North Dakota Newspaper Association's Newsletter
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134th yyearea • Issue 4 May 2020 Bulletinulullu~ Representingllelet Northeti Dakota'stin newspapersin since 1885 ~ Judges pick best of the best North Dakota’s top newspapers More winners: Page 11 by circulation class are The Grand Forks Herald, The Jamestown Sun, The Walsh County Record of Grafton, winner and the Daily News Media in The Hillsboro Banner and the Walsh Wahpeton was third. County Press of Park River. The Walsh County Record, tops in They were the first-place winners general excellence for large weeklies, in the general excellence category of is a “Solid newspaper overall, full of this year’s NDNA Better Newspaper local news and local advertising.” Contest. Second place went to the McKenzie Judging of general excellence County Farmer of Watford City; third covers all aspects of the newspaper, place to The Journal in Crosby; and including news and photos, advertis- honorable mention to the Bottineau ing, layout and design. Courant. The awards were announced in ear- For medium sized weeklies, judges ly May after the association’s annual liked the Hillsboro Banner’s use of convention was postponed because of photos in its flag. “Solid all-around the COVID-19 pandemic. newspaper.” Second place went to Judges praised The Grand Forks the Leader-News of Washburn, third Herald for its “Emphasis on local to The Tioga Tribune, and honorable news and consistent locally-focused mention to the Foster County Inde- editorial page.” The Forum of pendent in Carrington. Fargo-Moorhead was second and the Judges said the Walsh County Press Bismarck Tribune third. is “A lively newspaper with big, bold For small dailies, judges called The photos that invite the reader in.” Sec- Jamestown Sun “A good local newspa- ond place went to The Burke County per with emphasis on local news.” The Tribune in Bowbells and third to the Dickinson Press was the second place McClusky Gazette. New NDNA president says newspapers welcome the future Matthew Von Pinnon, editor of important role More election results: Page 2 The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, in the state. has been elected president of the “Our profes- we can overcome our great ob- North Dakota Newspaper Associa- sion has never stacles, too.” tion, the 127th person to lead the faced greater Doing so will require “banding association in its 134-year history. challenges, he together like never before, strong- Von Pinnon was elected April said. “But news- ly embracing new delivery meth- 23 in a vote which, because of the papers have ods and boldly welcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, was con- always rallied future while honoring our past.” ducted electronically. He succeeds their communi- Von Pinnon has been with The Karen Speidel, editor of the News Matt Von Pinnon ties to success- Forum since 1994 and has been Monitor in southeast ND. fully navigate editor since 2006. He graduated Von Pinnon is excited to help the most pressing problems, and from Moorhead High School and lead an organization that plays an with ingenuity and a can-do spirit, MSU-Moorhead. NDNA members elect NDNA Board of Directors and Staff officers by electronic ballot Allison Olimb, editor of the and Views in Drayton to a full two- NDNA Officers Walsh County Press in Park River, year term after being appointed President is the newest member of the last year to Matthew Von Pinnon The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead NDNA board of directors. complete a She and other officers were partial term. First Vice President Cecile Wehrman, elected in an April 23 vote which, Continuing Journal Publishing, Crosby because of the COVID-19 pandem- on the NDNA Second Vice President ic, was conducted electronically. board are Amy Dalrymple Cecile Wehrman of Journal Cole Short, The Bismarck Tribune Publishing in Crosby and Tioga, publisher Immediate Past President was elected first vice president of of the Hills- Karen Speidel NDNA, and Amy Dalrymple Molter, boro Banner, The News Monitor editor of The Bismarck Tribune, and Amy was elected second vice president. Wobbema, NDNA Directors Olimb, elected to her first publisher Allison Oli mb Cole Short two-year term, is originally from of the New Hillsboro Banner Crystal, ND and graduated from Rockford Transcript. Amy Wobbema Valley High School in Hoople. She Elections also were held for The New Rockford Transcript then studied at the University of three positions on the NDNA Hall Lesa Van Camp Jamestown, where she held sev- of Fame Committee. Re-elected Valley News & Views, Drayton eral positions with The Collegian, were Duane Schatz, former pub- Allison Olimb including editor. lisher at Elgin, and Mike Jacobs, Walsh County Press She has managed the Press in former editor and publisher of Park River since 2010. the Grand Forks Herald. Elected to NDNA members also elected her first term was Jill Friesz of GS Lesa VanCamp of the Valley News Publishing in Elgin. Education foundation elects directors NDNA Staff The NDNA Education Founda- Elected to her first three-year Steve Andrist Executive Director tion conducted its annual election term was Jill Friesz, president of Kelli Richey at the same time as the NDNA GS Publishing, which operates Marketing Director/ election. weekly newspapers at Elgin, Car- Network Coordinator Kirsten Stromsodt, director of son, New England and Hettinger. Rhonda Williams news operations at Forum Com- With the election, long-time Accounting Coordinator munications, was elected to a foundation director Mike Gackle of Colleen Park Advertising/Public Notice Coordinator second three-year term on the Garrison concluded his tenure as a & Tearsheeting foundation board. member of the board. Mike Casey Sales Director Shari Peterson Gerald Harris, former LaMoure publisher, passes away Office Coordinator Gerald Harris, who spent 24 years publish- ing newspapers in southeastern North Dakota, died April 28, 2020 at his home in Fargo. His Become a Facebook fan! first newspaper job was delivering the Aberdeen www.facebook.com/ American News in his youth. He became a teacher NortthDakotaNewspaperAssoc and school administrator, and was superinten- dent at Kulm in 1988 when he decided to buy the Kulm Messenger and LaMoure Chronicle. Six years later he added the Enderlin Independent Copyright © 2020, North Dakota and Litchville Bulletin. In 2012 he sold the papers Newspaper Association (NDNA). The NDNA Bulletin is published monthly by NDNA, to Art and Diane Hagebock, but continued to 1435 Interstate Loop, Bismarck, ND 58503. write a column and report on the LaMoure Coun- (701) 223-6397. GGldHierald Harris ty Commission until 2018. 2 | NDNA Bulletin | May 2020 www.ndna.com Messenger calls 'em as he sees 'em Don't look now, but across the Engaging your audience. Be country one effect of the coro- sure to have a robust social media navirus is to hasten the move of presence. The best newspapers newspapers to digital and mobile. are also doing regular newsletters It's happening, perhaps to a Just on COVID-19, as well as virtual lesser degree, in North Dakota, in events. too. assing Dealing the cards. For digital Don't blame the messenger. As P and mobile presentation, Ma- the umpire in the famous story ex- rio Garcia recommends “cards,” plained, "I calls 'em as I sees 'em." block-like graphics containing When the guy who's calling information such as FAQs, quick 'em is an old timer who grew up Steve Andrist, NDNA executive director numbers, and breaking and ever- pitching linotype slugs into a lead green content. These cards can be bucket, what's being seen is not a shared and carry the newspaper pretty or welcomed picture. have to like it. brand. Here in North Dakota, there is Traditional weeklies, of course, Mario Garcia said it: “You have only one daily newspaper left that can't reduce their print frequency an opportunity to be essential, publishes a print edition seven if they want to remain qualified as and stay essential, to your audi- days a week. That's the Bismarck legal newspapers. ence. People will remember what Tribune. Instead, some have begun you did during this (pandemic), While The Minot Daily News is reducing their page counts and and they will stay with you — even holding firm at six, the rest of the adding to the content they provide those who didn’t subscribe.” state's dailies have cut the number to online subscribers. Guardian angels: One of the of print editions, mostly in re- Back in the late 70s, as a cub newspapers that is using mobile sponse to the pandemic. reporter at The Bismarck Tribune, presentation the best is the Guard- The state's largest newspaper, I recall attending a newspaper ian in the U.K. Other terrific mo- The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, is seminar in which the presenter bile publishers: The Orange Coun- now publishing five print editions predicted that in 10 years newspa- ty Register, with a daily full-page a week. pers would be delivered on some graphic coronavirus tracker, and The Valley City Times-Record as-yet-uninvented hand-held de- The Miami Herald, which displays is down to four print editions a vice, rather than as ink on paper. a spadia every day urging readers week; Devils Lake, Wahpeton and More than 40 years later, the to access its digital news. The Her- Williston are at three; Grand Forks prediction appears to be moving ald's message says that, while it is and Jamestown are at two; and toward fruition. committed to print, in this crisis it Dickinson now prints once a week. may have to go digital-only for at Mario says . Three of the 10 "dailies" still least a while. Not that his take is the end-all, produce replica e-editions seven Mario Garcia also said it: “Print be-all, but the famed newspaper days a week.