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The Oklahoma Publisher Official Publication of the Oklahoma Press Association www.OkPress.com Vol. 87, No. 5 www.Facebook.com/okpress 12 Pages • May 2016 INSIDE Up your game at the OPA Convention BEN BLACKSTOCK: A If you’re ready to learn how to up your game, register now friend to many and an advocate for the Oklahoma Press Association Annual Convention on June CONVENTION SPEAKERS of Oklahoma newspapers, 10-11 at the downtown Sheraton in Oklahoma City. former OPA manager Ben The all-new two-day format provides an opportunity for you Blackstock dies at age 90. to get out of the office, meet with your peers and learn how to PAGE 5 improve your career. POSTAL TIPS: Firm bundles The convention kicks off with the annual OPA Business Meet- save money when prepared ing at 3:00 p.m. Friday where officers and directors for the 2016- correctly, but if you’re not doing 2017 term will be elected. The business meeting also includes the it right, it can delay delivery time treasurer’s report, necrology report and a legislative update. to your subscribers. At 4:15 p.m., the fast-paced News Flash session provides a range of topics presented by OPA members. It’s a great opportu- PAGE 7 nity to pick up some new ideas for your own newspaper. LOOKING BACK: Terry Then it’s all about fun and games at the Welcome Dinner and Clark marks his 20th year as Game Night. After dinner, attendees will form a group and vie for a columnist for The Oklahoma bragging rights as the 2016 Best Crossword Team. Then it’s time KATHLEEN MCELROY AMIE STEIN Publisher with reflections of to get to know a little more about each other by participating in a how it began – and changes networking scavenger hunt. Use your interviewing skills to find he’s seen. out specific things about your peers that you never knew before. PAGE 8 Start your day with laughter Saturday morning at the annual Blooper Show. It’s full of funny grammar, faux pas typos and DONATE TO ONF to receive other gaffes, and leaves everyone squirming in their seat until the this Will Rogers print. Details at Blooper of the Year is announced. OkPress.com/will-rogers. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has confirmed her invitation to address OPA members and answer questions at 10 a.m. Fallin will be followed by members of Oklahoma’s congressional delega- tion. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, Rep. Tom Cole, Rep. Frank Lucas, Rep. MarkWayne Mullin and Rep. Steve Russell are confirmed for the 11 a.m. session. Several awards will be presented at the noon Awards Luncheon MIKE STRAIN PHILLIP REID including ONG Column and Editorial Sweepstakes Awards, OGE Photo of the Year Awards, OPA Digital Media Awards, OPA Print Quality Awards and the ONF Joseph H. Edwards Outdoor Writer of the Year Award. AWARD WINNERS Concurrent sessions begin at 1:30 p.m. with “Basics of Jour- nalism in the Digital Age” or “Leveraging Events, Contests and Promotions for Revenue Growth.” Kathleen McElroy, an assistant professor at the School of Media & Strategic Communications at Oklahoma State University, will present the Basics of Journalism. Her goal is for you to become better at communicating what is news and what is important to your audience, whether in print or online. Amie Stein will explore the best practices and case studies for successful events, contests and promotions. Stein is a 20-year veteran of the media industry. As director of training and development for the Local Media Association, she develops and implements custom sales and digital training programs for media executives across the country. A panel of former and current journalists will discuss “Cover- OPA MILT PHILLIPS ONF BEACHY MUSSELMAN AWARD WINNER AWARD WINNER ing Traumatic Events” at 2:30 while Stein presents “Digital Best Practices for Revenue.” Stein’s session also covers capabilities DR. TERRY M. CLARK ANDY RIEGER and opportunities of using other digital media platforms such as social, video and native. If you’ve been wanting to learn how to shoot and edit video, don’t miss Mike Strain’s session at 3:30. Strain, managing editor at the Tulsa World, will provide tips on best practices and sugges- tions for apps that can help you. Or, join an advertising roundtable for the opportunity to share ideas with others, also at 3:30. The final two concurrent sessions at 4:30 are “Politics: Focus- Continued on Page 3 12 The Oklahoma Publisher // May 2016 OKLAHOMA NATURAL GAS CONTEST WINNERS CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MARCH 2016 WINNERS March Column: TED STREULI, The Journal Record March Editorial: BARB WALTER, The Hennessey Clipper MARCH 2016 COLUMN WINNER TED STREULI, The Journal Record Enter and Win a $100 Check Make room for darkness from Oklahoma One morning last year I had a day that didn’t start very We have to make room. We visit the graves of people well. we loved so we can feel sadness fully, so it can surface Natural Gas! and dissipate. We have to let the sadness flow out There was tension at home, some arguing, a battle to The March Oklahoma Natural Gas or there’s no room for the good to come in. We have get the children out the door in time for the school bus. Column and Editorial Contest was I got in the car to drive to work and pulled out of the convinced ourselves that we are supposed to be happy judged by a member of the Oklahoma garage relieved to have the stressful household behind every moment and that if we’re not there is something Journalism Hall of Fame. me. It was raining. Blurry red lights stretched for uninter- wrong. But life is a pendulum. When we’re sad every- rupted miles down Interstate 35 as cars plodded, then one rushes to say, “Don’t worry! Things will get better!” 1. Each month, send a tear sheet or slipped, then squealed in front of me. The grayness But when we’re happy no one says – though it’s equally photocopy of your best column and/ seeped through and grabbed onto my soul. or editorial to Oklahoma Natural Gas true – “Don’t worry! Things will get worse!” If you doubt “Wait!” I thought. “I’ll turn off the radio and put in my new Contest, c/o OPA, 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., that, check with someone in the oil business. Diana Krall CD!” Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499. It had just arrived and I was looking forward to it; surely Why do we tell people, especially children, to stop cry- 2. Include the author’s name, name of it would lift my still darkening mood. I slid Wallflower into ing? Because we are selfish, because we do not like the sound, because we cannot stand a few minutes of publication, date of publication and the player and discovered that Krall had successfully category entered (column or editorial). put her soulful voice to a collection of songs about lone- discomfort no matter the benefit to the one releasing liness, unrequited love and longing. Alone Again. Sorry the tears. 3. Only ONE editorial and/or ONE column Seems to be the Hardest Word. Desperado. Operator, We should encourage it. “Cry!” we should say. “Feel!” per writer per month will be accepted. that’s not the way it feels. Don’t you remember, you told me you loved me baby? Never mind the Good News. Good Friday is a story is of 4. All entries for the previous month must death and burial, of tombs and darkness. It is a funeral, Realizing there was no conveniently located bridge I be at the OPA office by the 15th of the could drive off, I succumbed to the bleakness of the day a place where we reflect on the person we have lost, current month. with gusto. That darkness held the sadness of a lifetime, the others we have lost, and the times we have lost from trivial regrets to my father’s tomb and my son’s urn, ourselves. 5. Winning entries will be reproduced on the OPA website at www.OkPress.com. and I decided to let it envelope me. In John’s version, the crucifixion occurred on the Jewish Darkness is a solitary experience. day of Preparation, the day before a Sabbath, when no bodies could remain on crosses; that darkness had to Entries must have been previously The clouds roll in, the darkness fills your soul and it published in print. Contest open to starts to rain in your heart, eroding, cleansing. That be removed. all OPA member newspapers. kind of sadness isn’t for something we’ve lost, it’s for The significance of preparation is central to the Easter everything we’ve lost and everything we will lose. It’s theme. Adherents must indulge fully in the darkness of Although Oklahoma Natural Gas Company the sadness you didn’t know was there, the one that a torturous death and the aloneness of the burial to be selects representative contest winners’ makes you cry in the middle of the third hymn at church work for use in this monthly ad, the views prepared for the joy of the resurrection. and you don’t know why you’re crying. expressed in winning columns and editorials But for one day, let’s just cry. are those of the writers and don’t necessarily It lasted a while. And when it was over, I felt empty. reflect the Company’s opinions. Relieved. And open. Thank you for continued support of “Share The Warmth” Read the Winning Columns & Editorials on the OPA website: www.OkPress.com (Under Contests) The Oklahoma Publisher // May 2016 11 SPJ announces award winners at annual banquet OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION The Oklahoma chapter of the Society at the banquet.