newsclips
MARCH 2012
HERALD SWITCHING FOCUS TO THURSDAY March 27 will be the final edition of the Tuesday paid edition of the Alliston Herald. This will allow for all of the news content and advertising to appear in the Thursday controlled edition of the Herald in one weekly package. “Freeing up our Tuesday resources gives us the ability to focus on the Thursday edition of the Herald, making it an even stronger package than before. This new publishing schedule will allow us to continue to innovate, bring new opportunities to the market and add new publications for our readers to enjoy,” said General Manager Carol Lamb. Focusing on the Thursday edition is being done to reflect current advertiser demand. “We will be adapting the most successful elements from Tuesday and publishing them within our Thursday edition, providing an even stronger, more comprehensive product,” Lamb said. As always, in addition to the Herald’s print edition the editorial team will be putting news content online at www.allistonherald.com. The Herald website, which is currently a top three finalist in the Ontario Community Newspapers Association awards for best community newspaper website, will continue to be a valuable source of breaking news and multi-media content. “We’re confident readers will continue to receive the quality of content they have come to expect from The Herald. Moving forward, our goal is to deliver the same number and quality of stories in a weekly format, whether in print or online,” said Herald Reporter Maija Hoggett. Subscription holders will be issued a refund equal to the remaining subscription duration.
WHAT’S INSIDE:
A CENTURY IN PELHAM The Voice of Pelham gets a new reporter - she is 100 year old Dorothy Rungeling
See Page 3
2011 ONTARIO JUNIOR CITIZENS RECOGNIZED DURING SPECIAL CEREMONY On Thursday, March 8, the 12 outstanding young individuals were recognized in front of family and friends for their community involvement at the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Awards ceremony held at Queen’s Park in Toronto. During the ceremony, each recipient was presented their award from the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Recipients were delighted to also get a chance to meet with Premier Dalton McGuinty in his office at Queen’s Park prior to the ceremony. OCNA would like to thank corporate sponsors TD Bank Group and Direct Energy, as well as its member newspapers for their continued support of the Junior Citizen program.
PREPARING - THE CANDIDATE INTERVIEW
WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT?
A TwoGreySuits Article providing advice to prepare for a candidate interview
Four tips and tricks you can offer to encourage a customer to buy
See Page 12
See Page 15
March 2012MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE ONTARIO1COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION www.ocna.org
INDUSTRY NEWS
OCNA UPDATE
BY ANNE LANNAN OCNA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
We’re growing the Network Classified program In the next two weeks you will notice a new design of the Network Classified ad template to give the program a fresh new facelift for your readers. You will also be noticing another change to the look of the weekly classified ads – the inclusion of logos to the word ads for interested advertisers.
NEWSCLIPS VOLUME 01, ISSUE 9 3050 Harvester Rd. #103 Burlington, ON L7N 3J1 p.905.639.8720 f.905-639.6962 e. info@ocna.org w. www.ocna.org
This exciting change will add to the aesthetics of the design and break up the mass of text formatted across the horizontal format.
OCNA BOARD PRESIDENT
Don MacLeod
Behind the scenes, OCNA’s Member Services Coordinator Kelly Gorven is producing the new design using InDesign, whereas the former version was created using QuarkXPress.
FIRST VP
Mike Mount
SECOND VP
Maureen Keeler
SECRETARY/ TRESURER
Dave Harvey
PAST PRESIDENT
Abbas Homayed
DIRECTORS
Dave Adsett Gordon Cameron Jim Cumming Andrea DeMeer Rick Shaver John Willems
What does this mean to you? Newspapers will now be downloading the PDF versions of the weekly ads only. The InDesign and text versions will not be made available. With the inclusion of logos to the design, we must ensure the proper reproduction of the artwork for the clients, so providing the PDF is the best. This version also provides little to no work for our member newspapers as they don’t have to be concerned about downloading graphic files and matching them to the associated classified ad. The addition of logos to the Network Classified Ads also provides our participating newspapers with more of an opportunity to earn additional revenue. You earn a 35% finder’s fee for each ad your staff upsells into the program, which is even greater with the higher cost to purchase the logo space. As you know, this program is a win for advertisers who get their message to clients across the province, your readers as you provide them with a variety of ads from outside your community, and the association as this program is one of the revenue generating programs that funds our operations. The more you sell into the program, the more services we can offer you, so your support is greatly appreciated. Network papers will notice that we distributed more than $232,000 to them for their participation last year. Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meetings of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association and its Foundation will be held during the Spring Convention on Friday, April 27 at the Royal York Hotel. Please watch for your AGM package early in April.
IN THIS ISSUE... 03
.............................................................................A CENTURY IN PELHAM
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..................................2012 SPRING CONVENTION AND AWARDS GALA
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................................................................CCNA FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
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.............................................DON’T TELL, INSTEAD COACH AND A-S-K!
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............................................PREPARING - THE CANDIDATE INTERVIEW
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................................................................OCNA’S SUPPLIER SHOWCASE
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................................................................WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT?
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..........................................PRINT’S ROLE IN THE MULTIMEDIA CONTEXT
OCNA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Anne Lannan
CONTROLLER
Todd Frees
MEMBER SERVICES
Karen Shardlow Kelly Gorven
NETWORK CLASSIFIEDS
Carol Lebert Susana Czyrnek
ACCOUNTING
Lucia Shepherd
AD*REACH
Ted Brewer Doug Sexton Carolyn Press Erica Leyzac
22 .........................................................................READY YOUR READERS
March 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
PUBLISHER CALLS IT A CAREER
COURTESY OF PETER LAPINSKIE MANAGING EDITOR OF THE DAILY OBSERVER
Publisher Steve Gloster retired on Friday, March 9. There has not been any announcement by Sun Media, the parent company of The Pembroke Daily Observer, regarding his successor. Gloster took the helm of the daily newspaper in 1996 after serving as publisher and advertising manager in Yorkton, Saskatchwan. He took over a franchise that was drowing in a sea of red ink and immediately began to take painful but necessary steps to keep the newspaper afloat, including a significant number of layoffs. Once the bottom line was balanced, Gloster began working on an aggressive marketing and acquisition plan designed to restore the Observer’s place as a leader in the business community. This strategy culminated in the acquisition of The Daily NEWS in 1999 from Fred Runge, a move that breathed new life into the Observer’s advertising portfolio and served as a springboard toward a new era of productivity and profit. In the ensuing years, he has guided the Observer back to a place of prominence as the only daily newspaper between North Bay and Ottawa while ensuring its continued success as the longest running business in Pembroke.
A CENTURY IN PELHAM
COURTESY OF THE VOICE OF PELHAM A Century in Pelham - It is the title of the newest community column in The Voice of Pelham. The column writer is Dorothy Rungeling who, more than anyone else in Pelham, certainly has the memories to write about a century in the community. She celebrated her 100th birthday in May of 2011. In her first column, published in March of 2012, Rungeling writes of the changes she has seen, of the desire to hang on to memories of the past, and of her intention to put some of those memories on to paper and share them with readers. Throughout her 90s she wrote several books about life in Pelham and taught computer skills to seniors. Now, at the age of 100, she has taken on a new role as newspaper columnist. “I’ve always felt Dorothy is an amazing woman, since the first time I met her, and I am very glad she’s writing for the Voice,” said editor Sarah Murrell. “The reason I am happy to write for the Voice is because I am busting at the seams with mental energy which is slowing down now,” says Dorothy. “I like to be doing something. I have to have a project going.” Dorothy notes the stories she is writing for her Voice column were really hatched for another book. With a laugh, she says she probably won’t be around long enough for that so she thought the column was a pretty good outlet. “In this day and age, when we communicate by social media more often than face to face, I think it’s important to slow down and remember a different way of life. Dorothys columns will help us achieve that,” says Murrell. Dorothy’s columns are e-mailed to the Voice each month, along with any photos or other material she’d like the paper to have. March 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
INDUSTRY AD CAMPAIGN Dear OCNA members: The Ontario Community Newspapers Association is pleased to provide its members with a new industry advertising campaign – fully adaptable to include newspaper flags. The campaign includes a series of 7 ads and an editorial and has been designed to remind readers and advertisers that Community Newspapers are the original Local Social Network. With the tagline ‘Did you see in the paper…’, the series reflects that articles and ads get people connecting with one another and calls them to action, and this is what builds community.
What to do: 1. Go to www.ocna.org
newspaper, please contact OCNA Member Services Coordinator Kelly Gorven at k.gorven@ocna.org and send her your newspaper flag. She can then send you PDFs of the ads customized for you.
Did you see in the paper...
the hardware store is having a huge Home Improvement Sale?
I’ve got two rooms to paint.
Community Newspapers Your Local Social Network
and log into the Member’s site (user: member, password: ocmb2010) Under the left hand navigation bar under ‘member’, go to the OCNA Programs & Services folder. Here you will find the folder ‘2011 Social Media Ads’ which contains a subfolder for each of the ads and contains the necessary fonts and graphics.
3. The seven ads reflect – news, entertainment, advertising, sports, seniors, community events. Respecting copyright, trademarks, and libelous material, you may change the text and images to better reflect something in your own community, without having them look like an ad for a specific local advertiser or event. 4. Timing – feel free to begin publishing the series at any time; in any order; and at intervals that suit your page count (eg. one per week, every other week).
5. Translation – member newspapers publishing in other languages may translate the ads. 6. The bubble ‘Did you see in the paper…’ can be used as an online icon on your web site if you would like to have it link directly to your ad material or editorial.
2. Download the files. Ads have been created in CS2 – InDesign so they should be accessible to most newspapers. If you do not have InDesign at your
A special note of appreciation to the Marketing Task Force for their input in this campaign.
REMEMBER TO SEND OCNA YOUR MEMBER CHANGES AND UPDATES OCNA understands that as the newspaper industry continues to evolve, so must our members. We only ask that you keep us updated on any changes in address, rates, staff, and any other information relevant to the Association. It may help to select an ‘OCNA Representative’ from your staff who will be responsible for keeping us informed during these changing times. Please contact Karen Shardlow at k.shardlow@ocan.org or call 905-639-8720 ext 232 to report any changes at your publication.
March 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
QMI AGENCY ANNOUNCES TWO STRATEGIC APPOINTMENTS
BETTY CARR RETIRES
Serge Fortin, Vice President, TVA News-Sports-QMI Agency, is pleased to announce the appointment of Yves Bombardier to the position of Director, QMI Agency, Montreal, and of Philippe Mercure to the position of Director, Marketing, QMI Agency. With a business model based on deep media expertise and unparalleled multiplatform content offerings, QMI Agency has quickly become a Canadian news leader. It has offices in Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal, with Québec City to be added soon.
Betty Carr, Metroland Vice-President and Publisher of the Toronto division has decided to retire at the end of May.
QMI Agency supports a uniquely rich ecosystem by pooling all the informational content produced by Quebecor Media’s properties. In his new role, Yves Bombardier, a self-described news hound, will coordinate content production and sharing to ensure its availability to the entire group.
Millbrook Times, a weekly newspaper south of Peterborough, is for sale. After 12 years, the owners, Publisher, Bev Martin and Editor, Cathy Bond want to retire. Inquiries call 705-932-3001 or email: thetimes@nexicom.net
With 30 years of experience in television and radio newsrooms, Bombardier possesses extensive news cycle management expertise. After a distinguised career with TQS, where he served as news director and producer, he joined Corus Quebec, where he managed several radio stations, including 98.5 FM, over a six-year period. Bombardier holds a degree in communications from Université de Sherbrooke.
Betty has been a significant contributor to the company’s success and has been a great leader for Metroland, the Toronto community and the newspaper industry.
MILLBROOK TIMES FOR SALE
METROLAND’S HALTON NEWSPAPER DIVISION EXPERIENCES CHANGES Debbi Koppejan recently moved from Milton Canadian Champion to assume the role of Advertising Director at Burlington Post and Katy Letourneau recently assumed the role of Advertising Director at The Canadian Champion.
SHELLY WILSON LEAVES METROLAND MEDIA GROUP
In his new role, Philippe Mercure will be responsible for business development and marketing at QMI Agency. He plans to expand the Agency’s offerings and introduce new communications services.
Shelly Wilson recently left her position as Retail Sales Director with Metroland Media Group, Corporate Sales. Although no longer employed with the company, she says she is a selfproclaimed Metrolander for life and will always have the company in her DNA.
Mercure is a talented manager with extensive news agency and a strong sales and marketing background. From 1996 to 2007, he was National Account Manager with Getty Images. From 2007 to 2011, he served as Business Director with Canadian Press, where he opened new markets and marketed an array of new products. Mercure holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Université Laval.
NEW STAFF MEMBER FOR PETERBOROUGH THIS WEEK Sarah Frank has joined the staff of Peterborough This Week as a fulltime reporter after working in the Peterborough newsroom as a college intern two years ago. After graduating from the University of Guelph/Humber College journalism program, Sarah went to work at the Parry Sound North Star, covering a reporter's maternity leave. She then transferred to Peterborough within Metroland Media.
About Quebecor Media Quebecor Media Inc. is a subsidiary of Quebecor Inc., one of Canada’s largest telecommunications and media holding companies. Quebecor Media has over 16,000 employees in a number of media-related operating companies including Sun Media Corporations, the largest publisher of newspapers in Canada, Quebecore Media Printing Inc.,Quebecore Media Network Inc., QMI Agency and QMI Sales. March 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
2012 SPRING CONVENTION AND AWARDS GALA! OCNA & Newspapers Canada have joined forces to bring you the 2012 Ink & Beyond Conference. Join us April 26th – 27th at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto. The annual OCNA Better Newspapers Awards Gala will be held Friday April 27th in the Imperial Ballroom. Reception is sponsored by OLG (Ontario Lottery Group) and begins at 5pm. Dinner & Awards is sponsored by OPG (Ontario Power Generation) and begins at 6pm. Don’t miss it! Convention agenda and online registration available at www.inkandbeyond.ca. To register, click on register now. As a new user, please click ‘here’ at bottom of page to create a login & password. Tickets may be purchased for the full convention, or day passes. Tickets to the CCNA or OCNA Awards Gala Dinners must be purchased separately under A la carte items. To book your hotel room at the conference rate of $185, per night please call 1-800-663-7229 or click here to book online. Deadline to receive this special room rate is March 26th, 2012.
RICHARD TARDIF NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF QCNA The Quebec Community Newspapers Association (QCNA) is excited to announce the appointment of Richard Tardif as the association’s new Executive Director. Since 2006, Richard has been a community reporter and assistant editor at Eastern Door in Kahnawake, Quebec.
environmental issues, political and business affairs. “I’m excited to bring my experience and enthusiasm to this tremendous organization to help implement the Association’s vision,” said Richard, who assumed the position on February 13, 2012. “Today’s community paper not only helps build the community it serves, it makes it stronger, unites, creates discussion and offers readers an amplified voice.” The Quebec Community Newspapers Association is as unique as the members it serves. Its English and bilingual publications distribute weekly, monthly, biweekly and daily to some 700,000 readers across the province. These publications serve an exclusive English and bilingual readership in their communities through their focus on relevant local news and high editorial-toadvertising ratio.
An award winning journalist, beat reporter, photographer and former publisher and editor of the magazine Montreal Hype, Richard’s career in journalism began in 1994 at Concordian University covering the student uprising over Quebec’s plan to increase university tuition fees. In 1996 he began a thriving freelance career specializing in March 2012
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March 2012
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD FINALISTS Newspapers Canada is pleased to reveal the finalists for the 2012 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards. The top three nominees in each category and all of the Blue Ribbon recipients are now posted the awards website. With 28 community newspaper categories and four campus newspaper categories, the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards recognize the best in editorial, photography, multimedia and overall excellence in community newspaper publishing. Winners will be announced on Thursday, April 26, at the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards Gala during Newspapers Canada’s INK+BEYOND conference in Toronto, ON. The complete winners list will be available on the Newspapers Canada website following the awards presentations. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.inkandbeyond.ca. To view the complete list of finalists and Blue Ribbon recipients, visit www.communitynewspaperawards.ca. For more information, contact Magda Mroz, Project Coordinator, at awards@newspaperscanada.ca Below is a list of OCNA members who are winners in the following categories: Class 1012 - General Excellence, circ. 1250 to 1999 (Sponsored by News Canada) Best Front Page Cobden Sun Best Editorial Page Meaford Express Blue Ribbon Recipients Cobden Sun Elmira Independent Fergus-Elora News Express March 2012
Class 1013 – General Excellence, circ. 2000 to 2999 (Sponsored by News Canada) Best Editorial Page New Hamburg Independent Blue Ribbon Recipients Kincardine Independent Class 1015 – General Excellence, circ. 4000 to 6499 (Sponsored by News Canada) Best Front Page Brock Citizen Blue Ribbon Recipients Brock Citizen Fort Frances Times Class 1016 – General Excellence, circ. 6500 to 12499 (Sponsored by News Canada) Blue Ribbon Recipients Scugog Standard Stouffville Sun-Tribune Class 1017 – General Excellence, circ. 12500 to 24999 (Sponsored by News Canada) Best All-Round Newspaper Elmira-Woolwich Observer Best Front Page Elmira-Woolwich Observer Best Editorial Page Brighton/Warkworth/Campbellford Independent, Perth EMC Blue Ribbon Recipients Dundas Star News Kawartha Lakes This Week Elmira-Woolwich Observer Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror
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Class 2011 – Best News Story, circ. Up to 3999 (Stephen Shaw Memorial Award Sponsored by Metroland Media Group Ltd.) Allyson Snelling, Gravenhurst Banner Class 2013 0 Best News Story, circ. 12500 and over (Stephen Shaw Memorial Award Sponsored by Metroland Media Group Ltd.) Lauren Gilchrist, Peterborough This Week Chris Hall, Port Perry Star
Class 2021 - Best Feature Story, circ. Up to 3999 Matt Driscoll, Bracebridge Examiner Lianne Lahaie, Vankleek Hill Reviw Class 2022 – Best Feature Story, circ. 4000 to 9999 Scott Howard, Brock Citizen Zoey Duncan, Fort Frances Times Class 2023 – Best Feature Story, circ. 10000 and up Chris Traber, Newmarket Era-Banner Class 2032 – Best Feature Series, circ. 4000 to 12499 (Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association Trophy, Sponsored by SWNA) Adrienne Fox, Sioux Lookout Wawatay News Class 2033 – Best Feature Series, circ. 12500 and over (Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association Trophy, Sponsored by SWNA) Andrew Livingstone, Caledon Enterprise Bill Tremblay, Orangeville Banner Class 2041 – Outstanding Columnist, circ. Up and over (George Cadogan Memorial Outstanding Columnist Award (Sponsored by Cadogan Foundation Inc.) Bram Lebo, Haliburton Highlander
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
Class 2061 – Best National Editorial, circ. Up to 9999 (Charles Hawkins Memorial Trophy, Sponsored by the Manitoba Community Newspapers Association) Erika Engel, Blue Mountains Courier- Herald Class 2062 – Best National Editorial, circ. 10000 and over (Charles Hawkins Memorial Trophy, Sponsored by the Manitoba Community Newspapers Association) Martin Melbourne, Orillia Today Class 2071 – Best Local Editorial, circ. Up to 3999 (Sponsored by Glacier Media Group) Francis Baker, Fergus-Elora News Express Class 2072 – Best Local Editorial, circ. 4000 to 12499 (Sponsored by Glacier Media Group) Tracy Kibble, Bradford West Gwillimbury Topic Class 2073 – Best Local Editorial, circ. 12500 and over (Sponsored by Glacier Media Group) Lois Tuffin, Kawartha Lakes This Week Hamilton Mountain News Class 2082 – Best Historical Story, circ. 4000 to 12499 Zoey Duncan, Fort Frances Times Class 2102 – Best Local Cartoon, circ. 10000 and over Steve Nease, Peterborough This Week Class 2113 – Best Spot News Photo Coverage, circ. 12500 and over Ryan Pfeiffer, Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser Class 2122 – Best Feature Photo, circ. 4000 to 12499 Brent Wesley, Sioux Lookout Wawatay News
March 2012
Class 2131 – Best Sports Photo, circ. Up to 3999 Debbie Robinson, Cobden Sun
Class 3021 – Excellence in Rural Reporting, circ. Up and over Joel Wiebe, Peterborough This Week
Class 2133 – Best Sports Photo, circ. 12500 and over Graham Paine, Milton Canadian Champion Michelle Siu, Oakville Beaver
Class 3031 – Best Business Writing Award, circ. Up to 9999 Rob Learn, Burks Falls Almaquin News Zoey Duncan, Fort Frances Times
Class 2142 – Best Photo Essay, circ. 4000 to 12499 Laurie Weir, Smiths Falls This Week Class 2143 – Best Photo Essay, circ. 25000 and over Stan Howe, Barrie Advance Lance Anderson, Peterborough This Week Class 2151 – Best Photo Illustration, circ. Open (George Holmes Memorial Trophy, Sponsored by the Holmes Family, Alberta) Michael Barret, Georgina Advocate Class 2211 – Outstanding Community Service, circ. Up to 9999 Vankleek Hill Review Class 2241 – Best Sports Coverage, circ. Up to 3999 New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker Class 2263 – Best Web Site, circ. 12500 and over Sudbury Northern Life Oshawa This Week Class 2272 – Best Multimedia Feature, circ. 10000 and over (Sponsored by Canada Post) Oshawa This Week Class 3012 – Best Environmental Writing, circ. 10000 and over Charlotte Prong Parkhill, Waterloo Chronicle
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Class 3032 – Best Business Writing Award, circ. 10000 and over Doug Hallett, Guelph Tribune Class 3041 – Best Agricultural Edition, circ. Up to 9999 New Hamburg Independent Class 4011 – Outstanding Campus Newspaper, circ. Open Et cetera, Humber College The Varsity, University of Toronto Class 4021 – Best Campus News Story, circ. Open Justin Smirdlies, The Cord, Wilfrid Laurier University Jason Winders, Western News, University of Western Ontario Class 4031 – Best Campus Feature Story, circ. Open Mariana Ionava and Vidya Kauri, The Eyeopener, Ryserson University Sean Mackay, The Varsity, University of Toronto Paul Mayne, Western News, University of Western Ontario Class 4041 – Best Campus Photography, circ. Open Nick Lachance, The Cord, Wilfrid Laurier University Bernarda Gospic, The Varsity, University of Toronto Paul Wayne, Western News, University of Western Ontario Congratulations to all!
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March 2012
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HUMAN RESOURCES
DON’T TELL, INSTEAD COACH AND A-S-K! BY CHUCK NAU MURRAY & NAU, INC.
‘How Am I Doing?’ Remember those moments earlier in your life when you may have asked that question or a similar one of a teacher, friend or confidant? In many instances, those questions were being asked to open a dialogue, and gather some outside information to confirm that your assessment of your current situation was accurate.
The need and benefits for coaching on a one on one basis are numerous. Coaching the individual calls for personal contact. On a daily basis, with all the demands on your time, personal contact with your staff can suffer. It’s important to remember that your personal contact with your staff members is vital to them.
In these challenging, tough and, at times, frightening economic times are you being asked these same questions by your staff? Then again, do you model and encourage your staff to ASK (Always Seeking Knowledge) you questions? How are they doing, coach?
Personal contact conveys a sense of importance, and with the personal contact comes a sense of identity (‘congratulations on your sale to...’) which in turn is an entrée for positive reinforcement and individual motivation. Coaching affords YOU the opportunity to listen, and fosters an atmosphere of open communication. Your people are not the only ones to benefit from coaching (listening). You also get the benefit of free information which, again, has the added benefit of building your sales, management or operations team. Coaching gives your people a regular barometer on their progress, and in some cases, may break their job into various components for reflection, review, revision, and growth. Failure demoralizes an individual and threatens your team and YOU. Coaching enables you to offer direction and guidance and suggest ways to prevent failure again. Most importantly, it gives emotional support and reinforces the importance of the individual to you and your team.
‘Coaching’ or conversations with your staff are important, particularly in these rapidly changing times, as you develop a concept of team and teamwork. Fostering an ‘asking’ rather than ‘telling’ environment will give support and encouragement to your team. ‘Coaching’ is not talking to your staff. Rather it is a two way dialogue or discussion looking at performance, identifying performance obstacles or problems, and developing solutions and action steps. Coaching helps to clarify goals and priorities; minimizes misunderstandings; increases the sense of teamwork through involvement in planning, problem solving, and increased responsibilities; and develops creativity and innovation while enhancing productivity.
Last but not least, coaching helps YOU.
All of your staff, both those who are performing well and the rookies, those who are anxious to move to a position of increased responsibility or have performance related issues will benefit from coaching. Remember, too, that coaching occurs at a variety of times, in the office, in meetings or other group dynamics, in the field, and, of course, one on one.
Coaching empowers employees to build their skill level, operate independently, enhance their performance (due to a clear understanding of goals, expectations, and needed action steps), work as a team, and take risks. As the coach, you are the leader. How you work with each team member, the team as a whole, the day to day problems and setbacks, is watched closely. When you handle all these in a resilient, productive, and healthy manner your team will admire and duplicate that attitude with your newspaper readers and customers.
‘Coaching’ or opening that two way dialogue with your staff involves three action components - preliminaries (listening), probing (asking), and feedback. Preliminaries are typically ice breaker in nature and help to put individuals at ease. They also open the conversation to a give and take by identifying the reason or goal for the meeting.
© Murray & Nau, Inc.
Probing or Always Seeking Knowledge (asking) works to narrow the focus, review the situation, identify the problem and its potential impacts, elicits staff input and ideas, and encourages staff to develop and review various solutions.
CHUCK NAU OF MURRAY & NAU, INC. is a Seattle area based publishing consultant and sales and management trainer. He has been a speaker for and conducted advertising, marketing, management and sales training workshops with newspapers, niche publishers, publishing groups and press associations, throughout North America. Comments and questions are welcome and may be directed to Chuck via email: murnau@nwlink.com. or at (425) 603 - 0984.
Feedback helps to clarify new learning, develop and gain consensus on needed action steps, and reinforce your confidence and support of the plan. March 2012
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HUMAN RESOURCES
PREPARING - THE CANDIDATE INTERVIEW A TWOGREYSUITS ARTICLE
of thought on this: telling too much about the job before the interview is good in that it allows the candidate to think of examples of similar work or responsibilities they had. However, a seasoned interviewee can easily present an image based on exactly what they know you are looking for vs. who they actually really are. I favour the approach of leaving more info about the job towards the end of the interview, and if the candidate is deemed not a fit anyways, you can easily skip this part.
These articles are part of the TwoGreySuits Employee Performance Management Series and is offered by our partner, the TwoGreySuits HR Power Centre as a free service to our members.
Ron Guest, Management/HR Consultant
As HR Consultants and professional recruiters, we have seen and heard it all; things like the 10 minute job interview, the interview where the candidate's qualifications are not even discussed, the interview with no resume, no reference checks, no post interview follow-up and promises made in an interview which go unfulfilled. Why is this?
It’s okay to change or add new questions based on how the interview is going: Plan your questions, but don't feel you must ask only those you've chosen in advance. Be responsive to what the candidate tells you, and build new questions from their answers. When asking behavioural questions which elicit a situational or behavioral response, ie) give me an example of a time when‌? Tell the candidate that their answers will be confirmed in a reference check.
The simple answer for most of this is lack of skill or knowledge with the interviewer about the interview process. Simply put, there is no substitute for good preparation. Your preparation for the interview should provide you with a number of questions that will help you get to know and evaluate candidates. But there's plenty more to do before, during and after the interview. If you follow these steps you will improve your interviewing skills:
Listen: If you are doing most of the talking during an
interview, (common problem) you will not be able to obtain enough information to distinguish between candidates or to determine a candidate's true competencies. A common practice is to spend 80 percent of your time listening and only 20 percent talking.
Before the Interview: Put Candidates at Ease: This is critically important and
takes a different amount of time with each candidate. When a candidate is at ease and comfortable as they can be, the stage is set for more transparency than would otherwise be. Interviewing if often very stressful on candidates, so do your best to help candidates feel relaxed. Make sure each candidate is greeted and escorted, if necessary, to the interview location. Start with low-key questions.
Take Notes: While you won't want to write everything
Don't Judge on First Impressions: As human beings we
Invite Candidates to Ask Questions: This can be the most
the candidate says, do write important points, key accomplishments, good examples and other information that will help you remember and fairly evaluate each candidate. Relying too much on your memory, especially when interviewing several candidates for the same role is a common problem and also ill advised. valuable part of the interview. You can gain significant insight into a person based on what questions they are asking. For example, do they really want to be here -- is it the challenge of the job, advances in the industry or something specific about your company?... or is the candidate focused only on salary, benefits and time off? If the candidate has no questions, this is almost always a red flag, especially for more senior-level employees. Make a note of what the candidate asks, and be sure to follow up if you can't provide the answer immediately.
are all hard wired to process an immediate first impression, often even before the candidate speaks a word! People often don't make a great first impression but end up being great employees. Withhold judgment until you've had the chance to thoroughly evaluate a candidate's skills, knowledge, capabilities and potential.
During the Interview: Tell the candidate a little about the job.Normally they
would have seen a job description beforehand. Towards the end of the interview, you should provide a brief summary of the job, including the key responsibilities, reporting structure, key challenges and performance criteria. There are two schools March 2012
Follow Legal Interviewing Guidelines: It is critically
important that every interviewer at your company understand and follow legal hiring guidelines. The easiest way to keep your interviews fully compliant is to ask only questions that relate 12
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HUMAN RESOURCES to the job, eliminating the potential for bias by not introducing questions or scenarios that will reveal irrelevant information.
as much as candidates are trying to sell themselves. It's important to treat people well during the interview process. You never want to lose a potential customer or cause a candidate to have a negative impression of your company.
After the Interview Let Candidates Know What They Can Expect:
Your interview process reflects the value your company places on each candidate and, by extension, each employee. Be a good ambassador for your company by conducting a professional interview, communicating honestly and basing hiring decisions on an honest evaluation of each candidate's capabilities. Not only will you make great hires, but you'll build goodwill in the community and enhance your future recruiting efforts.
A frustration of many job seekers is that they are left hanging after an interview, or they are promised follow-up that never comes. The reputation of you and your company is at play here. If the candidate is a good fit, be clear about what the next steps will be. And if the candidate is not a good fit… always end the interview on a positive note, but be genuine. Don't tell the candidate to call you if you don't mean it.
Compare Notes and Reach Consensus: The post-
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.
interview evaluation is the time to compare notes to reach a hiring decision. Each interviewer should be prepared to back up remarks and recommendations with specific examples and notes from the interview.
Signing up is simple and free for OCNA members. Just visit https:// www.twogreysuits.com/sign_up/regform/index.html?r=OCNA complete the signup page and you’ll have immediate access. Why wait? Don’t let important people management issues go unresolved when you can deal with them today.
Deepen the Questions as You Narrow the Field:
Subsequent interviews with finalists are valuable opportunities to learn more about them. Consider adding several behavioural interview type questions. Get real examples of work or projects they did, what was it, who was involved, when, and what exactly was their role.
Create a Positive Image for Your Organization
You need to realize you are also selling you and your company
TRAINING OCNA’S UPCOMING WEBINAR SCHEDULE April 13 - Twitter for Reporters
This popular social media tool can be a powerful reporting platform and notepad/archive for busy community reporters. While providing ‘live feeds’ to readers, it can bring immediacy to static websites, facilitate ‘live blogs’ from major community events from hockey games to graduations, and further anchor your paper as the community’s information leader. Cost: $50 + HST Space is limited. Reserve your seat today! https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/770844385
NEWSPAPERS CANADA WEBINAR SCHEDULE
This year’s training series includes presentations tailored to a variety of departments including editorial, sales, design and circulation. ▄▄
April 17 - Design: Multimedia NNA Finalists (FREE)
▄▄
April 24 - Editorial: Better Beat Reporting
▄▄
June 26 - Sales: Newspapers: Newspaper Innovation (FREE)
A full list is available on the Newspapers Canada website: www.newspaperscanada.ca March 2012
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SUPPLIER SHOWCASE
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MDF (manufacturer development fund info) Ad Ideas for planning, inspiring ad lead prospects Topical editorial news Selling essentials access to 8 online databases (optional) access to news and events databases
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CREATIVE OUTLET BY AD-BUILDER ADDS PHOTOS UNLIMITED WITH 450,000 ROYALTY-FREE STOCK PHOTOS MultiAd, a leading provider of advertising and marketing products and services, announces a new program offered through its art services division. Creative Outlet by Ad-Builder is increasing its royalty-free stock photography content by 450,000 images. Photos Unlimited, a new product within CreativeOutlet. com, provides an attractive option by offering unlimited users and unlimited downloads for subscribers. A limited time offer consisting of annual subscriptions starting at just $125/month will be in effect through April 30, 2012. Individual images may also be purchased a la carte.
trends and interests of consumers.” Photography options within the new 450,000 photos include active seniors, wellbeing, well-dressed, travel, abstract imagery and many other categories selected in response to customers’ requests and advertising trends. The photos will be continuously updated to provide users with the most relevant content. Sign up for a brief demo today at http://get450.com or browse the Photos Unlimited collection at CreativeOutlet.com. About Creative Outlet: CreativeOutlet.com by Ad-Builder offers flexible pricing options including pay-per-download and subscriptions. Annual subscriptions are available for high-volume users interested in a complete art services solution that allows for unlimited downloads along with additional complimentary resources exclusive to subscribers.
“We have listened to the requests of our customers and have dedicated ourselves to providing quality photography that revolves around today’s trends in advertising and marketing,” said Brian Dickerson, vice president of Product Development, MultiAd. “With OCNA acts as a gateway to over 300 community newspapers in all content being updated areas of the province. Promote your continuously, users information to our members here. can be confident that Creative Outlet’s Send your updates to photography is based newsclips@ocna.org. on the most relevant March 2012
About MultiAd: Since 1945, MultiAd® has been a leading provider of advertising and marketing products and services with a progressive, clientcentered approach. MultiAd offers a portfolio of solutions designed to increase productivity and revenue including: custom web application development, Creator Professional, Creative Outlet, Recas®, Kwikee®, ePublish (interactive online versions of print publications) and several self-service advertising solutions. For more information on MultiAd, visit http://www.multiad.com. 14
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ADVERTISING
WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT? BY JOHN FOUST RALEIGH, NC
We all know sales people should sell benefits. We know advertising should emphasize benefits. And we know people buy benefits.
Now, this is not to say that ‘quality’ should never be used in selling or advertising. Just don't use it in general terms.
Faster: We live in a ‘get-it-done-now’ age. E-mail, texting,
What kinds of benefits do customers want? According to Don, who has been in the advertising business for many years, "It all comes down to: more, better, faster or cheaper. You can talk about other things, but if you don't show them how your product or service offers at least one of these four, they're not going to buy."
speed dating, overnight delivery, drive-through windows – it's all a reflection of our demand to get things in a hurry.
While writing this paragraph, I did a Google search on ‘consumer demand for speed’. The search generated over four million results in .14 seconds. That's point-one-four seconds. What took so long?
Let's take a look:
Healthcare has its own version of speed dating. A medical organization in Texas has a program to help people choose primary care physicians with a five-minute interview.
More: When you're preparing for a sales presentation,
ask yourself if your publication has more coverage than in previous years. Can you offer advertisers more ads for the same dollars? Do you offer extra marketing or analytical services that may appeal to certain businesses?
When it's time for an oil change, I usually go to a place that offers fast service. Why should I wait an hour somewhere else, when it can be done in 20 minutes? It’s the same oil with faster service.
"When you're thinking of ad ideas in this category," Don said, "the most obvious example is a two-for-the-price-of-one offer – or buy-one-get one free. This tactic has been around for a long time, because it works so well."
On the highway ‘speed kills.’ But in the marketplace, ‘speed sells’.
There are plenty of other choices. As you're gathering information, look beyond pricing. Find out if your advertiser has additional services, new locations or expanded business hours.
Cheaper: "Price can be a huge motivator," Don said.
"Even with luxury items – or premium advertising space – people like to get bargains." The key is to provide specifics. How much can your customers save? How deep is the discount? How long will the sale last?
Better: Every business claims to be better than the
competition. The challenge is to be specific. Two questions:
1. Exactly what is it that makes your widget better? 2. Can you communicate that without using the
word ‘quality’?
In my opinion, ‘quality’ is the most overused word in advertising. Usually, it doesn't mean anything.
(c) Copyright 2011 by John Foust. All rights reserved.
Do you know what distinguishes ‘quality construction’ from other types? Do you know the characteristics of ‘top quality service’? Do you have a good understanding of what ‘better quality’ means? Neither do I and neither do your customers.
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
March 2012
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ADVERTISING
NEWSPAPER … A FUNDAMENTAL MEDIUM USED BY ALL….BUT WHAT IF IT WERE INVENTED TODAY? BY DOUG SEXTON AD*REACH I was watching the new Global TV Toronto morning show this AM when I noticed something very fundamental going on. All 4 hosts had a different newspaper and were quoting various articles of the day. Newspapers are still looked upon as the basic go-to resource be it hard copy or online and supplies content for all forms of media…. even TV. But why are newspapers being hit with such bad publicity in the advertising community?
for information of interest to you. We’ve hired specialists who live and work in your hometown to cull information sources and provide a daily report tailored to your community, your friends and your neighbours. We also know you sometimes wonder whether you can trust the information you see online. We plan to introduce a painstaking new process called ‘factchecking’ in which we actually verify the information before we pass it along to you. In addition to saving time online, you’ll also save money. You won’t need those expensive colour ink cartridges or reams of paper because information will be printed for you in full colour every day. You’ll also save money on access charges and those unpleasant fights over who gets time on the computer because this product will be physically delivered to your home at the same time each day, for less than what you would tip the guy from Pizza Hut.
I came across a very interesting perspective….What if newspapers were invented today? Here is what Ken Paulson, president of the Newseum and the Freedom Forum in Washington, D.C, has to say about the idea…
You worry about your kids stumbling across porn on the Internet, but this product is pre-screened and guaranteed suitable for the whole family.
We’d Rave About Newspapers... I can understand why newspapers are not viewed as trendy today. After all, they were really the iPods of 1690.
And in a security breakthrough, we guarantee newspapers to be absolutely virus-free and promise the elimination of those annoying pop-up ads. It’s also the most portable product in the world, and doesn’t require batteries or electricity. And when the flight attendant tells you to turn off your electronic devices, you can actually turn this on, opening page after page without worrying about interfering with the plane’s radar.
But humour me, and consider this alternate history: Imagine if Gutenberg had invented a digital modem rather than a printing press, and that for centuries all of our information had come to us online. Further, imagine if we held a press conference announcing the invention of an intriguing new product called the ‘newspaper’.
To top it all off, you don’t need a long-term warranty or service protection program. If you’re not happy with this product on any day, we’ll redesign it and bring you a new one the next day.
That press conference might go something like this: We’re pleased to announce a new product that will revolutionize the way you access information. It will save you time and money and keep you better informed than ever before.
I can see the headlines now: ‘Cutting-edge newspapers threaten Google’s survival.’ My point, of course, is that newspapers remain an extraordinary information bargain, and we shouldn’t be selling them short or lose sight of the qualities that make
Just consider the hours you’ve spent on the Internet looking March 2012
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ADVERTISING
American journalism so critical to our democracy. When we do our jobs as journalists the right way, when we strive every day to publish reports of integrity and balance, when we ask the tough questions, when we fight to keep the public’s business public and when we provide the kind of thorough and balanced reporting that is the lifeblood of a democracy, we fulfill our promise to that first generation of Americans who believed that one of the best ways to guarantee a democracy was a free and vigorous press.
our hectic lives. Being the voice of your community is the key. AdReach brings a unified offering to advertisers and a growing audience. We understand there is no community without ‘unity’… DOUG SEXTON is a National Account Manager with AdReach. He was a Media Studies / Liberal Arts Professor at Conestoga College and a longtime advertising entrepreneur.
There are people counting on us.
ad * reach
Ken Paulson is president of the Newseum and the Freedom Forum in Washington, D.C., and the former editor of USA Today Ken’s right why sell short something as unique as a newspaper? Sometimes we don’t really understand what we have… until it’s gone. Community Newspapers will surley live on to be the sustaining hyper local resource for
ADVERTISING ALERTS: TOBACCO ADVERTISING
Information from the Act to Ammend the Tobacco Act Prohibition: 19. No person shall promote a tobacco product or a tobacco product-related brand element except as authorized by this Act or the regulations.
or in part, a tobacco product, its package or a brand element of one or that evokes a tobacco product or a brand element. (2) Subject to the regulations, a person may advertise a tobacco product by means of information advertising or brand-preference advertising that is in
Interdiction: 20. No person shall promote a tobacco product by any means, including by means of the packaging, that are false, misleading or deceptive or that are likely to create an erroneous impression about the characteristics, health effects or health hazards of the tobacco product or its emissions.
(a) a publication that is provided by mail and addressed to
an adult who is identified by name (b) signs in a place where young persons are not permitted by law.
Testimonials or endorsements: 21. No person shall promote a tobacco product by means of a testimonial or an endorsement
Exception: Lifestyle/Advertising - does not apply to lifestyle advertising or advertising that could be construed on reasonable grounds to be appealing to young persons.
22. (1) Subject to this section, no person shall promote a tobacco product by means of an advertisement that depicts, in whole
Visit www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication. aspx?Docid=4141530&file=4 for more information.
March 2012
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MARKETING
PRINT’S ROLE IN THE MULTIMEDIA CONTEXT BY JIM CHISHOLM NEWSPAPER MEDIA CONSULTANT
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM INMA For the foreseeable future, print will bring in most revenue at newsmedia companies. Yet digital is the way of the future. So what is print’s role — from a revenue and advertiser perspective — in this multimedia age? The lessons for local publishers in all this are extremely constructive. Digital media may be expanding, but they are discovering they must rely on traditional media to build their audience base as brand values. Analogue media remain the most potent means of brand promotion. Newspapers suffer from the same problem. Our Web sites are great at attracting audiences, but they don’t hang around in terms of page views or time spent. Visit for visit, readers give print products about 20 times the attention they give digital products. Companies and governments now spend three times as much on public relations, as they do on media journalism.
their revenues, while their advertisers have been looking to other services, such as events, targeted marketing, point of sale, etc. — all of which are/were services that publishers could have been providing at a higher quality and lower cost. So, back to the question: What is print’s role in tomorrow’s multimedia company portfolio? Unless something radical happens, print will remain the backbone of our revenue stream for some time to come. More importantly, it will continue to be the biggest force for global to local companies reaching out to new customers and achieving competitive advantage. Have you noticed how many comparison Web sites are simply commoditising services down to price? They are brand eliminators. I talk to lots of advertisers, and the main messages I get back from them are: ▄▄
“Newspapers are no longer my primary marketing solution, but…”
Newspaper readers remain the world’s most valued advertising audience. So what’s the problem? Newspapers are losing confidence as well as loyalty among readers and advertisers. The biggest reason our products are disappearing from readers is that we have removed them from their radar. Two key questions on this topic: 1. What is print’s role in tomorrow’s multimedia company portfolio?
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“I need newspapers to bring me customers and to keep me in prospects’ minds.” Web sites are turning to traditional media for branding. And this is where newspaper commercial strategies and implementation need to focus. Most marketing expenditure is not advertising. We need to rediscover how we can provide these services, particularly at a local level, in an analogue and increasingly digital world. Consider that 73% of marketing expenditure remains analogue. While the digital evolution is largely coming from the direct marketing sector, that sector must be underpinned by branding to succeed. And this is where newspapers come in. Print as an essential component of every advertiser’s armoury Countless studies have shown that while TV delivers imagery, it only works with high-cost creative execution. Print, however, can deliver the impact of this Volkswagen ad for the cost of a felt pen.
2. Why is print an essential component of every advertiser’s armoury? Let’s face it: Print still accounts for more than 90% of newspaper companies revenues; 6% is accounted for by digital and 4% from other activities. I calculate that for every dollar our industry has lost, more than half is from lack of marketing. The recognition of this error in itself would have gone a large way to retaining our industry›s revenues and valuations. Newspaper companies must grasp the digital opportunity — and anticipate that this is the long-term salvation. But in the meantime, there is business to be done to fund this digital growth, much of it is outside the digital realm. Newspapers have always looked to other advertising media for March 2012
“They are the route to my other marketing solutions.”
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MARKETING Research consistently shows that the newspaper medium is trusted. The advertising is valued rather than found intrusive, as it is by the majority of TV and radio advertisers. Recent events, however, show we can no longer rely on our historical reputation for effectiveness. We have to reaffirm it. And this is a key loss in our lack of investment and confidence in our own business. There is one final question. How should newspapers manage and market their multiple media portfolio? Here I have big reasons for concern. Advertisers use one marketing channel for one purpose and others for different purposes. Simply arguing that an advertiser should be on a newspapers’ Web site because they buy the print version is missing the point. The reason newspaper companies have been losing share of the digital economy is because they have tried to tailor the advertisers’ money into the newspapers’ raison d’etre. Newspapers must look at their vast array of skills, resources, and market presence to offer up alternative services — primarily at a local level — that uniquely respond to advertisers’ market needs, rather than try and shoehorn their spending into their current portfolio of products. The most important point is that newspapers remain the most potent and effective means of communication globally, but in particular locally. Print will remain the means for local companies to promote their brands for decades, but newspapers must invest in demonstrating this, through case studies, testimonials, and continuing investment in advertising sales. Second is to recognise the third element of marketing, namely below-the-line, direct spending; the invisible 60% of our clients spending that we ignore. We cannot only capture much of this, but we can also improve the quality of their traditional requirements — and use this as a springboard into new forms of digital activity.
There are very, very few newspaper companies with sufficient advertising sales people to serve their current customer base, never mind grow their business. We need better — and bettertrained — sales people, not simply order takers, who can translate client needs, strategies, and concerns into alternative solutions. I’ve been in newspapers for 36 years. OK, I’ve never known it so tough. But I’ve never seen so many opportunities out there – some obvious and low-hanging, others more complex – waiting to be grasped.
How newspaper advertising works
Here are a few facts about how newspaper advertising works, drawn from various studies ▄▄
Colour can make advertisements less effective. A key component of content assimilation is complexity. On average, colour increases response. But colour also increases complexity logarithmically. The more complex, in print or on screen, the harder the brain finds it to navigate. Too many pages and advertisements within them are overdesigned and, therefore, under-consumed. ▄▄
The average advertisement is looked at for about a quarter of a second. The eye subconsciously scans the page and initially determines a reading order. Within this, an ad is glanced at for about a quarter of a second. As the reader may change his or her reading order as they go on, the key for the advertisement is to attract the reader’s attention instantly. Many don’t. ▄▄
A quarter of a second is more than many ads deserve! I undertook an analysis for one of the world’s biggest media buying groups into the effectiveness of newspaper advertising among major global national and international brands. We discovered one-third of advertisements didn’t work because they didn’t follow a basic set of rules of advertising design. JIM CHISHOLM is a newspaper/media consultant and analyst based in Lille, France. Chisholm advises many of the world’s leading news media organisations on strategy and development in business and practice. His clients include publishers, broadcasters, governments, trade associations and suppliers. Current projects include: advising publishers on traditional and digital strategy development, examining the impact of digital models on traditional media (readership and advertising), priceoptimisation modeling across print and digital channels, development of alternative workflow systems for creative industries in the worlds of “distributed production” and “cloud computing,” improving industry measurement standards (internationally and across media), and creating “future based” rather than “incremental” value creation models. He has undertaken more than 30 international studies on the future of the newspaper industry, including two for the Newspaper Association of America. He can be reached at jim@jimchisholm.net. Read more: http://www.inma.org/modules/article/index.cfm?action=art icleView&articleId=50064#ixzz1pgxIVi00
March 2012
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BUSINESS
E.Q. VERSUS I.Q. IN BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS BY PATRICK TINNEY MANAGING PARTNER CENTROID TRAINING & MARKETING
“
momentum. How do we gain momentum if the negotiation is just aprocess? You could argue that our BATNA is better than our bargaining partner but process does not feel. So if we feel momentum then what does it mean and what is it worth?
Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.
Like watching great quarter-backs who tell their football teammates... ‘we are now into the two minute drill and we are down by 10 points in the bottom of the 4th quarter. We have to raise our game!’ It's so much driven by emotion as are great negotiations that are tipped by momentum.
”
-Edward de Bono
We need to incorporate soft skills more in business negotiation because if we sell something with passion, we cannot just turn off the emotional side of our persona when it comes to the negotiation.
How important are E.Q. skills (soft/people skills) vs. I.Q. skills (hard/process skills) in business negotiation? Edward de Bono gave us some clues with his creative thought mapping book... ‘Six Thinking Hats’. Edward argued successfully, I believe that, if we were able to categorize thought into White Hat (Straight Data), Blue Hat (Straight Process) that we could look at problems without emotion. He also argued that looking at problems or opportunities with Yellow Hat (Unbridled Enthusiasm) and Red Hat (Unfettered Emotion) we could bring our gut feeling and wonderful sense of alacrity to almost any situation. Red Hat can also bring in a sense of uneasiness as well...it is a raw emotive state. Finally, Edward gave us Green Hat (Unbridled Creativity) and Black Hat (Devil's Advocate) to balance both E.Q. and I.Q. into a single thought process.
Next time you are engaged in an important business negotiation, take note of how the other side is reacting to your physical and emotional presence:
1. Are they quiet and just trying to make it through the negotiation? 2. Are they anxious and overly talkative? 3. What kinds of questions are they asking? 4. How is their eye contact? 5. How is their body language?
Soft skills in business negotiation is largely overlooked or undervalued against terms like BATNA (Best Alternative Next Agreement) or ZOPA (Zone of Potential Agreement) by the academic crowd. How did we get deals done in the days before BATNA and ZOPA?
What does your E.Q. tell you about your negotiation partner? Is there an opportunity staring at us if we can just tap into their needs or help them through a tough bargaining situation? Remember, not everyone hopes to make money on a deal. Some bargaining partners are just as fulfilled by getting a negotiation over with so they can move on the things that they do best.
Have we supplanted soft skills with process that may be unbalancing our bargaining effectiveness? Winston Churchill was a superlative negotiator in his time. We know he was a charismatic, master of reconnaissance and strategy. Strategy in itself contains a ranking of plans and back up plans. What skills did he use before BATNA and ZOPA? Is it possible he used more soft skills than we use today?
PATRICK TINNEY is the founder of Centroid Training and Marketing, a consulting firm helping organizations make and save money through consultative selling, sales prospecting and business negotiation training.
Back to Edward De Bono, you don’t have to agree with the concept of Six Thinking Hats but you have to admire him taking a stab at trying to create a new model from which to solve problems or capitalize on opportunities using E.Q and I.Q. transparently. One of the elements of negotiation that is undeniable is
Prior to Centroid, Patrick held various corporate sales and management positions at The Southam Newspaper Group, Hollinger Inc. and CanWest Media. Over his 30 year career Patrick has concluded multi-million dollar media sales and negotiation solutions for many of Canada’s largest advertisers. For more on Patrick visit centroidmarketing.com
March 2012
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BUSINESS
ANNOUNCEMENTS FORMER GAZETTE EDITOR PASSES
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.
C. Robert Gladding Sr. 1924-2012
On March 6, C. Robert Gladding Sr., the tenth editor and publisher of the Tavistock Gazette, sadly passed away. Although he wasn’t born and raised in Tavistock, Gladding had small-town values and a work ethic that made him a great asset to the community for nearly sixty years.
Photos are also welcome!
In 1952, Gladding and his family moved to Tavistock. In 1969 he joined the staff of the Tavistock Gazette under Hart Brown. Gladding and his wife purchased the business that same year. They later sold it to their son, Bill, and daughter-in-law, Sheri in 1988. He continued to serve as the company’s pressman until 1990, retiring for five years, then taking up the position until retiring again in March of 2010. Prior to his long-term career with the Tavistock Gazette, Gladding was heavily involved in the print industry. He was born in Stratford on September 25, 1924. His first job with a newspaper began when he became a carrier in his youth for Stratford Beacon Herald. He later worked at the Beacon Herald where he was a printer’s apprentice and earned his journeyman’s papers. He worked briefly for Spitzer and Mills advertising agency in Toronto. In 1949, Bob joined the fine printing division of the Beacon Herald. In 1950 he moved to Wingham and became an employee of the Wingham Advance-Times.
Affordable media insurance for Canadian Community Newspapers
In October of 2005, Gladding was featured in the Canadian Community Newspaper’s ‘The Publisher’ newspaper as Canada’s oldest pressman, then age 81. He was quoted as saying, “The only time my hands are clean is when we take two weeks of holidays in the summer.” He was also features in the Toronto Star in a story entitled ‘Ink in their veins’ by Bill Taylor. In that story Gladding was quoted as saying, “I was supposed to retire when I hit 65. But I was busy that day.”
Contact us for a quote: Todd Frees, General Manager 905-639-8720 ext. 234 t.frees@ocna.org
OCNA MEMBER RETIREMENTS ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄
Service includes: •Libel • Invasion of Privacy • Plagiarism • Piracy • Infringement of Copyright • Pre-Publication Hotline
Pat Livingston, Publisher of Lucknow Sentinel Dave Sykes, Publisher of Goderich Signal Star Dave Logan, General Manager of Toronto Now
March 2012
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DESIGN
READY YOUR READERS BY ED HENNINGER HENNINGER CONSULTING You’re all ready to launch your redesign. You’ve been working on it for months, you’ve checked and double-checked all the items, everything is in place and your launch is set for next week.
getting clogged with redesign emails (although some readers may still direct their emails there).
SET UP A PHONE NUMBER: Some readers might not want
Perhaps it’s time you tell your readers. After all, it is their newspaper, and they will want to know what you are doing to it. Many readers are negative toward change in their paper, but most will give you the benefit of the doubt if you tell them you’re redesigning—and why.
to take the effort to email you with their comments—but they might offer a quick comment on a phone line. Set up a line that will record those comments. Of course, you can always give them a line to call where someone can chat with readers about their reactions.
Here are some suggestions:
LOOK FOR TRENDS: There may be a common thread woven
CREATE A PLAN: Map out a strategy for informing your
throughout the feedback you receive. Sometimes it’s the smallest thing, like readers not liking the size or format of captions. If you receive enough negative reaction to an item, you may want to change that item. That means you have to…
readers. What packages do you need to tell the story of the redesign? What graphics? What photos?
STORY IDEAS: Plan to run at least two or three stories,
BE WILLING TO CHANGE: If readers react negatively to a
including one on the day of the launch. Place all of these stories on the front page…and keep them short. One story can focus on the new elements, another on the placement of content—and perhaps content you’ve added. Be sure to run at least one story on the redesign process itself, to let readers know this was a planned and professional process—not just something cobbled together on a whim.
certain element or approach, take a look at it and see if you can’t change it while keeping it consistent with the overall design plan. When you make that change…
MAKE IT PUBLIC: Let your readers know you have listened to their feedback and that you are changing the elements they find troublesome. It’s just good customer relations to do so.
TEXT TYPE: Run the intro stories in your new text type format, so readers can see how much better it is than the current text face.
Remember that readers feel a strong sense of ownership of their newspaper. It’s not your newspaper—it’s theirs. They’re just letting you do the best you can with publishing it.
HEADLINE TYPE: Run the heads on intro stories in your new
And occasionally redesigning it.
display face, so readers can get a taste of the new look.
VISUALS: With each story, plan on a photo of a new element or a screenshot from a mockup. These will help readers see what’s coming their way with the redesign.
ASK FOR FEEDBACK: Most readers will welcome the new
design—and leave it at that. Some will be unhappy and they will let you know it. That’s fair: it is their newspaper and it’s good that they feel strongly about it. At the end of each story, ask for reader feedback when the redesign is launched. Tell them you want to hear their thoughts and their opinions. If you don’t solicit feedback, odds are you’ll only hear from those who don’t like change. But if you do welcome feedback, those who like the new look will take a few minutes to let you know.
Run stories in your new text type, using your new headline font.
ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and
SET UP AN EMAIL ADDRESS: Create a special email address the Directorof Henninger Consulting, offering comprehensive where readers can write to offer feedback on the redesign. This provides a secondary benefit: keeping your editor’s email from March 2012
newspaper design services and design evaluations at www.henningerconsulting.com.
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CLASSIFIEDS: CITY BEAT REPORTER
Sudbury Northern Life seeks an experienced and enthusiastic community newspaper reporter to cover the city beat, producing news stories, photos and video for this award-winning, twice-weekly newspaper, nationally acclaimed website, and video news portal. The ideal candidate not only understands the workings of a community newspaper, but also its importance to the readers and community it serves. Northern Ontario's largest city, Sudbury has an economy based in mining, but with strong health, education and service sectors. The print edition of Northern Life reaches some 100,000 homes a week, while our website, which functions as a daily newspaper, boasts 106,000 unique visits a month. The city reporter is responsible for covering all council meetings, and most committee and board meetings of the City of Greater Sudbury, as well as business, financial and political news that would have a direct impact on the city. The ideal candidate will have the proven ability to dig up and develop news stories in a timely fashion for web and print publication, often on tight deadlines. Familiarity with using social media to help break and cover news will be considered an asset. Evening and weekend work is required. This is not an entry-level position. It requires a candidate with demonstrable skills and a proven track record. The ideal candidate must have a passion for journalism, a superior news sense, and experience at a community newspaper. The proven ability to write clean, interesting copy, adhere to stringent deadlines, and be able to work both independently as well as part of a team are required. Qualifications: ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄
The successful candidate will hold a diploma or degree in journalism from an accredited Canadian college or university. The reporter must have his or her own transportation, which will be a reliable vehicle.
The reporter shall be expected to write from 10 to 15 stories per week. The reporter may also be asked to contribute to special sections. ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄
Reporters are expected to follow all CP style conventions. Taking an active role in initiating story ideas and generating feature stories Flexibility to work evenings, weekends or overtime as the job demands Ability to meet tight deadlines and work constructively as part of a newsroom team
Interested candidates should email a cover letter, resume and one or two work samples, to: Mark Gentili Managing Editor editor@northernlife.ca Phone calls will not be accepted. Applications from out-of-country will not be accepted. Only candidates of interest will be contacted.
PUBLISHER REQUIRED
Want to be your own boss but can’t afford to buy? Our community-owned publishing company, located in southwestern Ontario, 20 minutes from the sands of Lake Huron, is seeking a creative, energetic, commited individual to succeed the founding publisher. We operate a community newspaper serving two villages of 1,000 each, a farm magazine of 13,000 circulation and a tourist publication. For an information contact Keith Roulston, President, North Huron Publishing Company Inc. P.O. Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0, call 519-523-4792 or email editor@stopsalonglakehuron.com
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TECHNOLOGY
FIX MY PROBLEMS!
KEVIN ANSWERS THE TOUGHEST TECH QUESTIONS FROM READERS BY KEVIN SLIMP INSTITUTE OF NEWSPAPER TECHNOLOGY From Walt in Kentucky
I haven’t pulled out the mail bag in a while. Let’s see what readers have on their minds these days:
Hi Kevin, Thanks for a great presentation in Lexington over the weekend. Now I need your opinion.
Let’s start with a text from Tammy in Minnesota Kevin, we need your help! We just received 20 files saved in the PDF/A standard. Our preflight won’t even work with them. Can we trust a PDF/A file?
We end up having to do a lot of ‘work arounds’ because our software is several years old. Would you recommend replacing with Macs or changing over to the more affordable PCs to run new versions of the Creative Suite? Or is it feasible to upgrade the software on our older Macs and replace the graphic designer’s Power PC G5?
I haven’t been to Minnesota in a long time, so I went the extra mile for Tammy. I asked her to e-mail the two files to me, so I could look at them. At first glance everything seemed OK with the files. Having been around this block a few times, I knew better than to trust a first glance.
Walt, we’ve known each other for a longtime and you know I wouldn’t steer you wrong.
You see, the PDF/A standard is meant for files that are going to be archived, not printed. So there’s a pretty good chance that the files will cause a problem when placed on a newspaper page. To be sure Tammy didn’t have problems with her files, I opened them in Photoshop at a resolution of 1000, saved them as EPS files, then ran them through Acrobat Distiller using my normal settings, but with one difference. I changed the downsampling for both colour and gray images to 600 (they were originally set for 200) for images above 600.
Stick with the Macs. I have no problems with groups that decide to use PCs to produce their publications. It’s their money and their newspapers. However, when it’s my money, or when a trusted colleague asks my opinion, I’m going to shoot straight with him. Stick with the Mac. In the long run, you will save a lot more money, stress and time than you will ever save with ‘cheaper computers’ on the front end. From Karen in Indiana
I wrote to Tammy and explained that from a glance her files seemed OK, but that I was sending new files that were guaranteed to work. A few minutes later, I received an email that the original files caused the InDesign file to ‘go crazy.’ She wanted to know how I fixed the files.
We just got new Macs for our office. I’m not a designer, but I do have CS3 at home on my MacBook Pro. I’m trying to figure out upgrades. While reading forums online last night, a light bulb flashed above my head, ‘Kevin will know!’
Well, Tammy, now you know.
Here are my questions for you: Can I upgrade my computer to CS4 to match our graphic artist’s computer? Can I stay on CS3 and share files with a CS4 user? Should we upgrade everybody to Apple’s Lion operating system and upgrade us all to CS5.5? Should we leave well enough alone? Thanks for sharing your expertise. I’m not reading any more stuff. I’ll go with your recommendation. Wow, that was a lot of questions, Karen. But there seemed to be a compliment in there, so I’ll do my best to answer them all. First, it will be a disaster if you use different versions of Adobe Creative Suite and you share files on a regular basis. It’s possible, but a pain. So, if you share files very often, you all need to be on the same version.
Open PDFs in Photoshop at a high resolution and save it as an EPS, before converting to PDF.
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TECHNOLOGY
The only version being sold now is CS 5.5 (CS 6 may be out by the time some readers read this) and Adobe doesn’t sell older versions of its software, which means you can’t upgrade to CS4 because it’s not being sold. So if you want to transfer files between computers on a regular basis, it would be best if you were both on the same version of Creative Suite.
can be causing this problem, and is there a solution other than updating the rest of the computers? There’s an easy fix for this, Carla. When you go to place a text file on the page, click on the ‘Show Import Options’ box in InDesign’s Place dialogue box (after selecting the text file to place).
As far as Lion goes, it’s fine. All operating systems are problematic when they first come out, but the driver issues and bugs are generally cleaned up after a few months. I’ve written about how to set up your PDF printer driver in Lion, so you can create PDF files the way you always have. Other than possibly needing a new printer or scanner driver, that should take care of most of your Lion issues.
You will see a new window appear with options for text files. This allows you to tell InDesign if the text file was created on a Windows-based computer or a Mac. Set this correctly and the disappearing glyphs will appear as they should.
From Carla in Tennessee Hi Kevin, When we lay out our newspaper, all of our stories are in ‘text only.’ When they are placed on our pages the apostrophes, dashes, quotation marks, etc. are left off. Most of these articles are from older versions of Microsoft Word. Can you tell us what
KEVIN SLIMP serves as the director of the Institute of Newspaper Technology. He is a faculty member of the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information and makes his home in Knoxville, Tennessee. Kevin’s insight on technology is highly sought after at various industry events across North America. www.kevinslimp.com
Make Money with Network Classifieds OCNA’s Network Classified Advertising is an easy way for you to earn additional revenue. Upsell your retail and classified advertisers and earn a 35% commission. An All Ontario 25-word ad is $475. You earn $166.25 each time you upsell your client into the program. 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, Sports. Spread the word to draw more people »Help Wanted – Trades and other positions that individuals would relocate or commute to should be advertised here
Contact OCNA Network Classified Coordinator Susana Czyrnek for full details at s.czyrnek@ocna.org or 1-800-387-7982 ext 230. March 2012
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March 2012
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