TAlaPressaHE N EWSLE TT ER OF T HE A L A B A M A P RESS A SSOCI AT IO N JULY 2019 Important Dates Two Alabama courts render rulings in favor of openess 2019 APA Football Press Pass Program APA members attend useful programs at the Lottery: Summer Convention 2 p.m., Thursday, Democrat-Reporter in Linden publishing August 15 (an email with more information under new ownership will be sent in the next few weeks) Majors named publisher in Andalusia SNPA and Inland to merge on October 1 Online Media Campus August 8 Legislation to permit non-profit status for 10 Tips to Rock Your Next Video newspapers draws NNA support Story Presenter: Val Hoeppner NNA recommends phasing in proposed Video is a part of our digital story- telling toolbox that will continue to salary threshold for exempt employees of grow over the next five years. Mobile small businesses phones make it easy to shoot and share our video stories. In this session, Val Hoeppner will share 10 tips that will make your video story stronger, audio better and video more compelling. This session is good for beginners, interme- diate and those who have experience but need efficiency. APA/ANAS New Address: 600 Vestavia Parkway, Suite 291 Vestavia, AL 35216 JULY 2019 AlaPressa 2 APA members attend useful programs at the Summer Convention APA members attending the readers. 2019 Summer Convention took Mintz encouraged participants home useable ideas from the to always provide context to stories speaker lineup. by using infographics, maps, pho- Alabama Press Association Leonard Woolsey, publisher tos, in-depth stories with statistics Alabama Newspaper Advertising of The Daily News in Galveston, and background, and follow up sto- Service Inc. Texas, shared valuable information ries. 600 Vestavia Parkway, Suite 291 about starting and growing newspa- Daily Mountain Eagle Editor Vestavia, AL 35216 per and independent magazines. James Phillips shared his success (205) 871-7737 He gave examples of how with social media in driving traffic to (205) 871-7740 (fax) magazines are a good way to get both online and print platforms. www.alabamapress.org real estate revenue back, and gave And, it was not all work. Del- sound advice on how to avoid being egates heard a fun and entertain- Board of Directors “just another shiny publication.” ing speaker with Kelly Kazek, who Woolsey shared these two fun writes humor columns and quirky Kenneth Boone, Chairman of the Board facts about magazines: history for al.com and its sister site, Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. 1) 4.3 is the acceptable number of It’s A Southern Thing. Horace Moore, President readers per copy for magazines, The convention ended with the The Northwest Alabamian and presentation of the awards from Terry Connor, 1st Vice President 2) 88 percent of the people who the 2019 APA Media Awards. First The Cullman Times buy the magazine still have last place winners from 32 categories K.A. Turner, 2nd Vice President month’s issue when the next month were presented with awards, in- Alabama Media Group comes out. cluding awards from the advertising Dee Ann Campbell Yvonne Mintz, editor and pub- and magazine contests. Congratu- The Choctaw Sun-Advocate lisher of The Facts in Clute, Texas, lations to all winners! Eddie Dodd, The Abbeville Herald presented a program with practical The Winners tab, a publication Denise DuBois, The Citizen of East Alabama ideas on how to develop editorial of all of the winners in the contest, is Tricia Clinton-Dunne standards that will make content available online at https://www.ala- The Fort Payne Times-Journal stronger and connect better with bamapress.org/2019winnerstab/. James Phillips, Daily Mountain Eagle Parks Rogers, Gulf Coast Newspapers Steve Smith, The Dothan Eagle Two Alabama courts render rulings in K.A. Turner, Alabama Media Group favor of openess Teresa Woodruff, The Moulton Advertiser On June 28, in an 8-0 unani- past Attorney General opinions Robert Jackson, Consolidated Publishing mous decision, the Alabama Su- suggesting that only final docu- Michael James, The Tuscaloosa News preme Court dispelled the notion ments could be viewed by the pub- Michael Galvin, Montgomery Advertiser that draft documents are not sub- lic were incorrectly decided. Glenda Curl, The Wilcox Progressive Era ject to public scrutiny. “The so-called ‘draft document’ Dan Starnes, Starnes Publishing In the context of a dispute be- exception to our public records tween a hospital authority and laws has thankfully been refuted APA Staff an oncology practice over a re- by our Supreme Court,” said Fe- quest for records, Justice Brad licia Mason, executive director of Felicia Mason, Executive Director Mendhiem wrote the opinion that “it the Alabama Press Association. Brad English, Marketing/Governmental is not apparent why the definition “This is a great day for govern- Affairs Director of a ‘public writing’ or its synonym, ment transparency. All Alabamians Leigh Leigh Tortorici, Senior ‘public record,’ would require the should be appreciative of our Su- Marketing Representative production of only ‘completed re- preme Court’s dedication to open Jaclyn Langan, Membership Coordinator cords in their final form.” government.” Meegan Maxwell, Network Coordinator Again, this Court has stated The opinion was issued in the Andrea Forsyth, Tearsheet & Social that a public writing includes re- case of Health Care Authority for Media Coordinator cords “reasonably necessary to Baptist Health v. Central Alabama Dennis R. Bailey, General Counsel record the business and activities Radiation Oncology, Appeal No. Scott Goldsmith, APA Accountant required to be done or carried on 1171030. by a public officer.” openess The opinion makes it clear that continued on page 8 JULY 2019 AlaPressa 3 Democrat-Reporter in Linden publishing under new ownership After several months of back and Wells is working with USPS offi cials per’s membership and issued a let- forth between the former Democrat- in Birmingham to rectify the paper- ter of censure to Sutton expressing Reporter Publisher Goodloe Sutton, work problem. strong disapproval of the editorial. and several potential buyers, it ap- At its meeting last month, the pears the newspaper has changed APA Board of Directors determined hands. that Sutton was no longer involved A story in the July 11 edition of in publishing a newspaper and the the newspaper announced Sutton is suspension issue did not come offi cially stepping down as of July 1, before the full membership. Wells and a Texas couple, Tommy and Pa- and his wife assumed control of tricia Wells, have assumed control the Marengo County publication on of the newspaper. June 7, pending the resolution of There is still the issue of secur- the postal permit issue. Tommy and Patricia Wells ing the proper transfer of the postal Wells said he and his wife had permit. “We’re hopeful the issue can Troubles for Sutton began in Febru- talked with Sutton several years ago be resolved in the coming days,” ary when he published an editorial about purchasing the paper. They said Publisher Tommy Wells. A pre- calling for the “Ku Klux Klan to night have previously owned newspapers vious buyer made changes to the ride again.” The Alabama Press As- in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Ken- name listed on the postal permit and sociation suspended the newspa- tucky and Alaska. Majors named publisher in Andalusia Kendra for the City of Andalusia and the City worked at The Luverne Journal, The Majors has been Utility Board. Lowndes Signal and The Troy Mes- named publisher Gerlach served as publisher of The senger. of the Andalusia Star-News for 13 years and served as Majors is a native of Brantley and Star-News. She APA president in 2016. holds a bachelor’s degree in print replaces Michele Majors returns to Andalusia from journalism from Troy University. She Gerlach who Brewton, where she served as the served as editor and staff writer at The has accepted publisher of The Brewton Standard. Tropolitan, Troy’s student newspaper, the position She worked as creative director, mag- while in school. Kendra Majors of director of azine editor and reporter during her She currently serves on the APA communications earlier time in Andalusia. She has also Journalism Foundation board of directors. Deaths Justin Derek McCullers Justin “Southern Union Sound.” talent often. Derek McCull- He continued his education and McCullers is survived by his wife, ers, 25, passed was working toward a bachelor’s de- Stephanie McCullers of Cragford; away in May gree. He was also a son, James William McCullers; moth- 2019. He was photojournalist at The Clay Times- er, Felicia Hamlet (Jeffrey) of Crag- the advertising Journal where he worked since 2010, ford; father, Johnny McCullers (Pam) manager at The and was a seven-time winner in the of Lineville; siblings, Cody Morris, Di- Clay Times-Jour- APA Media Awards contest. He was lan McCullers, Amy Morris and Hunt- nal in Lineville. also the editor of “At Home in Clay er McCullers; maternal grandparents; McCullers was County,” a quarterly magazine pub- Ronald and Dot Smith of Cragford born in Alexander City but lived for lished by the newspaper. and Jeff and Cynthia Hamlet of Wad- most of his life in Clay County. He He was a member of the Church ley; paternal grandparents; Donald was part of the fi nal graduating class of the Highlands in Auburn but spent and Beverly McCullers of Lineville from Lineville High School in 2012, many Sundays sharing his desire for and Bob and Bonnie Kunckuis of and then pursued his education and God in churches in the area. Justin Mellow Valley; a host of cousins and singing at Southern Union as part of loved music and shared his singing extended family. JULY 2019 AlaPressa 4 People & Briefs The Cullman Tribune an- UA’s student newspaper, and also in- Dothan Eagle, Enterprise Ledger, nounced recently it will increase terned at The Tuscaloosa News.