Volume 83 March 2020 No. 9 2020 Summer Convention set to drop in on INSIDE Dollywood to mark TPA’s 150th Anniversary MIKE TOWLE Vass: TPA has good vibe Managing Editor Page 3 February 14, 2020 Legendary singer, entertainment Daniels: Lots to like about maven, entrepreneur and Tennes- Winter Convention 2020 see’s favorite daughter Dolly Parton had better have her alarm set for Page 3 bright and early Thursday, June Lee affi rms support of 18. She’s about to receive a gaggle First Amendment to TPA of visitors who sell ink and digital bytes (not moonshine whiskey) by Page 5 the barrel. Photo by Tony Centonze, The rooster is set to crow for Tennessee Press Association Hamilton County foils sometime that morning, as an Photos courtesy of Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism TFP records request anticipated throng of hundreds Ken Paulson, director of the Free of newspaper professionals from vance, heads to Dolly’s backyard, Resort in Pigeon Forge. Speech Center at MTSU, Murfrees- Page 5 across the state descend on Parton’s with the two-day event’s kickoff be- Friday’s events will kick off with boro, and keynote speaker for the hometown of Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ing a day-long June 18 playday for the Ad/Circ Conference and editorial 2020 TPA Winter Convention lun- TPA Members’ Showcases That’s where the TPA will ring in TPA members and their families at sessions in addition to the Ideas cheon held Thursday, Feb. 13, dons Page s 6-7, 12 the 150th anniversary celebration Dollywood’s Theme Park, complete Contest Awards luncheon and the his red ‘Superman cape’ while mak- of the Tennessee Press Association. with rides, shows, shops and other convention’s conclusion with the ing a point about the First Amend- Sheriff Bart: 11 reporting The 2020 TPA Summer Conven- attractions and activities. State Press Contests Awards Banquet. ment and the future of newspaper tips for going in-depth tion, in conjunction with the asso- The convention runs June 18-19 More Summer Conventon details journalism. See the special section ciation’s sesquicentennial obser- and will be held at the Music Road will be available after March 18. Page 8 inside for more coverage of this year’s Winter Convention held Feb. Obituaries 12-13 in Nashville, at the Double- Pages 1, 8-9 OBITUARY Tree by Hilton Hotel. Fisher: New legal support Williams, former TPA president, forged newspaper legacy in TN for public records Page 11 SUBMITTED ville, Fla., and student at Murray State University. he returned to Paris in 1960 as Paris Post-Intelligencer Joan (Skip) Howe During his summers, Williams The P-I’s news editor. He spent the February 7, 2020 of Paris; a son: continued to be a P-I reporter. next 39 years working his way up Michael (Evonne) Throughout his college years, Wil- to editor, then editor and publish- Retired Post-Intelligencer editor Williams of Par- liams was also a member of the er, fi nally retiring as publisher in and publisher and long-time com- is; 14 grandchil- college newspaper staff and was late 1999. However, he continued munity service advocate William dren; and eight named the outstanding journalism to write editorials until late 2016. Bryant “Bill” Williams Jr., 85, died great-grandchil- student during his senior year. He became editor and publisher Thursday, Feb. 6, at AHC Paris. dren and another After graduating from college, at the retirement of his father, the He battled Parkinson’s disease Williams on the way at he was a reporter for The Memphis late Bryant Williams. Bryant in and Lewy Body dementia for three press time. Press-Scimitar for a brief period turn had taken over as publisher years before suffering a massive Williams began his newspaper before entering the U.S. Army as a at the retirement in 1967 of his stroke Feb. 5. career as a P-I carrier while a second lieutenant. father, the late W. Percy Williams, Born Aug. 20, 1934, to W. Bry- student at Atkins-Porter and Grove He was stationed at Fort Sill, who had come from Alabama to ant and Julia Williams of Paris, he High Schools. Okla., and served as a forward purchase The P-I in 1927. is survived by his wife of 63 years, During his high school years, he observer in an artillery unit, and One of the things Bill Williams the former Anne Corbett. The worked as a reporter after school, helped work out the logistics of said he enjoyed about his work was couple married on June 21, 1956, on Saturdays and during the sum- transporting howitzers by helicop- that at the end of each day, he was at First Christian Church in Paris. mers. After graduating third in his ter. He then served seven years in able to hold a paper in his hands Other survivors include three class at Grove High School in 1952, active reserve. and say, “Here’s what we did today.” daughters: Cindy Barnett of Mur- Williams went on to graduate with Later, he worked for The Tulla- ray, Julie (Doug) Ray of Gaines- honors as a journalism and ROTC homa News for three years before See WILLIAMS Page 9 Page 2 • The Tennessee Press • March 2020 Good vibes for TPA and members In the decade or so since the dropped: Family-owned McClatchy (USPS 616-460) technical end of the Great Reces- YOUR newspapers, which owns about 30 Published monthly by the sion, Tennessee Press Association newspapers across the country, fi led members have come to realize our PRESIDING for bankruptcy. TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION, INC. business has changed, and we have/ REPORTER We’ve heard the reasons before. 412 N. Cedar Bluff Road, Suite 403 are learning to adapt. We have Newspaper companies saddled with accepted that fl uidity is our normal Knoxville, Tennessee 37923 CHRIS VASS too much debt have no room to ma- Telephone (865) 584-5761/Fax (865) 558-8687/www.tnpress.com state, and we are fi nding new ways neuver. The slide of ad revenue to to reach readers and deliver news the online giants is punishing. And Subscriptions: $12 annually to more tech-savvy consumers. It’s the steady erosion of circulation rev- Periodicals Postage Paid At Knoxville, TN hard work. Some days it’s two steps CorningWare update: enue underscores that our playing forward and one step back. Other Yep, that 5-year-old story is fi eld is fi lled with competitors of all POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tennessee Press, days it might feel like three steps still cooking online — as of kinds, especially the “free news” all 412 N. Cedar Bluff Road, Suite 403, Knoxville, TN 37923 back. mid-February, pageviews over the internet. Our “new” normal — concurrent totaled 140,000. And the The McClatchy announcement, The Tennessee Press is printed by The Standard Banner in Jeff erson City, Tenn. with a combative national political reporter still is answering and too many others like it, remind and cultural climate — also means calls from folks all over the us that even when you do good that our commitment to protecting work—great, award-winning work Carol Daniels ..................................................................................................................................... Editor country who want to know and defending the First Amend- — if your business model and strat- Mike Towle .................................................................................................................. Managing Editor what that blue cornfl ower Robyn Gentile .......................................................................................... Production Coordinator ment, hold those in power account- egy are not solid and supple, things able, and fulfi ll our mission of casserole dish will fetch at won’t end well. public service — in all of its forms auction. But hearing about this latest The Tennessee Press — is a strong as ever. industry news during our conven- is printed on recycled paper Daily, bi-weekly, weekly, large, tion felt a little incongruent with so and is recyclable. medium and small, we are tailoring “We believe there is still poten- many of the positive steps of TPA, our business and content strategies tial for us to grow in Davidson and the Tennessee Press Service and TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION to our readers. Some papers have Williamson counties, and we will Tennessee Press Association Foun- Chris Vass, Chattanooga Times Free Press ...........................................................................President moved more aggressively into be looking at both areas moving dation have taken and are pursuing. Daniel Richardson, Carroll County News Leader, Huntingdon .........................Vice President developing and/or fi ne-tuning their forward,” Gould said. The fi nancial footing of TPS and Darrell Richardson, Th e Oak Ridger ............................................................................. Vice President digital strategy. Others aren’t as far MSM’s fi rst priority, he noted, TPA is stabilized. More training Joseph Hurd, Th e Courier, Savannah .................................................................................... Secretary along on that path; still others are is subscribers and giving them a opportunities are in the works Eric Barnes, Th e Daily News, Memphis .................................................................................Treasurer betting on the value proposition of top-notch weekly paper. MSM’s and a readership survey is under Doug Horne, Republic Newspapers, Knoxville ...................................Immediate Past President a print product aimed at targeted 14 websites attract about a million development — initiatives that add Carol Daniels .................................................................................................................Executive