The Washington Newspaper, July 2023

July 2023

Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Contest judging finishes; program set for convention

Judges in Montana have finished looking over our Better Newspaper Contest entries, and the letters announcing the winners will go out July 27.

Convention registration will open the same day.

The annual meeting and awards dinner this year will be Oct. 6 &7 at the Red Lion Hotel - Kennewick Columbia Center.

The WNPA Board and staff have planned a great conference that includes several guest speakers.

Washington State’s Commissioner of Public Lands, Hillary Franz, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address during the awards luncheon on Oct. 7.

Presenting workshops are Kevin Slimp, a nationally known newspaper consultant, and Bill Ostendorf of Creative Circle Media.

Both will present workshops that everyone in your company can enjoy.

Make your plans to attend today.

Celebrated Wahkiakum publisher passes away

Rick Nelson, publisher of the Wahkiakum County Eagle, passed away June 2 from cancer.

He announced his grim diagnosis in the newspaper, and the community turned out in support.

Gov. Jay Inslee in a letter to Nelson, noted Nelson’s devotion to journalism and the community.

Lots of great jobs open around the region! Page 8

Nelson’s parents, Bob and Lois Nelson, bought the paper in 1966. Rick started working there as a seventh grader, cleaning up.

He graduated from Wahkiakum High School in 1969, then attended Western Washington University where he studied French and journalism. Although he worked in the woods, he returned to newspapering and took over as publisher when his father died in 2006.

He leaves a wife, MaryAnn, and two sons, Jacob and Jamie.

Grant

County

Journal closure

feels like ‘death in the family’

The Grant County Journal published its final edition June 29. Its front page was a reproduction of the Oct. 18, 1907 front page of the old Ephrata Journal.

A story inside on page 2 told the story.

“It’s like a death in the family,” said Managing Editor Randy Bracht. With the people who read the newspaper, there’s a real sense of loss.”

The closure made news across the state.

Rufus Woods, publisher emeritas at the Wenatchee World, devoted his regular column to the closure.

“I was saddened to hear that longtime publisher Jeff Fletcher had made the wrenching decision to shut down the Grant County Journal at the end of June, ending that paper’s run of 116 years of serving the communities of Ephrata and Soap Lake,” Woods wrote.

“Jeff is the epitome of a devoted community newspaper-

man. He put service to the community as a top priority while also being a savvy businessman who did his best to adapt to change. If there had been a path to keeping the newspaper open, I have no doubt he’d have found it.”

Fletcher’s great-grandfather on his father’s side homesteaded near Waterville and his other great-grandfather homesteaded near Orondo.

Jeff graduated from Wash-

The staff of the Grant County Journal gather for one last photo. The newspaper in Ephrata closed at the end of July after publishing for 116 years. From left are publisher Jeff Fletcher, his daughter, Jennifer DeChenne, who is the business manager, pressman Paul Detrick, production manager Kerry Moser and receptionist Debra Kramer. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review.

Nelson

Closure: Grant County Journal closes its doors

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ington State University and took a job at the Kent News Journal. Johnson lured him back to Ephrata by offering him a minority stake in the paper in 1977. Four years later, Fletcher bought out Johnson and has been immersed in community newspapering ever since.

Woods noted The Journal was able to afford a larger-than-normal news operation for many years thanks to the development of a lucrative commercial printing business.

Traditionally, most of a newspaper’s revenue has come from advertising. The advent of big box stores in larger towns led to the demise of retail businesses that advertised in small towns. For example, there used to be four car dealerships in Ephrata, but today only one is left.

Digital revenue has

been a savior for larger newspapers, but weeklies with limited audiences have not been able to capitalize in the same way. As revenue shrank, belt tightening became necessary. The economics were working against the paper.

With many of the staffers in their 60s and 70s, and with hiring new people getting increasingly difficult, Jeff told me that he could see the handwriting on the wall a year ago. He said it was not a surprise to the staff when the decision was made to cease publishing and shut down.

“I cannot help but think that Ephrata and Soap Lake are losing a large piece of the glue that keeps those communities together,” Woods wrote. “Newspapers connect communities in a way that other media cannot.”

Giving all sides an equal voice builds credibility in newspapers

By Michelle Nedved

Sometimes we have to give the people a chance to speak, even when we don’t agree with what they’re saying, or know that what they’re saying is false.

We’re located on the border of Washington and Idaho, so we cover Bonner County and the West Bonner County School District in Idaho, which is going through a very tough time. Three of the five-person board of trustees – including the chairman – seem to believe there is something nefarious going on with the bookkeeping, but can’t quite explain what. They’ve been in office for nearly two years now and have been threatening a forensic audit for about the last year, without actually doing it.

has very deep pockets and doesn’t need a levy.

Now they’re facing a school year with no sports at any level, the loss of 30-plus classified and certified staff and a public so angry they pack every board meeting out the front doors of the building.

Not to mention the board hiring a controversial former employee of the Idaho Freedom Foundation – whose ideology includes the dismantling of public education – as district superintendent, even though he doesn’t hold the credentials needed to serve as a superintendent in Idaho.

The chairman says very little during board meetings, other than pounding his gavel and yelling “point of order.” The public raises concerns about money he wants to spend on unnamed lawyers, his and his cohorts’ refusal to approve a budget after a two-hour hearing where they raised zero concerns or questions about said budget, and these so far unfounded allegations of financial misconduct.

lengthy statement and didn’t want it taken out of context. So we ran it as a guest opinion. Most of what is he has said is not true. He claims that the recall is because some of the “oligarchy” doesn’t want a forensic audit done to prove financial malfeasance. Multiple times over the course of the last several months, people opposed to the board have said in public meetings that they should do a forensic audit rather than threaten to do one so the issue can be laid to rest and the district can get back to the business of educating kids.

He also claimed that had the levy passed, some families in the district stood to “experience significant economic gains.” Again, not true. While it pained us to run a column that we do not agree with, it did give a clear picture of what he is thinking, which in turns gives the public a better understanding of how to approach the current board of trustees.

Officers: Michelle Nedved, President; Donna Etchey, 1st Vice President; Sean Flaherty, 2nd Vice President; Steve Powell, Past President; Trustees: Roger Harnack, Teresa Myers, Rudi Alcott, Matt Winters, Staci Baird and Bob Richardson.

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.

Fred Obee: Executive Director: 360-344-2938 Email: fredobee@wnpa.com

Janay Collins, Member Services Director: 360-344-2938. Email: ads@wnpa.com

They didn’t support the running of a much needed levy, and while they allowed it to be put before voters, it failed, mostly due to misinformation and this vague allegation that the district secretly

He sits quiet, with little more than an “Ok.”

He and the board vice-chair are now facing a recall.

When we reached out to him for comment last week, he sent a

It also got people talking about and reading The Miner and it gives us credibility, that we were open to letting him speak his mind.

Michelle Nedved is the publisher of the Newport Miner and this year’s WNPA president.

Nominate people to serve on WNPA board

Each year, WNPA members have the opportunity to nominate people for positions on the WNPA Board.

While board members can make nominations, anyone working at a WNPA member newspaper can nominate someone for a board position. Nominees then stand for election at the business meeting at the start of the annual convention.

To nominate someone to the board, gather get at least 10 regular members to agree and submit that nomination to the board.

The WNPA bylaws say a call for nominations shall be published in

the Association’s bulletin, with the final call at least 45 days prior to the annual Fall Convention.

This is that notice. Please submit nominations by July 31.

Board members are asked to be familiar with the organization’s history and its programs, awards and services. and to actively take part in WNPA sales programs.

This includes promoting our 2x2 and statewide classified and display ad program.

The WNPA board meets four times each year, and we provide

those meeting dates in advance. Members should put those dates on their calendar and try to attend all four.

WNPA has a number of committees and board members are expected to be active on them. Committes plan the convention, promote advertsing programs, and set the rules for the Better Newspaper Contest.

Attendance at our annual convention is important, and board members are asked to attend and participate.

Nedved

New podcast explores unintended racial bias

Former reporter Ron Chew talks about importance of gaining deeper knowledge

A new podcast from WNPA is now available online. This time former WNPA Publisher Mike Dillon talks with Ron Chew, a lifelong Seattle resident whose parents were Chinese immigrants.

Chew attended the University of Washington from 1971-1975 and was a reporter for the UW Daily.

In 1975, he left the UW to pursue a career in community journalism at the International Examiner in Seattle’s International District. He ultimately become the editor and served in that position until 1988. During that time, he covered the brutal 1983 Wah Mee murders and he talks about how coverage of that crime teaches important lessons for journalists working today.

He also organized the Chinese Oral History Project of Seattlein 1990 and edited the Project’s 1994 companion vol ume, Reflections of Seattle’s Chinese Americans. In 1991, Chew was hired as the Executive Director for the Wing Luke Museum. He transformed it from a struggling artifactbased museum into an award-winning museum that told the story of Asian Americans in the Northwest.

An accomplished writer, Chew also talks about what makes writing powerful, and how some writers stumble when they try too hard to be dramatic.

WNPA Podcasts are

interviews with accomplished writers and reporters. In addition to Chew,

currently on the site are interviews with Les Zaitz, owner and Publisher of the Malheur Enterprise, Eli Sanders, Pulitzer Prize winning former writer for the Stranger in Seattle, talks interviewing and and Jacqui Banaszynski, another Pulitzer Prize winner. You can access the podcasts by clicking on the podcast homepage tile of WNPA’s website, or by searching for Washington Newspaper Publishers Association on Google podcasts.

This photo by Roger Harnack of Cheney Free Press is among the many entries in this year’s Better Newspaper Contest. Awards in the contest will be announced Oct. 7 at the annual convention in Kennewick. Registration for the convention opens at the end of this month. Make your plans to attend today!

Chew

Counties, cities have cash for tourism

Regional ads bring visitors

When you are looking for ways to bring in new revenue, spend a few minutes learning how your WNPA co-op ad network can help your bottom line.

People are itching to get out and mingle and community events are filling the streets.

But extra effort is necessary these days to let people know your town is open for business and welcoming tourists.

Many just truct in online notices, but with ad blocking software and distrust of social media growing, it isn’t the solution it used to be. In this changing environment, trusted community newspapers across the state serving a highly educated, affluent and involved readership are a perfect place to get a message out.

Every ad salesperson knows it is wise to identify the entities in your community with fat ad budgets. At this moment in time, don’t overlook the folks with hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend –your local governments!

Every city and county in the state has a pool of money generated by local lodging taxes, and that money is supposed to be used to reach beyond local markets and bring people to town.

If you have not already, you should ask your city and county governments (each has separate funds) for a report on where the lodging tax money is going (usually chambers of

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Ad network:

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commerce and local non-profits) and then propose a marketing plan that reaches out across the region.

WNPA ads are a perfect match for boosting community events because you can choose to advertise regionally or statewide.

Here’s how the WNPA program works:

• You sell the ad to a local organization.

• You charge your client for the full cost of the ad and send an insertion order to WNPA. WNPA then invoices you for half the cost of the ad, splitting the revenue on the ad sale. The advertising salesperson gets their regular commission on the sale.

• WNPA uses our share of the money to provide your legal hotline, professional services, Legislative Day, the Better Newspaper Contest and the annual convention.

• We keep the price to the client affordable by asking all member newspapers to publish the ads sold by other newspapers for free. The ads are small – just two columns wide by either two or four inches tall. One column by four or eight inches is also OK. They need to be produced in two different widths, to accommodate different column widths.

Potential customers include festivals, fairs, resorts, real estate offices, state agencies, statewide or regional political candidates – anyone who desires a cost effective regional or statewide campaign.

Because member newspapers publish these ads for free, we can only promise that they will run as black and white ads. If you include a color version, many papers will use it instead, but there is no guarantee of this.

Need more information?

Contact Janay at WNPA by emailing ads@wnpa.com or by calling 360-344-2938.

Know advertising rules for election season

Political advertising has its own set of particular rules, and ad managers should regularly review the regulations with sales and production people.

The rules apply to newspaper ads, billboards, signs, brochures, articles, tabloids, flyers, letters, radio or TV presentations, or other means of mass communication. If the item directly or indirectly asks for votes or for financial or other support or opposition in an election campaign, it is considered political advertising.

Here are a few of the rules established by the state Public Disclosure Commission that should be taken into account when preparing election materials:

• Candidate photos must

have been taken within the last five years.

• Party preference must be included in any form of advertising about a candidate seeking election to a partisan office, regardless of who sponsors the ad. Official symbols or logos adopted by the state committee of the party may be used to indicate a candidate’s party preference in political advertisements instead of words.

• Sponsor identification is required for political advertising, except for certain types of ads. The “sponsor” is the candidate, committee, or other person who pays for the ad. When the person buying the ad is an agent for another person or is otherwise reimbursed, the sponsor is the ultimate

spender. The PDC has separate instructions that explain the unique sponsor ID requirements for electioneering communications and independent expenditures.

• Use the words “paid for by” or “sponsored by” followed by the sponsor’s name and address. Include all sponsors’ names and addresses when there is more than one. A political committee must include its Top 5 contributors’ names when sponsoring an ad about a ballot measure with a cost of at least $1,000 in the aggregate. (The top 5 is defined as the five largest contributors who gave more than $700 during the 12 months before the ad appears.)

• Print ads and websites must display sponsor names

and any party preference in an area set apart from the ad text on the first page of the ad. Use at least 10-point type; do not screen or halftone the text. Small online ads with limited characters may display sponsor names and party preference in an automatic display such as a mouse tip/rollover or non-blockable popup that remains visible for at least 4 seconds or on a webpage that is conspicuously linked to the small ad and reached with one mouse click.

• A sponsor’s name and address may be left off of a political ad that meets all of the following criteria: the sponsor is an individual acting on his or her own behalf, independent of any candidate, political committee or organization, who

personally produces and distributes the ad (or pays for it to be produced and/ or distributed); the sponsor receives no contributions or other support to produce and distribute the ad; no more than $50 in the aggregate is spent for online advertising or $100 in the aggregate for any other type of advertising; and the advertising is either distributed through the individual’s social media site, personal website, or similar online forum where information is produced and disseminated only by the individual or a letter, flier, handbill, text or email from the individual that does not appear in a newspaper or comparable mass publication.

• It is illegal to sponsor a political ad, with ac-

tual malice, that contains a statement constituting libel or defamation, or imply a candidate has the support or endorsement of any person or organization when the candidate does not. Ads cannot include a false statement of material fact about a candidate or falsely represent that a candidate is an incumbent.

• Candidates cannot falsely imply incumbency in a political advertisement about a candidate who does not hold the office. Recommended format: Elect Tracy Jones Auditor or Tracy Jones for Auditor. For more information or to clarify the rules, you can call WNPA at 360-344-2938 or visit the Public Disclosure Commission’s website at https://www.pdc.wa.gov.

Building Healthier Communities

Local newspapers are working to provide access to high quality news coverage. Local dentists are working to provide access to high quality oral health care. We’re both working to build a stronger community. Thank you for everything you do.

wsda.org

JOB BOARD

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Seeking publisher/ executive director to lead the Emerald Media Group, one of the country’s best college media organizations. Located in beautiful and eclectic Eugene, OR., the Emerald is an independent 501(c)3 student media organization at the University of Oregon.

The ideal candidate should have a passion for journalism, solid business background, willingness to innovate and a digital first philosophy. Candidates should also have a strong desire to mentor young journalists by providing professional training and networking opportunities.

Job duties will include the day-to-day management of the operation, including business and financial oversight, diversifying and expanding revenue streams, fundraising,

building alumni relations and leading a small, but efficient professional staff. The publisher/executive director will work closely with the student journalists to provide advice and guidance to produce award winning journalism. Transitioning the news organization into a digital first medium will be a top priority.

Beginning salary range is $80,000 - $90,000, with benefits. For a complete job description, and to apply go to: www.dailyemerald.com/apply/pro_staff/ publisher_search/. Interested candidates should submit resume and cover letter to EMGpublishersearch@gmail.com. Applications remain open until position is filled.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

The Wenatchee World is seeking a social media manager to deepen our

audience engagement through a range of digital channels, primarily social media and email newsletters.This position will write our flagship email newsletter, The Daily Headlines, which reaches more than 10,000 people each weekday.

You’ll also take the lead on our posting and engagement on all our social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and our very own social network, NABUR.

We’re looking for someone with audience development experience, including social media management and/or newsletter authorship. Some experience with journalism is preferred. Familiarity with short-form social video and long-form video production is highly desirable.

This in-person position

is full-time with benefits, including medical and dental insurance, paid vacation time and 401k retirement options.

The application deadline is July 15. Applicants should send a resume to Managing Editor Nancy Niles at niles@wenatcheeworld.com.

SPORTS REPORTER

The Chronicle in Centralia, Washington, is seeking a sports reporter.

The Chronicle covers 16 high schools across Lewis and south Thurston counties, spanning classifications from 1B to 2A, along with Centralia College.

This is a full-time position that requires 40 hours a week and occasional paid overtime. Duties include daily coverage of high school sports, both written and photography, along with previews, features and other sidebars when possible.

The successful applicant will maintain a social media presence on Twitter and assist in managing other online platforms. The sports reporter will also appear on The Chronicle’s weekly podcast, The Sports Dump. Duties include traveling to state tournaments.

InDesign and Photoshop familiarity are preferred but not required. We’re looking for someone with a bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field, though equivalent experience is also acceptable. Recent graduates are welcome to apply.

The newspaper’s sports department consists of a full-time sports reporter, a part-time sports reporter, a sports editor and an associate editor, along with

freelancers.

Benefits include health and dental insurance, paid mileage, availability of company vehicles and accrued paid time off.

To apply, send a resume to Chronicle Sports Editor Josh Kirshenbaum at josh@chronline.com.

REGIONAL EDITOR

CT Publishing based in Centralia, Washington, is searching for a leader to help our growing chain of family-owned newspapers achieve new heights.

The regional editor will be in charge of editorial operations at The Reflector in Battle Ground, Washington, and the Nisqually Valley News in Yelm, Washington, both weekly publications in print with daily online presences.

We’re looking for an experienced journalist who is seeking stability and satisfaction in their place of employment. CT Publishing, which acquired its newspapers in 2021, prides itself on providing an oasis for journalists in an increasingly difficult business.

The pay range for this position is an annual salary of $50,000 to $55,000, plus benefits that include accrued paid time off, health care coverage and mileage reimbursement of 65 cents per mile.

To apply, send a short cover letter, resume and at least two references to CT Publishing Editor-in-Chief Eric Schwartz at eschwartz@chronline.com. Potential applicants who have questions about the position are also welcome to email.

REPORTER

The Omak Chronicle is seeking a passionate

and energetic reporter/ photographer to join our newsroom team. As a reporter at The Chronicle, candidate will be responsible for delivering fresh and interesting news to our audience. Duties include keeping up with local happening, covering a wide variety of stories, conducting and scheduling interviews and photographing and writing articles to be published online and in print.

Keeping up with strict deadlines as timeliness is a must.

Candidate should possess a passion for writing comprehensive news and feature stories; strong time-management skills; excellent communication and research skills; knowledge of AP style guides, computer proficiency (Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign); and a degree in journalism or relevant field work experience.

EOE. Hourly wage, plus benefits. Send writing and photo portfolio to tmyers@omakchronicle. com, or The Chronicle, P.O. Box 553, Omak, WA, 98841. No phone calls, please.

REPORTER

The Methow Valley News is looking for a reporter with digital-age skills but also traditional journalism values and work habits, grounded in quality, consistency and ethics. We don’t have story quotas. We don’t give a damn about analytics or deliverables or whether you are a social media influencer. What we need is a reporter who is productive because they are curious, who loves to dig into things and who

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We want someone who thrives in a diverse community, and has the flexibility and willingness to take on all kinds of stories, from briefs and routine items to hardhitting scoops to hearttugging features.

You need to be a competent photographer. Added value if you are fluent in InDesign and the Adobe production suite, know your way around social media platforms and/or have newsroom management experience that enables you to take on additional tasks as needed. (The Editor needs a vacation.)

You need to demonstrate applicable experience through clippings or links to your work. You could be a recent college grad with potential, or a veteran who wants to keep doing great work at a newspaper where it’s appreciated.

We are a small paper with big ambitions and accomplishments to match, including regional and national awards. Competitive salary, and a health care subsidy is available. Hiring bonus if you make it through a probationary period and it looks like you’re committed. Speaking of that, you will need to live here.

If that sounds like a good situation for you and us, please be in touch. Check us out at https://www.methowvalleynews.com and our Facebook page.Make a case for yourself by emailing editor@ methowvalleynews.com with a cover letter, resume and work samples. References would be helpful. No calls, please.