march 2012 colorado editor

Despite snowstorms and road clo-sures, attendance at the 2012 Colo-rado Press Association Annual Con-vention reached a 10-year high with nearly 300 registered attendees.

While it’s hard to predict whether slight economic upturns or the qual-ity of the convention programming were key factors in increased atten-dance, early convention survey re-sponses indicate a certain buzz about

the Westin, solid industry speakers and an overall interest in reconnect-ing with newspaper peers.

“Selecting enough variety and tal-ent to meet the diverse needs of our membership is always a challenge,” said CPA executive director Saman-tha Johnston. “This year, we relied

heavily on the feedback we received from last year’s survey and I’m inter-ested to see whether this year’s survey results reflect those changes.”

2011 survey comments were a big factor in determining what the 2012 offerings would be, including a heavi-er focus on editorial, technical and

social media skills and a strong focus on community newspapers.

“We are actively working to change the perception that CPA caters to large daily newspapers,” Johnston said. “While the large daily newspapers provide perspec-tive and support that is integral to a

well-rounded association, non-daily newspapers make up more than two-thirds of our membership and have the biggest voice in changes made within the association. In a perfect world, we would meet every need of every newspaper all of the time. If we can meet most of the needs of most our members all of the time, I think we can all agree that’s success.”

CPA CONVENTION

rising starservice to the first

person of the year

colorado Inside: Scenes from the 2012 CPA convention. PAGE 4

Official publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXIII, No. 3 March 2012

editor

Marfitano a true star on the rise

State papers have friend in Worm

CONVENTION on page 5

Editor’s note: The following speech was present-ed by Jack Kennedy, executive director of the Colo-rado High School Press Association, at the 2012 CPA convention.

When the editors and staff of the Overland High School “Scout” started reporting a little over a year ago on the death of classmate Leibert Phil-lips, they were not trying to embarrass the school or any individuals. They wanted to memorialize a fellow student who had died all-too-young, and without much fanfare.

They just wanted to tell his story, to acknowl-edge a life, and to share some of that life with their readers.

They also thought readers might want to know the cause of death, and they included that in one of the final grafs of the story.

And then . . . all hell broke loose.I will get back to the story in a moment, but I

wanted to provide a little bit of context here. This may be coincidence: but in a few weeks we will celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the Colorado

Editor’s note: The following letter by Grand Junction Daily Sentinel Managing Editor Laurena Mayne Da-vis was submitted to nominate copy editor Carrie Marfitano for the Rising Star Award. Marfitano received the honor at the 2012 CPA convention.

The Tomorrow’s newsrooms will

be filled with journalists with a tradi-tional drive to tell the stories of their community and a new appreciation for creative pre-sentation and col-laborative work.

In short, they will be filled with people like Carrie Marfitano, a copy editor for The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Ms. Marfitano’s experience is im-pressive. She spent a year abroad at the Uppsala Universitiet in Sweden studying International Media and Communication Studies before grad-uating from the University of Colo-rado, Boulder, in December of 2007. In a short time she has amassed a rich amount of experience, including:

• An internship on the design desk of the Loveland Reporter-Herald from December 2007 to May 2008.

• Summer work for PEAKS maga-zine, The Magazine of Vail Resorts, in 2007 as an art intern.

• Covering the CU president’s of-fice in 2007 for The Campus Press, the online student newspaper of the

2012 CPA convention a wrapIncreased attendance, new buzz contribute to fun atmosphere

Marfitano

STAR on page 5

FIRST on page 6

Photos by Thomas Cooper From left: 2012 Service to the First winners Lori Schafer, Jaclyn Gutierrez, Jeanette Chavez and Brenda Brandt.

Students stood ground in face of great pressure

Editor’s note: The following speech was presented by Jeanette Chavez at the 2012 CPA convention.

This year’s newspaper person of the year truly needs no introduction. However, if you are one of the few people in this room who hasn’t heard of him, don’t think you have mis-heard when I tell you his name. He is affectionately known as Worm.

As Dean Singleton, publisher of The Denver Post, said, “Worm knows more about Colorado newspapers than anybody. Al-though he works for The Denver Post, he has worked with small newspapers across Colo-rado to make all of our newspapers better servants in our communi-ties. Worm recognizes that it takes newspapers of all sizes to serve our state, and he has always worked for the betterment of all of them.”

After working his way up from part-time carrier to dock supervisor and fleet manager, Rick Charbon-neau became The Post’s state circu-lation manager in 2000. If you talk to just about anyone at a Colorado newspaper, they know Worm, and they have a story to tell about his kindness, his willingness to help, and his ability to figure out a solu-tion to just about any problem.

Charbonneau

WORM on page 5

2012

2 colorado editor March 2012

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StaffSamantha Johnston

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Board of DirectorsOFFICERS

Chairman of the BoardJeanette ChavezThe Denver Post

[email protected]

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The Holyoke Enterprise [email protected]

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Craig Daily Press [email protected]

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from the president

Convention inspires new looks into ‘the NEW normal’

brendabrandt

cpa president

Convention 2012 “the NEW normal” is history and onward it is to a new year in the Colorado Press Association.

It was rewarding for me to see new faces as well as veteran convention attendees at the conven-

tion in February.Our

newfound friends, Michael Giles and Hartley Higgins from the Vic-torian Country Press Associa-tion in Australia were delightful. They said they were looking for an opportunity to “think outside the square” and

found the CPA convention online. Their issues and concerns were quite similar to those of Colorado jour-nalists and newspapers, and their shared stories were enlightening.

Favorable comments were heard regarding the setting in the Westin Denver Downtown Hotel. Conven-tion attendees should have received a survey by email asking a variety of questions about all aspects of the convention. If you attended and didn’t receive one, please contact the CPA office at 303-571-5117 and they will send you one. If you did attend, please take the time to complete the survey. Your feedback will make a difference.

Executive director Samantha Johnston had a tremendous line-up of speakers. Opening session speaker Gordon Borrell shed a posi-tive light on the future of newspa-pers and the direction new media is taking. His digital market research shed some new light on monetiz-ing digital – it’s not all about trying to capitalize on our newspapers websites.

We laughed and learned with Craig Zablocki during the annual Capitol Hill Luncheon where we hosted a record number of leg-islators and newspaper people. Although Zablocki wasn’t in the tra-ditional politician or industry vein, he did provide a fresh perspective to match our theme of “The New Normal.”

Max Heath is always popular with his postal issue updates, and he didn’t fail us this year. Add the hands-on technical tips from Kevin Slimp and additional break-out sessions on ethics, digital initiatives, newswriting, classified revenue, labor issues, social media, open meetings, open records and libel, and you have a convention worth attending.

Governor John Hickenlooper and Lt. Governor Joe Garcia gave a warm welcome to Colorado pub-

lishers during the annual Governor’s Reception hosted by The Pueblo Chieftain at the Governor’s Resi-dence at Boettcher Mansion.

Attendees enjoyed networking, seeing old faces, and meeting new friends at the University of Colo-rado Journalism and Mass Com-munication reception held Friday night. Program director Christopher Braider reported that the number of students enrolled in the program is higher than last year and the program is not only surviving, but thriving.

It was a real treat to see a record number of Past Presidents attend a “reunion weekend” that boasted a Friday night cocktail reception and the traditional Saturday morning breakfast. Past Presidents from all over Colorado, California and Texas were represented.

Individual awards touted the fine

work from Colorado newspaper personnel. Connection with such distinction gives CPA a vivid focus in its vision to be the leader that unites the Colorado news industry in the relentless pursuit of journal-ism excellence and a sustainable news experience.

Read more about convention specifics in this edition of Colorado Editor.

And better yet, if you didn’t attend this year’s convention, make a point to try to work it in your schedule next year for first-hand benefits.

Thanks to CPA staff (Samantha Johnston, Lisa Woodworth, Kathy Van Newhouse, Elizabeth Bernberg, Rob Carrigan, Cheryl Ghrist and Laura Higashi) for all the behind-the-scenes details that you handle with such efficiency for a conven-tion weekend to remember.

CPA past presidents gather for a picture during the 2012 convention. (Front row, from left) Ed Lehman, Dean Lehman, Jeanette Chavez, Suzy Meyer, Percy Conarroe, Brat Hartman, Jean Grey, Bill Kezziah. (Middle row) Tom Betz, Steve Haynes, Ken Johnson, Merle Baranczyk, Andy Stone, Richard Bal-lantine, Garrett Ray, Ken Amundson, Denny Dress-man, Barclay Jamrson, (Back row) Steve Henson, Bob Moore, Roy Robinson, Bob Sweeney, Thomas Bredahoft, Wilbur Flachman.

Photo by Thomas Cooper.

Gathering of leaders

Photo by Thomas Cooper Former Colorado Press Association President Bob Moore hands the gavel to current president Brenda Brandt.

colorado editor 3March 2012

I’ve had an interesting couple of weeks.

For the first time, I was invited to speak at the Michigan Press Association’s convention in Grand Rapids. I never know what to ex-pect when I’m with a new group.

Will the group be somber and quiet or will the attendees be lively and responsive?

My worries were relieved after just a few minutes. Publishers who arrived early waited to tell me how excited they were to hear what I had to say about our industry’s future. Others came by while I was setting up to tell me how much they enjoy reading my columns.

With ample ego strokes, I presented two topics on Friday, related to online revenue and customer service, then went on to set up for a morning keynote on Saturday.

The president of the associa-tion came by to say “hi” and to let me know I shouldn’t be disap-pointed in the turnout. “It’s always a light crowd on Saturday morn-ing,” he said.

“No problem,” I responded, “I never expect a crowd on Saturday morning at 8:00.”

The room was substantial and had seats arranged in eight or ten rows, maybe 20 to 25 chairs in a row. It was a wide room, but not very deep. I figured maybe 30 people would show up and I’d speak in front of an empty room.

Just as happened in Kentucky the week before, when dozens of chairs had to be added, the room began to fill and before I knew it, all the seats were taken. The topic was “What I’ve learned this year from successful newspapers.”

I talked about papers I had visited in Ontario, Kentucky, Tennessee, Minnesota and points all over the map. I shared some of the commonalities among these papers. Things like:

• Investment in staff, training and equipment

• Trust between staff, publish-ers and other managers

• Keeping staff in place, when-ever possible

The audience laughed out loud when I told of some of the things I had seen at newspapers and wrote furiously as I shared advice as they plan for the future.

When the Michigan key-note ended, a line formed. One publisher after another wanted to talk about their situations. College students (there were probably 30 or 40 in attendance) asked me for advice concerning their futures.

Finally, after visiting with at least two dozen folks, the line was gone. From my left appeared a man who asked if he could speak with me. He shared that he published a newspaper in the state and was already making plans to cease his printed newspaper and go with an online version.

“I’ve got to tell you,” he said. “You may have changed my mind.”

Like thousands of other pub-lishers, he’s heard the reports of gloom and doom. And like some others, he was ready to accept his newspaper’s fate.

It’s not my job to talk people into anything. I just present the facts and share what I see at news-papers all over North America. I’m constantly amazed that anyone has any interest in hearing anything I have to say. It surprises me even more when I hear from publishers that tell me they’ve changed their future plans after reading or hearing what I think.

Iowa was more of the same the week after Michigan. Another convention. More chairs had to be added to the already large room. That was three weeks in a row.

Next up are conventions in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Kansas and back to Iowa.

We keep hearing that our in-dustry is at a crossroads. Coming to a crossroad doesn’t mean it’s best to take a hard right or hard left turn. Sometimes you move ahead.

Let me suggest that for most of us, it’s time to move ahead. Sure, you’ll pick up some new tools along the way. But the introduc-tion of mobile media, social media and competing sources for news doesn’t mean that newspapers are outdated or history.

Be careful when you come to that crossroad. Straight ahead might be the best route for your newspaper.

Kevin Slimp is a newspaper trainer and industry speaker. To reach him, or to read past columns, visit his website, kevinslimp.com.

By Ed HenningerHeadlines are one of the tools we

use to tell readers what’s important on a page. Sometimes a lead visual will take them to the more important package, but often it’s the lead head-line that does that job.

Given that, it’s surprising how many newspapers lead their front page with headlines that whisper to their readers instead of using a bold, large headline that jumps off the page.

And too many newspapers follow that small, weak lead headline with other headlines that are tiny. I sup-pose they do that because they are trying to follow one of the principles of headline hierarchy: Give the largest headline to your most important story.

But…headline hierarchy fails when we start with a head that’s just too small.

And…there are factors other than size alone which contribute to proper headline hierarchy.

Some points to consider:SIZE: Yep, size matters. The more

important the story, the larger the headline. As your headlines fall into position down the page, they should get smaller in size…to a point. And that point is made at the bottom of this column.

WEIGHT: The heavier the head-line, the more attention it will receive. A black sans serif, for example, will draw the reader’s eye more quickly than a bold serif head. See the il-lustration with this column for an example.

NUMBER OF LINES: A headline with three or four lines is going to take more space—and gain more attention—than one with only a line or two.

NUMBER OF COLUMNS: A 48 point headline on six columns is bound to grab the reader’s eye more than the same size headline in only three columns.

PLACEMENT: It’s a no-brainer: The headline at the top of the page is

bound to get a lot of attention, even if there’s a bolder, larger headline below it.

SERIF vs. SANS SERIF: A strong sans serif headline often will draw the eye more quickly than a headline in a serif face.

BOTTOMS UP: Headline hierar-chy is important. You want to apply it on every page—especially open news pages. But don’t let the bottom of the page fall away into gray. Instead, use a size that’s larger to give the bottom just the bit of weight that it needs.

Proper headline hierarchy is a key to sound news design. So, the next time someone tells you: “It’s all in your head,” you can safely reply: “Y’know … you’re right!”

Ed Henninger is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting. Offering comprehensive newspaper design ser-vices including redesigns, workshops, staff training and evaluations. E-mail: [email protected].

Design: It’s all in your head

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Even at a crossroads, straight still an option

This is a lead headline

This is a lead headlineThis is a lead headline

This is a lead headlineBoth of these headlines are the same size. Which will readers see (and read) first?

kevinsimp

The introduction of mobile media, social media and competing sources for news doesn’t mean that newspapers are outdated or history.


Scenes from the 2012 convention

Matt Sandbreg (Summit Daily News), right, and Craig Zablocki share a shirt to make a point during Zablocki’s keynote address.

Kevin Slimp discusses photo editing and color correction tips during a session at the CPA convention.

Elected officals and CPA members work with Capitol Hill Recep-tion keynote speaker Craig Zablocki.

Elna Johnson Holyoke Enterprises takes a look at the auction items at the CPA Convention at the Westin Hotel Downtown.

University of Colorado students Mary Rochelle and Sarah Simmons take a break between sessions.

Colorado State Univer-

sity senior Courtney Rol-ing talks with Katie Burford,

a city editor at The Durango

Herald

PHOTOS BY THOMAS COOPER


CONVENTION from Page 1This year’s convention theme,

“The New Normal,” set the tone for a speaker line-up focused on the marriage of traditional and nontra-ditional media, but also on the peer networking experience to share best practices for success and survival in the long-term. But it was also de-signed to create a bridge spanning a diverse membership gap and a re-commitment to journalism and the future of the news media – in both digital and print.

Although 2012 just began, 2013 is just around the corner. Plans are already under way to hire speakers, develop networking activities and build on this year’s success for an-other blockbuster convention. A top priority for the ’13 convention will be diversity in education to cover cir-culation, social media, technology, revenue generation, writing, online content and the space that will be left for emerging technologies yet un-known. Although the venue will not change – CPA has contracted with the Westin through the 2014 conven-tion – activities and the convention format are all up for review.

“While two days is a long time to ask community newspaper people be out of the office, it’s an incredibly short amount of time within which to pack a dozen sessions on as many topics,” Johnston said. “We are con-stantly looking at more ways to max-imize the time we have and create as

much value for our attendees as pos-sible. We hope the convention survey will generate a lot of feedback that will help us to provide the experience everyone is looking for next year.”

Preliminary planning for the 2013 convention is under way, John-ston seeks to establish a convention committee that will meet regularly throughout the year in person and via Skype or teleconference to dis-

cuss session topics, social events, networking opportunities and trade show and vendor possibilities.

“I really look forward to find-ing some enthusiastic and positive thinkers who genuinely want to con-tribute their time an energy toward helping our team knock the 2013 convention out of the park,” John-ston said. “What we can imagine, we can make happen.”

STAR from Page 1Sentinel, first as a business reporter, the only newsroom position avail-able, then as a copy editor, once there was an opening. She quickly distinguished herself as a designer who brings a fresh perspective to the pages of the Sentinel and was of-fered a day shift for free rein to focus on skyboxes, feature covers and Page One centerpiece stories.

A calm and effective leader, she collaborates smoothly with staff, or-ganizing teams for larger projects and

taking on redesign projects on her own.

Some of what she has accom-plished at the Sentinel includes:

• A redesign of the cover of the weekly arts & entertainment tab, Out & About. Her covers, every week, pop with color, creative typography and a sly wink to the content.

• Further refinement of innova-tive skyboxes several days a week to drive single-copy sales.

• Ongoing training of fellow copy editors.

• Leading the design of a 6-page special section on the nation’s entry into World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbor 70 years ago.

• A 2010 Colorado Press Associa-tion third-place award for headline writing.

I expect great things from Ms. Marfitano throughout her journal-ism career and consider it a privilege to have witnessed its beginning.

Thank you for your consideration.Laurena Mayne Davis, managing

editor, The Daily Sentinel

Photo by Thomas Cooper Amanda Hersch and Vickie Sue Vigil both with the The Mountain Mail take time out to catch up on the reading between sessions at the 2012 CPA convention.

2013 planning has already begun

Worm has left his mark on Colorado neswspaper sceneWORM from Page 1

Some examples:1. In 2004, when the newspaper

office in Granby was bulldozed by an irate citizen, Worm was there to make sure The Post was delivered, but he also took photos of the damage and sent them to area publications to use.

2. In 2007, Salida Publisher Merle Baranczyk was riding his bicycle when he collided with a mini-van. He was airlifted by Flight for Life to Denver. His wife was forced to drive to Denver. Merle says that Worm was surfing “his newspapers” when he saw a posting about the accident. He headed to the hospital, kept Merle’s wife company, found and paid for a room for her at a local hotel and made sure she had dinner.

3. In the nomination let-ter, Bryce Jacobson of the Craig Daily Press said, “Worm reads newspapers. He subscribes to papers throughout the state and always comments on the news of a publisher’s community when he sees them. He also share ideas to help better his fellow newspapers in their businesses. In addition, he’s always making connections for people in the industry to make our lives at small-town newspapers easier.”

4. Worm’s passion for his com-munity of newspapers is exhibited in his office, which one colleague describes as a “living history museum of souvenirs, artifacts, memorabilia and junk.”

5. He has probably driven most roads in the state, and he has taken photos of many historical markers or unusual sights, many of which have appeared in The Post. Worm said he didn’t want to be paid for the photos so he could maintain

his amateur status. In addition, he can tell you the best restaurant in every community — and the story behind it and the people who run it.

6. He’s also a country music fan and has become an advocate for a promising young singer/songwrit-er Carin Mari and her two brothers who form the Pony Express band of Buena Vista. He’s followed the group around the country, setting the band up on gigs with Michael Martin Murphey and promoting her wherever he can.

7. Worm has volunteered for Ride the Rockies since its incep-tion. A semi rolled on Wolf Creek Pass one year and Worm quickly helped to contain the mess, ensur-ing the safety of the cyclists. Then he took photos that appeared on the front page of the Pagosa Springs Sun’s next edition. And at least two bicyclists who suffered heart attacks are alive because he administered CPR. He will modestly credit others, but we know he played a significant role. This morning he said he does not like the cyclists to be out of sight because he wants to be “able to put his lovin’ arms around them.”

8. His passion for volunteering extends to many other events, such as the Cheyenne Frontier Days train, but above all, he is involved in Special Olympics. He is at all events across the state, cheering and taking photos, which then are sent to the hometown papers of the traveling athletes. His work with Special Olympics Colorado earned him a seat in their Hall of Fame, when he was chosen Volunteer of the Year.

It is my privilege to introduce Rick Charbonneau, a.k.a. Worm, the Newspaper Person of the Year.

If you are interested in being a part of the 2013 convention plan-ning committee, please contact Samantha Johnston at 303-571-5117 or by email at [email protected].

Committee members will be expected to participate in monthly convention meetings and take an active role in vetting speakers, re-searching social opportunities and planning networking activities.

2012 Convention Survey Takeaways

Preliminary survey results indicate the best and the worst of 2012. If you attended and haven’t weighed in, please do so. If you didn’t receive a survey and would like one, contact Samantha John-ston at [email protected] or by phone at 303-571-5117.

Top 5 Convention Highlights•The Westin Denver Downtown

Hotel• Kevin Slimp. Survey says: “He

knows his stuff.”• Governor’s Reception• Improved length and quality of

awards presentation• Past President activities

Top 5 Areas of Improvement• More diversity in programming• Awards luncheon format and

cost• Cost of valet and garage parking

at the Westin• Silent auction items• Concurrent sessions make it hard

to attend everything attendees would like to attend.

Convention bits

Marfitano a newspaper star on the rise

Photo by Thomas CooperNewspaper Person of the Year Rick Charbonneau accepts his award dur-ing the 2012 CPA convention. President Brenda Brandt look on.


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FIRST from Page 1 rado Student Free Expression Law, shep-herded by then State Senator Pat Pascoe and energized by a small but determined group of journalism advisers. Colorado became the fourth state in the nation to enact such a statute, a statute which essentially returned the state to the standards of the Tinker v. Des Moines Supreme Court decision of 1969.

And this may be coincidence: but today, Feb. 24, is the 43rd anniversary of the an-nouncement by the court of that Tinker de-cision, which allowed scholastic journalism to enter a new era, built on the famous quote from Justice Abe Fortas: “Students and teach-ers do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate.”

I may not be able to draw a direct line be-tween those two events and what happened at Overland, but without them I have serious doubts that freedom of expression would have ultimately triumphed.

So here’s the rest of the story: The Over-land principal tried to first dissuade the stu-dents from reporting on their classmate’s cause of death. When editors Lori Shaffer and Jacklyn Gutierrez, then juniors, went back to Leibert Phillips’ mother and obtained a copy of the death certificate, they shared it with the principal, but he still objected, though he nev-er would tell them exactly why. The principal not only did not relent, but he doubled down, as it were, and announced that “Scout” adviser Laura Sudik was being removed from her ad-vising duties and that the newspaper was sus-pended for the rest of the year and would be abolished effective in 2011-12.

Lori and Jacklyn were hurt and confused, but determined not to simply buckle under the pressure. They reached out to the Colo-

rado High School Press Association

and then the ACLU of Colorado, along with the invaluable Student Press Law Center, to challenge the decisions of the Overland ad-ministration.

Soon our friends at the Colorado Press As-sociation and the Society of Professional Jour-nalists added their voices in support of the Overland paper to publish the truth.

I am not here to castigate the Overland High school administration. I don’t think principals get up in the morning wondering how they can strip students of their rights, or torment them… People of good will certainly can disagree.

But this situation became a power struggle, pure and simple, and we all know how power struggles between administrators and students tend to turn out. Not this time. This time the push back from so many media groups, and the extensive coverage of the situation by lo-cal broadcast and print journalists, caused the Overland administration to reverse course, and apologize, to Lori, Jackie, Laura and the entire Scout staff – in fact, to the entire school.

In all legal cases, even those involving such

a range of powerful professional advocates,

there have to be some individuals who stand strong in the storm. Who stick to their be-liefs, calmly but passionately. They never de-scribe themselves as heroes, just as individuals standing up for what is right.

It wasn’t easy. Here is what Lori Shaffer wrote as part of a Constitution Day essay con-test last September 17: “No one truly under-stands the effect of the First Amendment until it is taken away. I had it taken from me once. My newspaper staff had it taken from them once. Almost as if someone is choking you, you cannot utter a word. You no longer have the freedom to say what you want to or need to, because that hand has closed in on you.”

It took some time, but the “Scout” finally published its page one story on Leibert Phil-lips. The choking hand was removed, at least this time.

And two young women stood their ground for freedom.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Colorado Press Association is proud to present the 2012 Ser-vice to the First Award to Lori Shaffer and Jacklyn Gutierrez.

Overland students fought for freedom “No one truly understands the effect of the First Amendment until it is taken away. I had it taken from me once. My newspaper staff had it taken from them once. Almost as if someone is choking you, you cannot utter a word. You no longer have the freedom to say what you want to or need to, because that hand has closed in on you.”

Lori Shaffer

Layout & DesignSo Cold It HurtStaff - Steamboat Pilot & Today

It’s the perfect front page. You want to pick it up. You have to pick it up. If you didn’t go beyond the front page, you got the point. We love how it ties in with the frozen pipes ad on the front page. Very strong photograph. The headline is something any Coloradan can identify with. The page is uncluttered, but pres-ents a lot of information. We like the use of white space and the minimal amount of color that tied everything together. “More about the cold” is not only attrac-tive, but pulls the reader inside for more on the big freeze.

Photo (above)A Fair GoodbyeMatt Stensland – Steamboat Pilot & Today

You could live a whole life and not take a picture this good – just a few seconds later, the photo would have captured something completely different. Perfect timing caught a little boy trying to compose himself while saying good-bye to his friend. It captures a pain that everyone can relate to - losing something you love. The excruciating pain that the boy is trying to hold back is only topped by the loving innocence on the cow’s face. It’s almost as if the cow knows and is trying to say “it’s ok,” to someone she loves.

Editorial12 Hours of Old TownTrevor Hughes and Dawn Madura – Fort Collins Coloradoan

The juxtaposition of good times and bad times made this an accessible issue for the community to understand. This is an important thing – it’s the health of the historic town and this section brings it clearly to each readers’ attention that there are problems and exactly what those problems are. For the future of this community, this series is an invaluable gift. This entry has great photogra-phy, good writing and it got the play it deserved. They captured the complete sense of Old Town Ft. Collins, which helped all of their readers identify with the good and the bad.

AdvertisingCrested Butte – Gay Ski WeekStaff – Crested Butte News

CrArtful. Creative. If advertising is to get readers to participate in something related to business or commerce or the city, then this did it. It took an event coming to this community and in a beautiful, stunning, clever presentation of advertising, then this is a winner. They made this unusual event accessible to a community that may not have ever been this involved in the gay community. Ads were clever, but professional. Even if one or two had a tinge of sexuality, it really was a very proper, acceptable presenta-tion for a community.

2012 best of show winnersS T E A M B O A T

THURSDAYFEBRUARY 3, 2011

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Vol. 23, No. 29R O U T T C O U N T Y ’ S D A I L Y N E W S P A P E R

TODAY

Tom RossPILOT & TODAY STAFF

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

When Clark rancher Doug Carl -son rose from bed Wednesday morning and saw that the needle on the MJK Sales & Feed thermometer registered 38 degrees below zero, his first instinct was to look after the 220 expectant mothers in his care.

But first he had to get the tractor started.

People all across Routt County were busily preparing themselves for the Sub Zero Bowl Round II on Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service in Grand Junction was predicting that Wednesday’s official low in Steamboat Springs of 36 degrees below zero would be followed by an overnight low of 23

degrees below zero this morning.“It was so cold it hurt,” said

Mark Cox, of the Bridgestone Win-ter Driving School.

He was standing in front of a video camera at Steamboat Ski Area at 5:30 a.m., giving a live interview about winter driving tips for ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

‘So cold it hurt’

®

FREE

SteamboatToday.com

■ INDEXBriefs . . . . . . . . .10Classifieds . . . . .20Comics . . . . . . . .26Crossword . . . . .26Happenings . . . . .6Horoscope . . . . .27

Lotto. . . . . . . . . .19Movies . . . . . . . . .7Scoreboard. . . . .19Sports. . . . . . . . .16ViewPoints . . . . . .8Weather . . . . . . .27

■ SKI REPORTMidmountain base 70 inchesSummit base 93 inchesTrails open 165/165Lifts open 16/16Total snow* 264 inches*Total snow at Steamboat Ski Area since Oct. 23 as measured at midmountain. For up-to-date road conditions, including Rabbit Ears Pass, call 511 or visit www.cotrip.org.

INSIDE: Hayden High School’s Treyben Letlow signs letter of intent to play football at CSU-Pueblo • page 16

Partly cloudy and warmer. High of 20.

Page 27

■ WEATHER

Record-tying low temperature for Feb. 2 hits Steamboat

-36Steamboat Springs’ low

Wednesday morning ties record for Feb. 2 reached in 1956

-42Colorado’s low Wednesday morning reached in Walden

-48Steamboat’s record low for

February reached Feb. 10, 1933

-54Steamboat’s record low reached Jan. 7, 1913

-61Colorado’s record low reached

Feb. 1, 1985, in Maybell

Source: National Weather ServiceSteamboat Springs resident Wendy Tomlinson didn’t let Wednesday’s cold weather stop her from walking her dog. (John F. Russell/staff)

See Cold, page 11

More about the cold■ School canceled for weather-related reasons in Steamboat Springs for first time since 1989 • page 4

■ Steamboat superintendent considers changing temperature for school cancellation • page 3

■ Doctor encourages community to look out for children and elderly during severe cold • page 4

■ Colorado winter temperature facts • back page

Call Rocky Mountain Dry at 291-9060

Frozen Busted Pipes? Flooded?


Arthur Allison Branscombe

Branscombe, Arthur Allison, was born the day World War I ended – Armistice Day, No-vember 11, 1918. His world changed from ice in trucks and buttons on shoes, to Facebook, the Internet, and online news – and he kept up with it all.

The son of Evelyn Perkins Branscombe and Clarence Henry Branscombe, Art trav-eled across or lived in 38 states before he was 18, thanks to his father’s work with the Army Corps of Engineers. He fell in love with Colorado when his father designed the steel work for the Daniels & Fischer Tower and the Denver Post office, but returned to the Washington, D.C. area for most of his adoles-cence while his father worked on the National Archives and other Federal Buildings.

Art attended George Washington Universi-ty, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and graduated at the age of 19 with a degree in International Studies.

After stints at the Pentagon and with the Washington Post, he enlisted in the Army for WWII, serving in North Africa. While on leave in New York, he met Beatrice Sutton whom he married in 1946. Upon his return from the War he followed his love affair with the newsroom. In addition to the Washington Post, he wrote for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Rocky Mountain News, and the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph, before accepting a position with the Denver Post, where he would write, report and edit for the next 30 years until his retirement in 1984, after which he wrote oc-casionally for the Colorado Statesman.

Art and Bea settled into Denver’s Park Hill Neighborhood in 1960, which thrust him into the twin causes that would define the greater part of his life: civil rights, specifically addressing racial and economic inequities in housing and school’s and the power of faith to unite people in a greater cause. Along with members of other neighborhood churches, in-cluding Gladys and John Bates, Ed Lupberger, and Fred and Myrtle Thomas, Art co-founded the Greater Park Hill Action Committee – and organization dedicated to creating a stable, economically and racially integrated neigh-borhood, which would resist both white flight and the “redlining” practices of segregation prevalent at the time. He echoed these themes as an editorial writer for the Denver Post, becoming one of the only editorial writers to stand up against segregation – for which later, his home would be fire-bombed and he would receive death threats. He also served as Educa-tion Editor at the Post, where he chronicled the historic Keyes case, and many other pivotal moments in Colorado’s educational evolution. He was known for being principled, fair, and balanced in his coverage – long be-fore that term came to mean something else.

A lifelong hiker, he was a member of the Colorado Mountain Club. He also served many charitable and religious organizations, in particular St. Thomas Church, Head Start, the NAACP, Inter-Neighborhood Coopera-tion and Housing for All.

After Bea’s death in 2000, Art was lucky enough to meet Carla Henebry. They married in 2003, and enjoyed many wonderful adven-tures. Art’s love for life and especially for Carla pulled him through many a health setback, until he finally died peacefully on February 10, 2012. He is preceded in death by his sister, Marjorie Branscobme Rae. In additional to his wife, Carla Henebry Branscombe, he is survived by three daughters: Allison (Robert), Kim Womantree, and Merredith (Alan); a stepson, Charles Henebry, two nieces, Marilyn Milam and Christine Upton; three new-phews, Eric, Reese, and Roland Rae; and nine grandchildren: Morgan, Sarah, Zoe, Lianne,

Holden, Mia, Julie, Tucker and Jacob.Services will be held on March 3, 2012 at 2

p.m. at St. Thomas Church, 2201 Dexter Street in Denver. Contributions in Art’s memory may be made to St. Thomas Church, the Denver Public Schools Foundation, or Greater Park Hill, Inc.

Ann SchmidtReprinted from the Saturday, February 18,

2012 edition of The Denver PostAnn Schmidt, 85, covered D.C. for Colo.

newspapersBy Joey Bunch, The Denver PostBe they Democrat or Republicans, report-

ers or lobbyists, a future presidential candidate or a government aide a long ay from home on the holidays, there was always a plate for them at the table in Ann Downing Schmidt’s Washington townhome.

She died Feb. 10 at her home on Wash-ington’s Capitol Hill from complications of a stroke, her family said. She was 85.

Her columns ran under the title “Ann’s Washington,” a city she made her own and managed to make a lot more like Colorado, said those who knew her.

Pat Schroeder, a Colorado congresswoman from 1973 to 1997 and a presidential can-didate in 1987, said Schmidt turned being a hostess into being an advocate for Colorado.

“She would collect folks for Thanksgiving that weren’t able to get home,” Schroeder said.

“Her home was always a Colorado oasis, almost like an embassy, for all of us swimming in those political waters. A total giver and a wonderful soul, she also wrote and was an excellent journalist.”

Schmidt was a mentor, and likely a mother figure, to younger reporters in the Washington press corps. By the time she joined the Fourth Estate, Schmidt was in her 40s and had raised four children.

A third-generation Coloradan, Schmidt had studied drama at Carleton College, gradu-ating in 1947, then performed in summer stock theater in Stockbridge, Mass. She met her future husband, Richard M. Schmidt Jr., while she was working for Denver radio sta-tion KMYR. They were married in 1948. He preceded her death in 2004.

Richard Schmidt was a First Amendment lawyer who represented press organizations and companies. The Schmidts moved to Washington in 1966, when Richard became general counsel for the U.S. Information Agency in the Johnson administration.

Ann Schmidt soon started covering the Washington news for smaller papers, includ-ing the Longmont Daily Times-Call, the Loveland Reporter Herald and the Colorado Statesman. She joined the staff of The Denver Post in 1972.

As a person and a reporter, she had a natural gift for brining people together – with a kind word, a giant smile and a willingness to accept people at face value, without prejudg-ments, said her son Gregory Schmidt of Washington, D.C.

She and her husband were staunch Demo-crats, but it played no role in her reporting or the family’s hospitality toward others, her son said.

“Their house was a place where Demo-crats and Republicans could sit together, talk together and just be together,” he said. “I think it was a different time, when things like that could happen.”

“It made her sad the way the city divided over politics later on.”

In addition to her husband, she was pre-ceded in death by a son, Rolf, in 1972. In addi-tion to her son Gregory, she is survived by son Eric Schmidt of Beaverton, Ore; one daughter Heidi Van Genderen of Washington, D.C.; six grandchildren; and two brothers.

Craig Daily Press staff report

The Craig Daily Press added a new staff member to its editorial department late last week.

Mary Austin began as the newspaper’s page designer and copy editor Thursday, replac-ing Jerry Martin, who has been named news editor.

Austin, 22, comes to the Daily Press from her hometown, Summerville, S.C. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in December 2011, major-ing in visual communications.

Her experience in journalism includes an internship with The Post and Courier of Charleston, S.C., and a paid internship with her college’s student housing organization.

Austin said part of what drew her to Northwest Colorado was the presence of family and friends in the area.

“It’s a good fit for me,” she said. “I like being able to walk to the top of my street and see mountains from a residential area and be so close to nature.”

Photographing nature and other sub-jects is one of Austin’s hobbies, and she has a minor in photography as part of her degree.

She said she hopes to add her photography skills to the Daily Press staff, as well.

“There’s no shortage of things to take pictures of here,” she said. “That’s something I’m excited about is trying to maybe take the paper in a new direction.”

Austin added that she’ll work hard to keep the print edition of the Daily Press eye-catching for

readers.“I’m anxious to make my mark and be

able to design a paper that’s sophisticated, easy to read, pleasing to look at and some-thing that people can appreciate,” she said.

Daily Press Editor Joshua Roberts said Austin fits the mold of past hires in the editorial department and the Daily Press overall.

“The first thing we look for is talent and enthusiasm, and Mary falls right in line with that,” he said. “She’s good with copy, design, and her photography background and skill set is a bonus.

“Jerry set a high standard for the CDP with his copy and design skills. Mary will be a continuation of that, but we think she’ll make her own mark, too.”

NICS offers newspapers a tool to make smarter decisions

Newspapers face a number of challeng-es. Business models are changing. Reader-ship is shifting. Staffing limitations pose a particular threat to a newspaper’s health.

Providing compensation that fits budget but still attracts, motivates and retains em-ployees adds extra pressure to this delicate balancing act.

Inland provides newspapers a tool to make this task easier. The Newspaper In-dustry Compensation Survey (NICS) and its predecessors have been helping news-papers make smarter decisions for nearly 100 years. It has long been considered the industry standard in newspaper compensa-tion surveys. While it might be well-known in the industry, it is worth taking a closer look at the utility of this survey.

A key task newspapers must perform is determining a pay level for the skills they need that is competitive in the market. Compensation packages that are not com-petitive lead to a severe talent drain and fre-quent turnover that make daily operations that much harder.

The NICS supplies crucial information about pay levels in the newspaper industry. Individual newspapers can use this infor-mation to quickly determine where their compensation packages stand in relation to the industry.

Inland has been conducting salary re-search for 96 years with an unblemished record for handling confidential financial information. The NICS in its current form has been produced by Inland for the past 24 years. The survey compiles data from approximately 500 newspapers including roughly 75 percent of the top 100 dailies in the nation.

“As the original designer of the survey and ongoing expert adviser, I have come to realize just how critical a valid and reli-able survey is to the industry,” said Robert Greene, CEO of Reward Systems Inc. con-sulting firm.

“Whenever I am consulting with a newspaper client, the NICS is often the sole source of competitive information for pay planning, pay administration and bargain-ing on pay-related issues” he added. “This is particularly true for jobs that are relatively unique to the industry.”

The survey has continually been adapted to meet the needs of newspapers. Outdated jobs are removed. New jobs are added. This attention to detail is crucial to making the survey relevant and valuable.

The NICS features data covering more than 100 job titles in these areas:

• managerial• editorial• circulation• operations• advertising• sales/marketing• finance• IT• web-based/online All data are reported by circulation and

revenue categories so users can compare their pay levels to similar organizations.

In addition to salaries, the survey also contains data on employee benefits and in-centive compensation programs.

Executives have found the NICS to be a useful tool in projecting the impact of changing compensation strategies and pro-grams. The NICS has also been used to aid decisions on the feasibility of reducing pay-roll or benefits expense and the impact of these actions on employee recruitment and retention.

To make the most informed decisions, newspapers need the highest quality and most relevant data. The data sample is large enough and so comprehensive that custom reports are available. Newspapers can de-fine a specific set of competitors and study the pay levels in those organizations.

If you or your newspaper need a cost-effective tool that makes decision-making easier, call Karla Zander at 847-795-0380 or e-mail at [email protected].

obituariesAustin joins Daily Press as new designer/copy editor

NICS offers papers a tool to make smarter decisions

Austin


FOR SALE: SMALL WEEKLYSmall weekly in Colorado mountain

community. Grosses about $120,000. Monopoly situation. Circulation about 1,000. Sale price includes lots in an incorporated town, 24x50 foot office building, 14x70 foot mobile home 27 steps away, gorgeous views, near several resort towns, lakes, wilder-ness areas. Turn-key sale. Only serious journalists, please. This newspaper has won numerous awards and enjoys tremendous support. Call 970-873-7050. March price reduced to $250,000 from $270,000.

PHOTOGRAPHERThe Mountain Mail, Salida Colo.,

is searching for a full-time sports and weekend reporter/photographer. Applicants must be able to write clearly and have working knowledge of photography. Sports experience is a plus. Send resumes and work samples to Managing Editor Paul Goetz at [email protected].

REPORTERFull-time reporter needed in

LeadvilleThe Herald Democrat (www.lead-

villeherald.com) has an opening for a reporter to cover a variety of assign-ments. Photography and occasional layout and design also are involved.

Work will often include evenings and weekends; the reporter must live in Leadville/Lake County. Journalism or related degree perferred.

Send cover letter, resume and at least three writing samples to [email protected].

REPORTERMetroWest Newspapers, based in

Brighton, Colorado, is seeking applica-

tions for a full-time general assign-ment reporter position for an antici-pated summer opening. The position involves coverage of stories which may fall to the general assignment beat, with a strong focus on education and schools. Applicants must have good story-telling talents, know AP style, write features and news, and possess excellent writing facility to contribute numerous stories each week. Photog-raphy skills are a plus. Deadline and production assistance may be asked of this position.

Please email applications to Man-aging Editor Kevin Denke, [email protected]

After initial screening, clips and personal interview may be requested.

SENIOR OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Senior Outside Sales Representa-tive, Colorado Press Service.

The Outside Sales Representative is responsible for establishing and maintaining profitable relationships with customers on behalf of Colorado Press Service and actively prospecting for new accounts and maximizing sales potential with existing customers.

As the Outside Sales Representa-tive, you are the primary external rep-resentative of CPS in addition to the VP of Sales and Marketing; you must convey a sense of expertise in our print and digital services and capabilities, as you serve as a key educator to our community and business accounts. This is an aggressive sales position and will require high call volume when in the office and many outside meetings with agencies, direct clients and as-sociation members.

You are a member of the Sales Team and together we are accountable

for meeting the monthly, quarterly and annual metrics, revenue and sales goals of the company. The sales and strategic marketing activities of the team will be designed to achieve these revenue goals. You and the team are responsible for supporting the com-pany vision and mission.

Sales Representatives will guar-antee satisfaction and value for our clients (agencies, direct clients, other state press associations and member newspapers); Contribute to a work en-vironment that fosters pride in being part of a winning team and promotes personal growth; Maintain personal productivity and quality standards that make possible attractive financial returns so that we may continue to provide excellent service to our customers and ensure job security and career growth for our staff.

Must also have working knowledge of traditional print advertising (ROP, inserts, classified) in addition to digital advertising on multiple platforms (dis-play, mobile, social, e-mail and search).

Because you will be in contact with current and prospective customers and you are in a key position to influ-ence their satisfaction and Colorado Press Service’s prosperity, this position requires tact, sensitivity, and profes-sionalism.

• Responsibilities and Duties:General and AdministrativeCommunicate effectively with VP of

Sales and Marketing, Executive Direc-tor and other CPA/CPS team members as needed, informing and updating them regularly to guarantee that sales and client objectives are met.

Reports directly to VP of Sales and Marketing

Follow all systems and proce-dures and actively participate in idea

generation and discussion to improve procedures when necessary.

Participate as a key team player by supporting operations as needed.

Assist in developing and imple-menting contract processes.

Prepare reports of business transac-tions and keep expense accounts.

Identify prospects, customers, and referral sources and develop/maintain relationships to ensure attainment of company business goals. Support efforts to consistently grow the base of referral sources.

Actively manage short and long-term leads from external refer-ral sources (press associations) to qualified prospects and advance them through the sales process.

Manage marketing data using applicable sales management systems or tools (e.g., database, computerized call calendars and time management systems) to maximize efficiency and analyze data/marketing activity on a weekly basis

Effectively present and discuss CPS print and digital solutions to current and prospective customers in a way that conveys an image of quality, integrity and superior understanding and delivery of customer needs.

Perform market assessments, competitor analyses, pricing strate-gies. Draw conclusions from market assessment data on the competitive environment and the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and targets, and provide input to VP of Sales and Marketing.

Develop a strategic sales plan that identifies prospects and customers, prioritizes them according to impor-tance and ability to provide results.

Develop a call schedule to ad-equately cover territory and provide

reports and data on results (KPI spreadsheet).

Investigate and resolve customer problems.

Keep current on new technology. Understand and comply with the

sales system/program in place. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree with previous

newspaper sales experience a plus (3-5 years).

Strong verbal and written commu-nication skills and good math skills.

Strong persuasive and interper-sonal skills and a sales aptitude.

Ability to identify and meet cus-tomers’ needs and requirements.

Strong sense of urgency and ability to work under tight deadlines and juggle multiple projects simultane-ously.

Must be a self-starter and a prob-lem solver.

Must possess a valid state motor vehicle operator’s license.

• Working Conditions: • Variable work environment: Work is conducted both indoors and out with varying en-vironmental conditions. • Several hours per day may be spent operating a mo-tor vehicle. • Appearance at all times must represent the company image. • Noise level is usually quiet. • Occa-sional lifting of up to 25 lbs. • Exposure to the environments of customer facili-ties • Fast-paced environment: subject to numerous schedule and priority changes and short notice activity.

• Additional Duties: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed. You will be expected to follow any other job-related instruc-tions and to perform other job-related duties as requested by VP of Sales and Marketing and/or Executive Director.

cpa marketplace

In May 2011, the CPA Board of Directors embarked on a strategic planning process designed to provide clarity and vision about the future of CPA and to better define CPA’s role in the news industry given the changing times. With the help of branding and strategy expert, Pecanne Eby of Brand Mentoring and innovation expert Tamara Kleinberg of Imaginnibles, the CPA staff and board worked together for many months to develop a mission, vision, brand promise and core values to guide the organization moving forward.

The Desktop Strategic Plan provides an overview of the guiding principles, plus an 18-month key initiative program to tackle emerging needs at CPA and within the member-ship.

Training and Development: This initiative relates to the development of the Colorado Press Association team to provide experts in the news and advertising industry who can provide CPA members and prospective members with relevant information, resources and assistance as well as expert sales professionals well versed in digital and mobile platforms as well as print media.

Expanding Membership: CPA leadership realizes that digital and mobile media outlets are becoming a larger part of the news and content dissemination culture and trade as-sociations will have to make room for those diverse mem-bers into the future. CPA appreciates and respects the insti-tution of “legal” newspapers and seeks to protect our core while embracing change and finding new ways to encourage diversification in membership.

Member Education: This is a two-fold initiative to in-crease training and learning opportunities, but to increase offerings both on the web and in traditional regional for-mats.

Advocacy: This initiative will long remain a focus for CPA as it relates to our lobbying and legislative efforts to protect public notices, advocate for transparency in govern-ment and fight for access to records and meetings. Part of the new strategy will place an emphasis on developing state-

wide campaigns that can be utilized by all newspapers when necessary.

Revenue Generation: Colorado Press Service will con-tinue to support Colorado newspapers through driving print advertising to our member newspaper, but 2012 will see a ramp-up in digital, mobile and email solutions as well

as packaged political buys and a commitment to offering ad-vertising agencies and vendors the solutions they want. CPA is committed to being relevant and solutions-oriented for both our vendors and our newspaper members.

The complete strategic plan is available upon request from Samantha Johnston.

The CPA Strategic Plan

march 2012 colorado editor

Documents

cpa convention

colorado press association

large daily newspapers

wellrounded association

convention programming

nondaily newspapers

community newspapers

colorado editors