TWN Happy New Year!
THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER
Interns descend on Olympia Page 2
January 2017
Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
MEMBER PROFILE
LaConner Weekly News turns 10
Just a short walk from Swinomish Channel and its bustling, waterfront business district is the office of the LaConner Weekly News. The staff consists of just three people, but with the help of some freelancers, and a lot of effort, they have put out an 8 to 10 page broadsheet weekly every week for the last 10 years. Co-Publisher and editor Sandy Stokes is joined on the staff by Co-Publisher and General Manager Cindy Vest, and Kane Stokes, who helps with both ads and news. “We figure we are in virtually every household,” Sandy said. The paper’s circulation is 1,500 and LaConner officially puts the number of homes at 1,300. Delivery is by mail and on newsstands around town. Sandy says about 60 percent of the papers sold each week are mailed to subscribers. Newsstand sales account for the balance. Sandy likes the broadsheet format. She has even stayed with the wider web, instead of switching to the narrower 22 inch web most papers now use. “Bigger is better,” Sandy said. The paper is printed by Sound
Sandy Stokes and Kane Stokes pose for a photo in their office in LaConner. is designed to stall any efforts by Publishing in Everett. government officials to move leThe LaConner Weekly News gal advertisements out of printed keeps local readers informed by newspapers. publishing local news and the The LaConner Weekly News legal advertisements for Skagit has an e-edition. A full subscripCounty and the Town of LaContion to the print newspaper is $35 ner. a year. The e-edition is $25. That’s important at any With the help of WNPA small paper, both for the modest hotline attorney Michele Earlrevenues the ads bring in, and Hubbard, Sandy three years because readers turn to legals to learn about governnment actions ago filed a suit against the local fire district to get them to and business opportunities complay with public meeting The paper participates in WNPA’s Public Notice Washing- and records laws. They are behaving much better now, ton State website by uploading Sandy said. their legals each week. The site
Injunction stops implementation of overtime rules By Tonda Rush Director/Public Policy and General Counsel | NNA On the eve of the first payrolls governed by changes in the Wage and Hour laws, community newspapers got a reprieve from a harsh new rule dictated by the U.S. Department of Labor. A federal court judge in Texas, Amos L. Mazzant III, issued a temporary injunction preventing an increase in the exempt salary threshold from going into effect on Dec. 1. The industry was in the midst of recalculating scores of payroll plans, trimming salaried employees and moving many people previously classified as profes-
sionals into time-clock jobs. The changes resulted from a Labor Department decree last May that doubled the salary required to consider employees exempt from the overtime laws. The new rule increased the salary levels from $455 per week to $921 per week. National Newspaper Association President Matthew Paxton IV, publisher of The News-Gazette in Lexington, VA, welcomed the ruling. He said: “The dramatic increase in the salary requirements put community newspapers and their professional staff into a bind. Although NNA had supported a timely adjustment in the salary
See RULES, Page 4
Save the date: Legislative Day set for Feb. 23 in Olympia Members of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association and Allied Daily Newspapers will descend on the state capital on Feb. 23 for Legislative Day. Schedules are being finalized now. First, attendees will get a briefing from appointed and elected state officials about issues they
facing the state. Following the briefing, attedees move to the Temple of Justic for a reception with State Supreme Court justices. The day concludes with a dinner with Gov. Jay Inslee at the Governor’s Mansion. Times, precise schedules and registion information will be available soon at wnpa.com.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Gruver
Perez De La Rosa
Spaw
Swanson
Interns preparing for Olympia session
The Olympia News Bureau sponsored by WNPA and in collaboration with the University of Washington, is ready to start reporting on legislative affairs when the Washington State Legislature convenes Jan. 9. Coordinating Editor Frank Garred once again is spearheading the effort. He is joined by Andrea Otanez from the University of Washington and a number of mentors who will guide the reporting of the students. Stories will be distributed by email as they are completed, but the bulk will go out Monday and Thursday mornings. The WNPA interns are: Enrique Perez De La Rosa: He is a journalism and creative writing student at the University of Washington from Kent, and was raised in the southwest and in Mexico. He studies Portuguese and Spanish, writes reviews of local theatre produc-
tions and hosts a radio show on UW’s Rainy Dawg Radio. Tim Gruver: For the better part of this year, Tim has been a freelance writer for a host of local online and print publications, from the Northwest Asian Weekly to the Seattle Globalist. He’s been a writer on the University of Washington Daily. Matt Spaw: Matt is a senior graduating at the end of my winter quarter with a major in journalism and a minor in political science. Last year, he was an intern at Crosscut, where he covered Seattle area politics. Grace Swanson: Grace participated in the Communications Honors Program, has been a blogger and was an intern at the South Whidbey Record. She also was editor of the Edmonds Community College newspaper, the Triton Review, and in 2012, interned for Sen. Maria Cantwell.
Officers: Don Nelson, President; Sandy Stokes, First Vice President; Michael Wagar, Second Vice President; Keven Graves, Past President. Trustees: Sara Bruestle, Eric LaFontaine, Donna Etchey, Scott Hunter and Bill Shaw. THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER is the offical publication of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. It is published monthly by WNPA, PO Box 389, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Staff: Fred Obee: Executive Director: 360-515-5239. Email: fredobee@wnpa.com 2 The Washington Newspaper January 2017
Be it resolved: Time to commit to improvements in New Year By Don Nelson I’m not much of a fan of New Year’s resolutions, or prognosticating about the coming 12 months. Besides, I defy anyone to confidently predict what to expect in 2017. As weird as 2016 was, I suspect things are about to get even stranger. That said, I think it’s safe Nelson to commit to a few resolutions related to WNPA. It’s going to be another busy year. We’ll continue to bring order and stability to the organization’s financial records, and produce reliable budget reports that give us a practical understanding of how we’re doing, and what else we might need to do. Fred and CJ (and Marcia previously) have been tireless in reconstructing our financials, and developing revenue and spending projections that give us confidence in where we stand. We’ll develop a compelling program for the 2017 annual convention in Olympia. Under the leadership of Michael Wagar, the convention committee is already hard at work coming up with sponsors, topics, speakers
and other possibilities for our most important annual event. There is still plenty of time to incorporate your ideas for a great meeting. The advertising and editorial committees haven’t gotten much traction yet, but we assure you they will in the new year. We will keep reminding you about the new Pinnacle Award, a $1,000 cash prize to the top WNPA 2x2 classified sales person. We’ll be represented and visible at Legislative Day on Feb. 23. It’s hard to overstate the importance of our presence at the Capitol to lend support and credence to our legislative agenda and our hard-working supporters. The reception with the Supreme Court justices, followed by dinner at the governor’s mansion, are like a bonus at the end of the day. Please attend if you can. We’re working hard on getting the Better Newspaper Contest set up, reviewing the entry categories, circulation divisions and other details to determine what changes, if any, make sense. Participation in the BNC contest is important to our members to recognize their excellent work, and vital to the organization’s bottom line. We want to make it as attractive and manageable as we can to encourage entries. More
information will be on its way soon. There are a couple of board vacancies that we will fill as quickly as possible with committed members who are willing to devote their spare time (insert ironic laughter here) to helping direct WNPA’s growth. We’re working on that. The board meets three times a year in addition to the annual convention, and also convenes by phone/Internet whenever necessary. It remains an ongoing goal to increase membership, and to find ways to legitimately expand our membership parameters to include journalists who operate in the same community journalism sphere. As always, we are open to and encourage your thoughts, suggestions and creativity in helping forge WNPA’s path forward. The legitimate news media at all levels are facing historic challenges – financial, societal and political – and our commitment as an organization to the highest principles of community journalism will strengthen all of our individual efforts. And, a Happy New Year to you all. Don Nelson is the Publisher of the Methow Valley News and this year’s WNPA president.
Summer internships available from WNPA A limited number of internships that pay a $1,500 stipend are available this summer through the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. The deadline for applications is Feb. 24, 2017. To apply, students should send a resume, five or six clips, and an essay detailing why they want to work at a community newspaper to WNPA Executive Director Fred Obee at fredobee@wnpa. com. This internship must be served at a member
newspaper of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. Students must make their own arrangements for the internship by contacting WNPA-member newspapers where they would like to be an intern. For more information and details, contact Obee at fredobee@wnpa.com or by calling (360) 3442938. Funding for these internships was raised at the WNPA Foundation’s convention auction last October in Wenatchee.
FROM OUR FILES
Boys will be...well, you know
Titled “A refreshing break,” this photo by Mike Bainter of the Federal Way News captured a classic moment in a boyhood summer and won a first place in WNPA’s 1982 Better Newspaper Contest in the feature photography category.
Whidbey Examiner to cease publication
The Whidbey Examiner, published weekly for the last 22 years in Coupeville on Whidbey Island, will cease publication Jan. 19. Whidbey News Group Publisher Keven Graves made the announcement in an editorial Jan. 4 in the Examiner. Ironically, Graves was one of the five people who originally started the paper. “Journalism was our calling, and we wanted to make a difference through our reporting. And that, I believe, was accomplished by the staff throughout the years, earning industry awards for local coverage, editorials and design. The paper became a point of pride for Coupeville, a part of its unique and special identity,” Graves wrote. The original five owners sold the paper to Kasia Pierzga, and she sold the paper to Sound Publishing in 2012. Since that time, the paper has shared staff members and office space with the Whidbey News-Times in Coupeville. Graves said that despite efforts to keep the newspaper going, ultimately people
in the Coupeville area chose the larger Whidbey NewsTimes or South Whidbey Record for its local news and advertising. He wrote.: “Readership for The Examiner dipped while subscriber numbers for the News-Times and The Record soared during each quarter of 2016. In fact, subscriber numbers for those two papers rebounded to levels not seen in years. We also saw merchants on Central Whidbey increasingly opting to advertise in the News-Times and The Record. “When The Examiner was launched in 1994, it was with the full backing of the community, but the community has changed and evolved. The Internet brought increased competition for advertising dollars. At one point or another, the notion of trying something different — whether or not it offers verifiable circulation or covers any sort of real news — proved alluring to some. “The Examiner was no longer perceived as the shiny penny, nor as the mighty underdog. “Ultimately, you cannot
force a community to support its newspaper. Businesses cannot be forced to place ads. Readers cannot be mandated to subscribe or pick up their local paper at the newsstands. Without that support, a newspaper doesn’t stand a chance. “Thus the decision to cease publication of The Examiner, and this letter to our most loyal readers and advertisers. Although The Examiner will no longer be published, it will continue to live through its sister newspapers. Our commitment to Coupeville won’t change. We will be covering the same news, features, events, meetings and sports. “To reflect the unique identity of Coupeville, we are introducing designated pages in both our Wednesday and Saturday editions of the News-Times dedicated to Central Whidbey coverage,” Graves wrote. Current subscribers of The Examiner will see their subscriptions moved over to the News-Times or The Record, depending on where they live on Central Whidbey. The Washington Newspaper January 2017 3
RULES: Sweeping changes delayed for now Continued from Page 1
levels, we had hoped for something that was realistic in today’s slow economy. “We had also asked the Labor Department to respect wide-ranging regional living standards and the need for people covering the news to have flexibility in their schedules. Since the department’s disappointing decision, we have worked hard to educate people on Capitol Hill that the ruling would have unintended consequences for our staff. People who used to be on salary, for example, were finding themselves reclassified as hourly workers, and facing the prospect of much reduced paychecks during slow seasons. We are happy that the judge recognized the impact of the new rule on the workforce and businesses. Now we want the Labor Department to reassess, and make more modest changes in the law.” The escalation of the exempt salary, which the DOL called necessary because it had not adjusted the salary levels since 2004, sent many newspapers into a tailspin. Editors who previously had flexibility in hours and the ability to govern their coverage by their own professional mandates found themselves forced into a 40-hour week and considered non-exempt employees. The new rule also affected state governments and many other industries. In September, a consortium of state governments led by Nevada and businesses organized
by the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sued the Labor Department. That lawsuit led to the Nov. 22 ruling that stayed the implementation of the new rule. At issue in the case was whether the Labor Department had the authority to make such sweeping changes in a law that Congress had written, according to the court, to set up white-collar jobs as outside the overtime rules. Congress had made many exceptions to the overtime requirement, Mazzant said. A critical exemption was for the “EAP” category of workers—executives, administrators and professionals. Mazzant examined the meaning of the EAP category in the Fair Labor Standards Act. He said: “After reading the plain meanings together with the statute, it is clear Congress intended the EAP exemption to apply to employees doing actual executive, administrative, and professional duties. In other words, Congress defined the EAP exemption with regard to duties, which does not include a minimum salary level. The statute’s use of ‘bona fide’ also confirms Congress’s intent. ‘Bona fide’ modifies the terms ‘executive, administrative, and professional capacity.’ The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘bona fide’ as ‘[i]n good faith, with sincerity; genuinely.’ The plain meaning of ‘bona fide’ and its placement in the statute indicate Congress intended the EAP exemption to apply
based upon the tasks an employee actually performs. Therefore, Congress unambiguously expressed its intent for employees doing ‘bona fide executive, administrative, and professional capacity’ duties to be exempt from overtime …. (t)he Department exceeds its delegated authority and ignores Congress’s intent by raising the minimum salary level such that it supplants the duties test.” The Labor Department had opposed an injunction, and argued that if the judge were to halt the rule, his injunction had to be nationwide to prevent harm for the states and industries in the case. He decreed that his injunction would stay in place until a full court review could be completed. The Labor Department could immediately seek a review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to overturn Mazzant’s injunction. However, the incoming Trump administration has already declared its intent to change the rule. A new Secretary of Labor could decide to withdraw an appeal while the agency considers a revision of the rule. For newspapers, the bottom line is that the old rules for overtimeeligible employees remain in effect until a court rules otherwise. So an employee earning less than $455 per week or not qualifying under the EAP exception remains overtime eligible. Employees with salary in excess of the $455 per week and qualifying under one of the white-
collar exceptions remain exempt from overtime. NNA has held two webinars on its Pub Aux Live! platform, and has been responding to questions from members through its Federal Laws Hotline. Responses from member newspapers have indicated great concern about the implementation of the new rule and the effects both
on employee morale and news coverage. Newspapers were rethinking policies ranging from monitoring police radios after hours to sending employees to state events to win awards. Publishers were counseled in early fall to begin charting hours for any employee who might be in the range for new overtime eligibility,
so that changes in policy could be implemented. Although the Texas ruling has suspended the new rule for the time being, newspapers should remain on alert and continue their evaluations in case a new ruling is handed down. Tonda Rush can be reached at tonda@nna. org.
The Washington Newspaper January 2017 4
WNPA JOB BOARD EDUCATION/GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER The Wenatchee World, a fiveday, daily newspaper in beautiful North Central Washington, is looking for an education and general assignment reporter. Ideally, you are skilled in many areas, including reporting, writing, photography, video and working on multimedia platforms. We are a family-owned news organization committed to the success of our employees and our communities. This is a full-time position with a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, life and disability insurance, 401(k) plan and more. Please submit your cover letter, resume and clips to Cal FitzSimmons at fitzsimmons@wenatcheeworld.com. Deadline for applications is Jan 13.
Compensation includes medical, vision, life insurance, 401(k) and paid vacation. The PDN, nearly a century old, is a community-minded, family-focused local newspaper and web enterprise that is the main news provider for the North Olympic Peninsula. Check us out at www.peninsuladailynews.com. The Peninsula Daily News is part of Washington state’s largest newspaper group, Sound Publishing Inc. If you meet the above qualifications, email your resume and cover letter addressing how you fit our requirements, to careers@soundpublishing.com. No phone calls, please.
REPORTER South Clatsop County has some of the Oregon Coast’s most beautiful settings (see www. discoverourcoast.com). It also has busy, vibrant communities with year-round residents, as well as REPORTER weekend visitors. Reporter sought for Port AngeEO Media Group has an immeles staff opening with the Peninsula diate opening for a South County Daily News, a six-day a.m. newsreporter at our office in Seaside. paper on Washington’s beautiful This beat covers the communiNorth Olympic Peninsula, which includes the cities of Port Angeles, ties of Seaside, Gearhart and CanSequim, Port Townsend and Forks. non Beach, their residents, visitors, organizations and activities Bring your experience from a for The Daily Astorian and the weekly or small daily - - from the first day, you’ll be able to show off biweekly Cannon Beach Gazette the writing and photography skills and Seaside Signal. We work hard, but have fun. you’ve already acquired while We enjoy world-class restaurants, sharpening your talent with the help of veteran newsroom leaders. myriad artists and writers, robust community theaters, fantastic This is a general assignment salmon and deep-sea fishing, reporter position in which being a amazing wildlife and bird watchself-starter is required. Our circulation area covers two ing, and many other outdoor activities. Portland is 2 hours away; counties, including the VictoSeattle 3 1/2 hours. rian seaport of Port Townsend, Journalism or related degree, the sunshine town of Sequim, the plus newspaper or magazine “Twilight” country of Forks, five writing experience and social Native American tribes plus wild media skills are required. Multirivers and the “mountains to the media and photography experisea” city of Port Angeles. ence preferred. Driver’s license, We are located at the gateway good driving record and reliable to million-acre Olympic National transportation necessary. FullPark and across the Strait of Juan time position. Benefits include de Fuca from Vancouver Island paid time off (PTO), insurances and spectacular Victoria, British Columbia. Port Angeles was named and a 401(k)/Roth 401(k) retirement plan. by “New Rating Guide to Life in Send resume and letter of interAmerica’s Small Cities” as one of est to EO Media Group, PO Box the best U.S. small cities. Plus we 2048, Salem, OR 97308-2048, get half the rainfall of Seattle! 5 The Washington Newspaper January 2017
by fax to 503-371-2935 or email hr@eomediagroup.com. REPORTER The award-winning weekly newspaper, Bainbridge Island Review, on Bainbridge Island, WA, has an opening for a general assignment reporter. We want a skilled and passionate writer who isn’t afraid to tackle meaty news stories. Experience with photography and Adobe InDesign preferred. Applicants must be able to work in a team-oriented, deadline-driven environment, possess excellent writing skills, have a knowledge of community news and be able to write about multiple topics. Must relocate to Kitsap County. This is a part-time position, up to 29 hours per week, and includes paid vacation, sick and holidays. EOE. No calls please. Send resume with cover letter, three or more non-returnable clips in PDF or Text format and references to careers@soundpublishing.com REPORTER The Vidette in Montesano, Wash., has an opening for a fulltime reporter. We value enterprise and reporters who dig. We’re looking for someone to produce clear, brightly written stories relevant to real people reading us in print, on our website and in social media with a heavy emphasis on sports. Ability to take photos is a plus, as is familiarity with social media. Montesano is on the Washington Coast, an hour from the Olympic Rain Forest and two hours from Seattle. Benefits include paid vacation, sick and holidays, medical, dental and life insurance, and a 401(K) plan with company match. Send a cover letter, resume and at least 3 non-returnable writing samples to: careers@soundpublishing. com for immediate consideration. The Montesano Vidette is part of Sound Publishing; Western Washington’s largest community news organization.
Have a legal question? WNPA is ready to help If you have a question about access to public meetings or records, the WNPA staff can help. Call 360-515-5239 For questions beyond government access -- if an attorney has served you with a demand letter, or if Earl Hubbard you need emergency review of a story, letter or ad -- call or email our WNPA attorney, Michele Earl Hubbard. (206) 801-7510 or email
michele@alliedlawgroup.com