The Washington Newspaper, July 2019 by Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

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THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER July 2019

Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Harnack named to Golden Dozen Page 4

WCOG names award winners

Downing, Sanders, Walker earn honors This photo by Marcy Stamper of the Methow Valley News is among those entered in this year’s WNPA Better Newspaper Contest. Contest judging is wrapping up now by the South Carolina Newspaper Assocation, and results will be out in the next few weeks. Winners will be announced at the annual convention Oct. 10-12 in Olympia, Wash.

Better Newspaper Contest judging wraps up; Lineup for annual convention taking shape Final judgments are being recorded this week in the 2019 Better Newspaper Contest, and letters announcing winners will be in the mail in the next few weeks. The letters will Chavern identify who has won an award, but not whether the award is for first, second or third place. Awards will be announced at the WNPA annual convention Oct. 10-12 at Hotel RL in Olympia.

Banaszynski Slimp In addition to the gala awards ceremony and dinner, the convention offers a full day and half of workshops and presentations. Presenting the Keynote speech will be David Chavern, President and CEO of News Media Alliance, the news industry’s

largest trade organization. David is intensely focused on telling the powerful and optimistic story of the news industry and has been called an activist for the Reykdal news industry, a title he embraces proudly. Leading a workshop will be Jacqui Banaszynski, a Pulitzer Prize winner for feature writing and the former Associate Managing Editor for special See WNPA, Page 2

Retired King County Superior Court Judge William Downing, who for years headed the Bench-Bar Press Committee’s “Fire Brigade,” watchdog journalist Eli Sanders of The Stranger and the longtime executive director of the Washington Coalition for Open Government, Elly Walker, will be recognized with the Washington Coalition of Open Government’s highest honors this fall. Judge Downing, who currently serves on the Washington Public Disclosure Commission, will receive the James Madison Award for his long commitment to the cause of open government. Sanders is being recognized with the Kenneth F. Bunting Award for his investigation into tech companies that didn’t follow Washington’s online campaign ads and disclosure laws. Walker, former owner of Seattle Operating Support LLC, is being honored with the James Andersen Award, for her work advancing the efforts of WCOG. The Madison/Andersen/Bunting Awards Breakfast will take place Sept. 20, 2019 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. Presale tickets are available through the WCOG website, washingtoncog.org. Sanders, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter See WCOG, Page 3

WNPA: Convention lineup taking shape Continued from Page 1

employees. projects at the Seattle Chris Reykdal, WashTimes. ington State’s SuperintenBanaszynski is a dent of Public Instruction, world renowned speaker will deliver a program and educator and a dySaturday morning on namic presenter. the state of Washington Kevin Slimp will lead school funding and what sessions on improving ad the future looks like for design and what you can schools now that the do to make people pick Legislature has improved up your paper. His sesfunding for basic educasions will be of equal in- tion. terest to designers, sales Registration for the people, circulation folks, convention will open in publishers and newsroom next few weeks.

WNPA to award two work scholarships for convention WNPA will award two convention registrations and hotel accommodations to two members who are willing to help set-up and take down, and run errands during the convention. Applicants should be physically able to lift boxes weighing 25 pounds and be on their feet for extended periods. We are looking for

people who have never attended a WNPA convention. There will be ample time for you to attend workshops and participate in the convention. You must be a staff member at a WNPA member newspaper when the convention convenes. To apply, send an email to fredobee@ wnpa.com and tell us why you want to attend.

Officers: Michael Wagar, President; Patrick Grubb, First Vice President; Sandy Stokes, Past President. Trustees: Colette Weeks, Caralyn Bess, Roger Harnack, Scott Hunter, Steve Powell, Teresa Myers and Michelle Nedved. 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 July 2019

FROM THE PRESIDENT

A time of stress: Make sure you balance your work and home life By Michael Wagar Ever since the economic downturn of the mid 2000s, those of us still fighting to produce vibrant journalism along with enough cash flow to keep operations going, have been under a bit of stress. I can’t think of one owner, publisher or editor not feeling the heat. Wagar Yet we have a passion that keeps us pushing, ever innovating, ever changing, just trying to stay ahead of a landscape that constantly evolves. Change or die is a real truth in our industry. Each week we read about cutbacks, about newspapers closing, newspapers going bankrupt. We understand the value a community newspaper gives to its community. All too often we are taken for granted. It can be a lonely fight, or so it seems at times. I personally have been through the ringer these past few months: Consolidating customer service for three papers, going “postal” with our distribution, closing a print

division and moving our printing from Centralia to Sound Publishing’s plant in Everett. For many days the complaints were never ending, the strain on the staff stifling, ownership worried, the rumors in the community swirling. Yet today we are starting to find peace. The changes have helped our bottom line; we see a profitable future. The transition from delivery drivers to the post office has smoothed out. Sound Publishing has been wonderful in its customer service and its pricing and its patience as we change our processes. Our front desk staff has settled in and we are giving the best personal service in years. That’s a good thing because, although I am a pretty stable, no drama, don’t take work home type of guy, I was not enjoying work as much as I have in the past. I realized work had taken its toll when I went golfing with my dad and son on Father’s Day. Normally, that would have been a stellar day, filled with enjoyment and friendly banter. At the end of the day, when I finally got home late at night, I

realized I just didn’t enjoy the day as I have in the past. Stress was winning out. I found myself a bit short and crabby with family and friends. What to do? I turned to my late mother, who always told me to be honest, hold onto my integrity and work hard. And not only at work, but at home. She would then tell me to take care of myself, perhaps even a bit of pampering. What she really would have advised is to find a balance between work and play. Of course, in these trying times, if we believe in the importance of journalism, sometimes we have to give it our all. Kind of like being on deadline as a reporter. The stress mounts, the work is a burden, we can feel as if we are not going to pull it off, and then, like magic, the story is filed, edited and hours later on the front page. That’s the payoff, and it has similarities whether you are an owner, publisher or editor. So, as I emerge from a couple of tough weeks, months and years, I offer some friendly advice. Take care of yourself. Schedule some time off. Read a book in a quiet

zone, preferably on the beach. Take a hike. Pamper yourself with a three-day road trip, perhaps even by yourself (I went to Tokeland at the ocean). Go to a favorite restaurant. Buy yourself a present. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive or extravagant. I chose to buy myself a brand-new pressure washer as my old one — two decades old — was a pain to start up, roll around and connect hoses. By the way, I did find much satisfaction pressure washing my driveway, patio and cabana, much to the delight of my wife. Finally, be proud and relish the fact that we work in a profession that truly matters. What we do makes a difference in our communities, and while it can be daunting, once we are off “deadline” at the end of our careers we will forget the pain and wallow in the accomplishments. Those of us still swinging away are the tough of the tough, the creme de la creme. Give yourself a pat on the back. We all deserve it. Michael Wagar is the President of Laramboise Communications and this year’s WNPA President.

Listen to WNPA podcasts and build reporting skills

Reporters and editors who want to improve their reporting can now log on to WNPA’s podcast site and listen to experts in the field tell how they approach their stories. Currently on the site are interviews with Les Zaitz, owner and Publisher of the Malheur Enterprise. Les and his

Sanders

Zaitz

Vestal

staff are redefining how community papers approach reporting. Also, Eli Sanders, Pulitzer Prize winning writer for the Stranger in Seattle, and Shawn Vestal of the Spokesman-Review, share their approaaches. To find the podcasts, go to wnpa.com and click on the podcast tile.

WCOG: Awards honor use of state’s open government laws Continued from Page 1

for The Stranger, wrote dozens of stories examining whether tech giants Facebook and Google complied with Washington disclosure laws for state-level election ads. The companies initially ignored his requests for information required under state law, and the ongoing investigation has lasted more than a year. Sanders also reported on Facebook’s claim that it is exempt from Washington law, and both companies’ lobbying attempts to change disclosure law. In 2018, his reporting prompted the Washington State Attorney General’s office to sue Google and Facebook for avoiding state transparency laws.

Although the tech firms settled for $455,000 and vowed to no longer run Washington ads because of the state’s transparency laws. However, his investigations continue because the ads are still appearing. The Bunting Award is named in honor of the late Kenneth F. Bunting, former Seattle P-I editor, who was also executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, and his entry was the unanimous choice of the panel. Judge Downing served as chair of the Bench-Bar-Press Liaison Committee for more than 16 years and is recognized for his service with WCOG’s James Madison Award. Named for

our fourth president and the author of the First Amendment, it is regarded as a lifetime achievement award. “It is safe to say his work involved virtually every news organization in the state and courts in every county,” said Mike Fancher, former executive editor of The Seattle Times, a WCOG board member and the 2018 recipient of the Andersen Award. Downing dealt with issues of cameras in the courtroom, access and opening sealed records, and the Fire Brigade frequently offered educational seminars and training. Elly Walker served as executive director of the Washington Coalition for

Open Government for 14 years, beginning in 2014. At the time, WCOG was a young organization and she helped institute many of WCOG’s operational practices. The Andersen Award recognizes the contributions of an individual or organization to the success of the Coalition. James Andersen, a former chief justice of the Washington State Supreme Court, was a founding board member of the Coalition. WCOG also named six runners-up who will be honored at the Madison/ Andersen/Bunting event as well. They are: • The Tri-City Herald, for its regular use of Washington’s Public Records Act in its investi-

gations; • The Daily Evergreen, the student newspaper of Washington State University, which relied heavily on the PRA to expose sexual harassment complaints against former Rose Bowl quarterback Jason Gessler; • Will Rubin, reporter for The Chronicle in Centralia, for his effective use of the PRA and investigative reporting to expose mismanagement of public funds and lax background checks of a new manager of the local public transit district; • Austin Jenkins of Northwest News Network and Jim Brunner, of The Seattle Times, who teamed on an examination of Gov. Jay Inslee’s out-of-

state travels for political activity, relying heavily on PRA requests involving State Patrol costs, schedules and other issues. • Alyssa Evans and Natalie St. John of the Chinook Observer in Long Beach, who challenged the Astoria, Oregon police who withheld records about an incident involving Klan-recruitment efforts; • The staff of The Yakima Herald who reported aggressively on issues of secrecy, mismanagement and corruption in Wapato city government, which has drawn the interest of both the Washington state Auditor and the State Attorney General, as well as the Yakima County. Prosecutor.

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.

The Washington Newspaper July 2019 3

Harnack named Working journalists encouraged to apply to Golden Dozen An Eastern Washington publisher has been named to the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editor’s 2019 “Golden Dozen.” Regional Publisher Roger Harnack, 51, of Harnack Sunnyside, received the honor in abstentia June 22 at Emory University. Based in Colville, Harnack is the regional publisher of Horizon Publications’ holdings in Eastern Washington, which include the Statesman-Examiner, The Sun, Deer Park Tribune, Mid-Week Extra and press plant operations. The Golden Dozen recognizes the Top 12 editorial or commentary writers in the worldwide Golden Quill contest. Harnack, a WNPA board member, was recognized for his opposition commentary on the proposed Avista sale to a Canadian utility company controlled, in part, by the provincial government of Ontario. This is the fourth time Harnack has been named to the Golden Dozen — previous years included 2013, 2015 and 2016. In 2015, as the top Golden Dozen writer, he received the Golden Quill. The only other Pacific Northwest commentary/ editorial writer to be named to the Golden Dozen this year is McMinnville, Ore., News-Register Editor Steve Bagwell. The top international

award, the Golden Quill, was presented to John Hueston of the Alymer Express in Alymer, Ont., Canada. Hueston detailed the ordeal he and his son, also a journalist, went through when police arrested them for nearing a fatal crash scene to obtain photos and complete their news coverage. The men were acquitted on all charges.

TURN ON THE LIGHT…

for fellowships aimed at judicial coverage Working journalists are invited to apply for fellowships to attend Media Law School 2019, to be held Sept. 18-21 in Columbia, SC at the University of South Carolina. The Media Law School is an intensive seminar that teaches journalists about criminal and civil law and procedure with a focus on how to more effectively cover trials and the judicial process. Sessions are led by

University of South Carolina law and journalism faculty and practicing attorneys and judges. Fellowships in the amount of $400 each are available to cover travel costs to and from Columbia. In addition, lodging and most meals are provided. There is no fee to attend. Fellowship applications are due August 15. For more information and to apply, visit law.sc.edu/medialawschool.

…OUR TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT BELONGS TO YOU.

DON’T LOSE IT!

Keys to government Accountability Responsibility Accessibility

Washington’s Open Public Meetings and Public Records Acts Preserve your rights to government actions that affect you. Learn about Open Government – When Records Requests are Denied…

http://washingtoncog.org/dealing-denial

In its fourth year at the University of South Carolina, Media Law School has hosted journalists from a variety of news organizations across the United States. It is presented by the university’s School of Law and College of Information and Communications and sponsored by the American Board of Trial Advocates. Contact Carmen Maye with questions at medialaw@law. sc.edu.

The Pinnacle Award CONTEST RULES

• Presented each year at WNPA’s annual convention. • Awarded to the top salesperson of WNPA Impact Ads and statewide classifieds. • Winner will be the person with the highest program revenue totals. • Contest period: begins the Monday following the annual October con$1,000 CASH vention’s adjournment. It PRIZE! concludes the following Sept. 30. • Winner receives a $1,000 cash prize and a trophy. • Standings are reported in WNPA email updates and The Washington Newspaper throughout the year. • Winner must be employed at a WNPA member newspaper at the time the award is presented. • Impact Ad sales brochures are available at wnpa.com.

In partnership with

4 The Washington Newspaper July 2019

360-344-2938 • wnpa.com

PO Box 389, Port Townsend, WA 98368 360-344-2938 • wnpa.com

WNPA JOB BOARD This is a sampling of jobs listed on WNPA’s job board. To see full listings, go to wnpa.com.

PHOTOGRAPHER The Daily Record in Ellensburg, Washington is looking for a staff photographer. The paper has only one staff photographer so the person needs to be adept at news, sports and feature photography. Send a cover letter, resume and work samples to managing editor Michael Gallagher at mgallagher@kvnews. com REPORTER The Nisqually Valley News is seeking a general assignment reporter in Yelm, Washington. The Nisqually Valley News reports on Thurston County and Pierce County as well as the cities of Yelm, Roy, Tenino and McKenna. Experienced applicants are desired, but recent graduates will be considered. To apply, send a resume, cover letter, references and writing samples to Regional Executive Editor Eric Schwartz at eschwartz@yelmonline. com. NEWS EDITOR Our weekly is looking forward to introducing our new Editor to this bustling community in Central Washington. This News Editor will handle news writing and editing while managing a staff of three. Community news and features are important to our readers but so is a commitment to high school sports, county fairs and rodeos. Our editor will be fluent in page design software and Photoshop and have some experience in producing a weekly newspaper. Salary is equitable with publications of like size and health care

benefits are available. Your resume, cover letter and references are welcomed at NewsAps. Blindbox@outlook. com. All replies will be kept confidential, please include information on how and when to best contact you for continued discussions. REPORTER Full time, entry level, community news, Snohomish County. Must have general reporting experience or journalism degree and be able to attend city/ school meetings. Local candidates only, send resume and clips to: editor.tribune@snoho.com or mail to Snohomish County Tribune, P.O. Box 499, Snohomish, WA 98291. CIRCULATION MANAGER Sound Publishing, Inc. is currently accepting applications for a Circulation Manager. The position will be based out of our Federal Way office. Must possess reliable, insured, motor vehicle and a valid Washington State driver’s license. To apply, please e-mail your resume to careers@ soundpublishing.com . Make sure to include TDH Circulation Manager in the subject line. Please also include your salary requirements. PART-TIME REPORTER The Vashon Beachcomber is seeking an energetic, detailed-oriented reporter. Newspaper and layout experience using Adobe InDesign preferred. Applicants must be able to work in a team-oriented, deadlinedriven environment, possess excellent writing skills, have knowledge of community news and be able to write about multiple topics. Must reside or relocate to Vashon Island, WA.

5 The Washington Newspaper July 2019

Position requires: Familiarity with AP Style, use of personal vehicle, possession of valid WA State Driver’s License and proof of active vehicle insurance. Part-time - 23 hours per week, which includes paid vacation, sick and holidays. EOE To apply, please e-mail to careers@soundpublish-

ing.com a resume including at least three professional references; three or more non-returnable relevant work samples in PDF or Text format (and/or a link to them); a cover letter and three references. Make sure to include Reporter PTVashon in the subject line. Please also include your salary requirements.

EDITOR Sound Publishing has an immediate opening for Editor of the weekly publication, Journal of The San Juans, in Friday Harbor, WA. This is not an entry-level position. Island residence is required. Must have experience editing reporters’ copy and other submitted materials

and be proficient in designing and building pages with Adobe InDesign. To apply, please e-mail to careers@soundpublishing.com a resume, work samples and three professional references. Be sure to include Editor JSJ in the subject line. Please also include your salary requirements.