The Kansas Publisher Official monthly publication of the Kansas Press Association Nov. 9, 2011 Inside Today Page 2 Kevin Slimp says two news- papers are more alike than you might imagine. Page 3 John Foust advises sales ex- ecutives to ask themselves the tough questions fi rst. Page 4 KPA President Patrick Lowry is impressed with the positive nature of the annual Inland meeting. Page 6 Kansas Press Association has contracted with SmallTownPapers for its 2012 AOE contest judging. Dane Hicks has taken advan- tage of the buzz from a contro- versial call-in line. Awards of Excellence switching Page 8 Doug Anstaett gives shout outs to online PDF entries this year to the National Newspaper he Kansas Press Association has converted Because this is a change from past practices, Association and Newspaper to a new format for the Awards of Emily Bradbury, director of member services Association of America. TExcellence Contest this year so that entries at KPA, has produced two videos to explain the for writing, design, photography and advertising process to members. They only take a few minutes Page 9 can be judged electronically. to watch and really describe the program well. Akron Beacon Journal colum- The electronic format will allow for more Those videos can be watched by pasting the nist Bob Dyer sets the record effi ciency in the judging process. following URL into your browser: http://www. straight for readers. “In the past, we’ve always had to ship all kspress.com/70/contests entries to another state and send two staff members “The decision to switch to electronic judging there to oversee the judging process,” said Doug coincided with the KPA board’s decision at last KPA Calendar Anstaett, KPA executive director. “Those trips April’s convention to ask members to upload won’t be necessary with the new format. PDFs of their pages to an FTP site controlled by Nov. 11 “In addition, we believe this system will save the association,” said Doug Anstaett, executive Montgomery Family Sympo- newspapers money as well. They won’t have to director. “That site, or a newspaper’s own PDF sium, University of Kansas. pay shipping costs or the cost of driving the entries to Topeka if they’re pushing the deadline.” See AOE CONTEST on Page 9 Dec. 15 Bill of Rights Day. Montgomery seminar this Friday at KU Jan. 20, 2012 he annual Montgomery check on availability. endowed gift to the Kansas KPA Awards of Excellence Family Symposium ap- This year’s symposium will Newspaper Foundation from entry deadline. Tpears to be a sell-out for focus on how to use public the Montgomery newspaper Friday. records to fi nd great stories for family in Kansas. April 20-21, 2012 If you’ve not registered your readers. This year’s session KPA annual convention, Over- yet, e-mail Emily Bradbury The annual symposium land Park. at [email protected] to is underwritten by a $50,000 See SEMINAR on Page 6 Kansas Press Association, 5423 S.W. 7th, Topeka, KS 66606 • www.kspress.com • (855) 572-1863 2 Kansas Press Association, 5423 S.W. 7th, Topeka, KS 66606 • www.kspress.com • (855) 572-1863 2011-12 KPA Board Two newspapers are worlds apart, Patrick Lowry President but they share the same problems Hays Daily News alk about different situations. Re- PDF files we create and receive from oth- [email protected] cently, I spent two days in the city ers still cause so many printing problems. that never sleeps, visiting with a What I learned, however, was that Ben Marshall T First Vice President staff that produces large weeklies, shop- these two papers hold more than PDF pers and more. Soon after that, I was in issues in common. Both papers have Sterling Bulletin a southern town, working with something in the workflow that [email protected] the staff of a small daily paper is slowing their production ef- Dena Sattler for two days. forts to a snail’s pace at times. Second Vice President You’d think the situations In New York, it was the Garden City Telegram couldn’t be more different. Internet. Outfitted with new [email protected] In New York, the pace was computers and software, the incredibly hectic. Staff moved staff worked diligently to get Dan Thalmann at a frantic pace, working to out their products. The build- Treasurer get the next assignment done. ing had even been equipped Washington County News No time to visit. No time to with new network wiring [email protected] waste. People yelled. Supervi- recently. The problem wasn’t sors barked orders. It was the in the equipment or the wires. Linda Mowery-Denning classic big city situation. Kevin Slimp It was with the Internet speed Past President My first task upon arriving itself. Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter here was to sit around a confer- I visited with key manag- [email protected] ence table with an editor, ad director and ers and explained that the workflow was two other managers and discuss what being hampered significantly by the slow A.J. Bozarth was happening at their paper and what Internet. While I was there, phone calls Central District Director we hoped to accomplish while I’m here. were already being made to find a new Norwich News, South Haven New Era No hurry. No fuss. provider who [email protected] Just a relaxing could provide conversation, with While a little more than faster service. Susan Cantrell my Diet Mountain half of my time at both of- I’m amazed Northeast District Director Dew in hand, that fices was spent training staff at the number Lawrence Journal-World provided most of of newspapers [email protected] the information I in software applications, the I visit who are needed to under- other half was spent analyz- still working with Sarah Kessinger stand my assign- DSL. Sure, it’s Nondaily Director ment. ing the work flows and mak- still the only thing Marysville Advocate You would ing recommendations con- available in some [email protected] think the situations cerning things that could be places, but in couldn’t be more most areas much Ken Knepper different. In fact, improved. faster options Legislative Director these two newspa- are available. In Wichita Eagle pers hold much in Knoxville, where [email protected] common. I live, cable Internet can be over 100 While a little more than half of my times as fast as DSL. That’s a difference Brad Lowell time at both offices was spent training that makes an impact on the bottom line. Northwest District Director staff in software applications, the other Cable Internet, when available, can Concordia Blade-Empire half was spent analyzing the work flows also be more than 50 times as fast as a [email protected] and making recommendations concern- T1 line. If you’ve noticed that you have ing things that could be improved. to wait on the Internet, it might be a good Susan Lynn The paper in New York was mov- time to see if you have a faster option Daily Director ing to the InCopy/InDesign workflow available. And, fortunately, cable Internet Iola Register system. That required training in both is usually less expensive than T1. [email protected] applications. We also dealt with problem The group in New York was also Steve Wade PDF files (yes, they were all created the looking into a vendor who could provide Southeast District Director wrong way) and held a session on creat- quality newspaper management software Pittsburg Morning Sun ing animated Flash files for the paper’s at an affordable price. I find it interesting [email protected] website. that most papers I’ve visited in the past Here at the daily paper, we’ve focused two years have been in search of new Doug Anstaett our training on advanced InDesign, photo management software. There are many Executive Director, KPA editing and correcting problem PDF files. [email protected] It’s almost funny that so many of the See SLIMP on Page 3 Kansas Press Association, 5423 S.W. 7th, Topeka, KS 66606 • www.kspress.com • (855) 572-1863 3 Try this: Ask yourself the tough questions first remember chatting with a chemist who answers until we know them well enough after you’ve made a sale. You’re dealing works for a large international research to respond under pressure.” with an unhappy advertiser whose expendi- Icompany. He mentioned that he and his Ask yourself the tough questions. That’s ture is not meeting expectations. coworkers make numerous presentations at a great strategy for sales presentation prep. The cause can usually be narrowed to: conferences. The most difficult questions deal with (1) wrong offer, (2) wrong target audi- “It’s always a pressure-packed situa- ad costs and ad results. Let’s take a look at ence, (3) poor execution, (4) not enough tion,” he said, “because our reputation is two representative examples. Sure, they’re frequency, or (5) all of the above. In your riding on the outcome, and a lot of research uncomfortable to discuss. But with prac- answer, you should shift the focus from money is at stake.” tice, you – and your the last ad to the He explained that entire ad depart- next ad. And you a lot of audiences try ment – can prepare He explained that a lot of should be ready to to punch holes in their acceptable answers. audiences try to punch holes re-sell him or her research. “Preparation in their research. “Prepara- on the benefits of is everything,” he said.