Bulletin THE
News and information for the Wisconsin newspaper industry
... among the world’s oldest press associations
November/December 2013
WNA members share holiday spirit in communities
There are many ways Wisconsin Newspaper Association members are sharing and spreading holiday cheer in our communities this year. We’ve listed just a small sampling of the generous efforts underway this Christmas season in Wisconsin below. Want to share the story of how your newspaper gives back? Tell us what your newspaper is up to (email Mary.Callen@WNAnews.com) and we’ll tell your story, too! Keeping kids warm Donations to Warm The Children, a program to provide winter clothing to qualified families and sponsored by the Vilas County NewsReview, have been steadily coming in and are almost one-quarter to goal, according to NewsReview Publisher Kurt Krueger. Because the program is in its 17th year, local parents are aware it exists and have hopes to obtain warm clothing for their children. The News-Review picks up all administrative fees and every donation, no matter how large or small, is greatly appreciated.
Filling food pantries Gannett Wisconsin Media markets have established a total goal of $659,000 for the 2013 “Stock the Shelves” Do It! Community Challenge. The fundraising effort will help more
than 90 food pantries and programs. Read more >> http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20131012/ GPG0101/310120520
These floats cost thousands of dollars and are built to last years. Hundreds of hours of donated labor and time go into making each float and costume. There is no advertising on the floats, no political messages, just good family fun.
A new gift for Christmas The Wisconsin State Journal Empty Stocking Club, a symbol of Madison’s generosity since 1918, opens its annual fund drive today.
The Waukesha Freeman is among sponsors of the Waukesha Christmas Parade, set for Sunday, Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. The parade is in its 51st year. Community artists The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel began a tradition six years ago by offering readers the gift of art on Christmas Day. In the space normally reserved for the top news of the day, we present readers with a work of art by a Wisconsin artist.
The club will provide new Christmas gifts to more than 10,000 children from more than 4,000 families this year. The goal of the club is to assure that no child, no matter how needy, goes without at least one new Christmas gift. The money to purchase those gifts comes mostly from contributions from State Journal readers and friends. The Empty Stocking Club is one of Madison’s oldest and most treasured charities. It began in 1918 when families of the newspaper’s staff collected old toys and distributed them to needy families. Read more >> http://host.madison.com/special-section/ empty_stocking_club/ Christmas Parades Led by Publisher Carol O’Leary, The Tribune-Phonograph in Abbotsford has worked with local businesses to host the Annual Christmas Parade in downtown Abbotsford. The 2013 parade, set for Dec. 7, will mark the event’s 43rd year.
The tradition will continue for 2013 as the paper is seeking an image appropriate for Christmas Day and made by a Wisconsin artist, living or dead. The artworks should be paintings, prints or drawings. We are not accepting photographs or images of three-dimensional artworks. Read more >> Front page of the Christmas Day Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2012.
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/ Nominate-art-for-the-Christmas-Day-frontpage-232073821.html#ixzz2l8EkyNUJ
This isn’t your typical parade with tractors, candy and politicians. The parade committee builds and owns all of the costumes and floats.
Tri-County News (Kiel) publishes Christmas and New Years Greetings in a Holiday Kids’ Album. Children are encouraged to submit drawings for publication.
Partnership will deliver multimedia press releases The Wisconsin Newspaper Association is one of 25 U.S. press associations to partner with California-based GistCloud to distribute locally targeted news releases. GistCloud Wisconsin will offer customers a new online platform to issue targeted releases that include text, photos, logos, videos, audio, web links and more. The easy-to-use electronic format puts all of the information for a brief or story at a reporter’s fingertips. Wisconsin.gistcloud.com will allow customers to enhance the standard, text-based releases that WNA currently distributes through its WisconsinNewsTracker.com service. Customers purchasing GistCloud Wisconsin releases have the option to include video, audio, docu–ments, logos, photos, websites and social media links. “The GistCloud Wisconsin service offers a level of sophistication and options that will benefit not only communication professionals, but newspapers,” WNA Media Services Director Denise Guttery said. “The format offers multimedia content to use across platforms, giving more options to meet journalists’ requirements for news and it also improves the exposure of companies using the service.” Editors can expect to see releases from GistCloud Wisconsinin their email inboxes, and reporters will be able to sign up to receive releases associated with their beats (more details on this to come). Newspapers are under no obligation to use press releases from GistCloud Wisconsin, Guttery said. Revenue created from Wisconsin Newspaper Association Services, Inc. is used to enhance and expand offerings to the WNA membership. GistCloud is a Redwood City, Calif.-based company that provides a suite of multimedia communication tools and press release distribution methods.