The Oklahoma Publisher Official Publication of the Oklahoma Press Association www.OkPress.com Vol. 89, No. 9 www.Facebook.com/okpress 12 Pages • September 2018 INSIDE ITC reverses newsprint tariffs ONF INTERNS: Six more Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation Last month, the U.S. Inter- da – is the cause of the decline these newsprint tariffs will know that the ITC does not find interns share their stories national Trade Commission in demand for newsprint. restore stability to the market a basis for continuing sanctions. of working at OPA member overturned a tariff on Canadian “Local papers provide essen- and that publishers will see a “Our efforts to educate the newspapers this summer. imports of uncoated ground- tial coverage of local govern- full and quick recovery.” commission about the realities PAGES 4-6 wood paper, which includes ments and community news Susan Rowell, president of of today’s printing and publish- newsprint used by newspapers. and events,” said Chavern. “In the National Newspaper Associ- ing world were part of a large TRAUMA IN THE “Fortunately, our voice was many communities, the local ation and publisher of the Lan- coalition of industries, led by NEWSROOM: Terry Clark heard at the ITC hearing last paper is the only source of com- caster (SC) News, said NNA the News Media Alliance and shares key points from Dr. month, and they made the right munity news. Unfortunately, is immensely gratified by the Resolute Inc., which supplies Desiree Hill’s disssertation about call in reversing these harm- the damage to newspapers from ITC’s vote not to impose per- much of the U.S.-produced journalists and trauma. ful tariffs,” said David Chavern, preliminary tariffs imposed by manent tariffs on the North newsprint. The leadership of PAGES 8 president and CEO of the News the Department of Commerce American newsprint supply. the law firm Covington and Bur- ALL IN ONE PRINTERS: Media Alliance. since January has already been “The paper market serving ling and contributions of time New models can print, scan and Over the last several months, done. The tariffs have disrupted community newspapers can and talent by so many publish- convert documents to searchable the News Media Alliance has the newsprint market, increas- soon begin to move back to mar- ers, editors, communicators of digital files. emphasized that the decades- ing newsprint costs by nearly ket pricing without the heavy all sorts, and members of the PAGE 10 long shift of news and informa- 30 percent and forcing many hand of government imposing public who joined a petition tion from print to digital plat- newspapers to reduce their taxes upon the primary suppli- against the tariffs were all con- DONATE TO ONF to receive forms – not imports from Cana- print distribution and cut staff. ers of newsprint,” said Rowell. tributors to this result.” this Will Rogers print. Details at “We hope the reversal of “It is an enormous relief to OkPress.com/will-rogers. Celebrate National Newspaper Week File postal statement by October 1 The U.S. Postal Service’s annual Statement of Own- ership, Management, and Circulation (PS Form 3526) must be filed on or before October 1. A completed copy of the form must then be published in the newspaper. Daily pub- lications are required to pub- lish the form by October 10; non-dailies must publish by October 31. There are no reg- National Newspaper Week consortium of North American Content containing editori- ulations regarding the size 2018 will be observed Oct. 7-13. trade associations representing als, editorial cartoons, promo- or format of this published This 78th annual event is a the industry on a state and pro- tional ads and more is available information as long as it is recognition of the service of vincial, regional and national for download at no charge to complete and legible . newspapers and their employ- basis. daily and non-daily newspapers The form is available on ees across North America and This year’s theme is “Jour- across North America at http:// the OPA website at: is sponsored by Newspaper nalism matters NOW more than www.nationalnewspaperweek. www.okpress.com/postal- Association Managers, the ever.” com/. resources. NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION NAVIGATING READERSHIP Norfolk, VA • Sept. 27-29, 2018 For complete details, visit http://www.nnaweb.org/convention 2 The Oklahoma Publisher // September 2018 Gilmore inducted into Women’s Hall of Fame On that Joan Gilmore is one of five tion of columnist for The Owomen who will be inducted Journal Record. into the Oklahoma Women’s Now in her late 90s, Gil- note… Hall of Fame on Sept. 27 at more still goes to work the Montellano Event Center every day and is the only in Oklahoma City. journalist at The Journal Other honorees are Susan Record who writes a daily by Brian Blansett Chambers, Jane Jayroe Gam- column. She has been ble, Willa Johnson and Kay inducted into the Okla- Publisher of the Tri-County Herald Rhoades. homa Journalism Hall of 2017-2018 OPA President In her seven decades as a journal- Fame and received the Oklahoma City ist, Gilmore has mentored hundreds of University Woman of Excellence Award. aspiring young women in many commu- Gilmore is the only Oklahoman to twice nications’ fields. She began her career at win the Byliner Award by the Associa- Trusting a reliable source of news the Muskogee newspaper, then joined tion for Women in Communications. Last week I was covering a meeting in which a man from a non-profit organiza- The Oklahoman for the next 28 years. The Oklahoma Women’s Hall of tion was talking to a local group about ways to market their organization. Rising from a reporter to an editor posi- Fame is one of several events sponsored He was a glib fellow and did not allow much air to seep into the conversation. tion, Gilmore was one of the first women by the Oklahoma Commission on the At one point he suggested the group try to get a feature story written in one of to serve as an editor at the newspaper. In Status of Women to support its mis- the metro papers. 1980, she opened a public relations and sion, “To improve the quality of life for “I’m not saying newspapers aren’t dying, because they are,” he said and then video agency, and then added the posi- women, children and families in Okla- went on to list the reasons a newspaper article would be good for the group. homa.” I thought: You’re saying newspapers are at the gate of the graveyard, yet you see them as a valuable – perhaps the most valuable – way to get information to Norman Business Association honors Andy Rieger people you want to reach. How very contradictory of you. It reminded me of a politician who came to see me when I was the publisher in The Norman Business Association co-owner and co-publisher of a week- Shawnee. He explained the reasons he should be elected and asked if we would be recently named former Norman Tran- ly newspaper in Noble, and later he running an article about him or, better yet, endorsing him. script editor Andy Rieger as a Norman became managing editor of The Norman “I’m curious why you’re interested in us writing about you,” I said. Business Legend. Transcript. In 2010, Rieger was inducted “Well, newspapers are the most reliable voice in the community,” he said. “Peo- Rieger was honored for his decades into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of ple pay attention to what’s in the newspaper.” of service to Norman and contributions Fame. “I agree,” I said. “But I notice that you’re spending all your advertising money to the local business community. Rieger retired from The Norman on TV and direct mail and none in our newspaper. Why is that?” The University of Oklahoma gradu- Transcript in 2015, but he continues to He had no good answer, mumbling that his consultants were the ones who set ate’s career began in the 1970s on the teach at OU and write a Sunday column. the ad budget. And I wondered: If you can’t influence spending in your own cam- copy desk of The Daily Oklahoman and When he’s not writing, he’s selling paign, why should I trust you with the keys to the state government? Oklahoma City Times. He later returned homes as a member of Rieger Realty That probably was about the time he realized we weren’t going to endorse his to OU to attend graduate school, teach LLC, or he’s on his bike training for his candidacy. journalism courses and lead OU’s stu- next hundred-mile ride. I see this often: People acknowledge, even on Facebook, that newspapers com- dent newspaper. In the 1990s, he was prise the most accurate medium, yet read them in declining numbers and assume they won’t survive. Why is that? Has our country become so Facebook/Trump/Fake News/ Twitter influenced that we acknowledge an accurate, valuable medium is available OPA CALENDAR OF EVENTS but choose not to use it because the truth is sometimes inconvenient? Do we as a nation care that little about facts and accuracy? FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OKLAHOMA PRESENTS: One of the saddest moments of my life came earlier this year when a teacher in a local school told me: “Well, actually, I get most of my news from Facebook these OPEN CONVERSATIONS DINNER WITH CHASE COOK days.” Fri., Sept. 28, 2018 • 7-9 PM • Cost: $50 Heavy sigh. University of Oklahoma, Gaylord Hall, Studio D, Norman Granted, we in the newspaper industry are responsible for much of our own Join FOI as they host their first speaker in a new series with Chase Cook, a University of Oklahoma decline.