editor colorado
Official publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXIII, No. 12
Inside: Meet the CPA leadership team. PAGE 4 December 2012
I-News deal will benefit CPA members By Denny Dressman
A dynamic collaboration that has the potential to benefit all Colorado Press Association member-newspapers was approved at the November meeting of the CPA’s Philanthropic Advisory Committee. Members voted unanimously to award a one-time $5,000 grant to the I-News Network, a two-year-old, non-profit, project-oriented journalism organization based in Denver. Laura Frank, a former Rocky Mountain News reporter, is founder and executive director. I-News produces at least a half-dozen news projects annually, consisting of multiple print stories, photographs that illustrate the stories, and complimentary multimedia productions suitable for use on television or online. All INews projects are intended to have statewide
Organization provides investigative reports application or deal with topics that are significant in many areas of the state, rather than a single location. Some daily newspapers that are members of CPA have published I-News stories in the past, but until now, there has been no official arrangement between I-News and CPA. Under the terms of the PAC’s initial one-year grant, I-News will make its projects available to all CPA newspapers—daily and weekly—at no charge. And to ensure that CPA newspapers, regardless of size or frequency or publication, are prepared to utilize the I-News projects most effectively—and supplement them on occasion with local reporting when feasible—the I-News staff will conduct training sessions during the up-
coming CPA convention. In addition, I-News will provide tip sheets on how CPA newspapers can get the most of out I-News projects, and will be available for consultation on an individual newspaper basis through the coming year, as requested. CPA member papers also will be able to propose projects of broad application to I-News for possible development, though the final decision on adopting a project will remain solely with INews. The staff of accomplished veteran journalists at I-News includes computer-assisted reporting expert Burt Hubbard, who has taught database reporting at the University of Colorado in addition to pioneering this specialty at the Rocky
Mountain News; prize-winning reporter, published author and, until recently, Denver Post metro editor, Kevin Vaughan; veteran editor Jim Trotter, who earned acclaim at the San Jose Mercury News, Rocky Mountain News and Associated Press; and photojournalist Joe Mahoney, formerly of the award-winning Rocky Mountain News photo staff. The arrangement between CPA and I-News will be evaluated by the Philanthropic Advisory Committee during its first year of existence, and will be considered for renewal for a term longer than one year. The CPA convention and annual meeting will be held February 21-23 at the Westin Denver Hotel in downtown Denver. For more information, contact Samantha Johnston at sjohnston@colopress.net or by phone at 303571-5117.
2 0 1 3 C O L O R A D O P R E S S A S S O C I AT I O N A N N U A L C O N V E N T I O N
More improvements on tap this year The annual Colorado Press Association convention will be Feb. 21 – 23, 2013, at the Westin Denver Downtown Hotel. CPA staff and convention committee members made a number of changes to this year’s program based on feedback from the 2012 convention. “We have put a tremendous amount of effort into shaping the annual convention experience to meet the needs of our attendees,” said CPA executive director, Samantha Johnston. “The feedback we received last year was thoughtful, critical and insightful, and we have made a number of changes to the typical routine to offer the most value possible.”
Top 10 highlights of this year’s convention 10. The annual award banquet will be free to all attendees and will take place from 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. The more, the merrier. The event will be followed by a hosted hors d’oeuvres reception and cash bar. 9. Specific topics will not overlap on the schedule, i.e. editorial sessions will not overlap with other editorial sessions, so the attendees will get the most bang for their buck. 8. The annual job fair will be held from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22. The time was changed to later in the day to conflict with the fewest possible sessions. Individuals working the job fair will not miss important break-out sessions. 7. We have three outstanding industry leader keynote speakers, and three keynote opportunities – Friday Legislative Luncheon, Saturday morning keynote kick-off and Saturday luncheon speaker. CONVENTION on page 8
Judy Miller: Legislative Luncheon keynote speaker Award-winning broadcast journalist Judy Muller is a professor at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Previously, she was a correspondent for ABC News for fifteen years, reporting for such broadcasts as World News with Peter Jennings, Nightline and 20/20. From 1980 to 1990, she was a correspondent for CBS News, reporting for the radio network and for the television broadcast Sunday Morning. She is also a commentator for
NPR’s “Morning Edition” and APR’s “Marketplace Money”. For the last five years, she has been a contributing correspondent to KCET TV’s “SoCal Connected,” where her reporting has won numerous honors, including a George Foster Peabody award, a Columbia DuPont, an Emmy and two Golden MICs. Her latest book, about weekly newspapers in America, is entitled “Emus Loose in Egnar: Big StoSPEAKER on page 8
Judges needed for Virginia Press Association contest Colorado Press Association will judge the annual Virginia Press Association Better Editorial and Advertising Contest. CPA is soliciting judges for daily and weekly advertising categories, as well as writing, photography and art, presentation and design and multimedia and online categories. Approximately 80 judges are needed. “Judging is not only an important reciprocal favor to state associations who judge the annual CPA contest, but its also a tremendous opportunity to gather ideas and see what kind of work is being done at newspapers across the United States,” said CPA executive director, Samantha Johnston. Judges should be fairly seasoned reporters, editors, designers, advertising consultants and managers, and multimedia professionals who are able to judge the submitted work based on the overall quality of writing, photography, presentation, style, etc. Judges are needed from daily, weekly, small and large newspapers. “Just as Colorado has a diverse newspaper landscape, so do the states we judge,” Johnston said. “Anyone interested in judging will be assigned entries in their field of expertise and from newspapers closely matched in size and scope to their operation.” Editorial judging will be completed online between Jan. 31 and Feb. 15, 2013. Advertising judging will be completed online between Feb. 11 and Feb. 20, 2013. All judges will receive a detailed contest judging email once judging begins. CPA member editors, advertising directors and publishers will receive an email after the Christmas holiday asking for help. “We encourage every newspaper to offer at least one judge, and if the staff is large enough, multiple judges,” Johnston said. “With enough judges, we can limit the amount of work per person, which makes judging fun and thorough. CONTEST on page 8
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colorado editor
December 2012
editorial
colorado editor ISSN #162-0010 USPS # 0122-940 Vol. LXXXIII, Issue 12 December 2012 Colorado Editor is the official publication of the Colorado Press Association and is published monthly at 1336 Glenarm Place. Denver, CO 80204-2115 p: 303-571-5117 f: 303-571-1803 coloradopressassociation.com
Subscription rate: $10 per year, $1 single copy Staff Samantha Johnston Publisher/Executive Director sjohnston@colopress.net Brian Clark Design Editor Board of Directors OFFICERS President Brenda Brandt The Holyoke Enterprise bbholent@chase3000.com Vice President Bryce Jacobson Craig Daily Press bjacobson@craigdailypress.com Treasurer Terri House The Pagosa Springs SUN terri@pagosasun.com Secretary Keith Cerny Alamosa Valley Courier krcemail@aol.com DIRECTORS Mark Drudge Cortez Journal mdrudge@cortezjournal.com Bart Smith The Greeley Tribune bsmith@greeleytribune.com Laurena Mayne Davis The Daily Sentinel laurena.davis@gjsentinel.com David McClain Sterling Journal-Advocate dmcclain@journal-advocate.com Paula Murphy Trinidad Times Independent paulamurphy@ratonrange.com Curtis Hubbard The Denver Post chubbard@denverpost.com Matt Lubich The Johnstown Breeze mlubich@johnstownbreeze.com Periodical postage paid at Denver, CO 80202. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Editor 1336 Glenarm Place Denver, CO 80204-2115
The Postal Service’s junk mail scandal Reprinted with permission from The Washington Post By Charles Lane I haven’t heard much talk about it from the 2012 candidates, but there’s a scandal brewing in this country. Monday through Saturday, uninvited messengers show up at households all across America and drop off unsolicited catalogues, credit card come-ons and other paper equivalents of spam e-mail. Americans get 84 billion pieces of this stuff every year — the vast majority of which they dump, unread, in the nearest trash can or recycling bin. If homeowners are merely annoyed, local governments are furious; it costs them $1 billion per year to collect and dispose of the waste, according to a recent New York Times report. Yet the federal government stands by and does nothing to stop this nuisance. Arguably, Washington is encouraging it. I refer, of course, to the U.S. Postal Service. The digital age has rendered paper obsolescent and the postal service’s business model unsustainable. Buffeted by a 26 percent drop in first-class mail volume since 2006, it lost $15 billion in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. And the postal service has exhausted its line of credit with the U.S. Treasury for the first time ever, which means that henceforth it must fund current operations out of current revenue, to the extent that’s possible. It has asked Congress for the authority to make necessary costcutting reforms, such as suspending Saturday delivery and closing unneeded facilities. But lawmakers are dithering, lest they offend any of the “stakeholders” — direct-mail advertisers, postal unions, rural politicians — that feed off the postal gravy train (or what’s left of it). It’s not that different from the stalemated politics of entitlement reform — only this time the unaffordable promises at issue include “universal” six-day-a-week delivery and health benefits for 600,000 mostly unionized postal employees. Meanwhile, the postal service must cast around for money-making ideas. It is especially interested in ads, which now account for about half of its dwindling business. The wasteful flow of paper from mailman to mailbox to municipal dump is not about to end. In August, the Postal Regulatory Commission approved a “negotiated service agreement” under which the postal service will give deep rate discounts to Valassis, a direct-mail firm that grossed $2.2 billion last year by sending about 3 billion pieces to 60 million homes. USPS estimates
the deal will bring in $107 million over three years. To be sure, even if it increases junk mail, the deal won’t necessarily add to the total national pile of paper. The particular ads USPS would deliver — pitches for durable goods sold by brick-and-mortar retail stores — already reach consumers via newspaper inserts. What the deal would do is alter the national flow of advertising, to the financial detriment of newspapers like the one you may be holding. Struggling print media need this like a hole in the head. Small wonder that the Newspaper Association of America — of which The Post is a member — has sued to block the deal in federal court. This gives me a conflict of interest, of course. Still, even people who don’t draw a newspaper paycheck should be able to appreciate what’s wrong here. The rationale for a postal service is that the U.S. government should facilitate national integration and economic expansion. That’s why the Constitution gave Congress the power “to establish Post Offices” and why Congress used that power to
give the postal service a monopoly on first-class mail delivery, preferential access to federal credit and other advantages. It was envisioned as a utility, providing a delivery network to all companies and individuals on more or less equal terms. Now, in its technological obsolescence and financial decrepitude, and with the encouragement of both Congress and its regulator, the postal service has been reduced to helping one private-sector entity outcompete another. The fact that all parties concerned — USPS, newspapers and junk mailers — are scrapping over the same shrinking paper pie only heightens the poignancy.
Many proposals for reviving the postal service would compound the error by letting this federally advantaged entity compete with the private sector in businesses such as checkcashing or beer and wine shipment. Without serious cost-cutting, such gimmicks would probably fail anyway. Our far-flung postal system used to epitomize American democratic efficacy. Today, however, Congress’s failure to deal with mail’s inevitable decline is a case study in democratic dysfunction. lanec@washpost.com
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colorado editor
December 2012
from the president
news in brief CPA contest award notifications will be sent by Christmas The Colorado Press Association Better Newspaper Contest award notifications will be emailed to the contest managers before the Christmas holiday. The contest manager is the individual at the newspaper who initiated the contest set-up for that particular newspaper. Contest results will only be released to the contest administrator and newspapers publisher or their designees. Award notification will list the contest category and names of individiual winners. Places are not disclosed until the annual awards banquet held on Saturday, Feb. 23 during the Colorado Press Association convention. Newspaper contest managers who have not received notification of winners by Monday, Dec. 24 may contact Lisa Woodworth at 303-571-5117 or by email at coloradopress@colopress.net.
Service to the First deadline extended Colorado Press Association has reopened the Service to the First annual contest. No entries were received in this category. “Service to the First Amendment is a cornerstone of our industry,” said CPA executive director, Samantha Johnston. “It seems like this category might have been overlooked, or at least not well understood, because almost every newspaper in the state probably has at least one example of their commitment to the First Amendment.” The award, which is intended to honor a newspaper’s service to the First Amendment guarantee of a free press can include, but is not limited to, fighting the threat of censorship in America, overcoming uneasiness with regard to press credibility, combating government secrecy at all levels, and instilling in the public an appreciation of its need as well as its right to know. “The CPA Board of Directors felt that people might think this award is for a big or special project related to the First Amendment,” Johnston said. “While a project could be submitted, day-to-day efforts with an impact could be just as powerful.” Entries could include news and feature stories, editorials, staff-written columns, house ads and First Amendment projects. The winning entry need not be a specific project, but an example of the newspaper’s commitment to the First Amendment. Previous entries have ranged from court actions filed by the newspaper and public awareness campaigns conducted by the newspaper in partnership with other organizations to stories challenging transparency within local government. The extended deadline for entries is Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. Award
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recipients will be announced during the Legislative Luncheon held Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 at the Westin Denver Downtown Hotel. To enter, send nominations to Samantha Johnston, Executive Director, Colordo Press Association, 1336 Glenarm Pl., Denver, CO 80204 or by email or DropBox invitation to sjohnston@colopress.net.
Fence Post expands with magazines The Greeley-based Fence Post Publishing Co. has recently expanded with the acquisition of a Wisconsin-based company which has four rural-lifestyle magazines that are distributed nationally. The newly acquired magazines are: Countryside & Small Stock Journal, sheep!, Dairy Goat Journal, and Backyard Poultry. Subscribers and newsstand buyers exceed 170,000 in the United States and Canada. The Fence Post Co. currently publishes the Rocky Mountain Fence Post edition and the Plains Edition each week as well as the Tri-State Livestock News and Farmer and Rancher Exchange, both in South Dakota. Bart Smith, general manager of the Fence Post Co. and publisher of the Greeley Tribune, will oversee Countryside. Swift Publishing Co., based in Carson City, Nev., is the parent company of the Greeley operations which have offices and a printing plant at 501 8th Ave. in downtown Greeley. “Countryside is a perfect fit with our current agriculture and country lifestyle publications,” said Smith. “With the continued success of our current Fence Post publications, we have been looking for an expansion opportunity that would complement what we have now.” The Countryside and Small Stock Journal magazine grew out of an interest for many people to live a simpler life and be more selfsufficient. The poultry, goat and sheep magazines that followed are for those who are raising livestock on their own on a small scale and are looking for advice and guidance. The nine Countryside employees were retained and will continue to operate the company from the plant in Medford, Wisc. Besides the magazines, which each print six times a year, the company sells a large listing of books that reflect the topics of the magazines. The new magazines expand an already diverse group. The Fence Post publications, with a primary coverage area of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska, concentrate on ranching and farming and rural life. Tri-State Livestock News, in Belle Fourche, S.D., concentrates primarily on the cattle and horse livestock operators and related interests. Farmer and Rancher Exchange is an advertising-only publication that circulates to rural residents in central South Dakota.
Organization strength relies on membership
Colorado Press Association is a strong The toolkit contains background informaforce when members band together to steadily tion on four key topics in 2013: fight for freedom of the press. • Colorado Open Meetings and Records News and editorial pages across the state Laws. have publicized countless examples of pressing • Legal Notice Advertising. statewide issues with regard to open meetings • Newspaper Theft Law. and open records laws, freedom of informa• Updating the Colorado Open Records Act tion and legal procedures in general. in a digital age. Quick to inform our member papers of Encouragement was given to become familcurrent happenings that affect our industry iar with these materials and to provide copies brenda is our CPA staff, led by the watchful eye of to candidates. brandt lobbyist Greg Romberg, executive director If you missed seeing this material prior Samantha Johnston and an active legislative to the election, please contact the CPA office cpa committee currently chaired by David Mcto have a copy emailed to you, as it is still expresident Clain. tremely valuable and informative. Awareness of issues such as the Colorado Suggested talking points for candidates were Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice’s (CCJJ) part of the toolkit. CPA requested that answers to sperecent recommendation to repeal the state’s newspaper cific questions be recorded to provide good information theft statute unites our industry in standing firm for on candidates’ positions on important issues. public principles. If you have that information and haven’t yet shared In August, CPA members were given the opportuit with CPA, it’s not too late. It’s helpful to know where nity to sign a letter of opposition to the CCJJ recomelected officials stand on open meetings/records. That mended repeal of the state statute making illegal the info can be sent to Samantha Johnston at sjohnston@ theft of free newspapers. colopress.net, faxed to 303-571-1803 or mailed to 1336 CPA worked together with Rep. Claire Levy Glenarm Place, Denver, CO 80204. (D-Boulder), who announced Nov. 19 that she will Candidate information and percentage of Republiintroduce legislation to resolve the dispute over CCJJ’s can, Democratic and Unaffiliated voters in each legislarecommendation for repeal of Colorado’s newspaper tive district is in the toolkit. theft statute. Dedicated, intense effort clearly went into the In January, Rep. Levy will introduce legislation to preparation of the legislative toolkit for the benefit of repeal the newspaper theft statute and replace it with all members to strengthen legislative partnerships. the crime of interference with the lawful distribution of Even though the election is over, the information is still a newspaper. timely. CPA members’ efforts of support for opposition to Engagement of our members is essential to the sucthe repeal recommendation were an important piece of cess of our organization – legislatively and otherwise. this resolution. Take advantage of legislative updates provided Legislative advocacy was emphasized again in midto members to stay informed, contact your legislaAugust when a comprehensive Legislative Toolkit was tors when that assistance is requested and keep our prepared for CPA members. It was a valuable resource membership informed of issues affecting you and your heading into election time. publication. Considerable time was devoted to assist publishThe strength of the Colorado Press Association ers and editors to feel adequately prepared to address depends upon the active involvement of each and every industry issues with Colorado legislators. member.
obituary Eva Hodges Watt By Kieran Nicholson The Denver Post Eva Hodges Watt, a local author and longtime Denver Post staffer, died Wednesday in Denver. She was 90. Watt joined The Denver Post city desk during World War II as a reporter and went on to become the paper’s religion editor, fashion editor, society editor and columnist. She wrote under the byline Eva Hodges and retired from The Post in 1985. During her long career in journalism, Watt covered a wide array of assignments, from breaking news to high society and haute couture from the runways of Paris. In 1979, Watt won a Penney-Missouri award for her fashion coverage at The Post. Among the newsmakers and entertainers Watt interviewed for the Post were Mamie Eisenhower, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Billy Graham and Bill Blass. After she retired, Watt traveled extensively and wrote two books with local flavor: “Papa’s Girl,” a biography of former Denver Post owner and society maven Helen Bonfils; and “Helen Marie Black, Heart of the Denver Symphony.” Watt was a longtime member of the Denver Woman’s Press Club and was active in the League of Women Voters. She was an avid theater-goer and an accomplished gourmet cook whose dinner parties for former “Posties” were legendary. Watt was born Sept. 27, 1922, in Silver City, N.M.,
the daughter of the local district attorney. She graduated from Colorado College in 1942 and landed a job as a reporter with the El Paso Times. Two years later, on a quick trip to Denver, she walked into the newsroom of The Denver Post and asked for a job. She was hired on the spot. In 1953, she married Tom Watt, the Post’s photo editor and later its TV columnist. In the 1960s, Tom Watt became news director at Denver Channel 4, then known as KOA. The Watts were active for many years in Denver’s media community. Tom and Eva had two sons, Rob and Joe. Tom Watt died in 1972. The family was living in the Green Mountain area of Lakewood in the 1960s when Tom Watt, his younger son, Joe, and a friend started out on a hike on the Beaver Brook Trail near Lookout Mountain. The three were caught in a sudden snowstorm and sought shelter at a nearby house in Mount Vernon. The people who took them in were so kind and caring that Tom Watt decided then and there to move his family to the mountain enclave. The Watts were active in the Mount Vernon Country Club community for years. Eva Watt left Mount Vernon in 2003 and lived at Parkplace senior community in Denver. Eva Watt is survived by her two sons, Rob Watt of Denver, Joe Watt of Golden; and daughter-in-law Laura Watt of Golden. Eva’s brothers Joseph Hodges of Silver City, N.M., Norman Hodges of Silver City and Fallbrook, Calif., and Robert Hodges of Scottsdale, Ariz., predeceased her.
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colorado editor
December 2012
cpa leadership The Colorado Press Association Nominations Committee last week recommended a slate of candidates for the annual board election to be held Friday, Feb. 22 during the annual convention. The committee, established according to CPA bylaws, includes the immediate five past CPA presidents. This year’s committee members are Jeanette Chavez - formerly of The Denver Post, Dean Lehman – Longmont Times-Call, Steve Henson – The Pueblo Chieftain, Tom Bredehoft – The Flagler News and Randy Sunderland – Delta County Independent.
Scottsbluff,Neb., and later was with the Denver Newspaper Agency until 2006 when he was named publisher of the Craig Daily Press. He serves as President of the Board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northwest Colorado and is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Craig. Jacobson is the father of two children, Peyton, age 11 and Bayley, age 7. Jacobson was elected to the board in 2009. He served as Treasurer in 2011, and Vice President in 2012.
CPA members can vote in person or by proxy at the annual meeting in February. Proxy forms and voting information will be sent to all owners and publishers no later than January 1. For information about the board of directors or the nomination and election process, contact Samantha Johnston at 303-571-5117 or by email at sjohnston@ colopress.net.
VICE PRESIDENT Terri House terri@pagosasun.com
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR Brenda Brandt Publisher, The Holyoke Enterprise bbholent@chase3000.com Before beginning her newspaper career, Brandt earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education, with a double major in math and journalism from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 1977. She taught high school math and journalism at Aurora, Neb. high school for two years, also serving as sponsor for the high school yearbook and newspaper. Brandt joined The Enterprise in 1979 as news editor and added the managing editor responsibilities in 1980. In 1994, she assumed the advertising manager›s role and became publisher. In 1999, Brenda and her sister and brother-in-law (Lori and Russ Pankonin) purchased Johnson Publications (Holyoke Enterprise, Imperial Republican, Grant Tribune-Sentinel and Wauneta Breeze) from Loral and Elna Johnson (Brenda and Lori›s parents). Brandt was appointed to the Board in September 2007 to fill a vacancy. She served as Board secretary in 2009, treasurer in 2010, Vice President in 2011, and President in 2011 and 2012. PRESIDENT Bryce Jacobson Publisher, Craig Daily Press jacobson@craigdailypress.com Bryce Jacobson started in the newspaper business at age 8, delivering the Journal-Advocate in Sterling. He later worked in the newspaper’s mailroom and circulation department, and was named circulation manager in 1998. Jacobson worked in the circulation departments at the Star-Herald in
Terri House began her newspaper career at The SUN at age 15, working in the mailroom. She held the positions of advertising manager, general manager and assistant publisher before purchasing the newspaper in 2003. Service to her community is of utmost importance to House. She received the Pagosa Springs Volunteer of the Year Award in 2008 and Citizen of the Year in 1996. She has served as President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado and received the Mashaw’s Magic Moments Award in 2010. House has served as Council Chair of United Way, board of directors of Archuleta County Fair, Western Heritage Committee producing the Red Ryder Roundup Rodeo, Operation Helping Hand Christmas charity, the Prevention Coalition and Reach for the Peaks balloon rally among others. She is currently President-Elect of Pagosa Springs Rotary Club and serves on the advisory council of Southwest Colorado Community College. Terri was elected to the board of Colorado Press Association in 2009. She served as Secretary in 2011 and Treasurer in 2012. TREASURER Keith Cerny Publisher, Valley Courier, Alamosa krcemail@aol.com Keith Cerny is publisher of the Valley Courier in Alamosa. He is also a division manager for News Media Corporation with oversight of nine newspapers in Colorado and Wyoming, including a daily, six weeklies and a shopper in the San Luis Valley. Prior to moving to Alamosa in 1992, Cerny served on the Wyoming Press Association Board of Directors while publisher in Evanston and Lusk, WY. Cerny sits on the Adams State College Foundation Board, is president of the ASC Grizzly Club Board, Alamosa County Economic Development Board, Creede Theatre Board, SLV Arts and Entertainment Committee, San Luis Valley Regional Council for El Pomar Foundation and the Alamosa Rotary Club. He was appointed to the CPA Board of Directors in 2009 to fill a vacancy, and
was elected to a four-year term in 2010. He served as Secretary in 2012. SECRETARY Bart Smith Publisher, Greeley Tribune bsmith@greeleytribune.com Smith became publisher of the Greeley Tribune in 2007, and soon after was named general manager of the newspaper group for Swift Communications that includes the weekly Windsor Now, and the Fence Post weekly agriculture publications and websites in Colorado and Nebraska, as well as two agriculture weeklies in South Dakota. After earning a journalism degree from the University of Wyoming just up the road from Greeley and stints in Rawlins and Lander, Wyo., Smith moved on to Whitefish, Mont., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Roseburg, Ore. in editor and publisher roles before circling back to the Rockies. Smith got hooked on newspapers as a young U.S. Army correspondent in Vietnam in 1971. He is past president of the Montana Press Association and chaired the News Education Committee of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. He is a former member of the National Press Photographers Association and the National Conference of Editorial Writers. Smith lives in Greeley with his wife and a daughter attending college. His oldest daughter is a reporter for the Summit Daily News in Frisco, Co.
HOLDOVER DIRECTORS DIRECTOR Mark Drudge mdrudge@cortezjournal.com Mark Drudge started his newspaper career in 1986 with the Glenwood Post as a Circulation District Manager and soon moved to the advertising department working as a Sales Account Executive for several years. In the late 90s, he moved back to the circulation side working as Circulation Director for the Western Slope Publishing Group. He held is first Publisher position at the Rifle Citizen Telegram in 2000. Drudge left Colorado for a few years where he worked as both a publisher and a sales manager in York, Nebraska and Newton, Iowa. Following his desire to return to the mountains and be closer to his children, Drudge joined the Cortez Journal as sales manager in March of 2010. Drudge hold a BS from Ball State University. He loves to trout fish, and to get off road in his 1971 Toyota Land Cruiser. He has played the banjo since very young and he played and recorded in several working bluegrass bands over the years. He has two daughters, Kelly, in Battlement Mesa and Katie, in Guam with the US Air Force.
DIRECTOR Laurena Mayne Davis laurena.davis@gjsentinel.com Laurena Mayne Davis was appointed in May 2011 to fill the position vacated by Harrison Cochran. Mayne Davis began her journalism career as a graduate assistant writing and editing stories for Northern Arizona University’s Graduate College magazine. She later was a fulltime journalism lecturer at NAU with a news writing focus. Mayne Davis was hired as a copy editor at The Grand Junction Sentinel in 1994 and was promoted to features editor in January 2000. Mayne Davis left The Sentinel in 2003 to be an instructor of mass communication at Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University), where she continues as adjunct faculty. She spent time working at Community Hospital as a pool writer and editor. Mayne Davis is currently the managing editor at The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. She holds a BA in Humanities from Mesa State College and an MA in English from Northern Arizona University. DIRECTOR Paula Murphy Publisher, Trinidad Times Independent paulamurphy@ratonrange.com Trinidad Times Independent and Raton Range publisher Paula Murphy was appointed to the Colorado Press Association Board of Directors in October 2011 to replace Bob Moore who resigned when he accepted a position in El Paso, Texas. The CPA appointment – Murphy’s first in Colorado – follows her New Mexico Press Association board membership from 1998-2001 and presidency in 2001. She sits on the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government Board of Directors. Murphy began her newspaper career in 1985 when she joined the staff of The Raton Range in Raton, N.M. She worked with The Range until 1989 when she left to pursue other opportunities. In 1991, she returned to the Range and accepted the position of Advertising Director. In 1997, she was promoted to publisher. Murphy and her husband Tom purchased The Raton Range and Trinidad Plus in 2001 from Boone Newspapers. She turned the weekly Trinidad Plus news/shopper into the twice-weekly subscription-based Trinidad Times Independent. Murphy and her husband also own and operate a cablecast television station, Trinidad Times TV in partnership with the newspaper. DIRECTOR Curtis Hubbard chubbard@denverpost.com Curtis Hubbard oversees The Denver Post’s daily editorial and opinion pages
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and Sunday Perspective section. He was elected to the board of directors in 2012 for a two-year term. A Colorado native, Hubbard has covered news and politics in the Interior West since 1993. Prior to joining The Post, he worked as a local news editor at the Boulder Daily Camera and as editor at the Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Guide. He joined The Post in 2004 as state editor, where he oversaw the paper’s out-state bureaus and Denver-based reporters and columnists. From 2007 until January of 2011, he served as the paper’s politics editor, handling the newspaper’s election coverage and reporters covering federal and state government, Denver City Hall and transportation. Hubbard served on the Wyoming Press Association Board of Directors during his time at the Jackson Hole Guide. Hubbard earned a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from Beloit (Wis.) College, where he minored in journalism, and is a graduate of Cherry Creek High School. He lives in Louisville with his wife and two daughters.
TWO-YEAR DIRECTORS DIRECTOR Matt Lubich Executive Editor, Co-Owner, The Johnstown Breeze mlubich@johnstownbreeze.com Matt Lubich is the Executive Editor and co-owner of The Johnstown Breeze. He has co-owned The Breeze with his wife, Lesli Bangert, since 1997. The 108-year-old weekly newspaper has been covering the communities of Johnstown and Milliken (Colo.) and surrounding Weld and Larimer counties since 1904. Lubich grew up in Pueblo, Colo., where his first job in the business was driving a Sunday morning contract delivery route for the Pueblo Chieftain; filling racks and newsstands around town. A graduate in 1986 with a degree in journalism from the University of Northern Colorado, Lubich was voted the “Most Promising Freshman Journalism Student” and also was once introduced to someone by UNC J-School professor
The Holyoke crew gets involved
Dave Anderson as “my most recalcitrant student.” Lubich had to go home and look up recalcitrant. He worked at the Evans Star Press and for legendary Colorado editor Percy Connaroe at The Lafayette News in the late 1980s. Returning to Colorado in 1991 from New Mexico, he wandered into the Breeze one day looking for freelance work. He eventually became the paper’s editor, before he and his wife purchased it from Clyde and Ardis Briggs in 1997. In 2002, and again in 2005, The Breeze won the General Excellence Award for small weeklies from The Colorado Press Association. Lubich and Bangert have two daughters, Riley, a freshman at Montana State University in Bozeman, and Harper Lee, a junior at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown. Lubich was appointed to the board in September 2012 to fill a vacancy.
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Durango Herald. Before that, he had a long career with daily newspapers in Florida working as an environmental reporter, editorial writer, managing editor and executive editor. He serves on the board of directors of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and is an active member of the Colorado Freedom of Information Council. In Florida, he served eight years on the board of the Florida Society of News Editors as its FOI chair. He also was a trustee of Florida’s First Amendment Foundation for 12 years and chaired the FAF board from 2006 to 2010. A native of Milwaukee, Wis., Lindley holds a B.A. in political science from Yale University and a M.S. in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He lives in Durango with his wife.
DIRECTOR Don Lindley Managing Editor, The Durango Herald Dlindley@durangoherald.com Don Lindley moved to Colorado in 2010 to become managing editor of The
Holoyke Enterprise publisher and Colorado Press Association president, Brenda Brandt, left, and husband Bob Brandt, right, play chefs Cindy Grade and Farron Heit in the melodrama “Someone Save My Baby, Rught! Or … Foil That Villain!” In this scene, the Brandts play sparring candy chefs. Also pictured is Ahsley Sullivan, also of the Holyoke Enterprise, playing Mrs. Praline, the Sweet Shoppe owner. The melodrama was a fundraiser for the Peerless Theater managed by Bob Brandt when he isn’t working his fulltime job as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.
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Five tips for small advertisers The first order of business for a small advertiser is to make some strategic decisions (including competitive points of differentiation, budget, schedule, web presence and co-op availability). When it’s time to move on to the ads themselves, consider these points:
2. Sell benefits. Big boxes have the advantages of (1) low prices, (2) big selection, and (3) long hours. Advantages of small businesses include (1) customer service, (2) flexibility in available products and services, and (3) first-hand knowledge of the local market. john People don’t buy foust 1. Make an offer. This features; they buy benefits. tip goes for all advertisers, The challenge is to focus especially Mom and Pop on benefits which resonate businesses that are competing with with the designated target audience. large, national chains. If you don’t give people a reason to buy from 3. Avoid puffery. Some small you, they’ll buy from someone else. businesses have a tendency to use It’s as simple as that. exaggerations in their advertising. Shoppers expect low prices from They gush about “fantastic bargains,” big box stores. A widget at Walmart “unbelievable service,” and “awesome or Best Buy costs less than the same products.” And they drone on and on widget at a local retailer. As a result, about being “the best” or having “the it is unreasonable for Mom and Pop most.” All of that puffery amounts to compete on every-day, item-byto a great big zero on the scale of item pricing. However, it is possible influence. to generate traffic with occasional People exaggerate when they lack sales, discount coupons, and “buy confidence in the truth. Or when one, get one free” offers. they don’t know how to communi“Free” is an important marketing cate the truth. word for small businesses. Offer free Be specific. Tell readers exactly installation, free delivery, free trainwhat makes that widget so awesome. ing, free analysis or appraisal, or free extended warranties. 4. Use legible typography. In
his outstanding book “Great Print Advertising,” Tony Antin refers to typography as “the voice of print.” I like that comparison. Just like some voices are easier to understand than others, some type is easier to read than others. Here are some quick guidelines: If you use all-caps, limit them to short headlines with short words. In body copy, serif fonts are easier to read than sans serif fonts. Stay away from script, Old English, and stylized fonts. If every word is bold, nothing will stand out. 5. De-clutter. Advertisers who run smaller ads are in a constant battle to stand out on the page. But too many of them try to be noticed by cramming everything in the world into their ads. The result is the proverbial ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound sack. The truth is that clutter drives readers away. So when it comes to designing small ads, remember that less is more. Feature one dominant illustration, not ten little ones. Get rid of starbursts and reverses. Use white space. In other words, make the advertising inviting. Advertising that invites readership invites sales.
How losing a sale can be good for business “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-sosubtle 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: jfoust@mindspring. com.
editor online coloradopressassociation.com
All quotable . . . some notable
I’m writing another people make when trying book. to design something Yah, I know. So is completely foolproof is everyone else these days. to underestimate the This will be my ingenuity of complete third...and it won’t focus fools.”—Douglas Adams exclusively on design. This one includes lots “It’s not what you of quotes, some “war look at that matters, it’s stories,” reflections on what you see.”—Henry ed what I’ve learned (mostly henninger David Thoreau from you!) over the years and some design “Have no fear of wisdom. perfection—you’ll never It’s pretty much done. reach it.”—Salvador Dali But don’t try to order an advance copy just yet: “pretty much done” “You can’t depend on your eyes means it’s probably gonna take when your imagination is out of me another few months to polish focus.”—Mark Twain it. For this month’s column, “Design can be art. Design can I thought I’d offer you a brief be aesthetics. Design is so simple, glimpse by sharing some of the that’s why it is so complicated.”— design quotes with you. There Paul Rand isn’t one here that I wouldn’t be proud to display on my office “When I’m working on a will. But I am kinda partial to one problem, I never think about of them. I’ll let you decide which beauty. I think only how to solve one that is. the problem. But when I have So, read on ... and be inspired! finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.” — “Design is the art of gradually Buckminster Fuller applying constraints until only one solution remains.”—Unknown “You need to listen deeply— listen past what people say they “I’ve been amazed at how often want to hear what they need.”— those outside the discipline of Jon Meads design assume that what designers do is decoration. Good design is “It’s really hard to design problem solving.”—Jeffrey Veen products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don’t know what “Like all forms of design, visual they want until you show it to design is about problem solving, them.”—Steve Jobs not about personal preference or unsupported opinion.”—Bob “I prefer design by experts—by Baxley people who know what they are doing”—Don Norman “Making the simple complicated is commonplace; “You show me how good a making the complicated simple, designer you are not by what you awesomely simple, that’s choose to put on a page—but by creativity.”—Charles Mingus what you choose to take away.”— Ed Henninger “ ‘Form follows function.’ That has been misunderstood. Form WANT A FREE evaluation of and function should be one, joined your newspaper’s design? Contact in a spiritual union.”—Frank Ed: edh@henningerconsulting.com Lloyd Wright or 803-327-3322 “The details are not the details. They make the design.”—Charles Eames “Questions about whether design is necessary or affordable are quite beside the point: design is inevitable. The alternative to good design is bad design, not no design at all.”—Douglas Martin “Art has to move you and design does not—unless it’s a good design for a bus.”—David Hockney “Design is directed toward human beings. To design is to solve human problems by identifying them and executing the best solution.”—Ivan Chermayeff “A common mistake that
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: henningerconsulting.com ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting. Offering comprehensive newspaper design services including redesigns, workshops, staff training and evaluations. E-mail: edh@ henningerconsulting.com. On the web: henningerconsulting.com.
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Print is king for next millennium! How numbers can say just about anything I wonder how many groups are going to get mad at me over this one. Here goes. OK, this headline appeared in my email yesterday from Newspapers & Technology, a highly respected newspaper industry online publication:
percent increase was. Being the stickler I am about such things, I decided to look for myself. I went to ABC’s website and looked for myself. I found the numbers from six months ago showing that digital circulation was 14.2 percent of total circulation kevin six months earlier. That slimp Digital circ for U.S. means it increased from papers soars 14.2 to 15.3 percent in six months. Soars. Hmm. Still today, I read more As I read the story, headlines in newspapers based on daily circulation for the 613 around the world about how digital newspapers reporting to the Audit circulation is soaring among U.S. Bureau of Circulations for its latest newspapers. six-month report ending Sept. 30, Wanting to be sure of my facts, 2012, I was confused. I contacted Susan Kantor, ABC’s The first thing I noticed was that director of communications. She was circulation held steady over the six very helpful and we looked at the months since the previous report. numbers together. Sure enough, I Daily circulation was down 0.2 perhad my facts straight. cent, while Sunday circulation was If I’m reading the numbers corup 0.6 percent. rectly, digital circulation rose from But what kept drawing my focus 9.2 to 14.2 percent in the previous was the headline: six months, then went up from 14.2 percent to 15.3 percent in the most Digital circ for U.S. papers soars recent six month period. So here’s my question. Wouldn’t So I looked more closely. Digital the headline be more accurate if it circulation sits at 15.3 percent today. were: A year ago, it was roughly 9.2 percent. Digital circ increases take nosedive According to the story I was reading, “ABC said digital-only subscripIsn’t it funny what we can do with tions are on a sharp incline, with the numbers? The truth is that over the organization reporting that digital most recent six months, print circucirculation now accounts for more lation stayed relatively steady. No big than 15 percent of newspapers’ total gains, no big losses. The percentage circulation. That’s a jump of almost of circulation attributed to digital 10 percent over year-ago figures, devices rose from 14 to 15 percent, a ABC said.” very slight increase. The numbers confused me. I My calculator (no, I didn’t really couldn’t figure out where the 10 need a calculator for this one) tells
me that at this rate, digital circulation will be higher than print circulation in just 17 years. Of course, if the decreases in the rate of digital circulation figures correlated with the numbers for the past year, dropping from a 5 percent increase the first six months to a 1 percent increase in the most recent six months, it could take thousands of years for digital circulation to reach 50 percent of total circulation. Just to make sure I hadn’t confused the facts, I contacted David Anderson, professor of mathematics at The University of Tennessee, where I serve on the adjunct faculty in the College of Communication and Information. I’ve never met Dr. Anderson, but I asked if he would look at these numbers with me and see if I was off base. He was quite helpful. When I shared the numbers with him for the past year, then looked more closely at the differences between the first six months and the last six months, he was surprised. He said he thought print newspapers were almost gone, from what he’d read in the media. I explained that a lot of people think that from the stories they read. Then I asked him, if the rate of digital circulation increase decreased in the future at the same rate that it decreased between the last two ABC reports, if that indicated that it could take thousands of years for digital circulation to overtake print circulation. While he didn’t think it would take that long, he did agree that the numbers from the last two reports could correctly be used to infer that. Thus the headline could just as easily read:
Print is king for next millennium OK. Let’s get something straight. I’m not so naive that I think it will be thousands, or even hundreds, of years before most of us get our news using means other than print. But at the same time, we do a huge disservice to our readers and ourselves when we play with headlines like this. Here’s the story as I see it. - Was there an increase in digital
circulation over the past six months? Yes, from 14 to 15 percent of total circulation. - Did print take a nosedive over the past six months? No, print held up just fine. - Did daily newspaper circulation drop over the past six months? No, overall it held steady. Perhaps this is the news we should be sharing with advertisers and readers.
Looking past the headlines reveals a different financial story Definition: Underwriter One who assumes financial responsibility for; guarantee against failure. To insure against losses.
Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get a call or message from people, telling me how something I wrote changed their businesses, lives or both. Such was the case last week, when my phone vibrated as I strolled through the aisles of my favorite department store. The call was from a director of a major underwriting firm. When I say, “major,” I mean one of the big ones. So big, in fact, that her company was the underwriter for the very store in which I was strolling. For some reason that I don’t fully understand, I get a lot of calls from people who run very big companies. They read something I write, or hear me speak at a convention, and they feel the urge to contact me for advice, or just to tell me how something I wrote or said affected
them. Maybe someday I’ll figure out how to translate all these contacts into clients ... but that’s a topic for another day. The topic for today relates to this phone call. “You know,” she said, “your name came up in a board meeting today.” Nothing amazes me anymore, but I still feign surprise when I hear something like this. “Really?” I replied with as much sincerity as possible, “Why would my name come up in a meeting of a major financial firm?” With my luck, I thought she was about to tell me I was behind on a mortgage payment or credit card bill. But that wasn’t it. “We had a request to continue underwriting 23 newspapers today,” she told me. I learned that the papers were located in metro areas across the U.S. “The request was summarily denied because it came from a chain of newspapers. And, from what we’d all heard through the media, newspapers were a dying breed. Not a good
investment.” I still wondered how my name fit into all this. That’s when I learned the rest of the story. “I remembered reading a column you wrote a couple of weeks back about how numbers were often misrepresented when the media reported newspaper statistics.” Now she had my interest. “You wrote that the circulation numbers for printed newspapers were much better than most headlines indicate.” “A very smart woman,” I thought. “So, we had someone check the numbers of these 23 newspapers and found that they were all quite profitable.” She went on to tell me that her firm reversed its decision and felt confident approving the request. It seems like every month I’m writing something about circulation numbers, advertising sales or some other topic related to the overall health of the newspaper industry. Although most of the
critics have quieted, I still feel the bite of the criticism aimed my way for staunchly supporting the print industry when most experts left it for dead. Then I get a call like this. And I realize that, quite possibly, 23 newspapers are in business today because this firm looked past the headlines and dug deeper to find the truth about the newspaper industry. And when they did, they felt comfortable making a financial stake in it. So today, I’m not going to gripe about newspaper groups that are doing irreparable damage by making bad decisions or publications that write misleading headlines. Instead, I am going to thank Michelle Rea for a speech she gave to newspapers in New York recently about the need to report numbers accurately. I almost thought I was reading something I had written myself when I perused her transcript. She was on target when she said, “Newspapers shouldn’t retreat. I
urge you to unite the fight. Fight back with powerful messaging to advertisers and with brilliant products to deliver to readers.” Anne Lannan, executive director of Ontario Community Newspapers Association, recently reminded readers of NewsClips that advertising revenue in Canadian community papers has risen from $850 million to $1.2 billion over the past 10 years. She also noted that OCNA has grown from 272 members to 313 members over those years. Both Michelle and Anne correctly reminded their members that most of the numbers reported by major media come from the metro markets, which haven’t fared as well as community newspapers. Oh, sorry. I said I wasn’t going to preach. Sometimes, I can’t help myself. Twenty-three newspapers have an underwriter today because I made a fuss about a headline last month. Maybe it’s time we all kicked up a little dust.
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cpa marketplace FOR SALE Small 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.
Scenes from a Campus Visit: Colorado State University
REPORTER Seeking general assignment staff writer to cover northwest Denver metro region. Prefer at least two years experience. Must know AP style and produce crisp, newsy content. Photography skills a plus. Join our award-winning weekly newspaper staff at ourcoloradonews.com in Golden. Email resume and 3-5 clips to mkelly@ ourcoloradonews.com or mail to Attn: Mikkel Kelly, 110 N. Rubey Drive, Suite 120, Golden CO 80403
Feedback spurs improvements CONVENTION from Page 1 6. We listened to the feedback from the last convention and have limited the number of consultants and, instead, have brought a broad range of industry leaders to share their current day experiences and tactics. 5. The entire registration process will be handled online. 4. Attendees with smart phones will be able to access a convention mobile application with updated information about sessions, speakers, cocktail receptions and other events. 3. The well-attended Past President cocktail reception will be back,
but in a closer, more convenient location. Past Presidents should receive details in the mail very soon. 2. While State Wrestling is the same weekend as the convention, we hope it will be a benefit, not an inconvenience. It will be nearly impossible to get inexpensive hotel rooms downtown for the tournament. Simply register your State Wrestling attendees in the Westin CPA block and enjoy our deeply discounted rate, even if your wrestling reporters/photographers don’t attend the whole convention. 1. CPA has partnered with the Colorado Chapter of Society of Professional Journalists to bring exceptional ethics and social media panels to the table.
Muller has wealth of experience SPEAKER from Page 1 ries from Small Towns” (July, 2011, Univ. of Nebraska Press). She is also the author of “Now This – Radio, Television and the Real World” (Putnam). Prior to coming to USC, Muller was a correspondent for ABC Network News, reporting for such broadcasts as Nightline, World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Good Morning America, and This Week. During her 15 years at ABC, she covered such stories as the Rodney King beating trial, the Presidential campaigns of Paul Tsongas and Bob Kerrey, the Los Angeles earthquake in 1994, the O.J. Simpson case, and numerous environmental stories throughout the West. From 1981 to 1990, Muller was a correspondent for CBS News, where she was a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning and CBS Weekend News. Her primary duties, however, were in the Radio News Di-
vision, where she anchored a daily commentary, “First Line Report,” “Correspondent’s Notebook,” and was the summer anchor for “The Osgood File.” She also covered the space shuttle program, both national political conventions in 1988 and the 1988 Bush Presidential Campaign. Muller was previously an anchor/reporter for KHOW-AM in Denver and WHWH in Princeton, New Jersey. She began her career in journalism as a reporter for the Colonial News in Princeton, New Jersey. From 1970 to 1973, she was a high school English teacher in Metuchen, New Jersey. A 1969 graduate of Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia, Ms. Muller has received numerous journalism honors, including an Emmy award for coverage of the O.J. Simpson case and an Edward R. Murrow award for coverage of the impeachment of President Clinton.
Chance to see what others are doing CONTEST from Page 1 Each judge should expect to spend a total of two to three hours juding assigned entries. “I know how busy everyone is, so I hope potential judges will see this as an opportunity to provide the same thoughtful critique and review to other newspaper professionals as we receive from CPA contest judges,” Johnston said. “It
is also a tremendous opportunity to gain ideas and see the type of work being done across the United States.” To sign up, please simply send an email to Lisa Woodworth at coloradopress@colopress.net or call 303-571-5117. Include your name, newspaper, title and category you wish to judge (from the list at the top of this story on Page 1).
Perfect storm helped CMU’s mass comm program adapt By Dan Flenniken Colorado Mesa University, Mass Communication Program Director It was a perfect storm for an academic program in journalism and mass communication: In the midst of a recession, the Rocky Mountain News closed its doors after 150 years and CMU president, Tim Foster invited our Mass Communication faculty to discuss our future. His question for us: “with 175 more journalists out of work in Denver, why does CMU need a Mass Comm program?” The topic was more of a challenge than a threat. Under the guidance of our Program Director, Byron Evers, we conducted a “listening tour” of communication industry professionals in our community. We met with western Colorado CPA leaders. Colorado PR jobs guru Andrew Hudson joined us to facilitate the conversation. A short time later, Dr. Marianne Barrett from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University conducted a fact-finding analysis of our Mass Comm program as part of our normal review cycle, interviewing
studenstudentts, faculty and administrators for her own report about its relevance and future. A brand new curriculum was crafted over the next year. Our goals centered on strengthening our key program element – writing. We added courses in portfolio development to better prepare our seniors for communication careers and/or graduate school; entry-level software applications to accelerate all students’ abilities in technology and introductory level communication theory to ground students in fundamentals. Additionally, Awe expanded course offerings in emerging media. The new Mass Communication curriculum now offers one overarching degree called Mass Communication: Media Strategies and Applications. Students complete a core set of required courses and then select 12 hours of “selectives” from an array of courses in two additional :categories: Strategies (writing, design, planning) and Applications (hands on practical skills). So far, the results are reassuring to students and to the faculty. We have 178 majors – small by many
standards but a clear sign of growth for us. CMU’s Mass Communication program has added faculty (and is looking for more!). The challenge for our program is to carefully advise each student throughout his or her academic career. The former cookie-cutter degree paths are now converged into one major that mirror needs we discovered on our journey. For one student, the emphasis may be heavy on reporting and writing but also add social media and production capabilities. For another, the prescription may center on public relations and advertising courses but add an emphasis in photography and production. We built a dynamic partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS that expanded our broadcasting facilities and intern opportunities for our students. CMU is already to launched a building project for a new academic facility that will help us grow with an eye on the changing careers in the journalistic enterprise. What started as a perfect storm became a perfect opportunity for CMU’s Mass Communication students.