editor colorado
House lovin’ what she does PAGE 3
Official publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXVI, No. 11
Laboy appointed to Board Staff report Vincent Laboy, of the Montrose Daily Press, has been appointed to the Colorado Press Association and SYNC2 Media Board of Directors. Laboy replaces Bob Hudson, who resigned his board position in October, when he left the Pueblo Chieftain. “It has been a tough decision, but I have accepted a position with a hospital as part of their physicians relations team,” Hudson wrote in his board resignation letter. “After 23 years in the newspaper industry it will be a refreshing, yet challenging change.” Laboy was named publisher of the VINCENT LABOY Daily Press, a Wick Communications paper, in October 2014. Laboy moved from Fremont, Neb. where he worked as a daily publisher for the Fremont Tribune since 2012. He also served as the publisher and advertising director for their weekly newspaper, the Plattsmouth (Neb.) Journal. Both were Lee Enterprise papers. Laboy started with Lee Enterprises in 2005 in the capacity of advertising director. He served on several nonprofit boards and worked with several community organizations in Nebraska.
See LABOY, Page 10
November 2015
Educate Advocate Enhance Advocacy key piece of 2016 CPA strategic plan By Joshua Roberts For the Editor Having worked in the industry since 1976, Bart Smith is no stranger to the demands and constantly shifting winds of change involving newspapers. So, when the CPA board began developing its 2016 strategic plan, Smith, publisher of The Greeley Tribune and the 2016 CPA board president, felt it important the association make reaching out to smaller news outlets a priority, as a means of bolstering and pooling resources and expertise in challenging times. “Our goals, really, with the strategic plan were to do an excellent job for our members and building that value in CPA,”
said Smith, who will take over as board president in May. “We don’t want to grow members just to grow members. That’s not the point. We want to attract new members, grow the membership base, because of the education, the advocacy, the advertising and the help … to continue making it a stronger association that has a lot of value.” The 2015-16 strategic plan, a thorough, in-depth document that outlines the association’s vision, future projects and finances, among other elements, can essentially be broken down into three primary areas of emphasis — education, advocacy and enhancement. “As we move forward,” said Jerry Raehal, CPA/SYNC2 Media chief executive officer,
“I’m going to ask that question: Does this fit into one of these three areas?” The advocacy piece is particularly exciting to Smith, who described it as “vital” to the state’s industry. “Every year there are dangers in the state legislature to open records and public meetings law and keeping the public involved in government,” he said, noting CPA and its lobbyists do “excellent” work in protecting “the public’s right to know,” as well as preserving access to government records and meetings. Smith sees outreach as tied closely to advocacy. By networking with new outlets across the state, and by extension the local
See PLAN, Page 11
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Denver Post’s Tully named Publisher of the Year Mac Tully, 59, has been named 2015 Publisher of the Year by Editor & Publisher magazine. Tully is president and CEO of The Denver Post, and executive vice president of The Post’s parent company, Digital First Media, overseeing 13 other properties in Colorado. Tully told E&P he was “very surprised” to receive the honor, noting, “I’m getting recognized for work that is being done by everyone at the newspaper. I’m not the one selling ads, writing stories or delivering papers. Everyone at this paper contributed to this recognition.”
You can enter the contest The 2015 Better Newspaper contest has officially kicked off, and runs through Dec. 15. There are several changes to this year’s contest, including an early bird registration, fewer categories, but also more submissions per category allowed. For more details go to www.coloradopressassociation.com. If you are interested in participating in this year’s contest, and haven’t participated previously or in recent years, please contact Jean Creel at jcreel@colopress.com.
Annual convention has six sponsors already lined up Six businesses have confirmed they will be sponsors at the 2016 Colorado Press Association Convention, scheduled for May 12-14 at the Denver West Sheraton. Signature Offset has again agreed to be a gold sponsor; Publication Printers is an event host level; Colorado Mountain News Media and Prairie Mountain Media Commercial Printing are slated to be silver sponsors, while Metropolitan State is a bronze sponsor, and Newz Group is slated to be a partner level sponsor. Sponsorships are still being accepted. To learn more contact Jerry Raehal at jraehal@ colopress.net or 720-274-7171.