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January 5, 2009
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Citizen Journalism, Part Two

By Deb Shaw

Conference photo.
Dale Peskin, left, and Geoff Dougherty took part in the 'Power of We' discussion at the recent SNA conference in Minneapolis.

Editors Note: This is part two of a story relating to ‘The Power of We’ discussion held at the SNA Fall Conference in Minneapolis in 2008. Dialogue participants included Kate Marymont, Vice President / Information Center Content for Gannett Company, Jan Schaffer, Executive Director of J-Lab, Geoff Dougherty, Editor, Chi-Town Daily News and Dale Peskin, Co-founder and Managing Director, iFOCOS. The group was practically bursting with pedigrees in the world of professional journalism yet each and every one was espousing the benefits of citizen journalism in one form or another. Click here to read part one of the story.

Media participation by community members is a new form of civic contribution and local media houses are well advised to become involved in this movement. So says Jan Schaffer, of The Institute for Interactive Journalism (www.j-lab.org), who emphatically urged the media execs gathered in Minneapolis to think beyond traditional journalism when it comes to ‘letting community in’. read more


Northwestern University’s “News Mixer” Project Promotes Better Engagement and Conversation

By Susan Karol, PhD
Executive Director, SNA Foundation

Newsmixer.us screenshot
Visit the News Mixer demonstration site at newsmixer.us.

Earlier this month, six graduate students from the Medill School of Journalism’s New Media Publishing Project at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois presented a new Web site concept, News Mixer, designed specifically to increase citizens’ engagement with their local news. Two of the students are enrolled in the school through a scholarship program funded by a Knight News Challenge grant encouraging experienced computer programmers to apply their skills to journalism projects.

Working in conjunction with Gazette Communications in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the students sought to incorporate social networking tools to promote conversations around the town’s news, particularly among young adults. Their project seeks to go beyond standard open-ended news story comment boxes to allow for greater interaction and use of existing Facebook profiles and social networking tools to enhance the experience and be more attractive for a younger audience. Based on the project, The Gazette is interested in launching a site in 2009. And the project source code is available on an open-source basis at Google Code so other news organizations can utilize it as well. read more


Yellow Pages Versus Newspapers — Delivering What SMBs Want

By Sharon Hill

As we write this, Idearc stock has fallen from a high of over $30 to a low of two cents — yes, not dollars, cents. As the owner of Verizon’s SuperPages.com and one of the largest Yellow Pages providers, its financial struggle is symbolic of the battle within the entire YP industry — and the newspaper industry as well — to evolve from print to multimedia.

The Yellow Page industry, despite its poor stock exchange showing may well have the jump on newspapers — not necessarily in its robust online directories but at least in its aggressive outbound approach to new business advertisers.

We recently attended a Webinar presented by Dick Larkin, president of Weblistic, Inc., an online marketing firm created by the inventors of YellowPages.com and now owned by SpotRunner. Weblistic specializes in local search engine marketing, video creation and saturation, and mobile advertising.

Borrell delivered a slide presentation about the attempts of the various legacy media to convert a portion of their revenue to the Internet. The Yellow Pages industry, he demonstrated, was the most successful at doing so.

“[The Yellow Page industry has] made the transition to the Internet a lot more quickly and effectively, in being able to sell their print advertisers to the Internet, and, as we’re beginning to see now, reach out to a new customer base that is not in the print book,” said Borrell. “That’s a significant sign of this industry being able to grow its business. The others are trying to do that too — the newspapers, TV and radio stations. read more


Brand New Weekly Hits 50% Margins

Competes with commonly owned daily in same market

Mike Murray and Jay Beaton photo
Mike Murray, left, chats with Jay Beaton of Pioneer Press Newspapers at the 2007 Circulation Distribution Conference.

By Deb Shaw

If a 50% profit margin just 11 weeks out of the gate doesn’t get your attention, then how does the notion of launching a free weekly in your paid daily’s market sound? Lunacy, you say — heck no, according to Mike Murray, who was one of the keynote speakers at the recent SNA Circulation & Distribution Conference held in late November in Las Vegas. Describing the project as experimental and having a week to week lifespan, Murray is both proud of the results to date and eager to share insights so others might give something similar a try in their own market.

As of late November, they’re 11 weeks into the launch of Greenbush Life, with a bottom line averaging better than 50%. “Cautiously optimistic” is how Murray, Senior Vice President Circulation for Journal Register Company, described the outlook and unless and until something rocks the boat, their plan is to keep the project moving forward. read more


Citizen Journalism, Take Two

By Deb Shaw

Story photo
Attendees lined up to talk with John Temple about his entry into the world of citizen journalism. Much has changed in the interim 3 years.

A few years ago, at the tail end of the SNA fall conference in Denver, Rocky Mountain News Publisher & Editor John Temple talked about what was then the somewhat radical idea of citizen journalism. It was new, bold and perceived as risky by many in the audience given the unfiltered nature of open Web postings. Were there liability issues? How do you deal with tyrannical comments? Foul language? Blatant commercial messages? Temple was talking about blogs when most in the audience didn’t understand the term or the concept behind it. He was not only inviting community into neighborhood based Web sites (www.yourhub.com), he was reverse publishing the comments and photos in weekly localized newspapers. The idea caught on with rapid speed, so much so that Temple was beginning the plan to monetize it further with a national roll out offering for other local publishers to replicate in their markets. The brand is going strong today with a presence in many markets across several states. read more


Democratizing and Crowdfunding Journalism

By Sharon Hill

photo description here
Visit the Spot.us Web site

David Cohn, 26, is a new breed of journalist, a graduate of Columbia University and UC Berkeley, but firmly planted in the world of online social media. Not surprisingly, he has developed a new brand of reporting.

Spot.Us, just launched this past month with the help of a Knight Foundation News Challenge grant, is a crowdfunded freelance journalism Web site. It not only offers community members the opportunity to solicit coverage of their preferred topics but also helps freelance journalists hone their skills and make some money. Community newspapers can benefit from Spot.Us as well.

Cohn started his reporting career at Wired.com. “I was the research assistant for Jeff Howe, an associate editor at Wired, who coined the phrase crowdsourcing,” he said. “Because I was reporting on technology day in and day out it gave me an edge on some of my peers. I was Howe’s book research assistant, looking into crowdfunding. While doing that research I learned about microfinancing sites Kiva and Donors Choose.” read more


It’s Time to Fight Back

By Deb Shaw

Reaching More Than Ever Before graphic
Northwest Herald's "Reaching More Than Ever Before" campaign.

A clean slate, an unmarked sheet of paper, a blank computer screen. Just about any empty space will do. It’s time to fight back folks and one way to do it is to start fresh and create a campaign to tell the story about the strength of community media.

Specifically, it’s time to tell your story in your market. The unrelenting bad news is pushing everyone’s last nerve — STOP now and pull your creative and most enthused people together to develop plans to overcome the misperceptions. There’s no better place to start than your own back yard and you’ve got the best mediums at your disposal to get that message rolling.

The folks at the Northwest Herald, a 40,000 daily in the greater Chicago area, have done just that and are in the early stages of a campaign that will ultimately go beyond ROP ads to include outdoor and cable TV. The genesis of the campaign came from John Rung, Chief Operating Officer at Shaw Suburban Media. Like many of his counterparts at strong community media houses throughout North America, Rung became increasingly frustrated at the broad brush strokes of big-paper woes swashing over his papers and Web sites. “We can't let perception become reality,” says Rung. “We can't let the nay-sayers continue to spread the gloom without fighting back!!” read more


Developing The Local Media House

By Deb Shaw

Image of layout-driven template
Example of a layout-driven template.

Just like its members, SNA is forging into new technology and using new media methods to tell its stories. Yes, the organization remains highly focused on the vitality and importance of core media vehicles, a.k.a. the newspaper (SNA publishes monthly Suburban Publisher and continuously invests in improving its design, content and delivery). SNA President Nancy Lane exhorts members to constantly strive to make their own print products better and more attractive to readers and urges evolving cultures and practices to improve the process and product, i.e. invite reporters and photographers into the critical content and layout decisions — a move that editors in Scandinavia made with tremendous success. More on that later.

In early November, SNA offered the first of four Webinars that are focusing on the different lessons learned from the recent six-day Innovation Mission to Scandinavia. The Webinar was free to SNA members who signed up via blast e-mails that were sent in advance promoting the 3PM Eastern, one hour call. read more


Free Report: Developing the Local Media House

Lessons Learned from Norway & Sweden

Scandinavian newspapers and their Web sites are experiencing explosive growth while maintaining print readership in the 80% range. What is their secret? What can US and Canadian community newspaper companies learn?

To find out the answers to these and many other burning questions, the SNA Foundation commissioned an innovation mission to Norway & Sweden. Last month fourteen newspaper executives made the trip and met with more than a dozen companies. Planes, trains, automobiles and ships took the group from one end of Norway to the other end of Sweden. And the lessons learned were valuable indeed.

The SNA Foundation is pleased to make "Building the Local Media House — Lessons Learned from Norway & Sweden" — available to the industry free of charge. This comprehensive report offers nine lessons learned and comes complete with suggested action plans, resources and discussion points for community media companies to consider. read more


Scandinavia Innovation Mission;

Newsrooms: The New Landscape for Conversation

Dave Greber photo

Posted 10/6/08 by Dave Greber, Innovation Mission Multimedia Reporter

When designing newsrooms, the Bergen Tidende has created an interesting “boat” concept. Their offices allow for open conversation areas in a unique layout.

To learn about this interesting design, view my new video titled, "Bergen Tidende Tour" in the video player on the right.

Also, be sure to read my trip highlights and ask me some questions in the Innovation Mission Forum.

And finally, don't forget to check out my photo gallery for more information.


Listen to the Wachovia/SNA Call

Community Newspapers Report 2nd Quarter Results

MP3 icon

Last week, SNA co-hosted a call with Wachovia Equity Research to share the second quarter community newspaper advertising results with the financial community. The audio recording of that call is now available free of charge.

Donna Barrett, President/CEO of Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. and David Black, President/CEO of Black Press provided extensive commentary during the call that was handled in a Q&A format by John Janedis, Media Analyst, Wachovia Equity Research. read more


Community Papers — Sweet Spot of the Industry
Announce 2nd Quarter Financial Results

Nancy Lane photo“Community newspapers are doing well because they provide much needed hyper-local news and advertising,” said SNA President Nancy Lane. “Advertisers, especially at the community level are reaching an engaged audience that no other medium can effectively serve.”

August 13, 2008 — Community newspapers remain the sweet spot of the industry with only a slight downturn in advertising revenues, according to second quarter 2008 financial data collected by the trade association — Suburban Newspapers of America (SNA). The SNA financial reporting group reports total ad revenue at $482 million, a 2.4% decline from the same quarter in 2007.

Hundreds of daily and weekly community newspapers, representing nearly 14.5 million in circulation with annual revenues of over $2 billion, now participate in the SNA financial reporting group. A beta report conducted earlier this year by SNA showed a 2.7% decline for the first quarter of 2008 against the same quarter of 2007. The group also reported total ad revenues were up .5% (2007 vs. 2006) as compared to the overall industry decline of 7.9% as reported by the Newspaper Association of America. read more


LocalPoint Media is an Extension of Your Sales Force!

LocalPoint Media Sells National Advertising for Suburban/Community Newspapers

Is your newspaper signed up yet?

With the first sale under their collective belts, the LocalPoint Media sales staff is fired up and on the move, with 100+ proposals on the table. As media buyers from across the country seek a more valuable alternative to metro dailies, they’re recognizing that LocalPoint Media and the community and suburban newspapers it represents, more than fits the bill. With its one order, one bill structure, media buyers have an awesome opportunity to delve deeper into local communities like never before and at fantastic rates. Media buyers are now able to advertise in a number of community newspapers with just one simplified buy. It's simply never been easier for media buyers and planners. What was once a good, hard buy is now a good, easy buy. read more

Recent LocalPoint Media News:


Member News

12/1/2008 Journal Register Company Retains Dirks, Van Essen & Murray to Sell Newspapers
12/1/2008 Ken Johnson, Founder of Westward Communications, Dies
12/1/2008 New Publisher at Snoqualmie Valley Record
11/1/2008 Charlotte Weekly, LLC Acquires and Grows
11/1/2008 'Gazette' Names New Editors
11/1/2008 Lee Enterprises Makes Publisher Changes
11/1/2008 Lee Newspapers Reports Jump in Readership
11/1/2008 Restructuring in the Black Hills
11/1/2008 SNPA Leadership Change

And the Winners are...

2008 SNA Newspaper of the Year / General Excellence Contest
It is the most competitive contest of the year and 2008 was no exception. Hundreds of newspapers competed. The judges labored over many worthy entries. In the end, six newspapers stood out from the field. read more

2008 SNA Advertising and Promotions Contest
With over 1,200 outstanding entries, this was the most competitive contest in our history! Competition was fierce and our judges certainly had their work cut out for them. read more

2008 Dean S. Lesher Award
Among SNA’s highest honors is the esteemed Dean S. Lesher Award, a lifetime achievement award recognizing outstanding leadership within the community and suburban newspaper industry. The 2008 nominating committee has bestowed this year’s honors to Murray Skinner. read more

2008 Local Community Web Site Contest
With a record setting number of entries in 2008, our judges for the SNA Local Community Web Site Contest were faced with some very challenging decisions this year. This contest represents the top Web initiatives from community and suburban newspapers across North America. We're extremely proud of all the Web sites that entered the contest and the amazingly hard work and innovation that goes into creating a winning site. read more

2007 Editorial Contest
The SNA 2007 Editorial Contest brought forth more than 3,000 extraordinary entries from SNA members and non-members alike, covering 37 different categories. We’re proud to announce the exceptional winners, and prouder still of the excellent content and substance presented by our community and suburban newspaper industry. Congratulations to all on a job well done. read more

Media Buyers

There’s no doubt that suburban and community newspapers offer substantial opportunity for target marketing, and SNA makes it easier than ever to gain access to nearly 2,400 suburban newspapers from across North America. Our Media Buyer Resource Center will help guide you through the buying process; providing research, testimonials and a searchable newspaper database. read more

Conferences

SNA conferences provide members with extensive educational training and support and just as importantly, yield outstanding networking opportunities. Our members are consistently pleased with their conference experiences; from the innovative industry specific sessions to the creative exchange of ideas — SNA conferences are jam-packed with educational value, helping to raise the standards of excellence for our suburban and community newspaper members. read more

Member Profile

Member Profile photo
Jason Heid

Who is Jason Heid?
I’m the editor and publisher of People Newspapers, a group of weeklies serving the most sophisticated, affluent audience in the Dallas area. It’s a thrill week in and week out to put out our publications in the heart of this dynamic, growing metropolis. I love a good challenge, and planning our strategy as our company and our industry undergo a massive transformation is energizing. I love learning new things, and the newspaper business is a great place to be for someone like me. read more

Find a Member

Upcoming Events

1/13Editors'Alliance call
1/13Publishers'Alliance call
1/15Interactive Media Alliance call
1/22Circulation Alliance call
2/3-6Spring Publishers' Conference
2/12Interactive Media Alliance call
2/19Classified Alliance call
2/19Retail Alliance call
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Foundation logo The SNA Foundation is the only organization of its kind that focuses solely on suburban and community newspapers and supports their role as the leading local information providers, now and in the future, through research and education. read more

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