editor colorado
Inside: Papers try to capitalize on the power of Pinterest. PAGE 4
Official publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXIII, No. 5
May 2012
fundraising effort
More LANDMARK HONOR to Give!
Silverton one of few sites in the nation to receive historic SPJ designation
Two prominent local women join the Indy’s fundraising campaign
Reprinted with permission from the Silverton Standard & the Miner
Reprinted with permission
S
By Chet Hardin
aturday, May 5, will be a festive day in Silverton. Not only is it first-train day, with the first Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad passenger train of the season scheduled to arrive at noon, but it is also Cinco de Mayo. And the Silverton Town Council on Monday night also declared that May 5 will be observed as “Silverton Standard Day throughout the realm.” The vote was unanimous. On Wednesday morning, April 11, the San Juan County commissioners unanimously passed a similar proclamation. This newspaper has been declared a National Historic Site in Journalism by the Society of Professional Journalists, and at 1 p.m. May 5 at the San Juan County Historical Society Museum, a dedication ceremony will take place. The public is invited. Standard editor and publisher Mark Esper told the Town Council that the Standard is the only newspaper in Colorado to receive such a designation, and one of only 93 such sites in the nation. Other sites include Ben Franklin’s print shop, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, The Wall Street Journal and the Tombstone (Ariz.) Epitaph. Esper also told the Town Council how the historical society’s project to save the oldest continually operated newspaper on the Western Slope of Colorado has gotten a lot of national attention. The NBC “Today Show” was in town taping a story on the newspaper a couple of weeks ago. The Standard is still awaiting word on when that story will air, but producer Ian Wenger indicated he is nearly done with final editing.
Laura Long, the “beerocrat” for Bristol Brewing Co., remembers the first time that she heard about the Independent Gives! campaign. It was probably late 2008, she says, and she was sitting with her boss, Mike Bristol, in the tasting room of the brewery, watching Indy publisher John Weiss madly tracing out his vision for a new fundraising effort. “There ws lots of red ink, and scribbles and circles and arrows, and tangents, and big, huge ideas,” she says. “It was so exciting.” Since its inception in 2009, Give! has been a volunteer-based effort of this paper. “Anybody on the staff that was involved in it was taking it on over and beyond their current duties,” says Carrie Simison-Bitz, Give! co-chair and now the Indy’s general manager. “Our time was volunteered to the Give! campaign on behalf of the GIVE on page 8
on the industry
Fun may be returning to journalism
joining forces
CPA and LMA form strategic partnership Colorado Press Association recently announced a new partnership with Local Media Association (LMA/ formerly Suburban Newspapers of America) to offer training and research services and products to CPA members at a reduced fee. “The need for quality training and education that is affordable and accessible for our members has never been more important. It is one of five areas of critical importance in our 2012 strategic plan,” CPA Executive Director Samantha Johnston said. “LMA recognizes the value of collaboration and we are thrilled that
they have extended their outstanding resources to our membership.” Beginning this month, members of CPA will be able to participate in the following LMA programs at rates reduced from the LMA non-member rates: • Sales certification program (a joint venture between LMA, Borrell Associates and Motivate America) – a true certification program that features webbased modules and a test that requires a 90% grade or higher; • Local Media Innovation Alliance – a monthly research club
that focuses on emerging trends, sustainable business models and digital revenue growth. The LMIA produces a monthly report in a case study format and includes a webinar with representatives from the featured companies. Topics include: Digital Agency, Daily Deals 2.0, Using Open Source Software, Social Strategies, Event Marketing & more; • Webinars – a diverse mix of training and educational webinars, including many with a revenue-growth focus;
• Conferences – access to LMA conferences and events. The partnership is a win-win for CPA member newspapers and LMA. CPA will market the LMA services and products each month and, in return, will receive a revenue-share for each product or service purchased by a CPA member. CPA members receive deep discounts they would not otherwise get without an LMA membership. Local Media Association is making this partnership opportunity available to all media associations in TEAM on page 8
It’s been an interesting few weeks. In five out of six cities, chairs had to be added to the rooms to accommodate attendees. In New York, I received sponkevin taneous applause simp when I told the audience to “quit running their newspapers as if all their business is coming from mobile” when most of their profits are coming from print. In Texas, I was introduced as “probably the most important voice in the newspaper industry today.” Geesh. The things people say. SIMP on page 8