Profile The Idaho Statesman

A Commitment To Service Embracing ownership changes, the Idaho Statesman reaches out to its community

by Heidi Ernst | Photo by Joe Jaszewski

n 1864, business leaders the Statesman in June 2006 as part of the all they knew. We were welcomed into company’s acquisition of Knight Ridder, Knight Ridder and quickly embraced their in Boise literally stopped McClatchy became the paper’s third owner culture. Then the transition to McClatchy the press to bring a within a year. Knight Ridder had acquired was much easier since we had recently the paper in August 2005 from Gannett been through it. We realized we all still newspaper to their booming I Co. in McLean, Va., which had operated the had jobs to do.” town of 1,000 residents. They Statesman since 1971. Guided by four main goals—grow Top management reflects the recent IdahoStatesman.com, strengthen the persuaded a printer who was proprietors. Sunday edition, ensure a smooth transition passing through to set up the Parrish arrived in 2006 from the Star to the McClatchy culture and reinforce Tribune in Minneapolis, then McClatchy’s the paper’s commitment to the commu- press in his wagon. largest newspaper property, where she was nity—the staff has implemented several In what would become the daily Idaho deputy managing editor for features and changes since the most recent ownership Statesman, the first editorial argued for visuals; Editor Vicki S. Gowler, a Knight switch. A gradual redesign drew on the “the hugest war that can be waged” against Ridder alumna and former editor of the work of a consultant who helped to set slavery and the Confederate rebellion. Pioneer Press in St. Paul, arrived after the visual priorities, Parrish says, and make the The stance started what Publisher Mi-Ai Statesman’s 2005 acquisition; and Travis paper “visually reflective of the [Treasure] Parrish calls the newspaper’s “strong public Quast, vice president of sales and market- Valley,” an area of about 550,000 people voice and commitment to the community ing, was classified advertising manager served by the Statesman. to be a watchdog,” traditions that have under Gannett’s ownership of the paper. A previously bright color palette, for endured through 144 years and several But much of the staff has stayed constant. instance, was changed to sages and sands recent ownership changes. When The “There was a lot of uncertainty,” Quast to indicate Boise’s location in the high McClatchy Co. in Sacramento purchased says. “For most people, Gannett was plains desert. A staff member created a

28 Presstime | FEBRUARY 2008 From left: Mi-Ai Parrish, Frank Peak, overwhelmed,” Gowler says. Vicki S. Gowler and Travis Quast. Then in August, Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, broke news of the arrest capitol dome logo to show Boise’s status of U.S. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) in the as Idaho’s capital, and a new “elegant and Minneapolis airport. The Statesman Web clean” font reflects that the town is a “very site logged more than 840,000 page views western, straightforward, no-nonsense the day after Roll Call’s story appeared. kind of place,” Parrish says. The Statesman ran a 3,800-word article In September 2006, the Sunday paper in print and online that day by political was redesigned, a new masthead was ap- columnist Dan Popkey acknowledging proved and additional national and world Roll Call’s scoop and explaining similar content was added to the front page of the leads Popkey had been tracking during a first of two news sections for all editions. five-month investigation. A 176-page quarterly magazine, “Idaho Vital STATS “We committed the time and resources Health,” was launched the next month. [to the investigation] because we felt it Ownership | The McClatchy Co.. Other updates, such as ending a weekly was important, not only for the senator, tabloid insert, Our Towns, which covered Average daily circulation because rumors had swirled around him two local communities, and switching to 63,661 for more than two decades, but [also] for zoned hyperlocal coverage in the main SUNDAY CIRCULATION | 83,787 our state and community,” Parrish says. A news section, were implemented in story hadn’t yet met the paper’s standards January and February 2007. A web-width online Monthly page views for publication because of “unsubstanti- A Commitment More than 6.5 million reduction from 50 inches to 48 inches ated rumor and unnamed sources,” Parrish helped to complete the redesign last July. employees | 288 full time; adds, plus a denial from the senator in May. Because of the gradual changes, read- 74 part time “[But Roll Call’s article] was so relevant ers’ complaints about the redesign were that it was appropriate to publish what we connections | 1200 N. Curtis minimal. “I honestly don’t recall more felt was publishable, including context, Road, Boise, Idaho 83706, To Service than 10 calls,” says Circulation Director history, interviews.” (800) 635-8934, Frank Peak. “Nobody could wake up one Reporting from the newspaper’s Boise www.idahostatesman.com morning and [ask], ‘Where’s the paper I newsroom and by its new Washington used to like?’ ” McClatchy correspondent, helped bolster Under Gannett’s leadership, the the Statesman’s story and make the paper Statesman had created a free publication ence that competes primarily with other the authoritative voice. Locally, advertis- for young readers that Knight Ridder real-time media such as TV and radio. ers and readers “saw us as a credible molded into Thrive, a lifestyle and IdahoStatesman.com was redesigned news source,” Quast says, “and people entertainment guide for active urban in February 2007 with more value-added respected us for doing the right things for adults. But the 24,000-distribution Thrive content, such as blog-like daily posts and the right reasons.” was actually created by people in the weekly video from outdoors reporters, Two months after the paper’s first Statesman’s newsroom. plus breaking news throughout the day. story about the senator’s arrest, monthly Thrive’s editor was also editor of In September, more sophisticated blogs unique visitors to IdahoStatesman.com Scene, the paper’s weekend section. and opportunities for story comments remained around 740,000. In an effort to decrease competition, were created. All photographers and Quast says advertisers have welcomed combine resources and create a stronger four reporters (of about 30) shoot video. the paper’s recent changes. While many brand, the Statesman absorbed Thrive’s In October, Quast’s department launched products are too new to offer evidence staff of two full-time and four part-time Top Jobs, video-based online employment in terms of revenue, he says, advertisers’ employees last summer. Delivered with classifieds. attitudes demonstrate that they “see the the Statesman on Friday, Scene also is The site received a big prelaunch test McClatchy approach of making a better available for free at the 570-plus locations in January last year when the Boise State product for our readers with a local where Thrive had been distributed. University Broncos football team upset market perspective.” As the only daily paper in Boise, the the University of Oklahoma Sooners in Readers aren’t too concerned about Statesman has little local competition, overtime to win the Fiesta Bowl. Page who owns the paper, Parrish says, just especially compared with places like views tripled to almost 750,000, and the that the product is first-rate. Overall, the Twin Cities, where Parrish, Gowler event set a single-copy sales record for she notes, the publishing company, the and Peak had worked. “I did sense a bit 2007. Nearly 32,000 single copies were newsroom, advertisers and readers all of a lack of urgency” when I arrived, says sold, Peak says, almost four times the seek what the paper is striving to deliver: Gowler, who leads an upgraded Web pres- volume for a typical Tuesday. “We were “a commitment to quality journalism.” ‹

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