with a final published story.

There is no application form, but entries must be accompanied by a letter describing any special circumstances affecting the work, such as deadline pressures, and why the individual’s work is out-standing. The letter may be written by the reporter or his or her editor.

E-mail links to the sto-ries and include the letter as a pdf attachment. Please pro-

vide a one sentence summary of each story you link to in the email. Send the e-mail entry to [email protected]

Entry fee is $75 per person. Checks should be made out to University of Colorado Al Nakkula Award. Judging will be done by an

independent panel. Mail the check to the address below.

All entries become the property of the award committee and can-not be returned.

Entries must be postmarked or e-mailed by Feb. 15, 2013.

Send to:Al Nakkula Award Committeec/o Michelle P. FulcherUniversity of ColoradoJournalism and Mass Communication478 UCB1511 University AvenueBoulder, Colorado 80309-0478

Contact: [email protected]

Sponsors:CU Journalism and Mass Communication program and the Denver Press Club.

The National Newspaper Asso-ciation has signed on to participate in Sunshine Week, which is set for March 10-16. There are already plans across the country for events spot-lighting open government, for special news reporting and for the release of freedom of information studies.

The American Society of News Editors and the Reporters Commit-tee for Freedom of the Press have renewed their partnership to over-see the national coordination of resources and provide support for participants. Sunshine Week 2013 is made possible by a continuing endowment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which has funded Sunshine Week since its 2005 launch, and by a 2013 donation from Bloomberg LP.

“The Reporters Committee is pleased to again be a co-sponsor of Sunshine Week. Our ongoing mis-sion is to ensure that government at all levels remains transparent for the public and for reporters in all plat-

Transparency focus of 2013 Sunshine Week

March 10–16All materials are available to

Colorado Press Association member newspapers at no charge.

www.sunshineweek.org

Deadline extended: Nakkula Award for Police Reporting

This award is given in recognition of the “bulldog” spirit of Al Nakkula, who covered cops and crooks for 46 years at the Rocky Mountain News.

Prize: $2,000

Entry Deadline: Feb. 15, 2013

Planning time is over and the 135th Annual Convention of the Colorado Press Association is finally here. The event, held at the Westin Denver Downtown Hotel for the second year, promises to be every bit as social and educational as last year with some

new twists. State and national experts will

be on hand to lead spirited and informative sessions focused on helping CPA members boldly

maneuver the future of the industry. Let the fun begin.

Convention time is upon usPages 4-5:• Complete

conference schedule

• Lodging information

• Sponsors

Motivational speaker Craig Zablocki engaged guests seated at the head table during the 2012 Capitol Hill Luncheon. From left, Jane Rawlings, The Pueblo Chieftain; then Senate President Brandon Shaffer; CPA board secretary Keith Cerny; and Colorado Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia.

2 colorado editor February 2013

colorado editorISSN #162-0010

USPS # 0122-940

Vol. LXXXIV, Issue 2February 2013

Colorado Editor is the official publication of the Colorado Press

Association and is published monthly at 1336 Glenarm Place.Denver, CO 80204-2115

p: 303-571-5117f: 303-571-1803

coloradopressassociation.com

Subscription rate:$10 per year, $1 single copy

StaffSamantha Johnston

Publisher/Executive [email protected]

Brian ClarkDesign Editor

Board of DirectorsOFFICERS

PresidentBrenda Brandt

The Holyoke Enterprise [email protected]

Vice PresidentBryce Jacobson

Craig Daily Press [email protected]

TreasurerTerri House

The Pagosa Springs SUN [email protected]

SecretaryKeith Cerny

Alamosa Valley Courier [email protected]

DIRECTORSMark Drudge

Cortez Journal [email protected]

Bart Smith The Greeley Tribune

[email protected]

Laurena Mayne Davis The Daily Sentinel

[email protected]

David McClain Sterling Journal-Advocate

[email protected]

Paula Murphy Trinidad Times Independent

[email protected]

Curtis HubbardThe Denver Post

[email protected]

Matt LubichThe Johnstown Breeze

[email protected]

Periodical postage paid atDenver, CO 80202.

POSTMASTER:Send address changes to

Colorado Editor1336 Glenarm Place

Denver, CO 80204-2115

guest editorial

Back in 1897, James Ross Clemens was ill. Not-so-careful passing on of information resulted in word that Samuel Lang-horne Clemens, better known by his pen name of Mark Twain, was dying in London. When an enter-prising reporter decided to check on Twain before publishing his demise, the author responded, “The report of my death was greatly exaggerated.”

Morley Safer, during his Jan. 6 “60 Minutes” report about the newspaper industry, glibly stated, “The facts of life are that newspa-pers are folding all over the country. It’s a dying business.” His example was the New Orleans newspaper, The Times-Picayune, which recently cut back from publishing seven days a week to three days,

When it comes to newspapers, there are two cousins – large metro dailies and community newspapers. The latter includes weeklies and small dailies (publishing three or fewer days a week). Safer as well as reporters and broadcasters from media giants across the United States and around the world owe it

to the public – and to com-munity newspaper owners and staffers – to perform due diligence to determine which of the newspaper cousins is near death and which is alive. Only then, should they should report their findings.

It is the large metro dai-ly newspapers, which make up less than 5 percent of all U.S. newspapers, that are struggling from declines in readership and advertising, printing less often or ceas-

ing publication entirely.While it is painful to see our

metro-daily-newspaper cousins faltering, we, the community newspapers, are not dying. Like Twain, community newspapers say, “Reports of our dying are greatly exaggerated.”

Much has been published and broadcast about the decline of metro dailies. It is time to shine a spotlight on the health and vigor of community newspapers and on our role in rural and suburban commu-nities across the country.

Readership of our newspapers, mostly weeklies, is increasing and new community newspapers are be-

ing birthed. That the great investor Warren Buffett bought more than 60 community newspapers in 2012 suggests there is present and future value in the weekly and small-daily arm of the industry.

Community newspapers are doing well because people want to read about the actions of their town council and local school board, the results of high school sporting events and what’s happening in the business community. Readers turn to community newspapers for public notices, for obituaries and police reports and for engagement, wedding, anniversary and birth announcements. They expect keen and thoughtful editorials as well as a forum for their own opinions – letters to the editor. They read the

advertisements, look at every photo and clip articles and photos to post on bulletin boards and hang on refrigerators.

A 2011 survey by the National Newspaper Association and the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism found that 74 percent of people in areas served by newspapers with circulations under 15,000 read one of those papers each week. They spend nearly 40 minutes reading the paper. Then, they share their news-paper with 2.3 more people.

We are watchdogs in our com-munities. We protect the public’s right to know and keep our readers informed about their communities – essential elements in a democracy.

As 21st century technology keeps enhancing the gathering and dissemination of news and informa-tion, community newspapers aren’t standing idly by. We are in the fray, taking advantage of the immediacy that technology offers. We have developed revenue-producing websites, and we interact with our communities and our readers on email, Facebook and Twitter.

Community newspapers are very much alive. As Bill Tubbs, publisher of The North Scott Press and a member of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors, wrote in an editorial Jan. 16, “Morley Safer, you’ve done us wrong, but here’s an offer you can’t refuse. Come to Eldridge (Iowa) and spend a week with our staff.”

Any of the more than 8,000 community weekly newspapers in the U.S. extend a similar invitation not just to Safer but also to everyone who wants to see the healthy cousin. Interview the folks in Freeman, S.D., about the Freeman Courier; the high school students in Pitts-field, Ill., about the Pike Press; the families in Falmouth, Maine, about The Forecaster; the government officials in Espanola, N.M., about the Rio Grande Sun; or the business owners in Woodstock, Ga., about The Cherokee Ledger-News and set the record straight.

Cheryl Wormley is publisher of The Woodstock (Ill.) Independent and president of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Reports that we are dying are greatly exaggerated

cherylwormley

guest editorial

Much has been published and broadcast about the decline of metro dailies. It is time to shine a spotlight on the health and vigor of community newspapers and on our role in rural and suburban communities across the country.”

(970) 824-7484thelocalprintshop.com

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Craig Daily PressP.O. Box 5Craig, CO 81626

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EDITOR

466 YAMPACRAIG, COLORADO 81625



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adverTiSing deadLineSCancellation deadline is the same as the order deadline. If an ad is cancelled after the deadline, there will be a charge equal to 50% of the cost of the space reservation.

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2011 ADVERTISING RATES(Rates effective Jan. 1, 2011)

{ }Committed to a Community Partnership Since 1891 | Published Monday through Saturday.

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National Rate (Commissionable 15 percent to advertising agencies)

Pickup Rate Any ad that publishes at open rate in a Steamboat or Craig newspa-per — Craig Daily Press, Saturday Morning Press, Steamboat Today or Steamboat Pilot & Today — may be picked up for one or more additional days in any of those newspapers within seven days for $6.85 per inch. Annual Bulk Rates 129-388 inches 389-1249 inches 1250-3000 inches 3000+ inchesMust run contracted inches in twelve months. Signed contract agreement required. Unfulfilled contracts will be short-rated to appropriate earned level at end of contract term.

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Publicly Supported Legals First Insertion Subsequent InsertionsPrivately Supported Legals All Insertions

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Partial run and limited zoning available for 30% surcharge. Call for current circulation figures.

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Open$52$165

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13 weeks$34$108

13 weeks$2.46$8.44

26 weeks$32$100

26 weeks$2.29$7.85

52 weeks$30$95

52 weeks$2.17$7.41

COLOR RATES Large Space Color Rates (18-70 column inches)

Small Space Color Rates (1-17 column inches, per column inch)

Signed contract required. Unfulfi lled contracts will be short-rated to the appropriate earned level at the end of the contract term.

IN-COLUMN CLASSIFIED DISPLAY RATES

Our publications are the source of news in Moffat County. Our newspapers are read throughout Moffat

and Routt Counties and beyond. The Craig Daily Press is distributed Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Press

run is 3550. Saturday Morning Press press run is 9500.

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$100

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52 weeks$30$95

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run is 3550. Saturday Morning Press press run is 9500.

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colorado editor 3February 2013

from the president

Together we succeedAn organization is only

as strong as its members, and I’m proud to tout the success of Colorado Press Association this past year. Member involvement and staff leadership combined to make great things hap-pen.

An active legislative committee tackled issues ranging from secret ballot and voted ballot bills to attacks on public notices and the decision to imple-ment a new public notice website. When the Department of Safety Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice voted to ask the legislature to repeal the newspaper theft statute, more than 60 news-papers – free and paid – joined forced to editorialize, sign letters and contact Commission members. Strength is in the numbers.

Last year, we successfully fought two bills that would have allowed public notices to appear on govern-ment websites. CPA lobbyist Greg Romberg took the lead on forming a committee to review the Colo-rado Open Records Act to ensure electronic access to records when practical. The working committee brought members of CPA, Colorado

Broadcaster’s Associa-tion, Colorado Counties, Inc., Colorado Municipal League, Colorado Special District’s Association, Colorado Association of School Boards, Colorado District Attorney’s Council and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. We are proud of this tremendous collaborative effort. CPA also prepared an extensive Legislative Toolkit to edu-cate all newspapers about key legislative issues facing

our industry, provide information about incumbent legislators and candidates, and offer fact sheets about issues that could be used in conversations with legislators.

Dues structure, member-ship qualifications, expansion of membership and benefits of CPA membership were just a few of the topics addressed by the membership committee as they mapped a plan for significant overhaul in 2013. To give further value to membership, we have developed an annual news-paper member outreach program to ensure member-association contact to strengthen relationships between CPA and the industry.

The voice of our members is

strong and reaches much farther than just Colorado. We’re proud of Colorado’s Merle Baranczyk of the Salida Mountain Mail who was in-stalled as president of the National Newspaper Association this year and is leading a solid “We Believe” campaign and a push for postal fairness and reliable newspaper delivery.

Member education was offered in the form of Janet DeGeorge classified advertising webinars, and we partnered with Local Media Association and Ohio Newspaper Association to offer CPA member newspapers low-cost, high qual-ity training. CPA also applied for and received the honor of hosting NewsTrain 2013 in Colorado.

The annual Colorado Better Newspaper Contest underwent the first of a three-phase overhaul de-signed to make categories and rules relevant, level the playing field, en-courage participation and add fresh energy to the competition. CPA board member and Contest Com-mittee Chair Mark Drudge worked tirelessly to rewrite the contest rules for clarity and consistency, elimi-nate obsolete categories, include relevant categories suggested by members and ensure competition classes are fair. Contest entries were

up by more than 1,000 this year, which we hope is a reflection of the enthusiasm our membership feels about the revamp. In addition, the annual awards ceremony, held Sat-urday, Feb. 23 at the Westin Denver Downtown Hotel, is free of charge to all attendees.

Key initiatives outlined in CPA’s strategic plan for 2012 helped our organizational leaders to stay focused on key priorities in the daily operations and at the board of director level. In addition to the key initiative areas already mentioned (member education, industry advo-cacy and expanding membership), much progress was made toward financial and professional develop-ment objectives.

Colorado Press Service was rebranded as SYNC2 Media and we launched a full service digi-tal agency to offer search, social, mobile, email and targeted display advertising solutions to our custom-ers. We have high expectations for our print and digital advertising teams in 2013.

An internal professional devel-opment program was created to ensure that CPA staff members are experts in areas of importance to CPA member newspapers. That’s extremely valuable to all of us.

Strategic planning for 2013-14 found the board of directors and staff continuing to focus on key initiatives and objectives. CPA members can look forward to being part of the progress in addressing membership, member education, marketing, SYNC2 Media develop-ment, financial health and advo-cacy.

We have a direction, we have good people in our industry leading the way and we can make a differ-ence for each other when we work together. The legislative battles will continue, along with industry chal-lenges, technology updates and the unexpected trials of life.

“Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work,” said longtime football coach Vince Lombardi.

The opportunity to serve as president of an association that boasts solid individual support for industry success and accomplish-ment has been extremely rewarding.

May the membership continue the CPA vision to be the leader that unites the Colorado news industry in the relentless pursuit of journal-ism excellence and a sustainable news experience.

brendabrandt

cpa president

Correction Photos published in the January Edition of Colorado Editor incorrectly indentified Senator Bill Cadman as the Senate President. Cadman is the Senate Minority Leader. CPA apologizes for the error.

Above: House Minority Leader Mark Waller speaks about his 2013 legislative priorities. From left, House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, Senate President John Morse, and Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman.

Left: Governor John Hickenlooper and Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman share a laugh before the 17th Annual Colorado Press Association pre-legislative forum Dec. 14.

2 0 1 3

C O L O R A D O P R E S S A S S O C I A T I O N

A N N U A L C O N V E N T I O NFebruary 21-23, 2013 • Westin Downtown Denver Hotel


CONFERENCE AGENDA

Thursday, Feb. 21

1:30 – 4 p.m.Colorado Press Association/SYNC2 Media Board of Directors Meeting

5 – 7 p.m.Welcome Reception/Pulitzer Prize Photography Display

Friday, Feb. 22

7:30 – 8:45 a.m.Colorado Press Association Annual Meeting

9 – 10 a.m. Convention Kick-Off Keynote: Jason Taylor – Chattanooga Times Free PressNew Revenue Streams: Thinking beyond the norm

10:15 – NoonConcurrent Morning Break-Out Sessions

• Editorial Audience Development – Shannon Kinney - Dream Local

• The Sales Survival Workshop – Mike Blinder, The Blinder Group

• Teach Me Even More Photoshop – Kevin Slimp

• Cultivating Daily Stories for the Bigger Picture (Advanced Reporting) – I-News Network – Kevin Vaughan, Jim Trotter, Burt Hubbard, Joe Mahoney

• College Track: Ethics Panel

– Moderator: Doug Bell. Panelists: Fred Brown, Jim Anderson, Deb Hurley Brobst and Raj Chohan.

12:15 – 1:45 p.m.Capitol Hill LuncheonKeynote Speaker: Judy MullerFriend of the First Award Presentation: Christopher Beall, Brenda Brandt

2:15 – 3:15 p.m.Afternoon Concurrent Break-Out Sessions – I

• (Begins at 2 p.m.) Making Digital Dollars Today – Mike Blinder, The Blinder Group

• Even More InDesign for

Newspaper Designers – Kevin Slimp

• What Makes Smart Social News Strategy – Travis Mayfield, Fisher Interactive

• College Track: Social Media Panel. Panelists: Misty Montano, Mark Hardin, Gil Asakawa.

Afternoon Concurrent Break-Out Sessions - II

• Finding and Fixing Problems in PDF Files – Kevin Slimp

• Advertising Audience Growth/Education – Shannon Kinney, Dream Local

• The Drumbeat of Social News Strategy in Your Newsroom

– Travis Mayfield, Fisher Interactive

• I-News Network Training (all member newspapers should send an editorial representative to this session) – I-News Network Team

3:30 – 5:30 p.m. College Student Internship/ Job Fair

Sponsored by:

To register: Visit the CPA Convention website at www.regonline/CPA_2013

Attendees mingle and network during the 2012 CPA Convention.


Platinum Sponsor: White Crown Credit Union

Gold Sponsor: Signature Offset

Friday Night Reception: Colorado State University

Silver Sponsor: NewzGroup

Student Internship/Job Fair Sponsor: University of Colorado

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.Associated Press Annual Business Meeting

5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Associated Press/Colorado Press Association Cocktail Reception

Sponsored by:

6 – 8 p.m.Past President Cocktail Reception – Invitation OnlyPalm Restaurant – Westin Denver Downtown Hotel

7 – 10 p.m.CAPER Awards Banquet

Saturday, Feb. 23

7:30 – 9 a.m.Past President Breakfast – Invitation Only

9 – 10 a.m.Kick-Off Keynote: Jim Brady, Editor-in-Chief, Digital First MediaDigital First: A mission, not a slogan

10:15 – NoonMorning Concurrent Break-Out Sessions

• Covering Community in Crisis: Covering the news while caring for the needs of staff covering tragedy in their own backyards. Moderated by: Larry Ryckman, The Denver Post. Panelists: Doug

Bell – Evergreen Newspapers, Josh Awtry – Fort Collins Coloradoan, Dave Perry – Aurora Sentinel and Jim Anderson – The Associated Press.

• SYNC2 Media: Getting the Most Print and Digital Dollars from Your State Trade Association. Elizabeth Bernberg, VP – Sales & Marketing, Mike MacDonald – Senior Outside Sales Consultant.

• Customer Service: A Common Sense Approach – Kevin Slimp

• Circulation: Paywalls and

Audience Engagement – Mike Newland, Dubuqe Telegraph Herald

12:30 – 2 p.m.Learning LuncheonKeynote Speaker: Joe Boydston, Vice President Digital Publishing, McNaughton Newspaper GroupMeet a digital guy who believes the future of the newspaper business lies in the values of print. Joe’s claim to fame is old-fashioned ethics in modern business.

2:30 – 4 p.m.Annual CPA Better Newspaper Contest & Celebratory Reception

Lodging$129/night (includes complimentary in-room wireless)

Westin Downtown Denver Hotel1672 Lawrence St.Denver, CO 80203303-572-9100or visit the CPA Convention website for a direct link to online reservations at www.regonline/CPA_2013

Cut-off to be guaranteed the CPA room rate is Monday, Feb. 11.

CONFERENCE SPONSORSThank you to the generous support and partnership of our 2013 sponsors.

Title Sponsors

Attendees take a break between sessions at the 2012 CPA Convention.


Here’s an action item for your next newsroom meeting: Ask reporters to identify the com-munity newsmakers. Better yet,

bring a stack of newspa-pers from the last couple of months and circle the newsmak-ers receiving attention in words and photos.

Several individuals are likely to

be on the list, no matter the com-munity: for example, the mayor and city council president; the superintendent and school board chair; the county’s chief admin-istrator and the county board chair; local legislators; the heads of key local commissions and task forces. And these folks prob-ably appear with some regularity.

You get the drift. Newsrooms by and large do a commendable job of writing for the source, es-pecially when it comes to public affairs reporting. Public officials speak, and their statements are recorded. Their comments should be given proper notice.

At the same time, newspapers are shortchanging their readers – their customers – if they do not expand their definition of and explore the range of newsmakers. In other words, spend time to identify the players at the core of community conversations.

For example:A city council debates the

merits of building a skateboard park. Reporters capture the flavor of the public hearings where proponents and opponents step to the microphone. The com-ments of the planning commis-sion and city council members are recorded as they cast their final votes. But have you gone beyond the meetings? Have you taken the time to observe youths doing skateboard tricks on the downtown sidewalks, navigating their way among pedestrians? Have you asked business owners and pedestrians – some who may be annoyed by the youths, some who sympathize with the lack of a park – on the pluses and minuses of creating a park? Have you talked with the parents of the kids?

A county board considers a conditional-use permit for an expanded feedlot operation. Re-porters attend the public hearing, noting the debate and recording commissioner votes. But have you gone beyond the meetings? Have you toured the feedlot operation firsthand? Have you visited the neighbors to witness their concerns over odor and increased traffic?

Today’s challenging media landscape demands that editors

and reporters thoroughly exam-ine their coverage and ask the question: Are we relevant to our readers? Are our news columns dominated by the same set of newsmakers, or are we digging beneath the surface to identify the full cast of characters? Are we writing our stories for the indi-viduals at the top, or tail end, of the news pyramid without giving proper attention to everyone else in the pyramid whose actions collectively represent the full dynamics of a story?

This exercise of scrutinizing coverage goes beyond examining the meetings of local governing bodies. Editors and reporters should regularly brainstorm all aspects of everyday coverage. It can be as easy as tracking down and inserting other voices be-yond what is forwarded in a press release or presented at an event.

Consider a big-box retailer that opens as the anchor of a new strip mall on the edge of town. What’s the anticipated impact on the downtown shopping district? Will the discount store strengthen the city as a regional retail center? Gaining these perspectives is just as important as recording the welcoming com-ments of the mayor at the grand opening. In addition, the stories provide many new faces and names beyond the traditional newsmakers.

Here’s a challenge the next time your staff is brainstorming coverage for a story of com-munity significance. Reporters are certain to rattle off the usual lineup of individuals to solicit perspectives. Some may be ap-propriate and, indeed, mandatory to contact. But don’t adjourn your session until you’ve come up with at least a handful of individuals who rarely, if ever, are mentioned in your newspaper. Make it a priority to seek their opinions.

Expanding your bucket of newsmakers is all about going beyond the story that is served on the platter. Make no mistake, digging beneath the surface takes legwork – and produces long-term benefits. The enriched coverage is more interesting, and you’ll likely pick up some new readers.

Jim Pumarlo writes, speaks and provides training on Commu-nity Newsroom Success Strategies. His newest book is “Journalism Primer: A Guide to Community News Coverage for Beginning and Veteran Journalists.”

He also is author of “Votes and Quotes: A Guide to Outstand-ing Election Coverage” and “Bad News and Good Judgment: A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in a Small-Town News-paper.” He can be contacted at www.pumarlo.com and welcomes comments and questions at [email protected].

Take inventory of your newsmakers

jimpumarlo

“We work hard at writing. Our reporters work hard at getting the facts.

Our editors work hard at putting it all together. And when all the ma-

terial is ready, we get to play with the design.”

Ahhh. Writ-ing, reporting and editing are work. But design is . . . play?

No.Saying that

design is “play” belittles the de-sign effort. And

those who say it often do so because they don’t understand that design is so much more than just placing ele-ments on a page.

It’s true that designing a bright, clean, compelling page can be a kick. But there’s also the rush only a reporter can get when he know’s he’s got the story first, right and well-written. And there’s the thrill that only an editor can feel when he has taken a discordant story and made it sing.

So, it’s OK to get a kick from creating a winning design—but that should not imply in the least that design is “play.”

Design is hard work because it requires:

PLANNING. Sure, it’s often easy to slap something together at the last moment, but good design—especial-ly for events like Christmas, Mother’s Day, the last day of school and the like—requires us to think about our design packages months ahead of time.

KNOWLEDGE. A good designer has an abiding understanding of various design approaches, tenets and techniques. And she applies that knowledge to every design she prepares.

EXPERIENCE. Design that excels isn’t the child of confidence and study. It takes time and some season-ing to translate those into quality packages on the page.

BALANCE. A good newspaper designer understands her role in the larger scheme of things. She defends design as an important part of what your newspaper delivers to reader—but she also appreciates that design is just one of the elements that helps your newspaper draw advertising and readership. And that requires...

COMMUNICATION. Your designer must be ready to talk with reporters and editors about how to best display their work before the reader. Better yet, she must be a good listener. And she needs to be skilled at articulating how design can improve the package they want to present. And that requires...

AN OPEN MIND. She must be willing to shift her approach quickly and effortlessly if needed. That origi-nal design concept can change at a moment’s notice if the story takes an unexpected turn. And that requires...

SKILL ON DEADLINE. With perilously little time remaining, your designer needs to be able to tear apart her page and breathlessly build a new design that will be a reader-grabber.

CRITICAL EVALUATION. Your designer needs to have the ability to look at her work honestly and openly, with the goal of always trying to improve.

COMMITMENT TO THE CRAFT. She needs to be dedicated to de-sign—committed to the realization that good design delivers a package to readers that they will find unput-downable.

Design can be fun—and it often is. But it’s the kind of fun a designer derives only from knowing she has put in a good day’s work.

Don’t accept ‘I don’t like it’

He was not going to make this easy.

I was in a conference room with about a half-dozen editors and staffers. We had recently begun a re-design of their newspaper and I was showing them a first set of mockups.

As I was talking them through some of the initial ideas, the editor interrupted, sniffed and said: “I don’t like it.” There was a collective rolling of the eyes from others in the room, as if they had all known this was coming.

“Does that mean,” I asked, “you don’t like certain elements...or you don’t like any of it?”

“The whole thing,” he shot back. “I don’t like any of it.”

“Oh. Just what is it about what you’re seeing that you don’t like?”

“I just don’t like it. And I thought you said during your first visit that we have to like what you’re doing—that it’s our newspaper and you have to satisfy us.”

“Yes, I did say that. But ‘I don’t like it’ doesn’t help me...or the process.”

“Well, I don’t like it.”“OK... Let’s see what others have

to say.”I then turned to the publisher.

Given the editor’s outburst, he had the same nonplussed look on his face as others in the room.

“Tom, do you like it?”“Well, yes, I do. Very much. I

think it captures what we’re trying to do—get a contemporary new look while not shocking our readers. I especially like the headline type face. It’s traditional but not stodgy. It’s clean...and I love the italic.”

Now...finally...we were getting somewhere.

Later that day the publisher told me that the editor was not going to be very helpful because he had redesigned the paper himself about a dozen years before and he did not want to see his design pushed aside for a new look—especially one from an outsider.

The problem with “I don’t like it” is that it doesn’t help the process at all. It’s just a sweeping negative that refuses to look at elements and judge the merits of each.

Instead of “I don’t like it,” or its opposite, “Wow! I love it all,” help your designers by offering them your best thinking—especially on the ele-ments that make up the design:

“I think the headlines are too big.”

“That dark blue probably won’t work well on our press.”

“Do you really want that much space between packages?”

“That byline type face is too heavy for me.”

“Is the text too tight? Don’t we need more space between lines?”

These are statements and ques-tions that get to the heart of the mat-ter. Each of them is helpful because it goes to a specific element and offers an objection or suggestion your designer can address.

So, if your designer comes to you with an Independence Day feature front, it’s OK to ask her if she really wants to run that headline in Caslon Antique. Then it becomes her task to tell you why Caslon Antique is the right choice for the package.

The point is, asking her spe-cifically about the headline type face—and perhaps other elements you question—helps to narrow your discussion and can lead to design improvements.

“I don’t like it” isn’t helpful at all. So, ask. And ask again. And ask some more.

And, whatever you do, do not let your designer get away with saying: “I don’t know...I just like it.”

WANT A FREE evaluation of your newspaper’s design? Just contact Ed: [email protected], or 803-327-3322

IF THIS COLUMN has been helpful, you may be interested in Ed’s books: Henninger on Design and 101 Henninger Helpful Hints. With the help of Ed’s books, you’ll immediately have a better idea how to design for your readers. Find out more about Henninger on Design and 101 Henninger Helpful Hints by visiting Ed’s web site: www.henningerconsulting.com

Design: Let’s get to work

edhenninger

A page like this may look “cool,” but it takes hard work—and a lot of design experience—to create.


“As crazy as it sounds, losing a sale can be good for business,” Gerald told me. “It offers a unique chance to build rapport over a long period of time. And when they conduct

another advertising review, I’ll be in a better position than before.”

To put it simply, a sales presentation has three possible outcomes: (1) yes, (2) no, or (3) not yet. The good news – for Gerald and other optimistic sales people – is that “no” can be interpreted as “not yet,” instead of “never.” This means there is hope for a future sale, even when the

last attempt wasn’t successful. Rapport is a huge element in turning today’s “not yet” into next month’s or next year’s “yes.”

“Selling advertising is all about relationships,” he said. “When there’s not good rapport, even an existing advertiser will find it easier to drop out of the paper if there’s a bump in the road ahead.”

Dale Carnegie wrote, “If you have a lemon, make a lemonade.” With those words in mind, here are some tips to strengthen rapport after a lost sale:

Step 1: Thank sincerely. Gerald’s strategy is to thank a prospect immediately after a presentation. And if they decide not to buy, he thanks them again – with a handwritten note or an e-mail.

“Unless it is a rare circumstance, I drop the must-buy-from-me persona. Some sales people say, ‘Thank you, and by the way, you should reconsider this list of selling points,’ but I disagree. That not-so-subtle message is, ‘You made a bad decision, and here’s your chance to correct it.’ That’s no way to build rapport.

“I simply thank them for their consideration, wish them success – and tell them that I am looking forward to staying in touch.”

Step 2: Keep in touch on a regular basis. “Okay, now that I’ve told them I’m going to stay in touch, I actually stay in touch,” Gerald explained. “Top-of-mind-awareness is just as important in selling as it is in advertising. People like to do business with people they know.”

Because Gerald is genuinely interested in people, it is easy to learn about their interests. He sends occasional links to articles about favorite teams and hobbies. And he makes sure to chat with them at various networking events around town.

Step 3: Monitor the advertising. “Because I want another shot at their business in the future, I follow their marketing,” Gerald said. “At some point along the way, they may ask for

feedback on a particular aspect of their ads. The faster I respond, the better my chances of being heard.

“That’s an open door to another sales presentation – and maybe a bigger sale than I would have made if they had said “yes” the first time. The difference is that now we know each other pretty well.”

Gerald has found another benefit. “I’ve gotten some unexpected referrals,” he said. “People not only like to buy from people they know. They like to refer friends to people they know.”

© Copyright 2012 by John Foust. All rights reserved.

John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training videos to save time and get quick results from in-house training. E-mail for information: [email protected]

The power of the right story

Thomas knows the power of storytelling. “I’ve found that the right stories help me sell more advertising,” he said. “After all, prospects are like everyone else. They like to hear stories and examples of things that have happened to other people.

Thomas is right. Every sales person should have an arsenal of stories for a variety of purposes – to establish credibility, illustrate product benefits and answer objections.

“Sales stories shouldn’t go on and on forever,” he said. “They must be focused and to-the-point, with a clear beginning, middle and end. And I’ve learned that it shouldn’t take long to get to the end. There are a lot of approaches, but the formula I like best is known as SPAR – Situation, Problem, Action and Result.”

Let’s take a look at Thomas’ storytelling technique:

Situation: “In this step, take a moment to set the stage,” Thomas explained, “For example, you could say, ‘Three months ago, I was working with the Ace Widget Company on a new ad campaign. They had advertised with our paper on occasion, but most of their budget had been spent in other areas.’ In just a couple of sentences, this gives your listener a snapshot of Ace Widget’s situation.”

Problem: “This is where you isolate a specific problem or challenge. Don’t use generalities like, ‘Their advertising wasn’t working.’ Narrow the problem to a challenge that can be easily visualized by your prospect, something like, ‘The main problem with Ace Widget’s advertising was that they were not running ads that generated measurable results. Their ads described their products, but there was no compelling reason for readers to

respond immediately.’ “See the difference?” Thomas asked. Now

your prospect has a clear picture of what the Ace Widget Company was facing. Of course, that problem should relate to the problem you want to solve for the person who is listening to your story. That’s why it’s important to have a range of stories for different types of challenges faced by advertisers.”

Action: “Here’s the solution,” Thomas said. “Describe – briefly and without exaggerating – the action you took to solve Ace Widget’s specific problem. You might say, ‘After analyzing the problem, I recommended a series of ads promoting discounts on several key products. We tested various discount techniques (for example: half-price, then two-for-the-price-of-one – which is essentially the same offer).’”

Result: “This is the payoff, the point where you show how well the action worked. Your result statement could be something like, ‘During the first month of the campaign, the sales of Ace Widgets’ advertised products increased by 20 percent. By creating measurable results, they have been able to tweak their overall strategy and get more mileage from their marketing budget. This is a big change, because now they have a good feel for what works.’

“There’s the happy ending,” Thomas said. This technique can add depth to your sales

presentations. Every story has a hero. And with a SPAR story, the hero is your newspaper.



How to fix a common communication flaw

The flaw: You’re meeting with a prospective client, but you seem to be communicating on different wavelengths. When you mention a key sales point, your prospect barely acknowledges it. And when he or she talks, you feel like the entire conversation is off topic. The experience reminds you of the two proverbial ships passing in the night, with neither crew being aware of the other.

The fix: The problem may be a matter of complete disinterest – a result of trying to sell the wrong thing to the wrong person. But as long as you’ve done your homework on the prospective advertiser’s business, it’s more likely a clash of communication styles.

These days, there’s a lot of talk about personality types and behavioral styles. There are many systems to categorize the ways we think and act, including the DiSC profile (with four categories) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (with 16). While these systems are useful, sometimes it’s better to take a simpler approach. In a sales situation, an understanding of Right/Left Brain differences may be all you need to keep the conversation on the right track.

Research has revealed that the two sides of the brain account for different modes of thinking – and that each person shows a preference for one of the two. Left brainers are more logical and analytical than right brainers; they tend to look at parts, rather than the whole situation. Right brainers are more creative and intuitive; they are likely to see wholes, rather than individual parts.

Left brainers like numbers and charts. Right brainers like words and ideas.

A typical left brainer likes an organized workspace, a desk that is free of clutter. A right brainer doesn’t mind a little clutter.

Most accountants, media buyers and computer programmers are left brainers. Most creative directors, writers and teachers are right brainers.

Now this doesn’t mean that right brainers can’t balance a checkbook, or that left brainers can’t play the piano. It just means that these two styles have different ways of looking at the world around them. And different ways of communicating.

When you’re talking to a prospect, look for clues. If he or she has the opposite thinking style from yours, you have to be the one to make the adjustment. If you want to advance the sale, don’t expect the other person to adjust to you.

When you’re meeting with a left brainer, focus on numbers and statistics. Use charts to illustrate readership figures. Show how ad responses can be measured. Pay special attention to the individual ingredients of a proposal (remember, they like to look at parts).

When you’re dealing with a right brainer, don’t drag them into what I once heard described as “the deep, deep woods of Spreadsheetville.” Cover the numbers, of course, but place more emphasis on the creative angle – what the ads will look like and what they will say.

Neither side is wrong. They’re just different. The best sales people understand how to adapt.



How losing a sale can be good for business

johnfoust

SUNSHINE from Page 1platforms. This is a great opportunity to engage many different partners in open government education and discussions,” said Reporters Committee Chair Tony Mauro, U.S. Supreme Court correspondent for The National Law Journal.

“The importance of open government can-not be understated,” said Deb McCaslin, chair of NNA’s Government Relations Commit-tee. “Community newspapers are on the front lines in their towns—covering their chambers of commerce and school board meetings and keeping their readers informed about what is going on at the local level. These publications

make a very real difference in the lives of the people in their communities.”

Since the nationwide Sunshine Week was launched by ASNE, participants have included print, broadcast and digital media outlets; gov-ernment officials at all levels; schools and uni-versities; non-profit and civic organizations; libraries and archivists; and interested individu-als. Everyone is welcome to participate and may use the resources provided on the website to mark their open-government efforts that week.

“Of course open government is important to journalists. But even more, open government is really at the heart of democracy by giving citi-zens the information we all need,” said ASNE

President Susan Goldberg, executive editor of Bloomberg News in Washington.

The Sunshine Week website (www.sunshine-week.org) has been revamped to streamline access to the materials participants may need during the weeklong look at the importance of government transparency. The toolkit will be continually updated as Sunshine Week nears, and will include a selection of opinion columns, cartoons, house and public-service ads, and event logos, all of which are offered free to participants.

In addition to the co-sponsors, those plan-ning to participate in Sunshine Week 2013 along with NNA include: Colorado Press Association, American Library Association; American Uni-versity Washington College of Law’s Collabora-tion on Government Secrecy; The Associated Press; Bloomberg News; The Cato Institute;

Center for Effective Government (formerly OMB Watch); Center for Responsive Politics; Electronic Frontier Foundation; First Amend-ment Center; Freedom of the Press Foundation; Free Press; Georgetown University’s Master’s in Journalism Program; Inland Press Associa-tion; Media Law Resource Center; Michigan Press Association; National Security Archive; New England First Amendment Coalition; New Mexico State University Library and Depart-ment of Journalism & Mass Communications; Newspaper Association of America; New Jersey Press Association; Online News Association; OpenTheGovernment.org; Radio Television Digital News Association; Society of Profes-sional Journalists; Sunshine in Government Initiative; and Union of Concerned Scientists’ Center for Science and Democracy.

Week highlights importance of access


cpa marketplaceSMALL WEEKLY FOR SALESmall weekly in Colorado mountain community. Grosses about $96,000. Fixed costs about $46,000. Good opportunity for young couple starting out, or older “downsized” journalists. Easy news beats. Monopoly situation. All buildings and equipment included in sale price; you can walk in on Monday and put out a paper on Tuesday. Current owner will stick around to help with transition. Beautiful location, great for fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation. Excellent schools, low crime, no traffic. Price includes office building and residence. Price reduced to $220,000 from $270,000. Call 970-723-4404.

REPORTER/PAGE DESIGNERThe Ouray County Plaindealer, located in beautiful Ouray County, Colorado, is searching for a reporter/page designer. This position is responsible for reporting, budgeting, layout and design, photography and news planning. This is a full-time, salary position.

We are an independently owned, award-winning newspaper of record, and share a strong desire to be the best news source for our county. If you are interested in learning more about the position, please email your resume and cover letter to:Alan Todd, Publisher, [email protected]

NEWS EDITOR NEEDEDWe are searching for a talented local news editor to lead our award-winning reporting staff at The Greeley (Colo.) Tribune. Candidates should have several years of experience managing a newsroom staff, creating daily and weekend story budgets, editing copy and coaching reporters on how to improve their writing. This editor is the heart of our newsroom and should have strong leadership skills, excellent communications skills and the ability to work with other frontline editors to produce a vibrant print newspaper and an active website with frequent story updates. We are a seven-days-a-week newspaper in a terrific news town; this is the ideal job for a passionate journalist who cares about his community and has high standards for journalistic excellence. Send resumes to Editor Randy Bangert at [email protected].

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR The Salina Journal, a central Kansas 28,000 circulation daily newspaper, is looking for an energetic, innovative and well-versed advertising professional to lead a sales team to the next level. With a robust retail environment, opportunities abound for sales in print and digital products (website, mobile and tablet). Experience a must. Email applications only please. Send resume to Editor and

Publisher M. Olaf Frandsen at [email protected]. The Journal is a division of Harris Enterprises Inc., and is an equal opportunity employer.

MANAGING EDITOR/WEB EDITOR High Plains Journal, located in Dodge City, is seeking a managing editor/web editor. We want someone who can juggle multiple responsibilities and keep them all in the air. (If you can juggle balls or bowling pins too, that’s even better. We need a little entertainment around here.) Application deadline: Feb. 15. Go to www.hpj.com/editor to find out more details. PAGE DESIGNERHigh Plains Journal, located in Dodge City, is seeking a page designer, responsible for the graphic design of news pages in all five editions of the publication. We need someone who knows the difference between Helvetica and a Holstein and can design a news story about one with the other. Application deadline: Feb. 15. Go to www.hpj.com/jobs to find out more details.

FULL-TIME SPORTS STAFF MEMBER NEEDEDThe Greeley Tribune is looking for a full-time sports staff member to cover local high school, college and community sports, as well as design and edit pages. The staff member will split his or her workweek between covering events, writing features and designing pages. Applicants should be well-versed in page design and copy editing. Experience using InDesign is a plus. He or she should have a strong work ethic with a knack for multitasking. Design and copy editing shifts will also include writing briefs and gathering nightly high school sports reports via phone calls and emails. Interested applicants should send resume and examples of your work to Editor Randy Bangert at [email protected].

By Lucia Palmer

CU Journalism & Mass Com-munication students are reaping the benefits of a revamped internship and career services program that connects them directly to employers through an easily accessible online database.

Employers worldwide can use the system to post internships and jobs.

“We are reaching out to more media employers than ever, and stu-dents are able to connect with them in new ways,” internship and career coordinator Christine Mahoney said. “It’s really a multifaceted ap-proach. It’s not just computer sup-port, it’s personal support. It’s about looking at career goals and skills, and connecting these to jobs posted on the system.”

But the new internship program doesn’t rely solely on technology. Mahoney coaches students exten-sively, learning about their career aspirations and helping them de-fine what they can promote to em-ployers.

“Many times students don’t real-ize how valuable their existing skills are,” she said. “I try to make sure they understand the value and in-clude it in their resumes.”

Mahoney also helps students create an online “personality” to increase their chances of finding a job in a competitive market. “If you write a blog, make sure it’s profes-sional enough to put in your port-folio or mention in your LinkedIn profile, but creative enough so that potential employers get a sense of the ‘real you.’ ”

Mahoney also reaches out to employers, encouraging them to of-fer more and different opportunities for students. For instance, although CU has worked with 7News in Den-ver for a long time, Mahoney’s dis-cussions with station officials alerted her to a nontraditional bilingual in-ternship at station affiliate Azteca Colorado. It was a perfect match for JMC master’s candidate Griselda San Martin Alonso, who is working there now.

In addition, Mahoney helps stu-dents create an online personality that will increase their chances of finding a job in a competitive mar-ket. Before an interview, employers will search the web to find out as much info as they can before bring-ing a person in for a face-to-face meeting, Mahoney said.

Employers want to ensure that they’re bringing valuable candidates to the table. But this doesn’t mean just developing a professional Face-book and LinkedIn profile. It means also creating a glimpse of who you are.

Regular evening workshops provide more general training on subjects such as crafting TV stand-ups for a resume reel and – liter-ally – juggling meatballs. To help students prepare for the fall Media Mixer’ with employers, Mahoney cooked up a crockpot of meatballs and armed students with plates, toothpicks and their resumes. “Then we did mock networking, practicing

how to approach employers and get your message across while juggling drinks and foods and papers. It was a fun and practical way to make ev-eryone feel comfortable before the mixer.”

Students embraced the new sys-tem from the beginning. Mahoney expects more than 100 students will secure spring internships; she also speaks to classes to reach students who haven’t completed internship prerequisites.

JMC shares its online system with the university’s main Career Services site. That lets JMC students and alumni see all the jobs on the system, but employers have the op-tion of posting exclusively for jour-nalism and advertising students.

JMC alumni can benefit from the new system, too. The database includes postings for a range of pro-fessional jobs, from entry-level and part-time employment for recent graduates to mid- and upper-level job postings for alumni/graduates further into their careers.

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CU internship program benefiting both sides

WANT TO POST AN INTERNSHIP FOR CU JMC STUDENTS?Introducing JMC Career Services, our NEW ONLINE Internship System!

Step One: Create your profile at:https://www.myinterfase.com/cuboulder_journalism/employer/• Please list the person who will

supervise the intern as the “contact.”

• If you need assistance, you may call the CU Career Services HELP DESK at 303-492-4100.

Step Two: Post your internship:• Log into your profile, post the

position(s), and save. You will receive an email to let you know when your job has been approved and is visible to students

• Give yourself about 5 minutes to fill in ALL fields, including internship description, pay (if any) and majors you’ll accept

NOTE: Be SURE to click on “journalism” as a major!If you want to post exclusively to JMC students, email [email protected]

Step Three: • After you’ve posted your

internship and placed a student, you can access this robust system in many ways:

• Simply update deadlines and “start work” dates to post again next semester

• Add contacts if others in your company will supervise interns

• Get emailed evaluations mid-semester and end-of-semester, to help JMC understand your needs and how our interns are performing

Follow us on Twitter: @JMCInternships and let us know if you’d like your internship to be tweeted out to students!

Please contact [email protected] with questions.

The Holyoke Enterprise

Community Newspapercovering Phillips County in NE Colorado

Full-Service Commercial Printing970-854-2811•holyokeenterprise.com

february 2013 colorado editor

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