Get more mileage out of testimonials

August 17, 2023

John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training videos to save time and get quick results from in-house training. Email john@johnfoust.com for information.

Back in my ad agency days, I worked with a real estate client on a series of customer testimonials. We started with one, then added another and another. The final count was more than a dozen, which kept the campaign fresh and gave us a lot of flexibility.

The plan was to run smaller ads with one testimonial and then to place three small testimonials at the top of weekly, full-page ads which featured descriptions of houses for sale. The ads attracted the attention of prospective buyers and sellers (many of whom recognized their neighbors) and the company’s agents (who were proud when their clients were featured). One testimonial photo and quote featured a South Korean couple who had relocated to the area when one spouse’s high-tech employer moved a number of executives to North Carolina from that country. The quote appeared in Korean, which appealed to others who were relocating with the same company, in addition to attracting a lot of attention on the page.

This strategy gave us more mileage than a campaign with two or three testimonials because there were so many different combinations. If you’d like to try something similar, here are the steps to take:

Select the right testimonial subjects. Your advertiser can make the choices. Go for variety: some individuals, some couples, and some international customers, if possible. In the case of real estate, balance testimonials between home buyers and sellers.
Get the right testimonial quotes. You can coach your advertiser on how to do this. Keep the quotes brief, with a target of 10 to 20 words. The quotes can be obtained by phone or email, or even in person. Make sure the subjects understand that their comments may be edited slightly for brevity.
Be specific. A testimonial ad is a way to convey selling points about the advertiser. As a result, it’s important to ask questions to direct answers in the right direction – and to create a variety of statements. “XYZ’s service team responds quickly to calls. I can always count on them” is more informative than “The XYZ Company is great. I really like them.” The next quote can focus on something other than service – product selection, for example.
Photos are a must. Taking photographs has gotten simpler with each year. It’s okay to use your phone. Headshots are best. Clean, uncluttered backgrounds provide better ad reproduction.
Get signed releases. Depending on the laws in your area, make sure you have the proper permission to use each testimonial. Release forms can be found online.
Establish a rotation. Be flexible. The more testimonials you have, the greater the possibilities – some ads with one testimonial, some with multiple testimonials.
Thank (but do not pay) your testimonial subjects. Unpaid testimonials from real customers have the ring of authenticity. Your advertiser should send a nice letter, along with their photo (preferably 5×7) and a copy of an ad in which they appeared. It’s another chance for your advertiser to strengthen their relationships with clients.

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Applications for 13th annual New England First Amendment Institute close on August 18

August 16, 2023

The New England First Amendment Coalition will host its 13th annual New England First Amendment Institute from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31 at Northeastern University in Boston.

NEFAC provides a tuition-free investigative journalism institute each year for 25 working journalists within New England. It includes workshops and presentations featuring some of the country’s most elite investigative reporters, editors, and media attorneys. More than 300 journalists from 100 local news organizations have benefited from the New England First Amendment Institute since it began in 2011.

The deadline to apply is August 18, 2023. Application materials can be obtained here.

Speakers and faculty for this year’s institute will be announced in the coming months.

Learn more at nefac.org

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NENPA and other news organizations condemn newsroom search of Marion County Record

August 14, 2023

Update: On Aug. 16, 2023, the prosecutor in Marion County withdrew the search warrant and asked law enforcement to return the seized material to the Marion County Record, saying in a statement that “insufficient evidence” existed to establish a “legally sufficient nexus between this alleged crime and the places searched and the items seized.”

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, NENPA, and over 30 other news media and press freedom organizations have written a letter to the police chief in Marion, KS, condemning the raid of the Marion County Record on August 11 by law enforcement officers with the Marion Police Department.

The officers executed a search warrant at the Marion County Record’s newsroom and at its publisher’s home and seized the Record’s electronic newsgathering equipment, work product, and documentary material.

Based on public reporting, the search warrant that has been published online, and public statements to the press, there appears to be no justification for the breadth and intrusiveness of the search—particularly when other investigative steps may have been available.

The letter brings up our concerns that the search may have violated federal law strictly limiting federal, state, and local law enforcement’s ability to conduct newsroom searches and urges the immediate return of the seized material to the Record, to purge any records that may already have been accessed, and to initiate a fully independent and transparent review of the department’s actions.

Newsroom searches and seizures are among the most intrusive actions law enforcement can take with respect to the free press, and the most potentially suppressive of free speech by the press and the public.

Read the letter

API accepting grant applications for 2023 Civic Discourse and Community Voices Fund

August 10, 2023

The American Press Institute is now accepting applications from local and community-based news organizations throughout the United States to kickstart initiatives to strengthen civic discourse in their community.

Both nonprofit and for-profit news organizations may apply here by August 21 by 8 p.m. ET for grants of up to $10,000 from the 2023 Civic Discourse and Community Voices Fund to be used over four months starting in September. The grant period will include virtual opportunities to share insights with other fund participants, learn from other civic discourse practitioners, and develop new skills.

API anticipates the cohort will include up to 20 news organizations. Projects will be prioritized that pay special attention to a diversity of voices and people. Projects can also be new or built upon existing work.

Experiments enabled by the grants should help news organizations learn and build toward sustainable civic discourse initiatives, ones that are in place for the 2024 election year and beyond.

API is especially interested in civic discourse projects that deeply involve communities of color. We are also interested in projects that give voice and build bridges among other differences, such as religion, class, immigration status, language barriers, politics, and more.

September 22 Symposium at BU – Black Media: Reflecting on the Past and Reimagining the Future

August 8, 2023

Black Media: Reflecting on the Past and Reimagining the Future is a day-long symposium on September 22 at Boston University. It was created to highlight Black media professionals and their innovative and important work in the journalism, PR, marketing, advertising, and film industries.

The symposium speakers have broken barriers in their fields, amplified Black voices and stories, and navigated the challenges that still exist for Black storytellers and communications professionals. Their experiences and perspectives will be shared on panels ranging in topics from the future of antiracist journalism to cultivating diverse talent in the media industry.

Attendees will network with other media professionals, gain insight into their careers and ambitions, and celebrate the important work–past, present, and future–of Black media.

Registration is open to members of the BU community and others interested in Black media. Attendees will receive free admission with registration.

Learn more and register

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Local Media Foundation 2023 Local News Fund applications are open

August 7, 2023

Local Media Foundation will launch the 2023 Local News Fund in September 2023 for independent or family-owned news organizations looking to raise money for local journalism projects via tax-deductible donations from the public.

The 2023 Local News Fund is a program administered by Local Media Foundation (LMF), a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Local Media Association. In this program, LMF will work with independent and family-owned local news organizations on campaigns to solicit tax-deductible donations from their communities. Each news organization will identify one or more critical local issues and execute a journalism project or increased coverage of those issues using proceeds from the Local News Fund campaign.

Register to attend the Local News Fund Information Session on Tuesday, August 15 at 11:30 am PT/12:30 pm MT/1:30 pm CT/2:30 pm ET. The session will be recorded.

Applications are now open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Learn more about the 2023 Local News Fund

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NENPA supports Community News & Small Business Support Act

August 7, 2023

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, the Tenney-DelBene 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.

America’s Newspapers, along with the New England Newspaper & Press Association, and other leading media organizations, has led the call for support of the local news industry through legislative efforts.

Learn more about the Community News & Small Business Support Act

Download editorial and editorial cartoon to reprint

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Journalism Education Foundation of New England Announces 2023 Scholarship Recipients

August 1, 2023

The New England Newspaper and Press Association awards up to 10 scholarships each year to aspiring journalists through the Journalism Education Foundation of New England (JEFNE). The foundation strives to support and encourage young people who wish to pursue a career in journalism.

Each year, college students and high school seniors from New England who are studying and gaining work experience to prepare them for a career in journalism, are eligible to apply for JEFNE scholarships.

2023 is the first year JEFNE has bestowed the MacGregor Fiske Scholarship, a scholarship honoring Mac Fiske, a fourth-generation newspaperman, who died in 2009 at the age of 75.

We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2023 Journalism Scholarships:

Megan Gentile, Boston College – MacGregor Fiske Scholarship recipient
Rebeca Pereira, Northeastern University
Thomas Lyons, Wesleyan University
Sara Bedigian, University of Connecticut
Briana Ortiz, University of Connecticut
Aashna Miharia, New York University

We asked the students how the scholarship will help them while studying journalism, and this is what they had to say:

**Megan Gentile is from Chestnut Hill, MA, and attends Boston College.**

Through my experience working for my college newspaper, I have fostered a desire to continue using journalism to engage and inform the public and share the stories of communities and individuals that would otherwise go untold. The Journalism Education Foundation Of New England Scholarship will aid me in furthering my education at Boston College in order to gain the experience and knowledge needed for a career in the media industry. It is an honor to receive this award from such a distinguished organization.

**Rebeca Pereira is from Malden, MA, and will be attending Northeastern University.**

The Journalism Education Foundation of New England’s generous scholarship comes at a fortuitous moment — in May, I graduated from UMass Amherst and decided that I would pursue my master’s in Media Innovation and Data Communication at Northeastern University. My acceptance to my graduate program of choice was a welcome surprise, but I knew that financing my education would be a different story. Enter this scholarship, which will directly fund my transportation and tuition costs while I embark on this new academic journey. I’m very grateful to JEFNE and the New England Newspaper & Press Association for their confidence in my potential and their financial support.

**Thomas Lyons is from Deerfield, MA, and attends Wesleyan University.**

With deep gratitude, I am honored to accept this New England Newspaper and Press Association scholarship. Last April, I attended the annual NENPA Boston convention as a Community Journalism Fellow with The Provincetown Independent, and I remain inspired by the room full of journalistic passion, local knowledge, and the belief in the importance of good reporting. While anyone involved in local journalism knows the dangers presented by limited funding and corporate buyouts, this scholarship and NENPA’s institutional work reminds me that regional groups continue to support newspapers and reporters. This scholarship will support my ability to perform unpaid reporting in college and allow me to continue to engage in critical thinking with students and professors.

**Sara Bedigian is from Northbridge, MA, and attends the University of Connecticut.**

I am honored and grateful to have received the JEFNE Scholarship. This scholarship will help me continue my education and obtain the skills I need in order to become a successful journalist. I have always loved to write and my college education is solidifying my passion for writing and journalism. As an aspiring journalist, I hope that one day I can make a difference in my community. I am thankful for JEFNE for believing in me and helping me on my journey.

**Briana Ortiz is from Norwalk, CT, and attends the University of Connecticut.**

I am honored and grateful to have received the JEFNE Scholarship. This scholarship will help me continue my education and obtain the skills I need in order to become a successful journalist. I have always loved to write and my college education is solidifying my passion for writing and journalism. As an aspiring journalist, I hope that one day I can make a difference in my community. I am thankful for JEFNE for believing in me and helping me on my journey.

**Aashna Miharia is from Winchester, MA, and will be attending New York University.**

As an incoming first-year college student, I am so grateful and humbled to receive this scholarship. It will financially support me as I strive to study journalism and gain practical experience at New York University. Moreover, this recognition by the Journalism Education Foundation of New England highly motivates me to continue pursuing my passion for journalism and someday lead a career in this field.

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Five from New England awarded Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship for 2023-24

July 31, 2023

The Poynter Institute and Stand Together Fellowships are proud to welcome 61 early-career journalists to the prestigious Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship program. The yearlong fellowship kicks off in August.

Among the 61 journalists, five are from New England. They are:

Crystal Elescano, Latino Lab reporter, Record-Journal (Meriden, Connecticut)
Eda Uzunlar, reporter, WSHU Public Radio (Westport, Connecticut)
Elisabeth Hadjis, editor-in-chief, The Scope (Boston)
José Luis Martínez, data reporter, The (Hartford) Connecticut Mirror
Tréa Lavery, enterprise reporter, MassLive, Boston

The joint program is in its fifth year. Fellows accepted into the fellowship are placed in full-time, paying roles at news organizations or participate in their current roles. The fellowship pays 60% of their salary. As part of the fellowship, they’ll receive training to develop cross-disciplinary skills and accelerate their careers in journalism by connecting with seasoned mentors and award-winning journalists on a weekly basis and through three in-person events throughout the year. Their robust, real-world curriculum is led by Poynter’s Kristen Hare and Stand Together Fellowship’s Benét J. Wilson.

Congratulation to all the fellows selected for this prestigious program. Meet them and learn more about the program at Poynter.org.

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New England Journalist of the Year Nominations are Open

July 25, 2023

The AP Sevellon Brown New England Journalist of the Year Award is bestowed by the New England Society of News Editors, and it recognizes an individual for producing journalism of distinction in New England this past year.

The award is named in honor of Sevellon Brown, the late editor and publisher of The Providence Journal-Bulletin, founder of the American Press Institute, a fellow of the Academy of New England Journalists, and past president and founder of New England Associated Press News Editors Association (NEAPNEA).

Nominations should consist of a brief cover letter, supported by digital tearsheets or links to the text, photos, audio, video, or other elements of the work produced.

Entry Information:

NESNE member editors or news directors may submit one nomination of a journalist for a compelling story/series.
Entry must have been published between June 1, 2022–May 31, 2023
$60 fee for each entry
Please submit digital entries
Open to New England journalists of any kind; whether working for a daily, weekly, or specialty print publication, broadcast outlet, or online news site.
The deadline to submit entries is Friday, July 28, 2023.

Entries are also being accepted for New England Newspaper of the Year and four other prestigious awards, Publick Occurrences, Allan B. Rogers Editorial, New England First Amendment, and the Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award.

Learn more

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