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Submit your entries for the 2022 Better Newspaper Competition!

It takes highly skilled, passionate, and determined individuals to produce high-quality publications. Each year the New England Newspaper & Press Association recognizes the achievements of the very best newspaper professionals in New England in the Better Newspaper Competition.

The Better Newspaper Competition is the largest and most comprehensive journalism recognition program in New England.

Work published by NENPA member news organizations during the contest year, August 1, 2021, to July 31, 2022, is eligible for this competition.

The competition has three divisions:

Download the information packets and you will find all of the information necessary to prepare your entries, including a list of competitive categories, complete rules and guidelines, and the criteria that each contest category will be judged upon.

You can find additional information on preparing entries – such as how to make PDF files smaller, extract particular pages, and how to combine several PDF files – in the Frequently Asked Questions page at the end of the packets.

The deadline to submit entries is Friday, December 2, 2022.

Awards will be presented during the annual New England Newspaper Convention, which will be held in Spring 2023 (date and location to be announced).

New categories for 2022 include Best Website Home Page and Energy Reporting, and a few categories have been modified (see detailed categories).

We encourage you to participate in this year’s Better Newspaper Competition to show off your best work, reward and recognize your staff, and share ideas so we can learn from each other!

For further information please contact Linda Conway, l.conway@nenpa.com.

Learn more about the Better Newspaper Competition

Enter the Better Newspaper Competition

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Globe’s Diti Kohli selected for Poynter’s Power of Diverse Voices in 2022

The Poynter Institute recently announced the 15 journalists selected from more than 100 applicants for its prestigious Power of Diverse Voices: Writing Workshop for Journalists of Color, including Boston Globe journalist Diti Kohli.

Diti Kohli is a general assignment reporter on the business desk. She covers everything from the economy and housing to retail and labor. In the past, Diti worked as the digital producer for the business and living arts team, as well as an intern at the Tampa Bay Times and BostInno. She graduated from Emerson College in 2021.

The group will convene Nov. 10-13 at Poynter in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic moved the program online.

Learn more and see the list of all journalists selected at Poynter.

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Fredric Rutberg, president and publisher of New England Newspapers receives a Governor’s Award in the Humanities

Fredric Rutberg, president and publisher of New England Newspapers, Inc., received a Governor’s Award in the Humanities at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston on October 26.

Rutberg was selected for helping revitalize a historic newspaper, The Berkshire Eagle (owned by New England Newspapers, Inc.), and for championing a vibrant and free press.

“I must say it’s a big honor, and to be even considered among the list of previous awardees is humbling,” Rutberg said in an interview before the ceremony.

Rutberg, was one of four honorees in the 2022 Governor’s Awards in the Humanities hosted by Mass Humanities.

Read more at The Berkshire Eagle

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Free Program on November 2 – Stop Scrolling! Journalism, Objectivity, and the Future of News

[Photo (L-R): Mike Pride, Daniela Allee, Dr. Kimberly Lauffer]

New Hampshire Humanities invites the public to a free event, “Stop Scrolling! Journalism, Objectivity, and the Future of News,” on Wednesday, November 2, at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst Street, Manchester. Register for the in-person event, which includes a reception at 5:30 pm followed by the program at 6:30, HERE or sign up to access the livestream HERE, or at www.nhhumanities.org.

Journalism and media are changing in ways we can’t predict and often find uncomfortable. Balancing biases, rooting out mis/disinformation, and slogging through a never-ending news cycle is overwhelming, especially with the internet’s infinite information. If the newspaper was the pinnacle of the last great information age, where is journalism headed today? How do we navigate content and our responsibilities as readers? And, finally, how do we use that information to do something besides becoming overwhelmed?

This conversation, moderated by Dr. Kimberly Lauffer of Keene State College, will bring together Mike Pride, historian, author, former editor of the Concord Monitor, and Pulitzer Prize committee member, and Daniela Allee, senior news editor at NH Public Radio. They will consider how the history of journalism can help us make sense of the news today and the future of news media.

The event is part of the Mellon Foundation’s “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” initiative (DATIC), administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils. DATIC seeks to deepen the public’s knowledge and appreciation of the vital connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry. NHH thanks the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their generous support, and the Pulitzer Prizes for their partnership. For questions and more information, please visit www.nhhumanities.org, or contact NHH staff at programs@nhhumanities.org.

New Hampshire Humanities is an independent, statewide nonprofit, NHH made possible last year 496 free public programs and digital broadcasts reaching 54,951 people in partnership with 343 organizations in 92 communities, to engage all citizens, regardless of their age or educational level. For more information about New Hampshire Humanities, please visit www.nhhumanities.org.   

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Deadline October 31 for some people at nonprofit newsrooms eligible to receive credit toward public service loan forgiveness

Those working at nonprofit newsrooms or those who have worked for nonprofits before may be eligible to receive credit toward public service loan forgiveness via a temporarily expanded federal program. This is different from the $10,000 or $20,000 in one-time forgiveness on federal loans. The temporarily expanded public service loan forgiveness program is a special benefit made available during the Covid-19 pandemic with an Oct. 31 deadline to employees of certain public service organizations — including nonprofit newsrooms.

Quick links:

White House bulletin

Education department bulletin

Columbia Journalism Review article

Federal help portal

Who should take note?

  • Those who work or have worked at nonprofit newsrooms

  • Those that have worked for nonprofits in the past

  • Those who have worked for state or federal governments before

  • Those who have participated in national service programs (Peace Corps, Americorps) or the military

Learn more at Rebuild Local News

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NEACE Fall Conference Charting a Course for Change On November 3

The Northeast Association of Communication Exectuvies (NEACE) Fall Conference is happening on Thursday, November 3, 2022, at the Hotel Northampton, 36 King St, Northampton, MA. 01060.

The conference theme is “Charting a Course for Change” and the organization is excited to announce the official launch of the new Neace.com and details of the re-branding of NEACE.

Conference Registration is only $99 and pre-conference registration is preferred.

REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE AT:
https://neace.ticketmambo.com/index.cfm?e=event&eventId=34701#cartForm

Hotel Registration – CALL TODAY Hotel Northampton at 413-584-3100 and reference NEACE to obtain the special conference rate – deadline to make hotel reservations is October 6th to receive the special room rate.

Room cost is $139.99 plus 11.7% occupancy tax for a total of $156.37.

INCLUDED WITH REGISTRATION – Banquet lunch on Thursday at Wiggins Tavern, continental breakfast, and two refreshment breaks in the morning and afternoon.

AGENDA

Thursday, November 3rd, 2022

8:00 – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast and Conference Registration

8:30 – 9:00 am Welcome to the Fall Conference
Invocation – Warren Dews, NEACE President
Thank you to our Valued Sponsors – Carol Dubuque, NEACE Vice President

9:00 – 9:45 am Newsletters and Audience Engagement
Dan McGowan, Boston Globe

9:45 – 10:15 am Coffee Break

10:15 – 11:00 am Newsprint Market Update
Frank O’Toole, Gannett

11:00 – 11:15 am Vendor Introductions

11:15 am – 12:00 pm Panel Discussion – Postal Strategies
Special Guest Brad Hill, Interlink, Jordan Brechenser, President & Publisher Brattleboro Reformer, and John Harrison, Moderator.

12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch (Wiggins Tavern)

1:15 – 2:00 pm Topic TBD
Todd Peterson, Albany Times Union

2:00 – 2:45 pm Cash Discount Program
Aaron Kotarek, VP of Circulation, Oahu Publications

2:45 – 3:15 pm Coffee Break & Thank you to our Valued Sponsors
Carol Dubuque, NEACE Vice President

3:15 – 4:00 pm Panel Discussion – Workplace geographic changes and worker productivity
Gary Lavariere, Berkshire Eagle, Kevin LaMagdelaine, Media News Group

4:00 pm Final Comments – Lori Rahill, NEACE President

Learn more and register

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Keep eye out for 11th-hour election volleys

Jim Pumarlo is former editor of the Red Wing (Minn.) Republican Eagle. He writes, speaks and provides training on community newsroom success strategies. He is author of “Journalism Primer: A Guide to Community News Coverage,” “Votes and Quotes: A Guide to Outstanding Election Coverage” and “Bad News and Good Judgment: A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in Small-Town Newspapers.” He can be reached at www.pumarlo.com and welcomes comments and questions at jim@pumarlo.com.

Election Day is only weeks away. The hyper-partisanship of races at all levels – from local to state to federal – demands that editors pay extra attention to press releases and letters to the editor. The editing and delete buttons on your keyboard are likely to get an extra workout.

Navigating exchanges among candidates, as well as their supporters and detractors, is always a delicate and often exhausting task as editors strive for fairness and consistency in election reports.

The stakes are ramped up even higher in the final weeks as candidates and their camps seek to level charges at the last possible moment in press releases and letters to augment – or maybe even replace – advertising campaigns.

Newsrooms should have a discussion and be prepared. Set the ground rules if you have not already done so, and publicize the guidelines.

The rules of fair play should be standard practice in press releases. Candidates often weigh in on issues at the forefront of a campaign. If you deem a release worthy of publication, it’s simply sound journalism to get an opponent’s take on an issue as well. It should be mandatory to seek comment if the release references and takes issue with an opponent’s stance.

Newsrooms are most likely to see 11th-hour charges volleyed through letters to the editor. Here are some guidelines to consider.

First and foremost, set two deadlines for letters. Set one deadline for letters that raise no new issues, the final deadline for all elections letters. Second, set an earlier deadline for letters that raise new issues. This gives opponents an opportunity to respond, if they so wish. 

If a letter misses the deadline, consider these alternatives:

If you believe the letter is baseless, feel free to reject it outright. You’ve publicized your guidelines and deadlines, so stand your ground. Don’t underestimate campaign strategy. The individuals calling the shots in the back room often sit on something for weeks and wait to spring it in the final days, hoping an opponent doesn’t have time to respond.

However, if you believe a letter has merit, consider these two options:

  • Turn the letter into a news story, giving both candidates a chance to comment. You’ll first need to have a conversation with the candidates, explaining your rationale. You’ll want to explain to readers as well within the story or with an editor’s note.
  • As an alternative, publish the letter but also give the opposing candidate an opportunity to respond with a letter in the same edition. As always, explain the hows and whys behind your decision with an editor’s note. The circumstances may warrant a longer explanatory column to readers.

Most important, publicize the guidelines and deadlines for letters early and often. That is your best offense to combat the shenanigans of political operatives.

I well remember the days when our FAX machine was spitting out election letters as the deadlines neared. A local office was headquarters for one political party, and numerous letters were sent from the same machine, each signed by a different individual. 

FAX machines always posted the time a document arrived. On one occasion, a letter arrived two minutes after our deadline. I called and informed the “coordinator” that the letter would not be published. He challenged the time on our FAX machine. I politely and firmly informed him that he had known the deadlines for eight weeks.

End of conversation. He embarrassingly had no response or defense for pushing the limit. And he never missed another deadline.

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Oboes and leadership

John Foust
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. E-mail for information: john@johnfoust.com

If you’ve been to a symphony concert, you’ve witnessed the cacophony of sound before the concert begins. Every instrument seems to be in its own world, independently running through the musical scale. 

Actually, this is a traditional and deliberate process to tune all of the instruments. First, a single instrument plays the note of A, then the other musicians tune their instruments to that note at the same time. Once an instrument is in tune, the musician often warms up by going through the scale. The objective is for each instrument to be perfectly in tune with every other instrument when the concert begins. 

Although other instruments can be used for this purpose, an oboe is generally preferred, because its steady sound stands out from the others in the orchestra. The note of A is used because all of the string instruments have A-strings. 

All of this means that the oboe sets the pace for the entire orchestra. It’s easy to see a direct comparison to a leader’s role in the business world. A few points come to mind: 

  1. Leaders lead by example. They have to be in tune, with themselves before they are ready to lead others. Even though the old way of doing things (“Do as I say, not as I do.”) never really worked, a lot of so-called leaders cling to that idea. Maybe it’s a habit, maybe it’s insecurity, maybe they’ve never seen any other way. 

A leader has been defined as “someone who has earned the right to have followers.” One of the surest ways to earn that right is to be an example for others. The oboist plays A, not E or D, or any other note. 

If you want your team to be better listeners, be a better listener, yourself. If you want your team to be punctual, be punctual, yourself. If you want your team to understand the principles of effective ad copy and design, know them, yourself. 

  1. Leaders don’t micromanage. You’ll never see an oboist walking around to make sure the others are tuning properly. He or she stays seated, secure in the knowledge that the musicians are qualified to tune their instruments. 

If a leader has done a proper job of training, there is no need to micromanage. All micromanagement does is give the manager a false sense of control over something in which he or she lacks confidence.

  1. Leaders periodically review goals. Tuning is not a one-and-done activity. After the intermission of a concert, the orchestra repeats the tuning process. Adjustments are expected. Nothing is left to chance. 

Over time, team objectives require adjustments. Perhaps economic winds have shifted, clients have increased or decreased budgets or new competitors have emerged. Although those changes may seem minor at first, they can develop into huge problems later. True leaders have the flexibility to review goals and make necessary tweaks along the way. 

You could say that – in music and in business – leadership is largely a matter of striking the right chord. 

(c) Copyright 2022 by John Foust. All rights reserved.

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Solutions Journalism Network Call for Applications: Climate Beacons

The Solutions Journalism Network is leading a systems-level change in journalism so that all people – no matter how or where they get their news – have access to rigorous reporting not only about problems, but about promising and evidence-based responses to them as well. This is especially critical for the coverage of our changing climate, where apocalyptic, unsolvable, doom and gloom stories far outweigh those that examine meaningful efforts to advance environmental repair, resilience and adaptation. The news plays a pivotal role in making this information widely available.

To advance this work, SJN is launching the Climate Beacon Newsroom Initiative in partnership with Covering Climate Now and Climate Central. This year-long program (through September 2023) will bring together five newsrooms in the U.S. to work individually and collectively to transform their coverage of the changing climate throughout their organizations. In addition, each newsroom will select a Climate Fellow to take part in the Solutions Journalism Network Train-the-Trainers program (ToT). These five fellows will each create a climate solutions journalism training module that they will use to spread the practice of solutions journalism in covering our changing climate. Each Climate Fellow fellow will receive $5000 stipend for their work, in addition to the $20,000 stipend awarded each newsroom. All programming will be conducted virtually.

Click here to review the full application and apply. All U.S.- based newsrooms ready to shift their climate reporting coverage toward rigorous, evidence-based reporting on solutions to the climate crisis are encouraged to apply.  Mark your calendars for the October 10th application deadline. Semifinalist newsrooms will be announced on October 14th. Click here for our application FAQs.

Learn about SJN’s other work to advance climate solutions journalism on our Climate Solutions page; scroll down to read the latest climate solutions journalism from a variety of news outlets.

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National Newspaper Week Happening October 2-8

The 82nd annual National Newspaper Week is a recognition of the service of newspapers and their employees throughout the United States and Canada and is sponsored by Newspaper Association Managers. This year’s observance will be held Oct. 2-8, 2022.

Organizers of National Newspaper Week have prepared a special presentation that can be given by Association Managers, publishers, editors, or sales directors.

Ideally, presentations could be delivered to community groups or to others interested in hearing from the newspaper about its role in producing trusted journalism.

The material is based on resources developed by The Relevance Project and its partners, including Metro Creative Graphics. For additional information, consult www.relevanceproject.net or, contact Executive Director Tom Silvestri at tas@relevanceproject.net.

Feel free to localize or supplement this message with your own logos, examples, statements, or relevant points. Note: The Relevance Project content is free to all local newspapers, thanks to its sponsor, Newspaper Association Managers.

Download Presentation

In addition to the presentation, there is a complete package of resources available to use during National Newspaper Week to help promote newspaper media.

Download Editorials
Download Ads
Download Social Media

Visit https://www.nationalnewspaperweek.com/ for a complete list of resources available.

Please let us know if you will be participating in National Newspaper Week and send us links or tear sheets to anything that you publish.

We will gather them to feature in a follow-up article in this month’s eBulletin. If you need additional resources, have any questions, or need assistance, contact Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com.

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