The Washington Newspaper, December 2022

NEWSPAPER

December 2022

of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Newspaper aid deleted from big defense bill

It’s looking more and more like the newspaper industry will get only lumps of coal in its Christmas stocking this year after Congress in early December dropped the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) from the proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Observers said inclusion in that giant bill was the best hope for pushing the measure through this year.

The JCPA would allow the newspaper industry to set aside

antitrust laws for a specified period, allowing news outlets to collectively bargain with Google and Meta over the use of content produced by America’s newspapers.

Newspaper industry spokespeople argued that Google and Facebook continue to benefit from quality newspaper content, but don’t pay fairly for it based on the value the content drives to their platforms.

The Seattle Times Editorial

Sound Publishing’s new press rumbles to life

Sound Publishing’s new Lakewood press is up and running. The massive Goss/Manroland Universal 70 press is 220-feet long and weighs 442 tons. Its 11-towers ultimately will handle most of the company’s newspapers plus commercial clients. In addition to The Daily Herald in Everett, the company prints The Daily World of Aberdeen, the Peninsula Daily News in Port Angeles, the Bellingham Herald and the Centralia Chronicle. See JCPA, Page 2

Legislative Day returns after two-year hiatus

After a two year absence, Legislative Day is coming back to Olympia Feb. 16.

Plans currently are tentative, but you should save the date and plan to attend. WNPA will circulate registration details when they are available.

The day-long meeting features state appointed and elected officials who answer questions from the assembled members of the media.

Leaders of legislative caucuses also will attend and

talk about their priorities for the session.

COVID-19 protocols are still in effect for some buildings on the Capitol Campus so this year’s Legislative Day might look different from events held in previous years.

Still in the planning stages are a reception with Supreme Court Justices and time with Gov. Jay Inslee at the governor’s mansion. An expanded reception, rather than a dinner, is possible there.

New advertising rules publication available

A new PDF publication compiled by WNPA lays out the basic rules newspapers face when placing advertisements.

What words are allowed in classified ads for rentals and employment? Can a renter specify a gender preference when renting a room in someone’s house? Is it OK to say housing is intended for seniors?

And what about politics? Is it OK for a candidate to use a 10-year-old photo of themselves in a political ad? When must political ads carry the name and address of the person who purchased it? What if several people got together to buy the ad?

Our new advertising rules publication answers those questions and more. You can download a copy from the home page at wnpa.com.

Journal

Photo by Olivia Vanni, The Herald

Proposal would allow discussions with big tech on paying for content

JCPA: Passage hopes fading as year ends

Board advocated for passage of the JCPA Nov. 9.

“The journalism crisis underlies all the other threats to democracy, including election subversion, voting restrictions and false information stoking discord and distrust in democratic institutions,” the editorial said. “They cannot be resolved without first saving the press.”

Meta officials fired back saying they would censor news on its platform if the JCPA becomes law.

“If Congress passes an ill-considered journalism bill as part of national security legislation, we will be forced to consider removing news from our platform altogether rather than submit to government-mandated negotiations that unfairly disregard any value we provide to news outlets through increased traffic and subscriptions,” a Meta spokesperson said.

Other groups also opposed the legislation.

They included the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Free Press Action; the Center for Democracy & Technology; and Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION). They said nothing in the legislation guarantees monies paid to news publishers would be used to hire journalists and the legislation would favor large media conglomerates instead of small, independent outlets.

The News/Media Alliance (NMA), disputed that, saying the JCPA is designed to benefit small and local publishers.The JCPA does not allow large newspaper groups to disproportionately benefit through representation, governance, and allocation of funding.

Newspaper advocates continue to push for passage of the JCPA this year, but face an uphill battle as opportunities continue to be winnowed as Congress nears adjournment for the year.

Sometimes, we should be a part of the stories in our communities

By Michelle Nedved

I’m typically not in favor of newspapers inserting themselves into the story. The idea brings to mind a certain large daily that operated its own sting operation to catch a now-deceased mayor seducing young men, and I shudder.

However, there are certain exceptions, times when it behooves both the newspaper and the community that we step out from behind the camera and reporter notebooks and show everyone how great we are.

In The Miner’s case, this is the annual Newport Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees. We’ve participated four out of the last six years and plan to pick it back up again this year, now that COVID is “over.”

The premise is like most Festivals of Trees. Businesses and organizations agree to decorate a tree, complete with presents, and raffle it off to support a charity.

book to each child who visits a doctor.

In the past, the trees were displayed at our middle school the first Saturday in December and a one-day event included Santa photos and crafts during the day and a dinner and entertainment at night. During COVID, in 2020 and 2021, the trees were displayed in each sponsoring business and no event was held. We didn’t participate. As you all can relate, just getting the newspaper out each week was challenging enough during those two years.

This year, it’s a hybrid. The dinner is set for Dec. 10, but trees are to be erected by Dec. 2 in your place of business, and ticket purchasers will have two weeks to visit the trees and drop their raffle tickets in the box. The foundation’s administration is holding ticket buying events throughout those two weeks at the various businesses.

As a newspaper, we don’t get a lot of foot traffic. We’re hoping this changes that. We’re planning to market the hell out of our tree. House ads, Facebook posts and news stories will entice residents to stop by, meet us, check out our tree and see our office. We are a friendly bunch, and our office is, honestly, quite adorable.

the most popular tree. So our third tree’s theme was simple: beer.

The tree was gorgeous, decorated in an hombre of browns, from dark (stout) to gold (pilsner) and came with a wide variety of craft beers and beer drinking accessories.

It was a hit indeed. And my husband won the tree. We still set it up every year in The Miner’s office.

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, Ron Judd 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

Our hospital foundation is exceptional. It has facilitated the purchase of state-of the-art mammography equipment. It operates a Healthy Kids Snack Bag program that provides weekly bags of seven days’ worth of healthy snacks to elementary school children in six different schools. The students who receive the bags are identified by teachers and counselors who know who might benefit from such a thing, as family income doesn’t always tell the whole story.

The foundation is also responsible for a Reach and Read program that provides an age-appropriate

In years past, we’ve tried to keep the theme of our trees linked to our industry. Our first tree’s theme was paper. Our staff hand-made ornaments out of newsprint and the “present” under the tree was a $100 bill.

The second year was “What’s black and white and ‘read’ all over?” The tree was decorated in – you guessed it – black, red and white (which happen to be Newport’s school colors) and came with 10 or 15 classic books for all ages.

While paying homage to the integrity of print was morally satisfying, we decided we’d rather have

Unfortunately, the foundation discovered they couldn’t legally raffle off alcohol. So we were back to the drawing board. The final tree we did, in winter of 2019, was kitchen themed. While it was beautiful and easy, it didn’t get quite the oohs and aahs of the beer tree.

We needed something that people crave. Something they want a lot of, but might not have the spare cash to spend a lot on. What, besides alcohol, could we entice people with that would make them stop by our office and drop their raffle ticket in our box?

Obviously, the answer is coffee and candy. The plan is to decorate the tree similarly to the beer tree, in shades of brown to represent

Nedved

Trying to be the most popular led the Miner staff to create the beer tree.

Nedved: participate

coffee and chocolate, with punches of bright pinks, oranges, blues and reds, a nod to fans of nonchocolate candy. Coffee gift cards and an array of candy will come with the three, as well as coffee mugs, coffee beans and coffee making accessories.

I’m not going to lie. Volunteering for an endeavor like this is overwhelming, especially with the small staff we have and all the work we do this time of year. And what community newspaper has the cash to spend on decorating a tree and stacking it with presents? I’ve come to realize that

dollar stores have plenty of decorations on the cheap. And our unique position in the community allows us to offer free marketing to the coffee stands that are not in short supply here. Any coffee stand that chips in on a gift card for our tree will get mentioned in all the self-promotion we do. Besides all that, I love decorating a Christmas tree. And what better cause than a foundation that feeds kids healthy food and the love of reading?

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

Listing salary ranges required in employment posts in 2023

Companies with 15 or more employees who have at least one employee working in Washington must begin including salary ranges in job postings as of Jan. 1, 2023.

The new requirement is part of Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (“EPOA”) which already requires employers to provide a salary range to applicants who request that information after an employer makes an initial job offer.

Washington State’s Employment Security Department recently released a draft administration policy, which provided guidance on the requirements to the upcoming pay transparency legislation.

Employers with 15 or more employees, who have at least one

employee working in Washington, must comply. Eligible employers will have to post a low and high number (either as an hourly wage or yearly salary amount) as well as a general description of all benefits and other compensation to be offered in any job posting.

Benefits include items such as health care benefits, retirement benefits, vacation benefits, other paid time off, discretionary bonuses, stock options, relocation assistance, profit-sharing, etc. Employers will not need to post the monetary value of the benefits.

Employers must provide the salary range to an employee who is offered an internal transfer/promotion, if the employee requests it.

Renton Reporter comes back from pandemic

The Renton Reporter is back in print after nearly two and half years.

The newspaper was originally founded in 1995 by Denis Law, a longtime Renton public figure and the 1994 President of WNPA. Law sold the publication in 2008.

The paper was published weekly until March 20, 2020, when COVID-19 struck.

The paper is staffed jointly with other South King County newspapers. Andy Hobbs is the editor, and Olivia Sullivan is the assistant editor.

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.

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.

Now that the pandemic is mainly behind us, people are itching to get out and mingle and community events are once again filling the streets.

But after two years of relative inactivity, extra effort is necessary to let people know your town is open for business and welcoming tourists.

Online advertising is an option, but with ad blocking software and distrust growing over social media, 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

Ad network:

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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 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 and $50 direct from WNPA.

• 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.

REPORTER

Sound Publishing Inc. is seeking a general assignment reporter with a minimum of 1-2 years of writing experience and photography skills. This position is based out of our Federal Way office.

The primary coverage will be general assignment stories. The schedule may require evening and/or weekend work.

As a reporter for Sound Publishing, you will be expected to produce 5 by-line stories per week, use a digital camera to take photographs of the stories you cover, post on the publication’s website, blog and use Twitter on the web and shoot and edit videos for the web.

Candidates must have excellent communication and organizational skills, and be able to work effectively in a deadline-driven environment. We offer a competitive hourly wage and benefits package including health insurance, paid time off (vacation, sick, and holidays), and 401K (currently with an employer match.)

Email us your cover letter,

resume, and include five examples of your best work showcasing your reporting skills and writing chops with your resume submission to careers@ soundpublishing.com.

REPORTER

The Vashon Beachcomber, a division of Sound Publishing Inc., is seeking a general assignment reporter with a minimum of 1-2 years of writing experience and photography skills. This position is based out of the Vashon Island office.

The primary coverage will be city government, business, sports, arts and general assignment stories. The schedule includes evening and/ or weekend work.As a reporter for Sound Publishing, you will be expected to produce 5 bylined stories per week, use a digital camera to take photographs of the stories you cover, post on the publication’s website, blog and use Twitter on the web and shoot and edit videos for the web. This is a full-time position. We offer a com-

petitive hourly wage and benefits package including health insurance, paid time off (vacation, sick, and holidays), and 401K (currently with an employer match.)

Email us your cover letter, resume, and include five examples of your best work showcasing your reporting skills and writing chops to: careers@ soundpublishing.com ATTN: VMB Reporter.

REPORTER

Lewis Publishing Company, publisher of the award-winning community newspapers Lynden Tribune and Ferndale Record, has an immediate opening for a full-time news reporter.

The successful applicant will be responsible for covering community news and features in north Whatcom County. You will be responsible for meeting coverage, human interest, recreation, investigative/explorative pieces and more.

Applicant will work closely with the editor and other staff members in a deadline-driven environ-

ment for both weekly print editions and our websites.

Applicant must be familiar with photography, InDesign and social media. You will have plenty to do in your 40hour week. You also will have the opportunity to become a well-versed, skilled journalist capable of advancing your career in most any direction.

Lewis Publishing offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including health insurance, paid time off (vacation, sick, and holidays), and 401K Profit Sharing Plan.

If you are interested in joining our team please email your cover letter, resume and a variety of published clips (3-5) to: Publisher Michael Lewis at mdlewis@lyndentribune.com.

REPORTER

The Reflector in Battle Ground, Washington, is looking for a reporter to join its award winning staff. We’re looking for an energetic self-starter who is interested in writing lifestyle, feature

and sports stories. We cover North Clark County, which includes the communities of Battle Ground, La Center, Woodland, Ridgefield, Hockinson, Yacolt, and the surrounding areas, in addition to Mount St. Helens. Experience with basic photography, general assignment reporting and sports coverage is valued. Recent college graduates are encouraged to apply. Benefits include paid time off and health care.

To be considered, please send a resume, a cover letter and at least three writing samples to CT Publishing Regional Editor Justyna Tomtas at justyna@thereflector.com.

The Reflector, which prints weekly, is one of three newspapers owned by CT Publishing, a family-owned news company.

REPORTER

The Daily Record in Ellensburg, Washington is seeking to fill two fulltime staff reporter positions. One position would primarily cover K-12 and university education, while the other would fo-

cus on county government and environmental issues.

Successful candidates will be comfortable with photography and video. We are a small newspaper, but we offer competitive wage and benefit packages. Please send a cover letter, resume, references and work samples to General Manager, Josh Crawford at jcrawford@ kvnews.com

MANAGING EDITOR

The Daily Record, located in Ellensburg Washington, is looking for candidates to fill our Managing Editor role.

The role’s primary focus is growing and sustaining digital audience while continuing to serve loyal print subscribers. A strong understanding of, and experience with, digital platforms, social media strategy, and search engine optimization are essential. The best candidates also will have a collaborative spirit and knowledge of total operation, including audience/circulation, sales and production. Performance will be measured

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by subscriber growth, engagement and retention as well as the impact our content has in the community – audience reach and public service. Importantly, this top newsroom position requires a rock-solid, fundamental understanding of what is required to deliver journalism of the highest order.

The Managing Editor must collaborate and lead other members of the newsroom to design workflows that lead with digital delivery and follow with smooth and efficient print packaging. This will require leading cultural change in the newsroom.

The managing editor will edit other people’s stories, write content, take photos and videos on a weekly basis as needed to fill content goals.

Applicants should have a minimum of three years of experience leading a news team, experience with digital analytics (Google Analytics preferable) strong interpersonal skills and community-engagement experience – in person and on social networks.

A Bachelor’s degree is required. Additional professional development training in areas such as social media, analytics or project management is preferred.

The Daily Record is owned by Adams Publishing Group.

APG offers a choice of two medical plans with varying levels of employee cost-sharing, and employee-paid Dental and Vision options. There are three company-sponsored and paid benefits, including short-term Disability, longterm disability and a term life insurance policy. To apply, send your resume, cover letter and writing samples to General Manager, Josh Crawford at jcrawford@kvnews.com.