Applications for New England First Amendment Institute Now Available

July 14, 2020

Applications are now open for the New England First Amendment Coalition’s, tuition-free, First Amendment Institute in investigative journalism, awarded to 25 working journalists within the region annually.

This is the 10th anniversary of this exclusive investigative reporting program that began in 2011.

The program will run September 26 to October 3, 2020 and the application deadline is August 15, 2020.

It includes workshops and presentations featuring some of the country’s most elite investigative reporters, editors and media attorneys.

More than 225 journalists from about 100 local news organizations have benefited from the New England First Amendment Institute since it started.

Applications for 10th Annual New England First Amendment Institute Now Available

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2020 Yankee Quill Award Nominations Are Open

July 14, 2020

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 Yankee Quill award.

2020 marks the 60th anniversary of this prestigious award, administered by the New England Society of News Editors Foundation.

The award recognizes the efforts and dedication of those in New England who have had a broad influence for good in the field of journalism.

Recipients are inducted into the Academy of New England Journalists upon receiving the Yankee Quill award in the fall. The 2019 honorees were:

Ross Connelly, longtime New England journalist who retired as editor and co-publisher of the Hardwick Gazette in Vermont.
Callie Crossley, WGBH radio and TV in Boston; host of Basic Black, panelist on Beat the Press, producer, filmmaker and role model for women and people of color.
Dan Kennedy, media critic and journalism professor at Northeastern University.
Angelo Lynn, owner of the Addison Press and publisher-editor of Addison Independent in Vermont.
John C. Peterson, of Connecticut, who has worked 50 years as newspaper consultant, group president, publisher and editor.

Selection for the award is not based on a single distinguished achievement. Rather, the Yankee Quill recognizes the effort and dedication of those in New England who have had a broad influence for good in the field of journalism. In other words, it is not based on a certain achievement in reporting, writing or editing or on the fact that someone runs a good newspaper or broadcast show or station. Instead, it honors a lifetime of contribution to the profession.

Nominations may range across the entire field of journalism — including daily and weekly newspapers, radio and television news coverage, and other forms of media that meet the tests of journalism.

Members of the Academy of New England Journalists, along with the representatives of several New England media associations, will select the persons to receive the Yankee Quill Award this year.

The links to the nomination forms can be found by clicking here.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, August 21, 2020.

Nominations may be emailed to: info@nenpa.com or hard copies may be mailed to:
Yankee Quill
c/o NENPA
1 Arrow Drive, Suite 6
Woburn MA 01801

For further information contact:
George Geers, academy chair, gnews@empire.net, (603) 785-4811
Linda Conway, academy clerk, l.conway@nenpa.com, (781) 281-7648

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Contact your Congressional Representative to Co-sponsor the Local Journalism Sustainability Act

July 9, 2020

Dear Newspaper Colleagues,

I’m writing to you seeking your support for a bill that will help local journalism exist and transition during a time of COVID-19.

The Local Journalism Sustainability Act is bi-partisan legislation providing an assist, not a hand out, to key local stakeholders that directly support local journalism.

U.S. Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona) and Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) are the chief co-sponsors of this legislation, which I believe is part of the solution to remedy the very dire situation facing local journalism.

At this point I’m asking you to personally pick up your phone, email and communicate with your lawmakers and ask them directly to take a leadership role on this bill and sign up as an original co-sponsor.

In addition to state press associations, this bill is also supported by: News Media Alliance, National Newspaper Association, America’s Newspapers, Report for America and Rebuild Local News Coalition

Below you will find a link to a sample email containing talking points for a phone call or email that I am asking you to make/send to your Congressional representatives. You also will find the Dear Colleague email that was sent by Reps. Kirkpatrick and Newhouse to members of the House of Representatives, as well as contact information for Congressional representatives.

Dear Colleague email sent to Members of Congress by Reps. Kirkpatrick and Newhouse
Sample email that you can send to your representatives (or talking points for a phone call)
Find contact information for your Congressional representatives here

This legislation is well thought out, comprehensive and provides the bridge for journalism to achieve a stable footing in a digital reality. It will help newspapers deal with the impacts of COVID-19 … and every provision of the bill sunsets in a few years.

As you will note, this legislation drives three key stakeholders that support the ecosystem of local journalism — citizens, business owners and journalists.

We have approximately one week to get members of the House of Representatives — your congressman or woman — on board as a lead sponsor of the legislation. We need a broad group of Republicans and Democrats to support this important bill — right out of the gate — so that we can demonstrate to the Congressional leadership that this is a serious legislative endeavor.

Please do not hesitate to email or call with questions.

Thank you in advance for your efforts on this … your voice matters here as does the critical work our institutions perform.

Linda Conway, Executive Director
New England Newspaper & Press Association
(781) 281-7648
l.conway@nenpa.com

The Local Journalism Sustainability Act includes a series of three tax credits aimed at sustaining and providing a pathway to viability for the local journalism industry in the years to come. The credits are as follows:

Credit for Local Newspaper Subscriptions

A five-year non-refundable credit of up to $250 annually to incentivize individual subscriptions to local newspapers, defined as print and online publications which primarily produce content related to news and current events and which have a majority of their readership within the publication’s state of operation or within 200 miles.

The credit can cover 80% of subscription costs in the first year and 50% of subscription costs in the subsequent four years.

Payroll Credit for Compensation of Journalists

A five-year refundable credit for local newspapers (utilizing the same definition as above) to employ and adequately compensate journalists.

The credit can be up to $25,000 in the first year and $15,000 in the subsequent four years.

Credit for Advertising in Local Newspapers and Local Media

A five-year non-refundable tax credit that would incentivize small-to-medium sized businesses to advertise with local newspapers (utilizing the same definition as above), as well as local radio and television stations.

The credit can cover up to $5,000 of advertising costs in the first year and $2,500 in the subsequent four years.

Information for this article provided by America’s Newspapers.

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Webinar Resources – Five Ways We Must Change Our Sales Approach

July 6, 2020

Business changed overnight because of the Covid-19 pandemic. On June 30 this free webinar explored how our sales approach must change too.

Watch the recording from June 30.

Presented by NENPA University and Al Getler, Vice President of Advantage Newspaper Consultants.

In the presentation, Getler draws on his 37-year career in newspaper and website publishing to look at how do we sell in this new environment without alienating the client.

Resources from webinar:

Download Slides: Five Ways We Must Change Our Sales Approach

ANC Revenue Ideas Videos: https://newspaperconsultants.com/videos/

ANC eBook Download: https://mailchi.mp/newspaperconsultants/5ways-ebook

If you’re having trouble accessing any of the resources or need more information about NENPA University webinars, contact Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com.

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Radically Rural – Remote Summit: Local journalism seeks sustainability through innovation

June 25, 2020

KEENE, NH — This current time of crisis and virus has created a signature moment in history for the local news industry. Journalists are covering unchartered political, economic and societal waters, and, more than ever, trusted, accurate information is needed in local communities, a growing number of which no longer have local news organizations serving them. Financial challenges, particularly for newspapers, have placed many in jeopardy.

On Sept. 24, at Radically Rural – Remote, the event’s Community Journalism Track, will address tactics for remaining resilient in journalism in a period marked by turbulence and fast change, says Terrence L. Williams, president and publisher of The Keene Sentinel, and organizer of the journalism track.

“The need for communities to be informed has never been greater,” Williams said. “But how can we guarantee that against market forces that are resulting in lost journalism jobs and even publications? We’ve focused the Summit this year on the ways and means that can help with that goal.”

Radically Rural – Remote, a partnership between the Keene Sentinel and that Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship, is being held online this, it’s third year, on Sept. 24, starting at 8 a.m. with a keynote speaker. Track sessions are staged at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. with a closing speaker at 4 p.m. An interactive idea jam is planned between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on a video conference platform.

Radically Rural features tracks in community journalism, arts and culture, lands and community, main streets and downtowns, clean energy and entrepreneurship.

The journalism track includes:

What’s at Stake: An introduction to the power of the “Table Stakes” approach to editorial content and subscription revenue at small news operations – 9 a.m.

This first journalism session will include an expert panel led by Amy Kovac-Ashley, vice president and senior director at the American Press Institute. Panelists include Autumn Phillips, managing editor, Post & Courier of Charleston, S.C.; Liz White, publisher, The Record-Journal, Meriden, CT; and Les High, publisher, The News Reporter, Columbus County, N.C. They will discuss the Table Stakes model for analyzing readership data in order to deliver stories that build readership. The session will get at the question of how community news organizations can increase paid readership and retain existing customers.

New Models for Success: Innovative approaches to community news publications – 11 a.m.

Moderator Kristen Hare, a reporter at the Poynter Institute, leads a panel discussion on new types of publications and new approaches to news across the country. These include non-profits, digital-only publications and legacy operations that have pivoted successfully during economic challenges.

She is joined by panelists Tamika Moore, managing producer at Red Clay Media, Birmingham, Ala.; Larry Rykman, co-founder of The Colorado Sun; Les Zaitz, editor and publisher of Oregon’s Malheur Enterprise; and Jim Iovino, visiting assistant professor of media innovation at West Virginia University.

Crazy Good: 50 ideas to build revenue and readership – 2 p.m.

It’s back! A fast-paced romp through best practices to boost revenue and audience at news organizations. Linda Conway, executive director for the New England Newspaper and Press Association, and Williams will lead attendees through 50 ideas to build readership and revenue. These concepts, pulled from rural news organizations across the country, can be “dragged and dropped” into existing and start-up news organizations and will be presented in a fun and lively way.

For more information on the Radically Rural – Remote summit and to purchase tickets, please visit the event’s website at www.radicallyrural.org

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NENPA announces free summer webinar series

June 25, 2020

The New England Newspaper & Press Association is excited to announce a free summer webinar series being offered through NENPA University and presented by veteran, industry experts.

The series kicks off on June 30 at 1:00 pm EDT with Al Getler, VP of Sales & Business Development for Advanced Newspaper Consultants, former New England publisher and long time NENPA board member.

Getler presents, Five Ways We Must Change Our Sales Approach, an important topic as publications look to increase revenue by engaging with advertisers as things have started opening up from the COVID-19 shutdowns.

In this session, Getler will explore the ways our sales approach must change. We must be the business partners our advertisers require while meeting our own revenue targets.

**REGISTER NOW for this webinar on June 30, 1:00 pm EDT and explore what lies ahead.**

Our next webinar, Get Back Some Of Your Lost Revenue on July 14 at 11:00 am EDT is presented by Sammy Papert, President of WORMHOLE and presenter at NENPA conventions.

Papert will share results from the Pulse Research #COVID19 Shopping Impact survey and give his recommendations on how to use this survey to get back some of your revenue and position yourself for post COVID times.

All attendees will receive the current New England data, a User’s Guide and even access to a custom presentation and management platform that will be invaluable in these virtual times.

**REGISTER NOW this webinar on July 14, 11:00 am EDT and learn how to be certain in these uncertain times!**

On July 16 at 2:00 pm EDT Think COVID Flattened Your Classifieds? Think Again is presented through our partnership with Online Media Campus, These events are free to NENPA members. Contact Tara Cleary for a free registration code at t.cleary@nenpa.com.

Janet DeGeorge, President of Classified Executive Training & Consulting, will present a check list of what must be done to rebuild your classifieds, gain lost revenue.

**REGISTER NOW for this webinar on July 16, 2:00 pm EDT and learn how to make your classifieds an important part of your newspaper again.**

Our next webinar July 23 at 2:00 pm EDT is also presented through our partnership with Online Media Campus, Keeping Up with Digital Trends in 2020. These events are free to NENPA members. Contact Tara Cleary for a free registration code at t.cleary@nenpa.com.

This webinar will revisit 16 trends that Tyson Bird identified at the beginning of 2020, where those trends are now and explore trends that have emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and seek to understand how they will affect our newsrooms and audiences in the months ahead.

**REGISTER NOW for this webinar July 23, 2:00 pm EDT and learn how digital trends impact the work journalists are doing.**

Covering Business News In These Challenging Times, July 30 at 1:00 pm is presented by Jim Pumarlo, Owner Community Newsroom Success Strategies.

Business lockdowns and restrictions have redefined commerce and reshaped daily routines. Business news from all aspects deserves extra attention during these extraordinary times.

This promises to be an exciting session and a topic we have not seen presented recently.

**REGISTER NOW for this webinar July 30, 2:00 pm EDT and learn practical steps to start on a path of substantive business coverage and an important step toward increased advertising revenue.**

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Journalism Education Foundation of New England Announces 2020 Scholarship Recipients

June 25, 2020

WOBURN, MA – The Journalism Education Foundation of New England, a division of the New England Newspaper & Press Association, has announced the recipients of their 2020 scholarships.

This year, $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to three collegiate students and one high school student: Alison Cross, Monroe, CT; Caroline Enos, Gloucester, MA; Julia Preszler, Newtown, CT and Matthew Gouvin, Charlestown, RI.

We asked the students what the scholarship means to them and furthering their journalism education and this is what they had to say.

“I am a rising junior at the University of Connecticut, double majoring in Journalism and Sociology with a minor in Human Rights. Winning this scholarship from the Journalism Education Foundation of New England is a blessing. It allowed me to pursue an unpaid summer internship as a staff reporter for TheMonroeSun.com, my town’s local news publication.

I am recognizing first-hand the importance of local news in preserving town history, holding local officials accountable, and building a greater sense of community.

In the future, I want to pursue a career in investigative journalism for a major print publication. I am so thankful for the generosity of JEFNE and NENPA and their investment in the next generation of journalists.”

Monroe woman awarded New England journalism scholarship

“The NENPA scholarship has helped me pay for my education at Suffolk University, where I study journalism and political science.

Receiving this scholarship at the end of my senior year of high school helped me feel confident that I was making the right choice in what major I should pursue. This time around, it has helped me feel like I am on the right track in my studies and in my career path.

Because of this scholarship, I have had the opportunity to focus on my studies and journalism without having to worry as much about paying for school. I have been able to write for several newspapers, including The Boston Globe, where I was a co-op on the City Desk, and The Gloucester Daily Times.

It has also given me valuable time to devote myself to The Suffolk Journal, where I was recently named the editor-in-chief. I have enough experience now to know what direction I want to take the paper in, and I am looking forward to exploring what comes next. I’m very grateful that this scholarship has helped me launch my career and develop a passion for this vital industry.”

Cape Ann people in the news

“I’m entering my senior year at Northeastern University, where I’m majoring in journalism and minoring in environmental studies. To gain experience in both of these subject areas, I have interned at The Boston Globe, The Chautauquan Daily (NY), and two community newspapers in Connecticut, as well as at an urban farm in Boston and a community garden in Connecticut.

While studying abroad in Costa Rica last fall, I took classes focused in ecology and sustainability. Upon graduation, I hope to pursue a career in environmental and agricultural reporting.”

I’m incredibly grateful for her scholarship from JEFNE, which will help me pay for my last semester at Northeastern.”

“In our polarized society, I believe that the work of journalists is vital to the health of our democracy because it encourages public awareness.

With the support of this scholarship, I will continue to develop the essential skills that will enable me to become a journalist who always searches for the truth and shares important stories that keep the public informed.”

https://www.thewesterlysun.com/lifestyle/people/people/article_8f54343c-cdbf-11ea-aa23-e730c2ff3b8e.html

The Journalism Education Foundation of New England encourages and supports high school seniors and college students in the six-state region who aspire to pursue a career in journalism.

The JEFNE scholarship is available to residents of New England. Applicants must be a college student or high school senior planning to attend college the following year to study journalism or a related field.

Member newspapers of the New England Newspaper & Press Association joined in sponsoring the competition for these scholarships by promoting the program in their newspapers.

For more information about the JEFNE scholarship program, please contact Linda Conway at l.conway@nenpa.com.

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Coronavirus underscores the breadth of business reporting

June 24, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is dominating headlines, generating stories on issues touching nearly every aspect of lives.

Jim Pumarlo 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.

Reports addressing the health and safety of citizens are obviously center stage. At the same time, the pandemic has spawned a range of stories focusing on our worksites – the places we earn a paycheck as employees and purchase products and services as consumers. Business lockdowns and restrictions have redefined commerce and reshaped daily routines.

Business news from all aspects deserves extra attention during these extraordinary times. This is also an opportunity to think about expanded business coverage during ordinary times. Stories about employers and employees have a big impact on communities. What happens at the workplace might even overshadow a decision of a local governing body. Yet, many newspapers struggle for consistent coverage of employers and employees.

It’s impractical in many newsrooms to devote one person to report on business. Editors and reporters still can incorporate business coverage into their everyday regimen of assignments. The first step is to brainstorm stories on a regular basis similar to examining coverage of local government or sports.

Here is one list:

When is the last time you compared and contrasted local employment with statewide statistics? Take it a step further, and identify a feature story representing specific trends. Present the trends and data in graphically pleasing, easy-to-understand formats. If online, make the data interactive, searchable and alive.

How are businesses grappling with health care costs, and what is the impact on employees?

Is your community facing a workforce shortage? What steps are companies taking to attract and retain qualified workers?

Do companies provide on-site child care? Share the best practices.

What is the local landscape of in-home businesses?

How important are exports to the bottom line of businesses? Provide a local perspective into the global economy.

Who are the winners and losers in the international trade wars?

What sustainability measures are companies implementing to respond to consumer demand for a green economy?

Has the role of long-term care facilities changed as people live longer and programs are in place to help them stay in their own homes?

How important is e-commerce to local merchants? Are companies hindered by lack of broadband access? How are businesses best getting their messages to customers? Facebook? Web? Phone? Videoconferencing?

The stories are limited only by staff resources. As with any beat, newspapers will soon discover that the more attention devoted to the broad definition of business news, the more ideas that readers will forward.

Credible and ongoing coverage of employers and employees can lead to increased advertising revenue as well. Be clear, this does not mean saying “yes” to every advertiser’s request for news coverage. Newspapers are in the strongest position by maintaining a clear separation between news and advertising. That’s in the best interests of both your advertising and news departments.

At the same time, news and advertising departments should explore shared opportunities. Newsrooms are regularly approached to publicize such events as Manufacturers Week or Small Business Week or Nursing Home Week. As you discuss news coverage, think about ways to generate revenue, too. Identify possibilities for a special section. Maybe even sponsor an event in conjunction with, say, the local chamber of commerce or manufacturers association. Investigate all platforms for news and advertising from print to digital.

Here’s a worthwhile exercise for all newspapers.

Take a quiz in your newsrooms. You all can likely name the members of the city council or school board, local lawmakers, the county administrator. But how many can name the city’s five largest employers, or the names of their CEOs, or the top corporate contributors to the local United Way? Have you ever toured these facilities or met the owners or management team? It’s fairly common for the downtown retailers to convene at a local restaurant for morning coffee. Have you ever attended?

Improving business coverage is a shared responsibility. Businesses must be comfortable that reporters can get the story right, and reporters deserve to have all the facts including those that may not be so flattering. Editorial and advertising staffs must have a common understanding of what is worthy of a story and what warrants an ad.

As a first step, begin a conversation within your newspaper and with your business community. Identify the opportunities and challenges, and then make a plan. Building business news into your everyday coverage will spell dividends for news and advertising departments.

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First Amendment Watch Releases a Citizen’s Guide to Recording Police

June 19, 2020

New York University First Amendment Watch | June 10, 2020

In response to the nationwide demonstrations against police brutality, NYU’s First Amendment Watch is publishing a guide informing citizens of their right to record the police in public places.

Many millions of people now have the capability to document news in a way that only journalists and film crews could do in the past, and the videos they capture have played an important role in shedding light on police misconduct.

The video of George Floyd’s brutal death at the hands of the Minneapolis police, as well as the hundreds of videos taken by bystanders documenting use of force by law enforcement against peaceful protestors, underscores the role that journalists and the public play in illuminating misconduct.

The First Amendment right to record public officials such as the police performing their official duties in public is central to our democracy. Without the ability to document and disseminate such information, citizens would lack an indispensable tool for keeping the public informed, and for holding their leaders accountable.
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SPLC Releases High School Budget Advocacy Toolkit

June 19, 2020

Student Press Law Center

COVID-19 should not mean the end of student media at your school. Student journalists provide an essential service to their community; in the wake of COVID-19, high school student journalists have provided the glue to hold the school community together, and have kept the student body apprised of critical changes to their school year and information about the ways schools are working to keep students safe, healthy and educated.

Schools and districts are making difficult financial decisions in the coming months, but changes to the funding, structure or existence of the student media program will have ramifications for the entire student body. And, unfortunately, some schools may use COVID-19 budget constraints as an excuse to weaken or eliminate student media for other than financial reasons.

If you suspect your program may be eliminated or weakened as a result of COVID-19 budget cuts, this toolkit is for you. This toolkit is intended for advisers, students and parents to respond to a number of scenarios. If you are facing a cut to your program that is not detailed here, the strategies within these toolkits should still work for you.

If you suspect your program being targeted, in whole or in part, because of the content of past, present or future student media coverage, contact SPLC’s free legal hotline right away. Adviser retaliation and content-based financial changes are censorship, and our attorneys may be able to help.
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