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THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER

WNPA, Allied Daily Newspapers descend on Olympia

March 2018

Page 5

Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Inslee vetos Legislature’s PRA measure After a late-night bargaining session with stakeholders and lawmakers, Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed SB 6617, a law that proposed exempting the state Legislature from the state Public Records Act. “The public’s right to government information is one we hold dearly in Washington,” Inslee said. “Transparency is a cornerstone of a democratic government, and I’m very proud of my administration’s record on public disclosure.

I believe legislators will find they can fulfill their duties while being fully transparent, just like state and local governments all across Washington.

“I want to thank the legislators who have reconsidered this bill and asked me for this veto tonight. Since this bill passed, my office and lawmakers have heard an unprec-

edented level of response from the public. Those messages were heard loudly and clearly.

I now hope lawmakers, the media, and other stakeholders will work together to resolve differences through a process the public can have faith in.”

Michele Earl Hubbard, the attorney for the media coalition that sued the Legislature over non-compliance with the Public Records Act, said in return for some media concessions, legislators agreed to not vote to override the veto.

For its part, the media coalition agreed: • To jointly approach with the Legislature’s attorneys the judge in Thurston County who initially ruled in the lawsuit against the Legislature, and ask him to grant a stay of proceedings in the trial court during the appeal.

See SB 6617, Page 3

Ad reps: Promo kicks off April 16 WNPA paying 20% commission directly to you!

The Olympia News Bureau, funded by the WNPA Foundation, is wrapping up its work this month as the Legislative session ends. From left are: Reporter Josh Kelety, UW instructor Meg Spratt, Bureau Chief Sandy Stokes, reporter Taylor McAvoy and reporter Alex Visser.

For statewide and regional Impact Ads sold between April 16 and June 1, WNPA will pay a 20 percent commission directly to the person who sells the ad.

For a statewide 2x4, that’s $625 in your pocket. A statewide 2x2 nets you $315.

WNPA Impact ads are small black and white ads. You can sell to the whole state, or to Coastal, Metro or Eastern Washington regions.

These ads are effective in promoting festivals, fairs, car shows, wine tours and other community events. In many cases, city and county tourism funds can be used to pay for these ads.

To learn more, see the ad on page 4, go to wnpa.com or call WNPA at 360-344-2938.

category, you still must provide two issues during two specific weeks, but this year you can add another edition of your choice from any time in the contest period. We’d love to see every member enter General Excellence. There is no contest

and entertainment review category, and a new category for election coverage leading up to and including election results.

A complete list of contest rules are available at wnpa.com by clicking on the BNC tile on the home page.

Photo by Otto Greule

2018 Better Newspaper Contest has a few new wrinkles

It isn’t too early to start FOR BNC INSTRUCTIONS, gathering your entries for SEE PAGE 8 WNPA’s 2018 Better Newspaper Contest.

The contest site, provided once committee combed through the again by Small Town Papers, rules this year and updated and opens for entries on April 2. expanded some categories.

The WNPA staff and contest In the General Excellence

fee for that category.

We’ve also upped the ante in the community service categories. Your entries now must describe the impact your project had in the community.

A few new categories are added this year: There’s an arts

Legal issues? Libel?

Call WNPA for help Worried about the legal implications of a story you are about to publish? Or maybe you published a story and you’ve heard from an attorney who is threatening action against you.

Either way, the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association has your back.

Each WNPA member newspaper can call or email and ask for an emergency review of a story, a letter to the editor, advertisement or to get an analysis of a demand letter or some other challenge to something that has already been published.

The first contact for you isExecutive Director Fred Obee.

In many cases, he can answer basic legal questions about access or libel. If you are facing immediate legal jeopardy, you will be connected with WNPA hotline attorney Michele Earl Hubbard of Allied Law Group.

“I have answered all sorts of questions during the 18 years I have worked as the hotline attorney for WNPA,” Earl-Hubbard said. “As a hotline attorney I have enjoyed

getting to interact with community journalists from across the state and to help calm any concerns about running a particular story or suggest edits and sourcing to minimize the risk of liability. The decision of what to run or not run always remains with the newspaper. The hotline attorney is merely a source of advice and analysis.”

The hotline attorney will offer an analysis, but does not communicate with the person complaining about coverage. WNPA members can retain the hotline attorney at a discounted rate for any follow up beyond the scope of the hotline, such as writing a letter to the complaining party or their attorney or defending a lawsuit.

The hotline is not intended to be a clearinghouse for questions about access to meetings and government records. All discussions with the hotline attorney are protected by the attorney client privilege and are not shared with anyone outside the contacting newspaper.

Officers: Sandy Stokes, President; Michael Wagar, First Vice President; Donna Etchey, Second Vice President, Don Nelson, Past President.

Trustees: Tom Mullen, Patrick Grubb, Colette Weeks, Eric LaFontaine and Scott Hunter.

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 Janay Collins, Member Services Director: 360-344-2938.

Email: ads@wnpa.com 2 The Washington Newspaper March 2018

FROM THE PRESIDENT

WNPA interns get real world lesson The Washington State Legislature just helped show a new generation of journalists that our democracy depends on open government and a free and vigilant press.

Here’s how that lesson unfolded in our WNPA Olympia newsroom.

On Wednesday, Feb. 21, reporter Alex Visser looked up from his computer screen with a look of incredulity on his face. He anStokes nounced that a bill had just been introduced to exempt the Legislature from the Public Records Act. “Ha!” said reporter Taylor McAvoy. “Michele said they might try that!” She had just finished a phone conversation with attorney Michele Earl Hubbard to set up an interview for her project on open government reporting.

Grasping the ground-shifting nature of what had just happened, Josh Kelety started putting in calls to lawmakers.

As their bureau chief and a reporter for more than 40 years, I had trouble believing this was going on. Stuff like this doesn’t happen here. We’re not Venezuela or North Korea.

We talked about how the House and Senate couldn’t possibly get that measure through with two weeks left in the session – how there are rules and deadlines for bills. It couldn’t advance under the Legislature’s own rules.

I suggested that maybe the bill was introduced just to make a statement – kind of a lawmaker tantrum over the spanking Michele Earl-Hubbard had given them in the public records lawsuit they’d just lost.

Then we learned SB 6617 was scheduled for a noon workshop before a joint House-Senate committee on Thursday. Then the reporters told me it was down for a floor vote in both chambers on Friday.

Unbelievable!

Yes, the reporters insisted, it really would be put to a vote on Friday – less than 48 hours after it was introduced with no public hearing and no notice to the public.

It might have been easier to believe what I was hearing if they had told me Big Foot just landed on the roof in a flying saucer piloted by Elvis.

At the next day’s workshop, a handful of people were allowed to speak. Newspaper advocate Roland Thompson, Tacoma News Tribune and Olympian publisher David Zeeck and former Whidbey Examiner publisher Kasia Pierzga eloquently and respectfully put the lawmakers on notice that passing SB 6617 would damage their credibility forever.

Surely the people we trusted to make decisions on our behalf would take to heart the message delivered at the workshop. Any honest, reasonable person could see this was a terrible bill and would vote against it.

But on Friday, Feb. 23, Democrats and Republicans voted in huge majorities to pass it. There were so many yes votes they could easily override any veto by Gov. Jay Inslee.

So here we have three reporters starting their journalism careers watching people we put in a position of trust being sneaky and selfserving.

Making it worse, legislators who voted for it went into spin mode and accused us of shoddy reporting.

Here’s Josh’s reporting on a statement from Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D–Seattle, who said: “There’s no real attempt to have any balance in the reporting.” Pedersen also characterized the numerous newspaper editorials as an “unprecedented use of resources by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit to try and stir up opposition to the bill.”

No, dear leader. What we have is an unprecedented abuse of power by those we trusted to look out for our best interests.

This ugly lesson is sticking with our Olympia reporters.

A few days later, Taylor discovered a new gun control measure introduced too late in the session for any normal bill to advance.

She quickly unearthed the tricks used to get around the deadline rules.

The bill would raise legal age to buy a rifle from 18 to 21 but writing a few dollars into it made it a budget matter and immune to deadlines. And it was introduced by the vice chair of the committee where the bill got a hearing.

Word spread on the gun bill and with less than a day’s notice, the hearing chamber was packed – people are watching this renegade Legislature. Our lawmakers have made it clear they can’t be trusted out of our sight.

Governor Inslee, whose commitment to transparency in government won him WNPA’s highest honor, the Freedom’s Light Award in 2015, vetoed the bill. The veto, on Thursday, March 1, came just three hours before SB 6617 would have gone into effect.

For four days, Inslee’s office was inundated with thousands of phone calls, emails and letters from outraged citizens. It appears there was plenty of backroom dealing to get the lawmakers to back off and agree not to override his veto. Still, in a letter admitting they’d made a mistake, lawmakers seemed to blame the public’s anger on their rush job, not the content of the bill.

You’d think they’d figure out that people don’t like it when they try to keep us in the dark.

On the other hand, attempting to write themselves into an exalted branch of the government, untouchable by courts shows they don’t care what we think.

This year, 122 of the state’s lawmakers have expiring terms and they must seek re-election to keep their positions in the Legislature. Maybe 102 of them – the ones who voted yes on 6617 – will get their regal asses handed to them in November.

SB 6617: Deal cleared the way for Inslee veto Continued from Page 1

• To not seek to enforce the order during the appeal.

• To not launch an initiative or referendum to change present law while the stay exists and/ or while the coalition is working with legislators to resolve differences.

• To work on a task force with legislators and others to try to resolve differences.

The hard-fought agreement came after a political roller coaster ride that saw protests on both sides.

First came the rapidfire vote on the bill to exempt the Legislature from state public records laws. The bill was crafted in secret and introduced without notice or public hearings.

Within days, lawmakers were going into damage control as the public backlash mounted.

The bill, SB 6617, proposed exempting lawmakers from the state’s Public Records Act, and applied immediately and retroactively—meaning that existing records going back to statehood would be off limits to disclosure requests. The legislation allowed disclosure of lawmakers’ calendars and communications with registered lobbyists, but only documents created after July 1, 2018.

Introduced on Wednesday, Feb. 21, the bill was rushed at break-neck speed to a vote two days later in both the state Senate and House on Feb. 23. It passed both chambers in 20 minutes with wide margins and no floor debate.

“In my 18 years in the Legislature, this is by far

the fastest I’ve ever seen a bill pass, from beginning to end,” said Sen. Mark Miloscia, R–Federal Way, who was one of the seven state senators to vote against SB 6617.

He called the bill’s quick turnaround a “world record in my book.”

The last-minute introduction of the law and the rush to enact it came after a January ruling by Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Lanese, who determined that the Legislature is subject to public records laws.

The decree was prompted by a lawsuit brought by the Associated Press, the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, and other regional papers against lawmakers who denied a records request that journalists made last year for lawmakers’ internal communications and information on incidents of sexual harassment.

Lawmakers appealed the ruling to the state Supreme Court, where the litigation is ongoing.

Public outcry over the bill was immediate. On Feb. 27, 13 daily newspapers across Washington state published front-page editorials condemning the bill, and the Seattle Times reported that over the weekend, Governor Jay Inslee had received over 500 emails from citizens criticizing the legislation. On Monday, Feb. 26 alone, his office received 200 phone calls from people opposing the bill, according to the report. Before it was all over, tens of thousands of messages from the public were received.

Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D–

3 The Washington Newspaper March 2018

This cartoon ran this week in the Methow Valley News. Editor Don Nelson’s editorial that accompanied this cartoon is on page 6.

Seattle, who voted for SB 6617, said in a phone interview that he didn’t receive any constituent emails that supported the bill.

In response to the public backlash, legislators who supported the bill began issuing press releases and statements on Facebook and other platforms defending their vote. They called the legislation a win for both constituent privacy and government transparency.

In a Feb. 23 statement, Sen. Manka Dhingra, D–Kirkland, said that the bill balances the privacy of constituents with transparency. “I am happy that we are moving in the direction of more transparency,” she wrote.

The same day, Rep. Sharon Wylie, D–Vancouver published a statement on her website in which she slammed media coverage on the issue:

“Media reports that claim this is a way of avoiding transparency and bypassing a court decision are incorrect,” she wrote.

Rep. Gael Tarleton, D– Ballard, argued in a Feb. 25 blog post that while the process by which the bill passed was “flawed,” she thought it was necessary to counteract Judge Lanese’s January ruling.

She wrote that the ruling would impose “obscene” financial costs to legislators to administer records requests and “paralyze the ability of legislators to properly represent their constituents.”

Additionally, several House members circulated a defense of the bill authored by Sen. Pedersen, with largely word-for-word similarity. Pedersen said that he had shared his message—which was originally published in The

Stand—with the Senate Democrats communications staff, who then passed it over to House Democrats’ staffers, who distributed it among their members. In the essay, Pedersen said that the bill has been “widely misunderstood.”

“There’s no real attempt to have any balance in the reporting,” said Pedersen of media coverage on the issue in a phone interview. He also characterized the numerous newspaper editorials as an “unprecedented use of resources by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit to try and stir up opposition to the bill.”

The press and open government advocates were quick to fact-check the messaging from lawmakers. Seattle Times Editorial Board member Melissa Santos argued on Twitter on Feb. 26

that health information and many personal details are already exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act, contrasting with claims from lawmakers that SB 6617 is needed to protect constituent privacy.

Sean Robinson, a reporter for the Tacoma News Tribune, slammed legislators’ characterizations of both the bill and media coverage of it on Twitter: “The media covered it truthfully. You guys ran a deceitful, abusive process that prevented scrutiny, cut out public hearings and denied your own members the chance to speak in dissent. Own it and be honest,” he wrote on Feb. 24.

Inslee was at first reluctant to issue a veto, because the measure passed by veto-proof margins.

During a Feb. 27 appearance on MSNBC, Inslee said that, while he thinks the bill is a “bad idea,” he can’t veto the legislation because lawmakers passed the bill with a “veto-proof majority.”

He added that he doesn’t “have control over” the legislation.

“Though I expressed concerns about the outline of the bill, I did tell legislators I would let the bill become law if they delivered it with enough votes to override a veto,” Inslee said. “However, that was before I saw the process which failed to meet public expectations for openness and delivered a bill that fell short.”

This story was compiled and written by Josh Kelety of the Olympia News Bureau and WNPA Executive Director Fred Obee.

Chris Reykdal Supt. of Public Instruction

LEGISLATIVE DAY 2018

Bob Ferguson Attorney General

Cyrus Habib Lt. Governor

Jay Inslee Governor

A capacity crowd turned out for the annual Legislative Day in Olympia Feb. 8. WNPA and Allied Daily Newspaper members heard reports from across the political spectrum. Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal used Lego blocks to explain school funding dilemmas, Attorney General Bob Ferguson defended his numerous lawsuits against the Trump administration, Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib described his work on trade missions for the state and efforts to expand educational opportunities, and Gov. Jay Inslee fielded questions following dinner at the Governor’s Mansion. We even slipped him a Bless the Press button, which he promptly pinned to his lapel.

WITH OVER 60 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WE KNOW JOURNALISM. From public records to protecting journalists, from defamation claims to business needs, large and small Washington publishers turn to us.

DWT.COM Anchorage | Bellevue | Los Angeles | New York | Portland San Francisco | Seattle | Shanghai | Washington, D.C.

The Washington Newspaper March 2018 5

Public Records Act bill breathtaking in its audacity

The following editorial ran in the Methow Valley News this week before the governor’s veto.

that most other elected officials in the state must abide by. That exemption allowed lawmakers and legislative officials to We’ve become withhold work calendars, sadly used to the emails and other Trump administration documents. subverting democracy, Last year, 10 news freedom of the press organizations, including and governmental The Seattle Times, The transparency on daily Associated Press and the basis, with the arrogance, Washington Newspaper impunity and disdain Publishers Association, for the citizenry which represents weekly that characterize a newspapers like this one, dictatorship. joined forces to challenge We didn’t expect the the Legislature’s publicsame kind of behavior records exemption. from the Washington state A Thurston County Legislature.

Superior Court judge But with the secretive, ruled that legislators had old-fashioned, smoke-filled- violated Washington’s room brutality of public-be- Public Records Act. damned politics we thought Legislators then decided had become extinct, both to appeal that decision to houses of the Legislature the state Supreme Court.

– now in the hands of the The legislators hired Democrats – powered private attorneys, paid through a cynical rebuke to for with taxpayer dollars, the state’s Public Records to defend and extend the Act last week. case.

Some background: Not willing to wait for For years, state a judicial determination, legislators have exempted legislators instead wrote themselves from public themselves a get-out-ofrecords requirements disclosure-free bill that

cuts the courts out of the process altogether.

Senate Bill 6617, approved by both houses (with yes votes by all three District 12 legislators), feigns capitulation to the Superior Court’s conclusions by opening a constrained variety of public records to public review in the future. But it prohibits access to any records from the past, and removes the judiciary from any appeal process.

The bill was secretly hatched, hastily jammed through committees without hearings and summarily voted on.

It goes into effect immediately – the legislators declared an emergency, citing no impending threats to their sinecure – and exempted it from citizen initiatives.

Swift injustice, so to speak.

The bill is breathtaking in its audacity and dismissive treatment of Washington’s citizens.

Its defenders claim the bill expands access and

creates more transparency.

Pardon the colloquially expressed skepticism – we’re just simple country folk out here in the Methow Valley – but what a crock.

The legislators either knew how it would be perceived and didn’t care, or out of some unfathomable ignorance they didn’t anticipate how it would be perceived. So they are indifferent to the outcome, or alarmingly obtuse. Either way, it raises troubling questions about what amounts to a feckless mockery of everything government should stand for.

Other media outlets around the state are not mincing words about what the bill intends.

From the Olympian: “In a shocking display of secrecy, stealth and a Big Brother’s twist of truth, the Washington Legislature introduced and then hastily approved a bill that exempts legislators from the state Open Public Records Act ... Our

legislators’ actions bring to mind writer George Orwell’s nightmarish depiction of a Big Brother government that insisted truth was whatever it said was true. In that spirit, many lawmakers are patting themselves on the back for what they claim is a step toward legislative transparency. Don’t believe it.”

From the Seattle Times: “Now, rather than comply with the court’s order and disclose the information they illegally withheld, your elected lawmakers are trying to cram through a bill to remove themselves from the state Public Records Act – a blatant attempt to circumvent the court ruling and keep their past communications and other records private ... Senate Bill 6617 flies in the face of the trial court’s ruling, while trampling on voters’ right to know what their elected officials are doing on public time.”

From the Tacoma News Tribune:

“Unfortunately, legislative leaders have opted to amend our venerable public records law in the most opaque and precipitous way imaginable – without fair warning, robust public input or a clear understanding of the bill by rank-and-file lawmakers.”

That’s just the media being upset, you may say.

But the news organizations that joined the suit against the Legislature are the public’s surrogates and advocates when it comes to demanding and expecting open government. It’s our obligation to hold government accountable.

A hidden government is an unaccountable government.

Although the bill was approved by substantial margins in both houses, Gov. Jay Inslee should veto it, just so the lawmakers have to vote again and answer to the public for their actions – before they decide that’s off limits as well.

NNA urges publishers to oppose newsprint duties

The National Newspaper Association today is urging members to fight back against threatening countervailing duties that could dramatically increase newsprint prices.

The first round of U.S. duties began affecting Canadian paper producers on Jan 16. The new duties will range from 4.42 percent to 9.93 percent.

NNA President Susan Rowell is urging publishers to attend NNA’s Community Newspaper Leadership Summit March 14-15 to aggressively urge Congressional action to

oppose a misguided tariff that jeopardizes community newspapers.

“We must make sure Congress understands the gravity of this threat,” Rowell said.

The preliminary duties are just the latest volley in a battle that began last summer when a small newsprint mill in Washington State filed a complaint with the Commerce Department. Another set of possible duties to further raise paper prices looms later this year, with a continuing investigation to ensue through summer.

The Washington Newspaper March 2018 6

Weekly editors conference in Portland this July In just over four months, members of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors are holding their annual conference in Portland, Oregon. The conference opens Wednesday afternoon, July 11 and runs through Sunday, morning, July 15. In the last few years, annual conferences were held in Australia, Columbia (Missouri), Durango (Colorado), Green Bay (Wisconsin) and Washington, D.C. The days are filled with interesting sessions including Marijuana: When the Smoke Clears, a panel discussion on Death with Dignity, when your backyard is national news, open records battles and an entire afternoon of grammar, punctuation, editorial writing, the mechanics of writing and an interactive ethics program.

The highlight of the conference is the Friday morning editorial critique sessions. Members gather in groups to discuss newspapers assigned to that group. The sessions are designed to be constructive, informative and educational. Critiques focus primarily on editorial pages but often wander into the entire newspaper.

ISWNE counts three Pulitzer Prize winners among our current and former members: Dave Mitchell, Les Zaitz and the late Hazel Brannon Smith. We were also the ones who persuaded the Newseum to start allowing the front pages of weekly newspaper to be displayed a couple of years ago.

The ISWNE Foundation is offering five scholarships to first-time attendees on a first-come,

first-served basis to attend the entire conference. The scholarship covers the cost of the conference and includes all meals from lunch Wednesday to breakfast Sunday, room and board, all programs and sessions. What’s not included in the $550 package is transportation to and from Lewis & Clark College and any adult beverages offered in the hospitality suite or at meals.

Interested editors should contact me at (jhauptlodi@aol.com) for more information. Scholarship requests must be received by Monday, April 30. Anyone accepting a scholarship and canceling after June 13 will be charged $550. Of course, everyone paying their own way is welcome, too!

If you cannot attend the entire conference, there are special rates for parttime attendance. Contact me for more information.

Conference details can be found on the ISWNE website, www.iswne.org.

Given that we have received significantly fewer Golden Quill entries this year than in 2017, the ISWNE board has extended the entry deadline to March 1. Here are four reasons to enter: 1) If you win the Golden Quill, you receive a conference scholarship (a $550 value) and travel expenses of up to $500 to attend the July 1115 conference in Portland, Oregon.

2) If you win the Golden Quill, you receive a gold-plated golden quill mounted on a black marble base with your name engraved (a $455 value).

3) If you are one of

7 The Washington Newspaper March 2018

the 11 runners-up, you receive a Golden Dozen award and a conference scholarship if you haven’t attended an ISWNE conference before.

4) If you are a Golden Quill or Golden Dozen winner, your editorial or column is reprinted in the Summer 2018 issue

of Grassroots Editor and preserved for posterity.

There is a $20 fee for ISWNE members and a $25 fee for non-members.

You are allowed two entries per person.

Lastly, you can join ISWNE for free through the end of 2018 to “try us on for size.” You will

receive our newsletter (published eight times per year) and Grassroots Editor, our quarterly journal.

We also have a Hotline listserv where members can post questions by email related to newspaper policy or journalism ethics and receive immediate feedback.

To learn more about the conference in July, scholarships, the Golden Quill contest or becoming a ISWNE member contact Jan Haupt, ISWNE Conference co-host at jhauptlodi@aol.com or by calling 608-592-4278.

2018 WNPA Better Newspaper Contest

TIMELINE April 2 May 4 June 1 June 11-July 9 Oct.12

Begin submitting entries on BetterBNC.com Deadline for regular entries and general excellence Deadline for tourism special section & cover entries Judging period (including open website) Winners announced at the WNPA Convention in Yakima

RULES: Download category list & rules at wnpa.com.

ENTRIES: Upload entries at www.BetterBNC.com produced by SmallTownPapers LOGIN & PASSWORDS

Contestant Managers who submitted entries last year can use the same email and password as last year; use the Forgot Password link on www.BetterBNC.com if needed. Contestant Managers submit entries and also control which staff members at a newspaper are authorized to submit their own entries. Contestant Managers can see and edit all the newspaper’s entries and account information.

If your Contestant Manager from last year is no longer at your newspaper and you need the account email changed to a new person, contact WNPA (see below).

If no Contestant Manager was active at your newspaper last year, create a Contestant Manager account by first logging in as a Contestant using use the temporary password P@ssword1.

Authorized Entrants who submitted entries in 2017 can use the same email and password information as last year; use the Forgot Password link on www.BetterBNC.com if needed. New Authorized Entrants receive an email from BetterBNC.com asking them to validate their email address. Once they have done so, Authorized Entrants can log in and begin submitting entries. Authorized Entrants can see and edit only the entries they submit themselves.

ENTRY FORMATS

Upload all entries as PDF, JPG or via URL to www.BetterBNC.com. The maximum file size is 5 MB. Don’t include URLs for entire publications when entering news stories or ads. Make separate PDFs or JPGs of the pages containing your entry. For General Excellence, submit a single PDF of each issue. For all files larger than 5MB, upload the files to a third-party site such as Issuu.com, Google Drive, etc. Enter the URL into the appropriate field when submitting your entry on BetterBNC.com.

Please don’t submit both URL and PDF of the same entry. It confuses judges. For photo entries, provide a JPG or PDF.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

For technical help getting logged in, making entries and general use of the BetterBNC platform, please use the “Contact BetterBNC” button at www.BetterBNC.com to initiate a trouble ticket.

For help with rules, eligibility and entry fees please contact WNPA (see below).

GENERAL EXCELLENCE -- New rules this year!

General Excellence participation is a member benefit. There is no fee. Submit one issue published in each of the weeks Aug. 14 & 21, 2017. Also, submit one issue of your choice from the eligibility time period. Include special sections and the classifieds. You may wish to create separate PDFs of special sections distributed with these newspapers.

CONTEST ELIGIBILITY PERIODS

Regular Entries: April 1, 2017 - March 31, 2018 Tourism Special Sections & Section Covers: June 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018

ENTRY FEES:

$7 entry fee for Group 1; $9 for Groups 2 & 3; & $9.50 for Group 4. Web entries are half price. General Excellence is free.

WNPA • PO Box 389 • Port Townsend, WA • www.wnpa.com • 360-344-2938 • Contact: Janay Collins • ads@wnpa.com

Legals site protects printed legal ads Three years ago, WNPA, in partnership with Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington, established a statewide legals website after some legislators discussed moving legal advertising from printed newspapers to a statewide website.

Similar proposals are being made all across the country, and we didn’t want it to happen here so WNPA and Allied told state legislators that the newspapers of Washington would create their own statewide website at no cost to the state if legislators left in place the requirement that legals continue to appear first in print in the state’s newspapers.

The specter of legal ads vanishing from print publications is very real.

Many states, counties and municipalities across the nation are arguing for the end of the required publication of public notices in newspapers in favor of online publication on government websites.

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.

WNPA JOB BOARD REPORTER WANTED 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.

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, but are not limited to paid vacation, sick and holidays, medical, dental and life insurance, and a 401(K) plan with company match. Send a cover letter, resume and writing samples to: careers@soundpublishing. com for immediate consideration.

The Montesano Vidette is part of Sound Publishing; Western Washington’s largest community news organization.

This position is based in Pendleton, Ore., but regular travel through national forests, open range and high mountain scenery is necessary to oversee the weeklies.

Comprehensive benefits include paid time off (PTO), insurances and a 401(k)/Roth 401(k) retirement plan. Send resume and letter of interest including salary requirements and why you want to grow with us to EO Media Group, P.O. Box 2048, Salem, OR 97308-2048 or e-mail hr@eomediagroup.com.

PRODUCTION OPENINGS Sound Publishing, Inc., Washington’s largest newspaper publisher has several full-time job openings at our Printing Facility in Everett, WA. Press We are seeking qualified press operators who have experience printing on single width web presses. Demonstrated experience in press make ready, ink setting, quality checking and basic crew REGIONAL ADVERTISING maintenance a must. Must have DIRECTOR a minimum of five years printing Oregon beckons! Located in experience. Hourly Wage: $20-$24 Pendleton, Ore., near the Columbased on experience. bia River and the Blue Mountains, Entry Level General Workers this community in rural Eastern Orneeded to jog/stack product as it egon offers abundant outdoor reccomes off the press. Must be able reation and is perfect for someone to stand for entire shift and lift 50 who enjoys a small-city lifestyle. lbs. repetitively. Basic math skills a EO Media Group, a familymust. Hourly Wage: $12. owned company, is seeking a Post-Press proven, creative Regional AdvertisWe are seeking qualified insert ing Director for multiple publicamachine operators. Positions tions and digital platforms. This require mechanical aptitude as area is a mix of ranching and bike tours, fine dining and wine tasting, well as the ability to set-up and run Muller and Goss inserting nature and the arts, a rich history equipment. Familiarity with Kansa and the world-famous Pendleton and Barstrom labelers and Muller Round-Up. stitching and trimming machines We need a strong, hands-on a plus. Position is Mid-shift: Tues leader to inspire our 8 display – Fri (3 p.m. to 11 p.m.) & Sat (6 and classified staff and grow our p.m. to 2:30 a.m.) Hourly Wage: advertising sales for our Tues$12.50. day through Saturday daily, three If you are interested in joining weeklies and specialty publications.

Our digital media Marketplace has our team, email your cover letter and resume to: careers@soundpubwon national awards and is poised lishing.com and be sure to include for growth. We’ve invested in the ATTN: PRINT in the subject line. best software available with a strong CRM to help you lead. Prior OR apply in person at our office, located at 11323 Commando Road management experience in the W., Main Unit, Everett, WA . media field preferred and a solid Sound Publishing, Inc. is an record of successful campaigns is Equal Opportunity Employer required.

9 The Washington Newspaper March 2018

(EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. Go to our website www.soundpublishing. com to find out more about us!

MULTI-MEDIA SALES CONSULTANT - OUTSIDE The Okanogan Valley Gazette Tribune, a division of Sound Publishing, is looking for a selfmotivated, results driven person interested in a multi-media sales career. This position is based out of Oroville, WA. Do you have a proven track record of succession sales and enjoy managing accounts?

Are you competitive and thrive in an energetic environment?

Are you interested in a fast paced, creative atmosphere where you can use your sales expertise to provide consultative print and digital solutions to companies seeking to promote their business’ products and services?

If you answered YES to the above, then we are looking for you! As part of our sales team you are expected to maintain and grow existing client relationships, as well as develop new client relationships. The successful candidate will also be goal-oriented, have organizational skills that enable you to manage multiple deadlines, provide great consultative sales and excellent customer service.

If you have these skills, and enjoy playing a pro-active part in impacting your local business clients’ financial success, please email your resume and cover letter to careers@soundpublishing.com. Be sure to note: OVGTSALES in the subject line!

Position receives salary plus commissions; and benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, and 401K with company match. Sales positions require use of your personal vehicle, possession of valid WA State Driver’s License and proof of active vehicle insurance, as well as current Driver’s Abstract.

Sound Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employee (EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. Check out our website to learn more about us! www. soundpublishing.com.

Have a legal question? Call WNPA first!

If you have a question about access to public meetings or records, or if you need advice on sensitive stories or libel issues, the WNPA staff can help.

Call 360-344-2938 or 360-301-6453 If you are being threatened with a libel suit, or if our staff can’t answer your question, you will be referred for a free consultation with an attorney.