TWN
THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER
Woodward remembered for his courage Page 4
July 2017
Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
UFO celebration looks to the sky Nisqually Valley News sponsors encounter of the festival kind By Fred Obee Celebrating local history is something lots of community newspapers do, and in Yelm, that means cranking up the festival machine to celebrate the first major sighting of UFOs in Washington’s skies. “Pilot Kenneth Arnold, flying from Chehalis Wagar to Yakima on June 24, 1947, upon landing said he saw nine shiny ‘flying saucers’ zipping past Mount Rainier at speeds he estimated of 1,200 miles an hour,” Nisqually Valley News Publisher Michael Wagar said. “This resulted in nationwide headlines and is credited as the first UFO sighting of the modern era.” To memorialize the event, the paper is launching the first ever UFO Festival and Cosmic Symposium July 2830. The festival will include live music, vendors, contests and a three-day symposium of UFO experts giving presentations. Yelm and the Nisqually Valley News offices are about 45 minutes southeast of Olympia in the rich valley
of the Nisqually River and in the shadow of Mount Ranier. Yelm is a bustling town of 6,800 people, a mix of old time residents and new arrivals seeking a somewhat more affordabe house than is available in Olympia or Tacoma. The News is published every Friday and a shopper going to 23,000 people is delivered at midweek. For people who have worked in open newsrooms and ad departments their whole careers, the first thing you notice at the NVN is everyone has their own private office. Wagar said that at first some people shared the larger offices in the suite of offices on two floors, but as it worked out they actually had extra rooms that weren’t being used, so he assigned offices to each person, a move that proved popular with the staff. For meetings, there is room to gather in Wagar’s office and in a small lunchroom downstairs. The city’s name, according to legend, is an anglicized version of a Native American word that described shimmering heat waves rising from the natural prairie in the river valley. The valley itself was an early trade route, first for See NVN, Page 2
This photo of a skydiver in a wingsuit won Lloyd Mullen of the Shelton-Mason County Journal a second place in the color portait category in Group 3 in the 2016 WNPA Better Newspaper Contest. This year’s contest is being judged by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Associaiton.
Fake news is a booming business with discounts for repeat buyers It turns out fake news is a big business. According to a report circulated by the Nieman Journalism Lab, if you want to discredit a journalist it costs just $55,000. 100,000 real people’s signatures on a Change.org petition? $6,000. And those Chinese “soft articles” can be gotten for as little as $15. The folks at security software company Trend Micro studied Chinese, Russian, Arabic/Middle Eastern, and English marketplaces and found that “everything from social media promotions, creation of fake comments, and even online vote manipulation [is] sold at very reasonable prices. Surpris-
ingly, we found that fake news campaigns aren’t always the handiwork of autonomous bots, but can also be carried out by real people via large, crowdsourcing programs.” The report, “The fake news machine: How propagandists abuse the internet and manipulate the public,” is impressively detailed and researched, featuring price lists in multiple languages and case studies from several countries. The Russian forum SMOService, “offers a wide range of services that can also come with bulk discounts (up to 55%) and all-in-one VIP bundles.” Some of its notable features include
“populating groups with live accounts and bots, support for more platforms (Telegram, Periscope, and MoiMir), friend requests, dislikes, making a video trend on YouTube, hidden services for VIP users, geolocation-specific services, and 24/7 customer support.” “By now it should be very clear that social media has very strong effects on the real world,” the paper’s authors write. “It can no longer be dismissed as ‘things that happen on the internet.’ What goes on inside Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms can change the course of nations.”
NVN: Lafromboise family has deep roots
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Interviews are two-way streets for applicants and interviewers
Continued from Page 1
company and led it until her Native Americans and then death in 2012. That’s when for the European trappers and Jenifer stepped in to the role settlers who followed. When her mother had held. the Northern Pacific Railroad “I believe that the best was constructed, a commerway to honor both my cial district that became the mother and father is to keep center of Yelm sprang from on moving forward with the the prairie along the tracks. pride and determination, that The Nisqually Valley they both encompassed,” News has published since Jenifer said. “I have faith in 1922 and today provides the people who work for us; coverage of Yelm, Rainier, we want to evolve with the Roy, McKenna, Tenino and times and do what we need other surrounding communi- to do to deliver a quality ties in fast growing Thurston product for our community.” County. Jenifer’s grandfather, It is owned by LafromClancy Lafromboise, owned boise Communications, Inc. the Bellevue American and a family-owned company Enumclaw Courier Herald that includes the Chronicle and was WNPA’s manager in Centralia, the Chronicle for 12 years, retiring from Print Division, the Battle the job in 1961. Ground Reflector, the In addition to being a Nisqually Valley News, crossroads of sorts, Yelm is Southwest Washington Fam- perhaps best known as the ily magazine and Sign Pro. home of Ramtha’s School Jenifer Lafromboise of Enlightenment, an 80Falcon’s parents bought acre wooded parcel on the the company in 1965, but edge of town where JZ her father died shortly after Knight claims to channel a the purchase. Her mother centuries-old warrior named assumed the helm of the Ramtha.
Officers: Don Nelson, President; Sandy Stokes, First Vice President; Michael Wagar, Second Vice President; Keven Graves, Past President. Trustees: 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 Janay Collins, Advertising Director: 360-344-2938. Email: ads@wnpa.com 2 The Washington Newspaper June 2017
By Don Nelson I need to hire someone for a vital position. Which got me thinking about the hiring process – so important, and so difficult. Throughout my management career in journalism, one of the hardest parts of my job has been hiring. Good hiring decisions generally produce fewer firing decisions. Nelson There is a lot of advice and training available from various sources about how to attract, assess, interview, background check and hire the best available candidates. Yet all of us have, if we’ve been at it long enough, made some bad hires – or at least ones we ended up regretting. I’ve learned that you can do your best and still be disappointed. Some of us are working within the requirements (confines?) of company guidelines for finding new employees, which can be cumbersome for the hirers and off-putting to potential hires. Others, like me, are just winging it at our very small operations in rural markets, hoping for at least a couple of qualified applicants. I know from conversations with other publishers and editors that many managers who are responsible for hiring follow strict procedures, partly for consistency and partly out of a belief that only the tightest screening will prevent undesirables from slipping through. My process is less rigid and more subjective than a lot of others I’ve heard about. I’m won’t argue that it works any better, but I’m more comfortable
with it. My thoughts on a few hiring-related issues: • Tests. I usually don’t administer tests of any kind, not even typing or copyediting. Many hirers consider these basic hurdles that must be cleared by any applicant. I’m skeptical of what they really tell me about a person – 65 words a minute doesn’t mean all that much to me given what I need people to contribute. Drug tests and even personality inventories are more typical in larger organizations. I don’t have the resources, and I imagine that is true for many of you out there. • References. The directive from most HR professionals is always ask for them, never give them (other than “yes they worked here, and now they don’t”). I make reference checks, but with at least a small degree of skepticism. I’m very careful about giving them, especially if someone did not leave voluntarily. The question I hate to hear, essentially refuse to answer and never ask is: “Would you hire them back again?” I really don’t know what can be learned from it that would be useful. • Initial responses to ads. If I say “don’t call,” I mean “don’t call,” and am not impressed with applicants who think they are demonstrating admirable initiative and a real desire for the job by ignoring that stipulation. • Interviews. Some people are really good at being interviewed. I’ve encountered and occasionally hired them. One pretty slick guy who I didn’t hire actually called to berate me about my decision – which just reinforced my judgment. I think questions such as “where do you hope to be five years from now” and “what are your weaknesses” are just plain
silly and essentially useless to me. I put a lot of stock in attitude, aspirations and energy I pick up from applicants in personal interviews (which can get you fooled, I concede). I want to know their motivation to work for me. • Try-outs. I don’t require them, and as an applicant I won’t do one. My feeling is that if you have made a decision to hire someone, just bring them on board. A week of temporary work under unusual expectations and pressure won’t tell you much about someone. • The flip side. Remember that interviews are two-way and you too are being assessed as a potential employer. If you act like a jerk or a martinet, quality candidates won’t want to work for you. I like applicants who ask a lot of questions about expectations, the work place, conditions of employment and other aspects of a job. • Sometimes you just have to take a chance and see how it plays out. I’ve made hires I thought were a little iffy that turned out great, and hires I felt great about that were busts. So how am I doing lately? Pretty well, but I admit I’ve been lucky. My last two important hires were people I found from outside my community who had to move here. I just wasn’t able to find the qualities and abilities I needed in the relatively limited market here. They’ve both been here for several years and are essential to our operation. On the other hand, a couple of years ago I hired someone who lasted three days. Don Nelson is Publisher of the Methow Valley News and this year’s WNPA president.
Staff members at small papers express optimism for the future
The Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism recently surveyed newspapers with circulations under 50,000 to determine if smaller papers are faring better than large ones. Of the 7,071 newspapers regularly published in the United States (daily and weekly), 6,851 have circulations smaller than 50,000. The survey was conducted between Nov. 14 and Dec. 4, 2016. In total, 420 eligible responses were tallied. Contributions primarily came from small-market newspapers. Survey respondents identified a number of key challenges for the sector, including: • Fifty nine percent of our survey participants told us that the number of staff in their newsroom had shrunk since 2014. • Low pay, long hours, and limited opportunities for career progression are hurting the attraction and retention of young journalists. • Many respondents reported they regularly work more than 50 hours a week. • Just over half of respondents (51 percent) said they
feel secure in their positions. A further 29 percent had a neutral view (neither positive nor negative) about their job security. Despite the negatives, the surveyors encountered a sense of optimism among many of the responders. This confidence is rooted in an understanding that small-market newspapers are often close to their communities - with journalists sharing similar goals and lives to their audience - and a recognition that much of their reporting is not replicated elsewhere. Nevertheless, respondents also were aware of emerging issues, such as establishing relevancy with the next generation of news consumers. As one participant reported: “We need to find how to connect with elementary, middle, and high school students, and usher them into an understanding of what journalism is, and why it is a pillar of a thriving democratic society and culture of free thought and progress.” Video reporting is already mainstream at local newspapers (85 percent of respondents said their paper did this), as is organizational usage of Facebook and Twitter. Less popular
is podcasting (used by 25 percent of respondents’ newspapers) and emerging tools like chat apps, or augmented and virtual reality. The limited resources (time, money, personnel) available at many local newspapers, however, may very well restrict the wider digital ambitions of some smaller outlets. Interestingly, although many local newsrooms have shrunk over the past two to three years, more than half of our respondents reported their working hours haven’t increased. Although local journalists often work long hours, they’re not necessarily working longer hours than they were before. Looking to the future, the survey showed local journalists are interested in learning more about video reporting, live video, and podcasting. The Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism is a research center exploring the ways in which technology is changing journalism, as we seek new ways to judge the reliability, standards, and credibility of information online.
CAREER MOVES Eric LaFontaine was named this month as the Regional Publisher of Sound Publishing’s Eastside News Group. Previously the publisher of the Columbia Basin Herald, Eric is also an active participant at WNPA events and respected within LaFontaine our industry. LaFontaine will focus on the growing communities within King county’s Eastside market. “To say that I am excited would be an understatement,” claimed Eric. “Now is the perfect time to continue engaging with readers in print, while pushing a digital strategy forward.” Eric and his wife Ali, have three children in college with a fourth in high school.
Cynthia Freese has joined Sound Publishing’s Redmond Reporter’s as a Multi Media Sales Consultant. A Washington native, Cynthia Freese was the co-founder of Evergreen Events Inc, which was dedicated to the enrichment of the games industry through innovative, high-quality conferences that were both informative as well as connective. While running Evergreen Events Cynthia had a strong commitment to enriching the community where she did business.A dynamic networker who loves meeting people and helping others, she exemplifies the mission of making connections happen. A mother of three, she is an Army veteran, entrepreneur, and artist who believes in sharing and giving back to her community. The Washington Newspaper June 2017 3
Award nominations sought
LOOKING BACK
WNPA each year accepts nominations for two major awards: The Miles Turnbull Master Editor Publisher and the Dixie Lee Bradley awards. If you have a nomination for one of these awards, please forward by July 15, 2017 to WNPA Executive Director Fred Obee – fredobee@ wnpa.com. Please include a short essay, detailing the reasons why the nominees should be considered.
Walt Woodward receives the Freedom’s Light Award in 1998 at WNPA’s annual convention. The award recognized Woodward’s courage and devotion to human rights duing World War II.
WNPA. The award comes with a $500 contribution to the community charity of the recipient’s choice.
Dixie Lee Bradley Dixie Lee Bradley tirelessly served WNPA and its members for 45 years. This award, which was conceived in 1996, symbolizes Bradley’s devotion and passion for community newspapers. It recognizes newspaper staff members who work, often Miles Turnbull behind the scenes, to see that the best Master Editor Publisher possible newspaper is produced. This award may be given to any perThere is no entry fee at the time son who is actively engaged in editing, of nomination. However, should its managing and/or publishing a newspa- nominee win, the sponsoring newsper which is a member in good standing paper must agree to pay the winning of the WNPA. The recipient must have employee a $250 bonus which will made a significant contribution to his be matched by WNPA for a total cash or her newspaper, community, state, or prize of $500 for the winner.
Woodward showed courage in opposing Japanese internment Among the many celebrated newspaper publishers and journalists who have graced WNPA’s membership over the years, none is more venerated than Walt Woodward. Woodward was president of WNPA in 1961. He purchased the Bainbridge Island Review with his wife Millie in 1948 and edited the paper until 1963, when Dave and Verda Averill took the reins. The Woodwards were co-owners of the paper until 1988. It wasn’t long after Walt and Millie bought the paper that they faced their biggest challenge. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in 1941, people of Japanese ancestry, many of them American citizens, were sent to concentration camps. There were a number of people of Japanese ancestry and Walt and Mildred were the only editors on the West Coast to regularly editorialize against the interning of
their neighbors of Japanese ancestry. That position was not popular. They lost subscribers and advertisers, but they didn’t budge. They remembered their civics lessons. They didn’t just write editorials. They supported their neighbors in the camps by continuing to publish news of their families. Paul Ohtaki, Sa Nakata, Tony Koura, and Sada Omoto were encouraged to be “Camp Correspondents” for the Bainbridge review, and they regularly reported births, deaths, marriages, baseball scores, Miss Minidoka beauty pageant winners and volunteers into the US Army. The Woodwards’ remarkable story of bravery and perseverance was told in the PBS documentary, Visible Target. Walt also was the inspiration for the character Arthur Chambers, the newspaper editor in David Guterson’s novel, Snow Falling on Cedars.
In 1998, Walt was presented with one of WNPA’s highest honor, the Freedom’s Light Award. At the ceremony, Bainbridge Island historian Gerald Elfendahl concluded: “The Woodwards’ legacy is as basic as our nation’s -- that we -- all citizens, and especially journalists -- dare not forget our civics, history and social studies lessons that the Bill of Rights is only as strong as the courage of our citizens to stand up for it.” Governor Gary Locke noted “...We are indeed fortunate, Walt, that you used your editorial voice and publisher’s power on behalf of the citizens who were discriminated against.” And President Bill Clinton wrote, “... The framers of the Constitution recognized that with a free press came great responsibility, and you have fulfilled that responsibility with conscience and integrity.”
The Washington Newspaper June 2017 4
WNPA JOB BOARD PAGE DESIGN & ENTERTAINMENT COORDINATOR The Wenatchee World in beautiful North Central Washington is looking for someone to serve as both the coordinator of our entertainment section and work on the copy desk designing pages. This is a full-time position with a comprehensive benefits package. The ideal candidate will have good writing and organizational skills, attention to detail, a creative mind and experience with InDesign. This position requires some evening work. In addition to designing pages, editing and writing stories, the person hired will assist with our efforts to enrich our digital offerings. A degree in journalism or a communications field is preferred. Send your cover letter, resume and work samples to Cal FitzSimmons, Editor, at fitzsimmons@ wenatcheeworld.com. Deadline for applying is Friday, July 14. The Wenatchee World is an Equal Opportunity Employer. REPORTER The Daily World at Aberdeen, Wash., is looking for a do-it-all journalist to cover key beats, take great photos and kill it on social media. The job will also require page layout using InDesign. This is a full-time position with excellent benefits; medical, dental, life, paid-time off and a 401k with company match. Aberdeen is located on the Olympic Peninsula, 30 minutes from the beach and two hours from Seattle. Please send at least 3 non-returnable writing samples with your resume to careers@ soundpublishing.com for immediate consideration. SPORTS REPORTER The Daily World at Aberdeen, Wash., is looking for a leader in its sports department. The paper has a 2.5-person sports department and a longstanding commitment to excellence in prep sports coverage. We have credentials for the Seahawks and Mariners, but prep sports is our bread and butter.
Candidates should have experience designing pages with InDesign and demonstrated social media experience. Strong photo skills are a big plus. Aberdeen is on the Olympic Peninsula about 30 minutes from the ocean beach and the rain forest, and two hours from Seattle. This is a full-time position and includes great benefits; medical, dental, life, disability, paid time-off and a 401k with company match. Please send at least 3 non-returnable writing samples and your resume to careers@ soundpublishing.com for immediate consideration. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Oregon’s North Coast beckons! Located in picturesque Astoria, OR, at the junction of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, EO Media Group is seeking a proven, creative Advertising Director for multiple publications and digital platforms. This area is a mix of commercial fishing and cruise ships, nature and the arts, a rich history and the Goonies. We need a strong, handson leader to inspire our 7 display and classified staff and grow our advertising sales for our Monday through Friday daily, a weekly, two bi-weeklies and a monthly magazine, plus specialty publications. Our digital media Marketplace has won national awards and is poised for growth. Prior management experience in the media field preferred and a solid record of successful campaigns is required. 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 973082048 or e-mail hr@eomediagroup. com. SPORTS REPORTER The East Oregonian, a five-day daily newspaper in Pendleton, Ore., is looking for a full-time sports writer. Job duties will include print and online coverage of high school,
5 The Washington Newspaper June 2017
college and community sports and outdoor activities, as well as designing pages for print. We want someone with strong writing skills who avoids sports cliches. The person hired will also edit on a limited basis and work with the Web. The position offers a competitive salary, a solid benefits package and the opportunity to live in Eastern Oregon near the Blue Mountains and abundant outdoor recreation. Good driving record and reliable transportation required. Benefits include Paid Time Off (PTO), 401(k)/Roth 401(k) retirement plan and insurances. Send resume, clips and letter of interest to EO Media Group., PO Box 2048, Salem, OR 97308-2048, or e-mail hr@eomediagroup.com. PUBLISHER/DIRECTOR OF SALES Privately held Hagadone Newspapers, Moses Lake, Washington, is searching for a candidate to lead business development and oversee general business operations for three established print and digital publications: Columbia Basin Herald (Monday-Friday), Sun Tribune (Weekly), and the Basin Business Journal (Monthly). In this exciting role you will drive top-line revenue while leading an established sales team of Multimedia Account Executives and Facilitators, while reporting directly to the President. Experience making a bestpractices sales culture is a top priority. Proven success in sales leadership with 5 plus years experience along with a proven track record of growing revenue. Meaningful experience leading digital sales preferred. You’ll need a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in marketing, advertising or related field. Strong skills in integrating analytics, market insights, strategies, account planning and other best practices to create and execute successful sales growth. Send cover letter and resume. Send in confidence to: Human Resources/Publisher, PO Box 910, Moses Lake, Washington, 98837.
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 360-344-2938 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