Celebrating Our 150th Year! The Kansas Publisher Official monthly publication of the Kansas Press Association Jan. 16, 2013 Inside Today Page 2 Kevin Slimp chides one com- pany, praises another. Page 3 Do you know how to SPAR? John Foust tells you how. Page 4 Keep those directory listings up-to-date. It reflects on you and KPA. Page 4 Kansas Newspaper Foundation now owns Kids Voting USA. Page 5 Peter Wagner, publisher of the Sheldon N’West Iowa convention in Topeka May 3 and 4. Wagner, shown KOMA for Dummies t-shirts Review, will be one of the lead presenters at the with his wife, Connie, presents sales programs on are on sale. Order yours today. 150th anniversary Kansas Press Association annual the power of print advertising. Page 6-7 KPA’s Marketplace is full of job Iowa’s Wagner added to convention line-up openings, items for sale. he 150th anniversary of the first meeting humorous approach keeps audience members of Kansas publishers means lots of ac- on their feet, but he also shares lots of shortcuts Page 8 Ttivities are being planned for the Kansas and busts a few myths along the way as well. Doug Anstaett discusses how Press Association annual convention May 3 and Wagner, winner of the title Master Editor- records are closed by default. 4 in Topeka. Publisher in Iowa, is best known for his fast- The convention will be at the Capitol Plaza paced presentation of easy-to-do promotions for Hotel. both advertising and circulation growth and his KPA Calendar Headliners at the 2013 convention will be straight-to-the-point training seminars. Mar. 10-16 Russell Viers, one of the world’s go-to guys on His weekly newspaper, the Sheldon N’West Sunshine Week, sponsored by all things dealing with Adobe PhotoShop and Iowa Review, has been called the best weekly the American Society of News- InDesign, and Peter Wagner, an Iowa publisher newspaper in America by “American Journal- paper Editors. who will tell KPA members how to get the most ism Review.” out of their local newspaper franchises. In addition to his publishing interests, Wag- Viers wowed the crowd at the Western Kan- May 3-4 See CONVENTION on Page 3 Kansas Press Association 150th sas Mini-Convention in October in Hays. His annual convention, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Topeka. AOE deadline approaches; don’t miss out he deadline is just two on the KPA website. Paper cop- the full edition entries are online Sept. 12-15 weeks away for entries in ies of the entry forms and other this year. National Newspaper Associa- Tthe Kansas Press Asso- vital information were mailed “Please begin this process tion 127th annual convention, ciation’s Awards of Excellence previously to members. immediately if you’ve not done Phoenix. Contest. As was the case last year, the so already,” Bradbury said. Emily Bradbury, director of contest is online. All you have to The entry forms and rules Dec. 15 member services at KPA, has do is upload PDFs of the pages are appended to today’s Kansas National Bill of Rights Day. posted the necessary information that include your entries. Even Publisher. 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 Times-Picayune surrenders future; 2011-12 KPA Board Ben Marshall Orange County Register ‘seizes’ it President y 13-year-old son received an in handy as you read further. Sterling Bulletin iPod Touch for Christmas this So last night I was having dinner with a [email protected] Myear. I know my son. Probably friend when I got a text that read, “Are you as well as I’ve ever known anyone. And I watching 60 Minutes?” Dena Sattler knew, given time, he would lose his expen- “No,” was my immediate response. First Vice President sive gift. “They’re saying the newspaper industry Garden City Telegram In an effort to soften the blow when the is dead. I thought you’d want to know.” [email protected] device did turn up missing, I had Zachary Within minutes came an email from create a background screen with the words, Karen Geary of the Paris Post-Intelligencer Dan Thalmann “If you find this iPod, please in West Tennessee. “Did you see Second Vice President email [email protected] to 60 Minutes? It’s a story about Washington County News let my dad know you have it.” The Times-Picayune. They’re [email protected] I had to tell you that story, so saying newspapers are dead.” you would understand the refer- The evening continued like Susan Lynn Treasurer ence to my son a little further that with texts, emails and calls Iola Register down this column. arriving from concerned viewers [email protected] Now for story number two. In near and far. the late 1990s, I left the newspa- This morning, I found the 12 Patrick Lowry per world for a few years to be minute clip online and watched it. Past President director of communications for Then I watched it again. Then I Hays Daily News the United Methodist Church in Kevin Slimp watched it and took notes. In less [email protected] my part of the United States. I than 11 seconds, Morley Safer had a staff that created publica- said, referring to newspapers, A.J. Bozarth tions, online content, P.R. material and a “virtually an entire industry in free-fall.” Central District Director newspaper. Some of the most interesting The story, of course, was about the Norwich News, South Haven New Era aspects of my job came under the heading Times-Picayne’s move from daily to three [email protected] of “crisis communication.” days a week publication. I was especially As crisis communication director, I pre- interested because some of the folks in the Susan Cantrell pared the organization for emergencies we story were the same folks who contacted Northeast District Director hoped we’d never see. Several thousand me back when the shift was announced. Lawrence Journal-World professionals made up the clergy and staffs Steve Newhouse declined to be inter- [email protected] of these congregations and it was my job viewed for the story. That job fell to Jim to be sure they were ready in the event of a Amoss, longtime editor of the paper. Gregg Ireland “media event.” I was quite adept at getting Safer’s first question to Amoss seemed Daily Director TV reporters to report just about anything. simple enough. “Did you agree with the Topeka Capital-Journal [email protected] Newspapers weren’t as quick — you might decision to start publishing three days a say “gullible” — to accept everything as week?” Sarah Kessinger the truth, so I generally used television to I’m listening to this interview for the Nondaily Director get information out to the masses. fourth time as I write. And for the life of Marysville Advocate This meant I would create text that me, I still haven’t heard him answer the [email protected] ministers and others were to use if called question. He gave what sounded to me like by a member of the media during a crisis. a “packaged” response, the kind I might Brad Lowell They were always instructed, if the re- have written years ago. Northwest District Director porter wanted more information than I had It reminded me so much of my son, Concordia Blade-Empire provided, to contact me directly. [email protected] Understanding that story will also come See SLIMP on Page 4 Randy Mitchell December KDAN, KCAN winners Southwest District Director Newton Kansan/Dodge City Daily Globe he following newspapers sold either KDAN or KCAN ads in December, 2012. [email protected] Remember, if you sell one of these ads, which run in almost 150 Kansas newspa- Tpers, you keep half the money. On out-of-state ads, you get half the commission. Rebecca Rice KDANs were sold by: Legislative Director Anderson County Review — 2 2x4 ads for a commission of $1,650. Lindsborg News-Record Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter — one 2x2 ad for a commission of $400. [email protected] GateHouse Media placed 20 KCAN ads for a commission of $3,000. These newspapers are making real money by selling local advertisers into the Andy Taylor statewide networks. Remember, you also now can sell into the online network and the Southeast District Director Quarter-Page Network. For details, call Sara Marstall at (855) 572-1863 or email at smar- Montgomery County Chronicle [email protected]. [email protected] Kansas Press Association, 5423 S.W. 7th, Topeka, KS 66606 • www.kspress.com • (855) 572-1863 3 Power comes with knowing how to SPAR homas knows the power of storytell- but most of their budget had been spent in mended a series of ads promoting dis- ing. other areas.’ In just a couple of sentences, counts on several key products. We tested T “I’ve found that the right stories this gives your listener a snapshot of Ace various discount techniques (for example: help me sell more advertising,” he said. Widget’s situation.” half-price, then two-for-the-price-of-one – “After all, prospects are like everyone else. Problem: “This is where you isolate a which is essentially the same offer).’” They like to hear stories and examples of specific problem or challenge. Don’t use Result: “This is the payoff, the point things that have happened to other people. generalities like, ‘Their where you show Thomas is right.