The Washington Newspaper, August 2023

TWN

August 2023

Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Convention registration open at wnpa.com

The final details are in place and registration is open for the 136th Annual Meeting of WNPA. This year we convene in at the Red Lion Hotel - Columbia Center Kennewick.

The meeting opens Friday Oct. 6. WNPA and WNPA Foundation boards meet respectively at 11 am and 1:30 pm.

From 4 to 6 p.m on Friday we host an opening night reception. It’s a great time to meet and greet

your peers in the community newspaper business.

On Saturday, we start with breakfast, the election of officers and presentation of the Community Service Awards.

At lunch we will present the Master Editor/Publisher Award and hear from Hillary Franz, the state Commissioner for Public Lands.

Please make a point of attending the luncheon. It is important

Next generation steps up to take management reins in Wahkiakum County

Just two months after the death of publisher Rick Nelson, the Wahkiakum County Eagle has new bosses.

They are Rick’s son Jacob and his husband Brandon J. Simmons.

Both are enthusiastic about playing leadership roles while preparing for the retirement of Geri Florek, the Eagle’s longtime production manager. She stepped up as acting publisher during Nelson’s cancer battle.

The family will continue to own the paper. Jacob will continue to work for Microsoft as he lends his skills to the task; Simmons will continue his theater career, too.

“I have always been committed to continuing the legacy of keeping the paper and serving the community in the way it has done, connecting people

in the community,” Jacob said. “We are at the start of a journey to do that in a sustainable way.”

One move being considered is hiring a full-time editor.

Simmons, a creative force in the Seattle theater community as an actor, director and writer, is drawing on varied skills including financial acumen.

“I was going to shadow Geri for a while as I figured I could ‘buy some time’ by learning that job,” Simmons said. “The first day I spent at the paper, seeing how it is put together, and how the staff all work together, I absolutely fell in love with it right away.”

He said local reaction has been positive.

“People from the communi-

that we show state officials we are engaged and interested.

Saturday night Oct. 7 is the gala awards dinner.

The full schedule is available at wnpa.com. Click on the homepage tile to get to the registration and information

page. Once there you can download the convention program. There are a limited number of

hotel rooms reserved for us, so register for rooms early to get our rate.

You can call the hotel at 509783-0611 and use group code NEWS1005.

Presenting workshops will be nationally recognized newspaper consultants Kevin Slimp and Bill Ostendorf. They will get you reimagining how to approach publishing in this new era. We hope you can join us in Kennewick!

Reporting fellowship to start with eight positions

A fellowship program funded by the state Legislature last session will fund eight jobs for journalists starting next year. Administered by Washington State University, the Murrow News Fellowship offers early-career journalists the opportunity to report on civic affairs in underserved communities, both rural and urban.

The state-funded initiative will pair eight fellows with Washington newsrooms for two-year, full-time reporting positions beginning in early 2024. A new cohort of eight fellows will join the program

See FELLOWS, Page 2 See EAGLE, Page 3

This photo by Don Seabrook of the Wenatchee World is among the entries in this year’s Better Newspaper Contest. The winners will be announced Oct. 7 in Kennewick at the Red Lion Columbia Center Hotel.

each year, bringing the

Franz Ostendorf Slimp

New interview now up on WNPA podcast site

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 who worked in the restaurant and garment industries in Seattle’s International District.

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 organized

FROM THE PRESIDENT

the Chinese Oral History Project of Seattle in 1990 and edited the Project’s 1994 companion volume, Reflections of Seattle’s Chinese Americans. In 1991, Chew was hired as the Executive Director for the Wing Luke Museum. Using his journalism skills, 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.

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.

Your readers might be willing to pay more for subscriptions

By Michelle Nedved

Effective July 1, The Miner’s subscription rates went up by $14 a year for in-county residents. A year ago May, we had increased our rates by about $7 and prior to that, we hadn’t increased circulation rates for years, much to the chagrin of my business partner. A year’s subscription now costs $49.

I wasn’t looking forward to either rate increase.

I had heard various theories on how to go about increasing your subscription rates and compared our rates to our sister newspapers. We were by far the cheapest, and I while I knew we could justify a rate increase the fear of losing subscribers loomed large.

It had been suggested by a few people that we make a big deal out of a rate increase and use it as a subscription drive; tell our readers to renew now before rates increase. Others suggested a subtle editorial and a house ad or two explaining the rate increase.

I braced myself when we raised rates in May of last year. I ran an editorial apologetically explaining how our costs had gone up and that, as much as we hated to do it, we had to raise rates. We got exactly one phone call. A reader wanted to know why we hadn’t increased our rates sooner.

This time around, I took the words of my dear friend and colleague John Lester of The Shelton-Mason County Journal to heart. He said, “you never see big signs in the grocery store that say, ‘The price of milk just went up!’”

This time, we didn’t mention it at all. We ran our standard house ads that state our rates and made

the change effective July 1. We have had zero comments.

It’s important to note that we do not have automatic subscription renewal. When a subscription is about to expire, we send out a notice and bill so readers can renew. If we did have automatic renewal, we would be more vocal about our increases. We aren’t in the business of bait and switch.

I don’t have to explain to anyone reading that what the rising costs of postage and printing are doing to our bottom lines. It is vital to remember that we offer a service our communities are willing to support, and we do a damn fine job of it too.

Don’t be shy about charging what you are worth. Chances are your readers are wondering why you haven’t done so already.

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

FELLOWS: Program open to recent

Continued from Page 1

fellowship program to 16 fellows total.

graduates

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

Fellows will be employed by Washington State University but assigned to work with partner newsrooms.

The fellowship program is open to recent graduates of two-year, four-year, or graduate programs in Washington state. Half of the participants will be Murrow College graduates, the other half will be graduates of other universities or colleges.

Fellows must have completed their education within five years of the program’s start date. The fellowship is open to journalists committed to careers in writing, digital, video, audio, photo and/or multimedia. Murrow fellows will receive $55,000 annually with ben-

efits as employees of Washington State University. The fellows will also receive stipends for travel and equipment.

The program is open to all news outlets in Washington state, regardless of the media platform. Newsrooms should articulate a plan for how the fellow will expand coverage of civic affairs to new audiences in Washington state, including citizens in rural and underserved populations.

Newsrooms are expected to provide editing, guidance, and professional support for the fellows in collaboration with the program manger. The newsroom should provide a suitable workspace for the fellow as well as access to any required software or equipment outside of that which is provided by the fellowship.

News outlets may partner to submit an application for a fellow. In such cases, the application should clearly identify a primary point of contact for the fellow, as well as clearly delineate information needs and news priorities for the fellow.

The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University will provide ongoing training for fellows resulting in a certificate in digital media. Fellows will be required to complete the training and participate in discussions with leaders in journalism, media law, ethics, digital security, misinformation, civic information, community engagement, public information access, and related topics.

For more information on the application process, deadlines and other details, email Ben Shors at WSU at bshors@wsu.edu.

Nedved

EAGLE: Next generation steps up in Wahkiakum

ty would walk in asking, ‘What’s happening with the paper?’ and I say, ‘Jacob and I are going to run it.’ There are just sighs of relief when they know we are here to stay. They are just thrilled. Someone came in and said just that.”

Rick’s parents, Bob and Lois Nelson, bought the paper in the 1960s. 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. He took over as publisher when his father died in 2006. Rick’s sister, Amy Nelson, who now lives in Bellingham, worked with him.

Although the old Linotype typesetting machine now is housed at the museum down the street, the cluttered Eagle building at 77 Main St. is still a treasure trove, blending printing history and decades of Wahkiakum folklore.

A framed eagle looks out over a sturdy Heidelberg Press. Dusty reverse metal type relics lay on cabinet tops. One faded photo shows a very young Jacob watching his grandfather set type. A 5-foot wide photoboard displayed at Bald Eagle Days invited visitors to name those in the blackand-white pictures; it garnered multiple scribbled responses.

Simmons and Jacob Nelson married in 2016, but have been a couple for 17 years.

They speak with enthusiasm about ramping up community engagement techniques like social media while continuing existing Eagle operations, which include the weekly printed paper with a circulation of about 1,300 and the website at www. waheagle.com.

“We will continue to connect — that’s really what the Eagle does,” said Jacob, who worked at the student TV station during his college years.

“We are committed to finding ways we can expand that connection. Everywhere we go we hear people excited.”

Ward departs, Kennedy promoted

Their approach highlights a survival strategy in the changing world of American newspapering: giving highest priority to local news that cannot be obtained elsewhere.

“We are pleased to see how strong the paper is and how loyal the readership is,” Simmons said. “We want to grow and reach the people who don’t know us, all with a focus on the Wahkiakum community, Cathlamet and Naselle.”

This is an edited version of a story written by Patrick Webb that first appeared in the Chinook Observer.

After eight years helping steer Sound Publishing, Vice President Terry Ward is leaving the company to pursue a long-held dream of establishing his own media company. He recently acquired five community newspapers, which will operate under the company name, Ward Media. The newspapers were not named in the announcement pending an announcement of the sale, but Ward said the newspapers are located in Washington State.

Though bidding farewell was a challenging decision, Terry expressed his sentiments, saying, “I want

to express my deepest gratitude to the Sound Publishing team for your unwavering support and collaboration during my tenure at Sound Publishing. Ward’s last day in his current role was Aug. 1, 2023, but he has agreed to work closely with Sound Publishing through August, ensuring a smooth handover

and a seamless continuation of our ongoing projects.

With Ward’s departure, Sound Publishing announced the promotion of Eran Kennedy to the position of Regional Publisher of the Olympic Peninsula Group. In her new role, Eran will oversee the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and the Forks Forum.

Kennedy worked for Black Press in Cananda and Hawaii before coming to Washington State. A resident of Sequim for the past 9 years, and currently is PresidentElect of the SequimDungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Ward Kennedy

Counties, cities have cash for tourism

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 trust 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 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 region-

Continued on Page 5

Ad network: Fairs & fests, golf courses, wineries, resorts all can benefit

Continued from Page 5

ally 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 360-3442938.

NOTE

Produce ads in two sizes,‘Version A & Version B,’ to accommodate different page sizes.

SUPER SIZE

Mullen buys 8 southern Colorado newspapers

Louie Mullen, who owns shares of the Newport Miner and the Omak Okanagon County Tribune, has added newspapers in Colorado to his list of titles.

Mullen recently purchased the Valley Courier daily in Alamosa, Monte Vista Journal, The Del Norte Prospector, The Conejos County Citizen, Center Post-Dispatch, The Mineral County Miner, The South Fork Tines and SLV Lifestyles.

John Cribb, of Cribb Cope & Potts represented the Tompkins family and News Media Corporation in the sale. Terms were not disclosed.

JJ Tompkins, CEO of News Media Corporation,

said it was important his family’s company found the right person to whom to sell the Colorado newspapers.

“After 30-plus years of my family being stewards of these newspapers, we are very pleased to pass the torch to Louie Mullen,” Tompkins said. “It was very important to me, that we transfer on the rich history and future of these fine publications to family ownership, who have the best interest of the readers and community.”

Mullen was thankful for the opportunity to continue the News Media Corporation and Tompkins family legacy in Colorado.

“I would like to thank JJ and his family for this

New legislation offers tax breaks to news organizations, small businesses

opportunity,” Mullen said. “Newspapers are a lifeblood for our communities. They are a reflection of their populations. I wouldn’t be able to work in this business, or make these transactions happen without the support of the town, right here.”

Local group publisher Keith Cerny, who is staying with the newspapers as they transition to new ownership, said:

“It has been a pleasure working for News Media the past 35 years,” Cerny said. “Not many changes are expected with the new owner, and we plan to continue the best in local news coverage that readers of all of our publications have come to expect.”

New legislation to support local newsrooms and local advertisers has been introduced in the 118th Congress.

The Community News & Small Business Support Act was introduced by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-1), both members of the Ways and Means Committee.

The bipartisan legislation supports two institutions critical to sustaining hometown communities: local news organizations and small businesses.

Much like the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, which was introduced in the 117th Congress, this act makes refundable tax credits available to local newspapers of up to $25,000 per journalist in the first year and up to $15,000 per journalist in the next four years.

The Act also makes non-refundable tax credits available to local businesses that advertise with local newspapers of up to $5,000 in the first year and $2,500 in the next four years.

“As the former

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.

owner and publisher of the Mid-York Weekly, a local weekly newspaper, I understand how essential it is to support local newspapers and provide our communities with locally-sourced news,” said Tenney, the bill’s sponsor. “The Community News and Small Business Support Act ensures that local newspapers can continue to deliver vital news stories that matter most to our communities while allowing for our small businesses to grow and our communities to stay informed.” wsda.org

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

The Newport Miner, an award-winning community newspaper in beautiful Pend Oreille County, Wash., is looking for a graphic designer and paginator.

We’re located in Newport, Wash., on the Washington/Idaho border, in the very Northeast corner of Washington. Beautiful area with lots of outdoor recreation opportunities.

An hour from Spokane, Newport is a quaint, tight knit community with lots going on. We cover two counties, four school districts, five cities, two states and a plethora of community events and organizations.

Remote work is a definite possibility. Hours are flexible but must be available Tuesdays. About 20 hours a week,

sometimes less, sometimes more. Freelancers welcome to apply.

Come join our team and make a positive difference in the world.

Email resume, cover letter and writing samples to michellenewportminer@gmail.com.

REPORTER

The Newport Miner is looking for a general assignment reporter with room to grow.

We’re located in Newport, Wash., on the Washington/Idaho border, in the very Northeast corner of Washington. Flexible hours, 401(k), health insurance stipend.

Knowledge of AP Style, journalism experience/education, competency in photography required. InDesign/ Photoshop knowledge and layout experience

desired, but not required. We believe in accurate, reliable journalism and focus solely on our local communities.

Come join our team and make a positive difference in the world. Email resume, cover letter and writing samples to michellenewportminer@gmail.com.

REPORTER

The Centralia Chronicle is looking for a reporter to join its growing newsroom in Lewis County, Washington.

The Chronicle publishes a robust print edition three times a week and maintains a daily presence at chronline.com.

We are committed to local news and work to provide as much of it as possible on a daily basis.

The Chronicle values enterprising reporters

who enjoy working in a productive and energetic newsroom. Each of our journalists carry out general assignment duties as needed, but this position will have a focus on local government and the state Legislature.

The Chronicle is located midway between Seattle and Portland and within an hour drive to the mountains and the beach. We’re fortunate to have Mount Rainier National Park, Mount St. Helens, and other outdoor treasures in our coverage area, making this job a good fit for a journalist with a taste for adventure.

We also have a record of holding public officials and institutions accountable and maintaining a strong presence at local government meetings, events and

anything our readers might be interested in.

Our staff is composed of an editor-in-chief, a regional editor, an assistant editor, a sports editor, a photo editor, four news reporters, a sports reporter and a number of freelancers and columnists.

The Chronicle is a family-owned newspaper with owners who are present and supportive of the efforts of the newsroom. We’re wellequipped when it comes to cameras, computers and other gear, and our journalists are always provided with what they need to do their jobs right.

For this position, The Chronicle is looking for an experienced journalist but will consider recent graduates with quality writing samples and

references.

To be considered, send a short cover letter, resume and references to Editor-in-Chief Eric Schwartz at eschwartz@ chronline.com. Feel free to email with questions about the position.

CT Publishing, owner of The Chronicle, Nisqually Valley News and The Reflector, offers health insurance, dental insurance and other benefits. Reporters are reimbursed for their mileage. The rate of pay generally ranges from $16 to $20 an hour.

SENIOR REPORTER/ ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The Columbia Basin Herald is a daily, awardwinning newspaper covering Grant and Adams counties with an editorial staff of six, is searching

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journalism.

With over 60 years of experience, we know

From public records to protecting journalists, from defamation claims to business needs, large and small publishers turn to us.

Continued from Page 8 for an experienced journalist to help us keep our readers informed.

This position will cover a variety of beats including business, city government and agriculture.

Our ideal candidate is someone who can bounce seamlessly between daily work and long-term projects, collaborating with the editor to create consistent, excellent journalism.

The reporter would be responsible for writing 10 articles for the daily editions each week. Our selected candidate will also assist with some layout, proofreading pages and mentoring less experienced reporters.

In addition to our daily publication, we publish the Basin Business Journal, covering agriculture and industry in Eastern Washington state. We also produce magazines for Adams and Grant counties as well as the city of Moses Lake, among other publications.

Mandatory skills include using AP style and competence with Adobe Creative Suite, especially InDesign. Must be able to take your own photos.

We resquire a Bachelor’s degree or higher in journalism or other communication equivalent and four years of professional experience, including experience proofreading and editing.

Benefits include paid vacation and sick time, as well as health insurance and 401K.

Applicants should provide a resume, cover letter and portfolio of at least five clips to editor@columbiabasinherald.com with the subject line: Associate Editor application.