NewsClips June 2015 by Ontario Community Newspapers Association

newsclips june 2015

2014 Insurance Bureau of Canada Community Award in Memory of Mary Knowles Recipient Recognized Pamela Steel epitomizes volunteerism. She is a familiar face within Muskoka, working as regional news editor for three newspapers; the Gravenhurst Banner, Bracebridge Examiner and Huntsville Forester. She frequently attends fundraisers and events throughout the district, and is constantly giving her time and effort to better the lives of others. At the top of her volunteer contributions is the Community YWCA of Muskoka. Pamela serves as President of the organization and strongly believes in fostering positive change for women and girls. Her focus is on poverty, social isolation particularly for seniors and rural women, and violence against women. She encourages board participation, drives the strategic vision and spearheads numerous fundraising activities and events, including a Lake Muskoka Cruise. She recently participated on a panel during the YWCA of Canada Young Women’s National Leadership Summit and spoke to 120 young women. Some of the additional contributions Pamela has made include seven years as Chair of the Utterson Community Club Soccer League and four years as board member of Muskoka Family Focus, a charitable organization supporting the needs of all families with young children. In addition she has helped raise money for the Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run Gala and participated in the Wasan Island Smart and Caring Community Symposium last year. She also recently joined students as a We Day chaperone and attended a conference for community leaders hosted by the Muskoka Community Foundation. After learning about the financial struggles of the Gravenhurst Supper Club, an organization providing meals to those less fortunate, Pamela was quick to help. She rallied support of the community newspapers and managed to solicit enough contributions for the club to continue with its efforts. Pamela is an industry leader and community role model, which is why the Ontario Community Newspapers Foundation (OCNF) is proud to recognize her with the 2014 Insurance Bureau of Canada Community Award in Memory of Mary Knowles. Pamela (pictured far left) received her award from Doug DeRabbie, Director, Government Relations, Insurance Bureau of Canada and members of Mary’s family, Doris Traplin and Brenda and Ed Bogdanski during the BNC Award Gala held on Friday, May 22 at the Toronto Sheraton Centre Hotel. The Award is coordinated by the OCNF, with generous support of the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Together, we are committed to recognizing dedicated newspaper employees who are constantly making a difference within their communities. Mary Knowles was a dedicated newspaper employee and active community member who died from breast cancer in 1996. Congratulations to Pamela and all of the nominees for showing strong leadership and connections to your communities.

What’s Inside:

ocna is on the move! Please update your records with the association’s new address.

See Page 5

spouses and family business Make it or break it?

See Page 10

handling people issues Companies that don’t deal with people issues could lose employees.

See Page 16

June 2015 monthly publication of the Ontario1 Community Newspapers Association www.ocna.org

AsSOCIATION NEWS

Newsclips Volume 04, Issue 04

ocna member spotlight

3228 South Service Rd. Suite 116 Burlington, ON L7N 3H8 p.905.639.8720 f.905-639.6962 e. info@ocna.org w. www.ocna.org

Mirror receives award for mental-health coverage For its coverage of mentalhealth issues, the Midland/ Penetanguishene Mirror received the Southern Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Community Support Award at a ceremony in March. Jill Fournier, left, of CIBC presented the award to Kyla Barron, distribution and advertising manager. Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care’s Kristi Lalonde and Laurene Hilderly nominated the newspaper for the honour, noting it has been “instrumental in helping create a community of support for those living with mental illness.”

OCNA Board President

Dave Adsett

First Vp

Ray Stanton

Second VP

Anne Marie Creskey

Secretary/ treasurer

John Willems

past President

Gordon Cameron

Directors

Abbas Homayed Alicia McCutcheon Darren Murphy Rick Shaver John Willems

children’s aid society presents mirror with award Teri Lancaster, advertising co-ordinator at the Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror, holds up a recognition award presented by the Children’s Aid Society. The honour was in appreciation for the ‘Parade of Toys’ drive organized each year by the newspaper. Lancaster is the driving force behind the initiative, which has taken place in the weeks leading up to Christmas for the past 15 years.

Former Publisher Now With United way

In this issue...

After 35 years in the newspaper business, Neil Dring is now in the charity business. Dring assumed the position of Executive Director of the United Way Haldimand and Norfolk on May 6, 2015. Dring is a resident of Caledonia but grew up in Port Dover. He has over 35 years experience in the newspaper business with stops at the Simcoe Reformer, the Hamilton Spectator, Grand River Sachem, and Haldimand Press. He is a former OCNA director. “I’m very excited about this new chapter in my career,” said Dring. “I’ve always enjoyed supporting volunteer organizations with my role at the newspaper by providing publicity. Now I can assist them by providing funding.” Dring can be reached at 519-426-5660 or e-mail ndring@unitedwayhn.on.ca June 2015

OCNA Staff Executive Director

Caroline Medwell

Controller

Todd Frees

Member Services

Karen Shardlow Kelly Gorven

Accounting

Lucia Shepherd

Ad*Reach

Ted Brewer Carolyn Press Erica Leyzac

www.ocna.org

association news

2015/2016 Board of Directors Meet the faces of OCNA’s 2015/2016 Board of Directors as elected during the Annual Convention on May 22 in Toronto. Standing (left to right): Second Vice-President Anne Marie Creskey, Hill Times Publishing; Director Abbas Homayed, Sudbury Northern Life; First Vice-President Ray Stanton, London Publishing Inc.; Director Alicia McCutcheon, Manitoulin Expositor and Director Rick Shaver, TC Media/GM Cornwall Region. Seated (Left to right): Executive Director Caroline Medwell; Secretary/ Treasurer John Willems, Metroland Media Group Toronto; President Dave Adsett, Fergus Wellington Advertiser and Past President Gordon Cameron, Hamilton Community News. Not shown: Director Mike Power, Sun Media and Director Darren Murphy, Peterborough Examiner.

Outgoing President, Gordon Cameron Thanked for Work During the BNC Awards Gala on Friday, May 22, Mike Mount a former OCNA President, presented Gordon Cameron with a caricature and gavol to thank him for two years of fantastic leadership as OCNA’s President.

ocna member spotlight long time oakville beaver employee retires When White Oaks Secondary School student Jean Wrigley went to the Oakville Beaver as a co-op student in 1976, little did she know she would spend her entire career working for the company. In March, after 38 years with the newspaper, Wrigley retired. The real estate advertising representative only intended to stay for two weeks during the co-op term, but “they asked me to stay for the summer and I agreed to and never left!” Though she started out in accounting, at age 10 Wrigley worked as a carrier for the Oakville Journal Record, which later merged with Oakville Beaver. After seven years in accounting, she “switched into advertising because it looks like an exciting career, constantly popping in and out of the office, visiting your accounts.” She switched from retail sales to real estate about 15 years ago, wanting to focus on one particular section of the paper. Over the course of her career, Wrigley credits job competition with keeping her motivated. “When a paper actually goes to press, I feel such a satisfication that the job has been done to my best ability.” She goes on to say that working with her colleagues and clients was “the best part of my job...and that is the part of the job that I will miss the most! I’ve enjoyed working with every department... and some of my clients have become very close personal friends and I will continue to see them during my retirement,” a time that will include travelling, sailing, gardening and spending more time with friends.

Photo by Graham Paine, Metroland Media Group

June 2015

www.ocna.org

association news

ocna member spotlight Terry sprague honoured with gold quill award for 50 years of service Terry Sprague was recognized in April with a Gold Quill Award for 50 years of service to the Picton Gazette and Napanee Beaver. Even more admirable, is his commitment to write about the same topic during the span of his career. Terry’s passion and focus is placed on nature, specifically birds, and it is shown in the 2,600 columns he has written. Terry’s achievement was celebrated with an evening event organized by local naturalists and attended by OCNA’s previous Executive Director, Anne Lannan who presented him with his award. Gold Quills are presented by the Canadian Community Newspapers Association to community newspaper employees for long time service to the industry.

Special Presentation for Former Executive Director Gordon Cameron, OCNA’s Past President helped present Anne Lannan with a caricature during the BNC Awards Gala on May 22 to thank her for 25 years of service to the association, six of them spent as Executive Director. Anne departed the association at the end of April to begin her own business called Dragonfly Media, through which she provides marketing solutions and creates videos using drones for businesses across the province. The OCNA wishes Anne all the best in her new venture.

Metroland media group, halton receive several police awards Reporters and photographers from the Oakville Beaver and Burlington Post were honoured during the Halton Regional Police Service Annual Awards Ceremony in May. Burlington Post Reporter Tim Whitnell was awarded best feature and photographer Eric Riehl was recognized with best news photo. Former Beaver reporter and current Post reporter, Michael Gregory was honoured with best news story and best editorial. In addition, a recent summer intern, Franki Ikeman received an award for feature photograph. Congratulations! June 2015

www.ocna.org

association NEWS

OCNA and Ad*Reach Get New Office Location

OCNA Welcomes Caroline Medwell as Executive Director

Effective June 29, 2015 the OCNA and Ad*Reach will be moving to a new office located at 890 Yonge Street, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M4W 3P4. Our telephone number (905-6398720) and fax (905-639-6962) will remain the same. However, each staff member’s extension number will change as follows:

The Board of Directors of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) is pleased to welcome Caroline Medwell as Executive Director. A successful advertising executive and newspaper professional, Medwell will provide leadership to the $6 million industry association, its 305 community newspaper members, and our Ad*Reach division. OCNA, celebrating its 65th anniversary, provides programs to community newspapers to celebrate their excellence, help them to prosper and ensure they are leaders in their communities. The association is a strong, collective voice for our industry to readers, advertisers and government. "One of the main priorities of the OCNA Board is to ensure the growth of national advertising for our sector and we have confidence that Caroline Medwell will be able to take our Ad*Reach division to the next level," said OCNA Past President Gordon Cameron in making the announcement. "She has shown herself to be a dedicated worker and a creative problemsolver throughout her career and that is just the sort of person we are looking for to lead the community newspaper industry." Medwell, who is eager to take on her new responsibilities, is a resultsoriented team builder with a wealth of experience in national advertising, gained through progressive roles with TD Media, The Globe and Mail, and Rogers Media. She has a strong understanding of the importance community newspapers play in their communities and their ability to drive results for advertisers. Members can connect with Caroline at c.medwell@ocna.org, 800-387-7982 ext 228.

Caroline Medwell, Executive Director - x4428 Todd Frees, Controller/GM for CNRIE - x4434 Karen Shardlow, Member Services Coordinator - x4432 Kelly Gorven, Member Services Coordinator - x4439 Lucia Shepherd, Accountant - x4423 Ted Brewer, Ad*Reach National Accounts Manager - x4422 Carolyn Press, Ad*Reach Lead Coordinator - x4431 Erica Leyzac, Ad*Reach Coordinator - x4443 Please update your records accordingly. Also note that our system will be down on Friday, June 26. We will have access to e-mail, but phone lines will be down for the majority of the day and back up on Monday, June 29. In addition, the office will be closed on Wednesday, July 1 for Canada Day. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. We appreciate your co-operation. - OCNA & Ad*Reach

Experience the Difference

Get Unlimited Access to Thousands of Revenue-Generating Ideas, Images, Spec Ads & More Instantly! Looking for ways to improve ad sales and creative results? If so, then you will want to experience the intuitive interface of the NEW Metro Creative Connection (MCC), and explore all the ways its enhanced features will benefit your publication. Whether you are creating a dynamic ad layout or seeking spec ads to present to multiple sales prospects, the new MCC makes it easier than ever to successfully navigate any job at hand by putting thousands of fresh images and spec ads at your fingertips. From sales to creative production and beyond, we invite everyone, in every department, to see the difference MCC will make in generating new ideas, quality results and better sales!

NEW CLIENTS, USE MCC FREE FOR 30 DAYS!

“

Call 800.223.1600 to activate your free trial offer!

Just love the program and using it has revolutionized my ability to build and sell more ads.

”

GO TO NEWMCC.COM TODAY FOR A TEST DRIVE!

@OCNAAdreach Follow us for frequent association updates, industry news, upcoming events and more!

OCNA2015

Metro Creative Graphics, Inc.

June 2015

C. Elliot Martin County Star Sherburn, MN

Connect with us!

www.ocna.org

association news

2014 BNC Award Winners Announced The winners of the 2014 Better Newspaper Competition were announced and recognized during the BNC Awards Gala on Friday, May 22, 2015 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.

General Excellence Awards

General Excellence Awards recognize overall achievement by circulation class in editorial, advertising and layout. Class 1 (Circ. 1,999 and under)

1st: Barry's Bay, The Valley Gazette 2nd: Minden Times 3rd: Deep River North Renfrew Times

Class 2 (Circ. 2,000 - 3,499)

1st: Kincardine Independent 2nd: Haliburton County Echo 3rd: Winchester Press

Class 3 (Circ. 3,500 - 6,499) 1st: Eganville Leader 2nd: Fort Frances Times 3rd: Nunavut News/North

Class 4 (Circ. 6,500 - 12,499)

Sponsored by Metroland Media Southwest

1st: Waterloo Chronicle 2nd: Haliburton County Echo 3rd: Kincardine Independent

Special Section (Circ. 10,000+) 1st: Ajax Pickering News Advertiser 2nd: Norfolk News 3rd: Fergus Wellington Advertiser

Special Section (Circ. -9,999) 1st: Huntsville Forester 2nd: Wasaga Sun 3rd: Eganville Leader

Best Creative Ad

1st: Haliburton County Echo 2nd: Fort Frances Times 3rd: Waterdown Flamborough Review

www.ocna.org

photo gallery

Silver Quill Awards recognize individuals for more than 25 years of service to the newspaper industry. This year CCNA President, Abbas Homayed presented eight individuals with their Awards during the BNC Awards Gala on Friday, May 22. Unfortunately, Laurie Weir, John Curry and Ryland Coyne from Metroland East, as well as Barb Wood from Kawartha Lakes This Week and Mary Newton from Napanee Beaver were unable to attend but will receive their awards during a separate event. Congratulations to all!

Rick Elliott, Real Estate Sales Rep, Metroland Media Peterborough

Scott Prikker, Director of Production, Peterborough This Week June 2015

Mary Babcock, Regional General Manager, Metroland Media Kawartha

Brent Cooper, Reporter/Photographer, Huntsville Forester

Theresa Fritz, Managing Editor, Metroland Media East

Michele Lane, Retail Advertising Co-ordinator, Grimsby Lincoln News

Lois Tuffin, Editor-in-Chief, Metroland Media Kawartha 8

Ted Wilson, Media Marketing Consultant, Peterborough This Week www.ocna.org

photo gallery

In 2015, OCNA partnered with Newspapers Canada for the annual Newspapers Conference held on May 22 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. Delegates participated in a variety of sessions including a series of seven-minute presentations on newspaper success stories, trends in Public Policy and Human Resources, Mobile First News Strategy and Open Space Technology. In addition, hopeful BNC Award finalists gathered in the evening for the coveted BNC Awards Gala, hosted by Jennifer Valentyne from Breakfast Television. A big thank you to everyone who attended and made it a great event! June 2015

www.ocna.org

association news

Spouses and Family Business - Make it or Break it? By Stefan Voswinkel The Family Business Catalyst

prosperity

Spouses can destroy a family business or help take it to the next level. Learn about early warning signals and how to guide spousal influence in a way that supports your family’s cohesion and prosperity. There is no doubt that spouses are affected financially and emotionally by what goes on in the family business. Conversely, they are influencers by default. Spouses are the most trusted advisors of family businesses! It’s a complex mix of chemistry, values, ambitions, spirit and merit.

▄▄

Is the spouse on side bearing the risks of a family business – the ups and downs, the big decisions, the lean times, the 24/7 dynamics? ▄▄

A shareholder agreement that prevents a single shareholder to drain the company of cash (in my own family it was the beginning of the end of our family’s business legacy when my aunt insisted to be paid out so that her husband could buy into another company)

Some common scenarios: ▄▄ A spouse tries to run the show from the back row – no authority, no accountability

▄▄

Written guidelines about the conditions of family participation – as owners and as employees

▄▄

While the siblings might get along, they might not with all spouses, or some spouses not with each other or with the parents ▄▄ ▄▄

Clarify if the spouse shares the core values of your business family (it’s fine if not, but then they can’t be part of the business) ▄▄

Family pressure to select the ‘right one’

Have regular get togethers of the extended family – to inform, discuss and have fun

A spouse who is qualified to lead the business into the future is thwarted and eventually leaves the business and potentially even the family

Can you imagine the pressure when joining a very successful and charismatic family? Will they ever be good enough? The expectations, the looks of disapproval, the insinuations? They are to become a member of the family – treat them accordingly:

▄▄

A spouse who makes great contributions to the family is being ignored, sidelined

▄▄

Early warning signals: ▄▄ Triangulation: Two family members talk about a third ▄▄ ▄▄

▄▄

Keep them well informed about what’s going on in the business and the family

Third parties making comments about a (future) spouse

▄▄

Communication in the family becomes less open and regular since the future spouse entered the picture ▄▄ ▄▄

Have the conversation about mutual expectations, roles, boundaries and values ▄▄

Assumptions are not being verified

▄▄

Family members start to nickel and dime each other (‘Your spouse’s cell phone is paid by the company, why not mine?’) Power plays: ‘As long as I am in control, this person will never……’

Start the conversation early. All of the above will also be for the benefit of the grandchildren! For those of you who are yet to select a spouse: choose wisely by facing what’s at stake, but don’t despair, good marriages are the foundation of most family businesses!

▄▄

Introducing the future spouse to the family is being avoided Camps are developing within the family

Manage your risk: ▄▄ Open communication – no assumption land, no build up of resentment ▄▄ ▄▄

Clarity about roles, responsibilities and boundaries

stefan@voswinkel.ca Direct: 867-456-7506

Prenuptials to protect your family’s business and

June 2015

Support them in their own endeavours

Utilize their strengths – they can make valuable contributions to the family and the business. Be open to them growing into a potential leader in the business and family.

▄▄

Welcome them

www.ocna.org

AsSOCIATION NEWS

TRAINING online media campus webinars: OCNA has teamed with the Online Media Campus to help the association fulfill its mission of providing affordable and relevant training to members. ▄▄

June 26 - Quickly Create Slideshows and Galleries: A Guide to Working with YouTube

Having the knowledge of how to quickly upload photos to the ever-growing list of platforms you use a journalist is an extremely valuable skill. In this session, we will take a look at the features of YouTube. Cost: $35 (USD) ▄▄

July 23 - Community Faces Photography

Populating your Web sites and newspapers with plenty of photos of local residents, taken at community events, is a great way to build relationships, connect with people in your coverage area and increase page views. But there’s an art to the creation and promotion of these galleries - this presentation reveals all the tips and best practices.

classified ad

Cost: $35 (USD) ▄▄

July 30 - Easily and Quickly Sort, Organize and Process Photos

Are you spending too much time looking through your digital photos trying to find the best ones, only to settle on whatever’s ‘good enough’ after a few minutes? With today’s digital cameras, we should be taking LOTS and LOTS of photographs of every event. Taking them is easy...it’s what to do next that can be a killer. With Adobe’s Bridge and Photoshop, you already have one of the most powerful photo-processing duos on the planet. Learn how to use them together properly to slice your photo production time dramatically, improve quality and leave your photos in a format that is flexible for changing later. Cost: $35 (USD) ▄▄

July 31 - Increase Your ROI on Sales Calls

Have you ever ‘winged’ a sales call? Little to no preparation before meeting with a customer is the norm for many salespeople. Often, the result of those calls is not as successful or as profitable as it could be. This webinar will focus on how to prepare for a sales presentation while not relying on a script or winging it. CostL $35 (USD) *If you are interested in attending one of these webinars, but are unsure if you will be able to view the live webinar, we encourage you to sign up anyways. As part of your webinar package, you will receive access to the archive of this webinar by registering for the live viewing.

For more information and to register, visit: www.onlinemediacampus.com

June 2015

www.ocna.org

ADVERTISING

Transaction vs. Relational Sales By John Foust Raleigh, NC

3. Leadership is relational In many organizations, a sales person who consistently has good numbers is likely to be promoted to sales management. If his or her company has a transactional sales culture, the new manager will be poorly prepared for a management position. The duties of leading a team are relational, not transactional.

I was talking to Nick, a long-time ad manager, about the nature of selling. “I agree with the theory that there are two types, transactional and relational,” he said. “As consumers, we have become increasingly transactional. We go to the store, pick a product, take it to the register, pay and take it home – even if the clerk at the register doesn’t bother to say ‘hello’. Or we shop online, find something of interest, compare prices, click ‘buy’ and wait for delivery.” Nick explained organizations that rely on sales – including newspapers – measure success in terms of transactions. How many ads are in the latest edition? How much revenue will those ads produce? “It’s tempting to see all sales as transactional,” Nick said. “But that would be a huge mistake. The challenge is to be relational in a transactional world. That’s why customer loyalty, which is long term, is more valuable than customer satisfaction, which is sometimes based on single buying experiences. “It starts with rapport,” Nick said. “I encourage our sales team to find common ground and build from there. Along the way, clients learn that our folks have some marketing savvy. That gives us credibility and makes selling a lot easier.”

4. Individual ad sales are transactional Think of a vending machine. Insert money into the coin slot and get an ad. It’s difficult to go any further than that, when sales people present themselves – and are seen as – order takers who sell one ad at a time. 5. Ad campaigns are relational Properly executed, an ad campaign requires consistent contact between sales person and client. From planning to execution to periodic tweaks, there are plenty of opportunities to build strong relationships. 6. Don’t forget your clients’ relationships with consumers On a broader scale, strong ad campaigns create relationships between advertisers and their audiences. Think of the number of times you have been drawn to certain stores or brand names because you felt connected to them. That emotional attachment is a major factor in brand identity. And that kind of campaign success can lead to – surprise! – more advertising dollars for your newspaper.

To expand on Nick’s observations: 1. Individual transactions don’t necessarily lead to good relationships When sales people treat their advertising product as a commodity, they encourage prospects and customers to see them as anonymous people at the cash register. There’s no connection. That often leads to churn – advertisers who jump ship if their ads don’t work right away.

(c) Copyright 2015 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

2. Good relationships can lead to more transactions A smart sales person looks beyond the immediate gratification of today’s sale. He or she works to build rapport and turn that transactional advertiser into a marketing partner.

Affordable media insurance for Canadian Community Newspapers

Service includes: Libel, Invasion of Privacy, Plagiarism, Piracy, Infringement of Copyright, Pre-Publication Hotline Contact us for a quote: Todd Frees, General Manager 905-639-8720 ext. 234 t.frees@ocna.org June 2015

We want to hear from you! Please share your news and/or opinions with us: newsclips@ocna.org

www.ocna.org

press card

dave adsett Publisher

2015

This certifies the individual identified has been awarded Press Credentials by the Publisher of this newspaper, and is to be used for identification purposes.

Fergus Wellington advertiser 519-843-5410 905 Gartshore St. Box 252 Fergus, ON N1M 2W8

This newspaper on the reverse side is, as of date of issue, a member in good standing of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) www.ocna.org

Caroline Medwell, Exec. Director

June 3, 2015 Date

x 221

June 2015

www.ocna.org

design

Picture This

By Ed Henninger Henninger Consulting Your small weekly is focused intensely on loca news, but you made the decision some time ago that teasers (if you use any) just don’t work up there near your nameplate. Still, you’d like to draw some reader interest to the top of page one. Here’s a suggestion: run a local photo adjacent to your nameplate. Better yet, run it behind the nameplate, in the top left corner. That tiny photo - especially if you trade it out frequently - becomes an element that readers will want to check with every new issue. I copied the black nameplate, made it white and then put a soft shadow behind the white copy. Then I moved the original black nameplate to the front. The white-with-shadow look helps give the nameplate better ‘pop’ to separate it from the photo.

Here are some suggestions:

LOCAL, LOCAL, LOCAL: Make sure the scene in the photo is from your area. Running a night shot of the San Diego skyline isn’t going to do it.

A photo in your nameplate tells your readers you’re not the same old newspaper from week to week. You’re different. You’re fresh. You’re local. You can make it work. For you...and your readers.

USE A SCENIC: The photo can be a close-up of aclover, horses in a field, a mountain ridge... MAKE IT SEASONAL: The close-up of a clover will really be out of date if there’s a foot of snow on the ground. AVOID PEOPLE SHOTS: Unless, like the bottom example in the

ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting, offering comprehensive newspaper design services at: www.henningerconsulting.com.

A LANDMARK? Sure, you could use a shot of your county courthouse

Introducing Localprices app Get a live demonstration

A BRIEF CAPTION: If you really think it’s necessary, you can place a brief caption below the photo. The emphasis here is on ‘brief’. You can say ‘Sailing Lake Bedford,’ but let’s not do ‘Hampton attorney Bob Craig takes time out from a busy workweek to relax while sailing last Wednesday afternoon on Lake Bedford’. Remember, this is a photo that’s supposed to represent your area, not offer details of a specific event.

It’s super easy for businesses to use!

illustration with this column, the person in the photo is generic. Faces in photos this small are hard to see. And, remember, these are supposed to be photos that are representative of your area - not a picture taken at an award ceremony or a shot of the winning field goal. cupola here. But after four or five issues with the same photo, reader interest wanes.

ORDER: Set start   and stop then submit

available for IOS and Android

FEATHER IT: Use your software’s feathering capability to feather the photo’s right edge. This allows it to go behind your nameplate without a hard edge that can obscure some of the lettering in the nameplate.

a 5 minute sales solution

SHADOW THE NAMEPLATE: Try using a hard white shadow on

the nameplate to help it stand off from the photo. In the illustration here,

June 2015

ADD a photo and description

www.localpricesapp.com : khymn@localpricesapp.com

www.ocna.org

technology

Growing Newspapers By Kevin Slimp

I’m in the midst of one of those crazy, multi-town, trips that leaves little time for remembering what happened yesterday because I’m too busy getting ready for today. Friday found me in Cambridge, Minnesota. Wade Weber and I have known each other since the first time he invited ask, “Doesn’t it exhaust you to be on the road so much?” What they don’t realize me to his newspaper in Mora, Minnesota, somewhere People is that newspapers are fun again. This is the group in Cambridge, MN. around seven or eight years ago. Since then, he’s had me back to visit one of his offices about every other year. As we went around the room, everyone introducing themselves, I enthusiasm present among staffs. It’s almost like it’s fun to work at a newspaper again. loved hearing, “I’m editor of the new paper!” I’m glad. For three or four years, newspapers were starting to seem Who knew? Wade has a brand new newspaper. I always wonder why destined for doom. Someone, probably me, should do a study to find out people think there aren’t new papers being created. I run into them all how many new newspapers have been started in the past year. I’ll bet over the place. Recently, six very successful non-dailies in Florida, two it’s a lot. in my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee and Wade’s new paper in The headlines continue to be about huge corporations like Digital First, Minnesota - they seem to be popping up everywhere. Gannett and others selling and buying papers. But don’t kid yourself. The It’s no surprise his papers are popular. His group has several titles in real story this year is the renewed vitality in the newspaper industry. area communities, paid and free, each with its own local staff. At the end Surely you read the comments of Martin Sorrell, CEO of the world’s of the day in Cambridge, Wade and I went back to his pressroom to look largest advertising group, as well as highest paid CEO in Europe, over some of the papers his group publishes each week. concerning newspaper advertising. In April, he said that print media is The production quality was excellent. Good colour. Great photos. more powerful than agencies believe and advised advertisers to spend Reds were red and blues were blue. Regular training over the years will more in print. lead to those types of results. “Publishers need to ensure their offering is as quick and simple to I didn’t know it before Wade told me, but Ed Henninger had been to buy as other solutions in the market,” said Sorrell. “In doing so, they will Cambridge to help with design just a couple of months earlier. I wasn’t no doubt continue to prosecute the case not only for the value of their surprised. The pages looked near perfect. audience but the engagement and influence of their mastheads and I saw a story about a daily newspaper for sale a couple of days ago. digital properties with those audiences.” Almost as a side note, it was mentioned that the paper had a profit in I couldn’t have said it better. And I certainly wouldn’t have had the the 20 to 25 percent audience Sorrell has when it comes to ad executives. range. And why It pleases me to know influential leaders like Martin Sorrell and was it for sale? Warren Buffett understand the value of newspapers. Frankly, though, I’m Apparently, that more pleased people like Wade Weber, publisher in Minnesota, Victor wasn’t enough Parkins, in Tennessee, and Jerry Tidwell, in Texas, do. for the giant It’s the folks I’ve recently visited in places like Minnesota, Texas, corporation owner Tennessee and Florida that give me so much optimism about the future. it. So, it’s for sale. Another thing I noticed while visiting Cambridge that has been a common thread in KEVIN SLIMP serves as director of the Institute of Newspaper Technology. visits to newspapers He is a faculty member of the University of Tennessee College of Wade and Kevin look over some papers in the pressroom. this year is the Communication and Information. www.kevinslimp.com June 2015

www.ocna.org

HUMAN RESOURCEs

So, Who REALLY Has Time for People Issues? A TwoGreySuits Article

This article is part of the TwoGreySuits ‘Employee Performance Management’ Series and is offered by our partner, the TwoGreySuits HR Power Centre as a service to our members.

in terms of friendly people, office space, decent benefits and a promise of continued growth. ‘Company B’ has that, plus they’ve invested in people management structure and processes. People have job descriptions and are working to specific objectives, career planning is the norm, they have a training and development policy, a full suite of HR policies, and a well understood system of performance reviews and pay increase processes. They also have invested time in providing their managers with people management skills.

Probably the most disrespectful thing you can say to an employee is you don’t have time to deal with their issues. This is a statement that cuts very deep – and happens a lot. Managers may think they have valid reasons for this response; they may simply not have the physical time available, they may not know how to deal with the issue or they may not care to deal with it. Some typical issues are: training requests, time off requests, questions about decision making boundaries, business process questions or people policy questions such as vacation, pay raises, benefits, etc. Some infrequent questions could be around privacy and confidentiality, harassment claim procedures, maternity leave, jury duty leave, etc. The number one reason cited in most surveys as to why employees leave a company is the treatment they receive from their immediate manager –and this often revolves around not getting responses to valid questions and concerns. The labour market is going to get significantly tighter and you will feel the effects. The baby boomer demographics are being felt and there will soon be more people leaving the labour market than entering it. This means it’s going to be an employee’s market out there. In the years to come, expect to see job candidates turning the tables and asking the employer questions about people policies, management behaviour with examples, benefits, career development opportunities and pay practices to name a few. Smart companies are getting ahead of the curve and gearing up for what will be an unprecedented time in history where new entrants to the labour market will have great latitude in choosing their employer. This is the coming reality and the statistics bear it out. Consider this future scenario: In 2016, successful companies ‘A’ and ‘B’ are in the same labour market for additional resources as business has been brisk, their products are in demand and they are experiencing profitable growth. An advertisement is placed for a senior buyer or a customer service rep. ‘Company A’ has a positive environment

Who do you think will employ the best candidates? We may think, naively, that current and potential employees will not be interested in these issues but let’s be very clear on this point. Potential employees will, without doubt, be in the driver’s seat. They will have choices to make and they will unquestionably be doing their own due diligence on potential employers. In addition, companies that don’t put the essential HR basics in place will risk losing good employees to those companies that have. The bottom line here is that the companies that don’t have time to deal with people issues now and don’t put the HR basics in place will have the tables turned on them, as their current or future employees, really won’t have time for them either.

The HR Power Centre and HR Hot Line is a one-of-a-kind product specifically designed to get you the answers you need fast, in hundreds of different HR situations. Signing up is simple and free for OCNA members. You can call us today at 905-639-8720. Why wait? Don’t let important people management issues go unresolved when you can deal with them today.

Want to contribute to NewsClips?

If you have news you would like to share about your paper - it could be a new project, recognition from the community, awards you’ve won or an upcoming anniversary - please send them to newsclips@ocna.org. Photos are also welcome!

June 2015

www.ocna.org

HUMAN RESOURCEs

TwoGreySuits Introduces Powerful New Benefit TwoGreySuits (TGS) has had an innovation breakthrough that can have a tremendous impact on your company’s success! Check out their new website at www.twogreysuits.com to learn more about how focusing on employee engagement can have a direct impact on profitability. The whiteboard video on the home page explains it all in less than two minutes. If you are already using the service, just log in and take advantage of one Individual Plan online training access absolutely free for OCNA members. If you are not currently taking advantage of this free member benefit, now’s the time to sign up. After experiencing the training, you will likely want all your managers and supervisors involved. You can subscribe to the TGS Corporate Plan online and enroll additional employees for only $39.50 per month per employee, a 20% discount from retail. And, you’ll be able to manage the training through an online administrative platform and measure your results using the TGS metrics package. Don’t wait! Improve Employee Engagement...Improve Profitability…by starting your training now to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

OCNA’s Network Classified Advertising is an easy way for you to earn additional revenue. Upsell your retail and classified advertisers and each a 35% commission. An All Ontario 25-word ad is $475. You earn $166.25 each time you upsell your client into the program. LOGO ADS: OCNA recently introduced logo ads as an option. An All Ontario 25-word ad WITH LOGO and enhanced text is $975.

$$$

You already know that advertisers in community newspapers get results. Help your advertisers extend their reach into a region of the province, across Ontario, or right across the country. They Win - You Win. The Possibilities are endless: > Online Revenue - any retailer with a web site. Let the Networks drive traffic to their site for increased sales > Real Estate - any agent with vacation properties, commercial properties and luxury homes. Buyers from outside your newspaper distribution area need to know > Events - Fairs, Markets, Shows, Theatre, Concerts or Sports. Spread the word to draw more people > Help wanted - Trades and other positions that individuals would relocate or commute to

Contact OCNA Network Classified Coordinator Lucia Shepherd for full details at l.shepherd@ocna.org or 1-800-387-7982 ext 223.

June 2015

www.ocna.org

June 2015

info@ocna.org