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THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER
Bremerton Patriot closes doors Page 4
March 2017
Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
HB 1315 opens door to online legal ads q To comment on this bill, go to leg.wa.gov and search under bill information
A legislative proposal in Olympia this session has proposed that certain legal advertisements be posted online, without submitting them first to a legal newspaper of record. HB 1315, which deals with impounding livestock, advocates placing the notice of impounded animals on a website if no daily newspaper is available in the county where the animal was corralled. Although relatively small in its application, Allied Daily Newspapers and WNPA oppose any efforts to dilute the system in place by statute today, which requires governments to place legal notices in newspapers first. “We don’t want this to be an example for a succession of bills that slowly deal newspapers out of the legal advertisement process,” said Fred Obee, Executive Director of WNPA. “The process in place now assures that legal notices get the broad distribution everyone wants, while providing independent confirmation that governments are living up to their obligations to inform the public.” Two years ago, WNPA and See HB 1315, Page 4
Attorney General Bob Ferguson addresses members of WNPA and Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington on Legislative Day. Ferguson was just one of many state officials who met with the publishers, editors and reporters.
Officials address budget, education, Trump travel ban
An independent news media is critcally important to our democracy, especially now, in an era of “fake news” and wildly inaccurate social media posts, Gov. Jay Inslee told members of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association and Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington. Inslee made the comments Feb. 23 in Olympia during Legislative Day, an annual event where state officials brief the state’s newspaper associations. “It’s really a problem,” Inslee said. “Your success as an industry is more and more important.” On the state budget, Inslee said he is the only one so far to show how he would pay for the big increase in education spending required by the McCleary decision. In that case, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled the state is failing in its responsibility to fund basic education. The Legislature See REPORT, Page 2
Gov. Jay Inslee addressed the crowd before jetting to Washington D.C. for the national governor’s conference.
REPORT: Travel ban, healthcare discussed
Continued from Page 1
must fully fund basic education this session to comply with the court’s orders. Inslee’s plan calls for a new carbon tax, an adjustment in the state’s business and occupation tax and a capital gains tax. Even without tax increases, revenue projections show the state will have about $2.5 billion in additional tax revenues to spend from existing revenue sources over the next biennium. All of that will go toward satisfying educational requirements. Attorney General Bob Ferguson followed Inslee and spoke of his office’s successful challenge to President Trump’s travel ban. Ferguson challenged the ban, he said, because he saw real harm being done to Washington State residents. The fact that it was challenging President Trump wasn’t a consideration on whether to move forward or not, Ferguson said. Ferguson praised Solicitor General Noah Purcell, who made the oral arguments in the case. Later that night at dinner in the Governor’s Mansion, Purcell said he was surprised when he learned audio of the argument would be streamed to news organizations. “Who’s going to listen to that?” he said he thought at the time. The oral arguments were streamed live in their entirety over several cable news channels, the New York Times and many other outlets. Insurance commissioner Mike Kreidler said his office is preparing for any changes the federal government might make in the Affordable Care Act. He added that the uncertainty surrounding the law known as Obamacare is problematic for the insurance industry. Many must know by early spring if changes are going to be made so 2018 coverages and prices can be set in time for the new year. Secretary of State Kim Wyman said she’s hoping the Legislature approves a new archive building so the important documents that record the state’s history can be adequately preserved.
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: 360-344-2938. Email: fredobee@wnpa.com 2 The Washington Newspaper March 2017
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Getting a closeup look at the issues even as they are being thrashed out By Don Nelson Taking part in Legislative Day at the state capital last week was gratifying on a number of levels. The event, organized by WNPA and Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington, brings together publishers and editors Nelson from around the state to hear direct reports from our elected and appointed government leaders, as they work their way through another issue-packed session. Among the speakers were Gov. Jay Inslee, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Auditor Pat McCarthy, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, Secretary of State Kim Wyman, Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, Lieutenant Gov. Cyrus Habib and Chief John Batiste of the Washington State Patrol. Personally, I would have also appreciated hearing from Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, who wasn’t on the agenda. Legislative leaders from both houses, and both parties, took time out of their demanding days (between hearings, for the most part) to bring us up to date on Olympia’s hottest topics. It couldn’t have been more topical. Many of the issues the politicians discussed were being thrashed out in real time, across the street at the Capitol building or in hearing rooms scattered around the Olympia campus. We were hearing about things almost
as they happened, or were altered, or were consigned to legislative oblivion. A closeup look at the party-line battle over how to meet the state’s mandate to adequately fund public education was in itself educational. The legislative report from our lobbyist, Rowland Thompson, was as insightful, instructive and amusing as always (Rowland’s quick, dry wit is a nice antidote to the serious nature of legislation that could potentially affect our industry negatively). His connections to state leaders at every level are invaluable to us. Being there for even a day was an enlightening reminder that what goes on in Olympia is not just the sum of news reports that we may browse. Wheels are turning, and people are making them turn, every day. It’s a slog for legislators and journalists alike, but one we must pay attention to. The day literally put human faces on the decisionmakers. Reading about the Legislature for the past few days, I’ve recognized the names of lawmakers who appeared before us. Watching TV reports from the capital, I recognized some of the players. The politicians knew their audience, to be sure. Over and over we heard how valuable we are to our constituents and how vital a free press is to the preservation of democracy. It was nice, if predictable, to hear. I came away with the impression that while we’re not always liked, we are for the most part admired and appreciated. No one in
Olympia called us the “enemy of the people.” We also got some appreciation of the hard work that our WNPA interns are taking on in covering a huge amount of territory in a way that is helpful to our membership. I also found time drop in on the state senator who represents the Methow Valley and spend a few minutes chatting in his office. Face time never hurts. Legislative Day always ends with dinner at the governor’s mansion, but this year Inslee was not able to make it because of a commitment in the other Washington. But his standin, Solicitor General Noah Purcell, was a highlight of the day. Purcell represented the state’s successful challenge to the Trump administration’s executive order on immigration. He was engaging, self-effacing and informative about the processes and philosophies behind the state’s legal efforts. As always, it was great to see colleagues from around the state and catch up on things, if only for a few minutes. My favorite aspect of this business has always been getting to know and working with such dedicated people, and sharing a vision of our role in society. Such gatherings help to validate the work we do every day in our own communities, and there’s nothing wrong with a little validation. Don Nelson is Publisher of the Methow Valley News and this year’s WNPA president.
LEGISLATIVE DAY 2017
Photo by Phillip Watness, Skamania County Pioneer
WNPA legislative interns (above) enjoy the reception at the Supreme Court during Legislative Day. From left are Grace Swanson, Tim Gruver, Enrique Perez De La Rosa and Matt Spaw. At right, Solicitor General Noah Purcell talks about the challenge to President Trump’s travel ban, and below, Supreme Court justices mix with journalists before dinner at the Governor’s mansion. Photo by Phillip Watness, Skamania County Pioneer
The Washington Newspaper March 2017 3
Sound Publishing closes the Bremerton Patriot BREMERTON — The Bremerton Patriot published its final edition on Feb. 24. Kitsap Weekly, a countywide publication with a circulation of nearly 60,000, will continue to be distributed on Fridays in Bremerton as a standalone publication. Readers currently receiving the Bremerton Patriot can sign up to receive home delivery of the Central Kitsap Reporter for $25 per year by calling our circulation department at 1-888-8383000. The Central Kitsap Reporter was founded in 1983 and was one of the first newspapers owned by Sound Publishing in Kitsap County. Bremerton and Central Kitsap are also covered by KitsapDailyNews.com. “Our commitment to Kitsap County and Bremerton remains unchanged,” Kitsap News Group Regional Publisher Terry Ward said. “Last fall, we launched KitsapDailyNews. com and will continue to provide focused, local
Bremerton coverage on this growing news site. Our goal is to refocus our efforts and resources to better serve readers and advertisers.” There will be no staffing reductions. The news group publishes two daily online editions (KitsapDailyNews. com and BainbridgeReview.com), five Friday print editions (Bainbridge Island Review, Central Kitsap Reporter, Kitsap Weekly, North Kitsap Herald and Port Orchard Independent), one monthly print edition (Kingston Community News), two annual almanacs (North Kitsap Almanac and Bainbridge Island Almanac) and numerous specialty publications, including Discover Kitsap, Kitsap Living, Northwest Chronicle and ‘Tis the Season. The Bremerton Patriot was established in 1999, the successor to the Bremerton Progress, an earlier Sound Publishing newspaper. Over the years, the Patriot won awards for news reporting, feature writing and news
and feature photography; and became known for its annual Best of Bremerton contest. One of the Patriot’s best-known employees was the late H. Emily Moshay, a tireless booster of Bremerton. As the Patriot’s public relations representative from 2000-08, she championed the “Positively Bremerton” campaign. In 2016, the Patriot published a series of stories on the 125th anniversary of Bremerton’s founding as a community, and published a keepsake special section on the 125th anniversary of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. “We’re proud of the Patriot’s years of service to Bremerton, and each edition we published will continue to serve as a record of the life of the community,” said Donna Etchey, general manager. “By refocusing our resources, we can raise the level of journalism we provide in Central, South and North Kitsap.” (This story ran in the Patriot’s final issue.)
FROM OUR FILES Henry Gay, former owner of the Shelton Mason County Journal, poses in his cluttered office. Gay took over the Journal in the 1960s and over several decades built a reputation as a tough minded journalist who skewered hyopcrites wherever he found them. He remained at the helm in Shelton until his death in 1999.
HB 1315: Bill opens door to online legals Continued from Page 1
Allied Daily Newspapers took an important step in protecting print newspapers when it created wapublicnotices.com, a site designed to serve as a central database for all of Washington State’s public notices. All newspapers, daily and weekly, contribute to the site, which is managed and controlled by WNPA. WNPA members believe it is imperative newspapers remain the primary provider of vital government information. That’s why it asks all newspapers in the state of Washington to upload
their legal advertisements to this statewide site. There is a small charge to help support the site – 10 cents per legal. But that is a very small price to keep legal advertisements in our print newspapers where readers expect to find them. It’s not just about money. Often overlooked by critics is the fact that newspapers perform a crucial role of independently verifying that governments are performing the outreach to the public that is required by law. The specter of legal ads vanishing from print publications is very real. Many states, counties and munici-
palities across the nation are arguing for the end of the required publication of public notices in newspapers in favor of online publication. To get ahead of the curve in Washington, we reached out to the Illinois Press Association ato provide Washington State newspapers with Washington’s public notice site. This effort will protect legal advertisements in newspapers, but only if newspapers statewide consistently upload their legal advertisements to the site. To learn more contact Obee at fredobee@wnpa. com or call 360-344-2938. The Washington Newspaper March 2017 4
WNPA JOB BOARD
GRAPHIC DESIGNER/LAYOUT The Newport and Gem State Miner Newspapers in Newport, Wash., is seeking a full-time graphic designer. The job includes advertisement design, special project design and layout, newspaper layout, website maintenance, and photo editing. Applicant must be proficient in Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. A well-organized team player is a must. The Miner Newspaper is an award winning weekly publication covering two counties, four school districts, seven towns, and two states. Small, fun staff and beautiful office space. Newport is a quaint small town in the northeastern corner of Washington state, sitting right on the Washington/Idaho Border. One hour drive from Spokane. Enjoy all four seasons, lots of recreation opportunities, amazing wildlife and natural beauty. Email cover letter and resume to michellenewportminer@gmail.com.
Weekend is published every Thursday and focuses coverage on the southwest Washington and the North Coast of Oregon. We are looking for an enthusiastic leader who is detail-minded, has an eye for design and can write and produce sparkling story packages, nurture and recruit freelance writers and columnists, link content to an active website and social media. You will work with our Design Studio on the weekly section and our in-house production team on the magazine. Full time with benefits including paid leave, health care and retirement plan. Send resume, six or more clips showcasing your writing and design skills, and letter of interest to: EO Media Group, P.O. Box 2048, Salem, OR 97308-2048, by fax to 503-371-2935 or e-mail hr@eomediagroup. com
CREATIVE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER The Whidbey News Times, a twice-weekly newspaper in Coupeville on beautiful Whidbey Island, WA, is seeking a full-time Creative CREATIVE JOURNALIST Manager. Duties include: The Daily Astoleading a small staff of rian, one of the Pacific artists; scheduling; ad Northwest’s best small design; designing promonewspapers, has a rare opportunity for a creative tional materials; internal/ external customer service, journalist with strong and; meeting all deadlines. editing and writing skills Requires strong communiand an eye for design. cation skills and an ability The job involves coordito work in a fast-paced, nating coverage, almost exclusively by freelancers, deadline-oriented environment. Experience with and overseeing design Adobe Creative Suite, for Coast Weekend, a InDesign, Photoshop, weekly tabloid arts and Illustrator and Acrobat lifestyle entertainment magazine, Weekend Break strongly preferred, as is media experience. You news section as well as will work independently for Our Coast, an annual magazine with broad as well as part of a team. circulation throughout the We offer a great work environment, health benefits, Pacific Northwest. Coast 5 The Washington Newspaper March 2017
401k, paid holidays, vacation and sick time. Please e-mail resume, cover letter, and a few samples of your work to: careers@ soundpublishing.com. Sound Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. Visit our website at www.soundpublishing.com to learn more about us! (Posted Feb. 7, 2017) EDITOR The Sun Tribune is actively recruiting for an Editor to join our leadership team. This full-time position is responsible for the overall editorial direction of the Sun Tribune (weekly newspaper) and Basin Business Journal (monthly tab). The Sun Tribune, a weekly legal newspaper in Adams Co., focuses on hyper local news and events in the communities of Othello, Royal City and Mattawa. Coverage includes city and county government, schools, local sports and community events across all three areas. The Basin Business Journal is a monthly agriculture-focused print product that is directly mailed to over 16,000 homes, ag-businesses and farms across several rural postal routes throughout several counties in central Washington. It is the area’s No. 1 source for local agricultural news. The ideal candidate will have: 3-5+ years experience as an editor of a print publication. A bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field. 3-5+ years experience in agriculture, either pro-
fessionally or personally. Experience with photography and photojournalism. Editorial experience in community journalism covering municipalities, schools and local sports. Experience managing an editorial team. A passion for journalism and readership engagement. Exceptional AP style writing. A willingness to actively engage with all three communities. The Sun Tribune is under the Columbia Basin Publishing Co. umbrella. CBP publishes numerous print newspapers (daily and weekly), in addition to annual magazines and specialty products and tabs. Our vision of connecting community and commerce through print and digital media drives our success in both revenue and readership. Our digital footprint includes multiple news websites, in addition to cuttingedge digital marketing products and platforms. Compensation ranges between $40,000 to $55,000 annually, depending on qualifications. Must have a valid driver’s license. Hiring is dependent on a background check. Position includes a competitive benefits package with health, vision and dental coverage, annual vacation and sick leave and a 401k with a company match up to a certain threshold. Visit www.columbiabasinherald.com for additional company information. To apply, email your cover letter, resume and references to Eric LaFontaine at elafontaine@columbiabasinherald.com. No phone calls please.
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