October 2011 Publisher - Oklahoma Press Association

Official Publication of the Oklahoma Press Association
Vol. 82, No. 10 • 16 Pages • October 2011
Download The Oklahoma Publisher in PDF format at
www.OkPress.com/the-oklahoma-publisher
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THIS
MONTH:
CHRISTMAS
PAGES: How
does your
paper celebrate
the holiday
season? Get some great
ideas from member papers
around the state.
PAGE 8
MORE ONF SUMMER
INTERNS: Read about the
experiences had by this
summer’s crop of interns.
PAGE 12
OPA/S BOARD MEETINGS
REPORT: See what
was discussed, reviewed
and passed at the last
OPA/S Board of Directors
Meetings.
PAGE 14
DENVER BUSINESSMAN BUYS OPUBCO
Word that The Oklahoma Publishing Company was to be sold spread
quickly. Within hours of
the announcement, media
scrambled to cover the
breaking news story.
For more than 108 years,
the Gaylord and Dickinson
families have controlled
OPUBCO. That will end
this month after stock in
the company is transferred
to The Anschutz Corporation, owned by Denverbased businessman Phillip
Anschutz.
The sale includes The
Oklahoman; NewsOK.
com; the corporate headquarters building in Oklahoma City; printing facilities and all associated real
estate; Pavestone LLC,
headquartered in Dallas;
and De Wafelbakkers LLC.
Also included is the
Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs; Manitou &
Pike’s Peak Railway Company; the Hyatt Regency
Lost Pines Resort & Spa
in Austin, Texas; numerous
other real estate holdings
in Oklahoma and Colorado; an aviation company in Oklahoma City; a
collection of artwork by
the Western Masters; and
an interest in Suddenlink
Communications, as well
as other items.
OPUBCO Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer Christy Everest said
this was a once in a life-
Offices of The Oklahoman, located on the Broadway Extension in Oklahoma City, were
included in the sale of OPUBCO holdings to Phillip Anschutz.
time opportunity for the
Gaylord family to sell the
business to a family with
greater financial resources to help the company
achieve its potential.
Anschutz, originally
from Russell, Kansas, has
worldwide investments
including oil and gas
exploration and development, wind energy and
electric transmission, real
estate, ranching and agriculture, lodging and hospitality, transportation and
telecommunications, newspaper and internet publishing, and entertainment.
Anschutz
currently
owns the San Francisco
Examiner, the Washington
D.C. Examiner, the conservative periodical the Weekly Standard and Examiner.
com, which caters to amateur journalists.
The Oklahoman reported that Anschutz plans to
operate the daily newspaper and newsok.com separately from his other holdings.
No changes in the management team of OPUBCO
Communications Group
are planned.
Chris Reen will continue with his duties as president of the Communications Group and publisher
of The Oklahoman. Vice
President of News and Editor Kelly Dyer Fry will
oversee news gathering.
In addition, Anschutz
has asked Everest to remain
on The Oklahoman’s editorial board.
The sale of all OPUBCO’s stock to the Anschutz
Corp. closed on Oct. 13,
2011.
Details of the sale were
not disclosed.
2
TIM
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
O P A
P R E S I D E N T ’ S
C O L U M N
BY RUSTY FERGUSON, PUBLISHER OF THE CLEVELAND AMERICAN
It’s exciting for me to see newspapers
stepping away from the ordinary to teamup with others to promote worthwhile
causes, often in extraordinary ways. For
instance, just this past week I’ve been seeing pink all over the pages of Oklahoma
newspapers. Not only have there
been creative uses of scaled back
magenta, but in at least one publication a double-truck ad for
breast cancer awareness actually used pink newsprint. Such
efforts show that when newspapers across the state of Oklahoma get behind a worthwhile
cause, great strides can be made
in getting pertinent, even lifesaving information into the
hands of our readers.
October is National
Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, and for me, that’s a
subject that is close to my heart.
Years ago I wrote the following column and it seems an appropriate time to
share it now – realizing that only through
a true team effort will such a foe be conquered.
I’ll never forget it. It was the time of
my life. I was enjoying the Sooner magic
as a graduating senior at the University
of Oklahoma, my best friend in the world
and I had just discovered that our love
for one another was going far beyond the
bounds of friendship — we knew, without
a doubt, we were destined to spend our
lives together.
It was shortly after I asked Deana to
marry me that I received a phone call from
her sister. She asked me to bring Deana
home — her doctor needed to talk to her.
I protested a bit, telling her it was cold
and snowy and we were both very busy...
couldn’t it wait until later? It couldn’t.
A “routine” biopsy hadn’t worried us
too much. Deana was so young, we knew
that breast cancer only happened to women
over 50. It was that cold winter day, sitting
in the living room of the Anadarko
house where Deana grew up that I
discovered Deana’s uncanny ability to beat the odds...women ages
20-29 account for only 0.3% of
diagnosed breast cancers. But, the
doctor said those words — “breast
cancer” — followed by an even
scarier word, “mastectomy.” How
could this be? She was only 20
years old.
Second...even third opinions,
confirmed the worst fears. A
mastectomy was the only
option.
A year that began with
fright, followed by the
uneasy stressful feelings
that accompany the long hours
o f hospital waiting rooms, ended joyfully as I walked my bride down the aisle
.... knowing full well how blessed I was to
be marrying my best friend — for richer or
poorer, in sickness or in health.
It was probably our Christmas wedding that prompted holidays to become
such big events in our household. I love
birthdays and the excitement of November and December, but for me each New
Year’s celebration rings the brightest. As
those precious minutes tick away towards
midnight, I think not of New Year’s resolutions, but back to that cold January day
when the words “breast cancer” entered
my life. And I revel in quiet solitude,
thankful that Deana has lived another year
cancer free.
My plea, as I write this, is not to
women, but to the men in their lives. Guys
— realize the importance of early detection and urge your wife to take necessary
precautions to detect breast cancer. The
fact is, one in eight women will become
victims.
The American Cancer Society strongly suggests breast self-examinations for
women ages 20 and older. There should
also be a clinical breast exam by a health
professional every three years for women
20 to 39 years of age and annually for
women over 40. Women ages 40 and
older should have a screening mammogram every year.
I’ve read articles over the years telling
the stories of women who battle breast
cancer. Some women talk of feeling like
“less of a woman.”
She has never verbalized it, but I hope
Deana never felt that way because nothing
could be further from the truth.
When I think of her love for me — how
she accepts and loves me despite my faults
and blemishes — and the witness she has
been to me through the embodiment of her
faith, I know she’s more of a woman than
I will ever deserve.
Deana bears several scars from her
battle with cancer. The one I love most is
on her back — in an area where tissue was
removed to be used during reconstructive
surgery. During summer months the scar
is obvious, and when someone asks her
about it, they are usually amazed that she
is a cancer survivor.
I’ve never told her, but many a night,
when Deana is fast asleep, I lightly caress
that scar on her back and thank God for
that experience of years ago. That beautiful scar reminds me of Deana’s fortitude. It
reminds me just how lucky I am that she’s
lying there next to me.
THE POINT AFTER
Even when you’ve played the game of
your life, it’s the feeling of teamwork that
you’ll remember. You’ll forget the plays,
the shots, and the scores, but you’ll never
forget your teammates.
Deborah Miller Palmore,
Basketball Olympian
OPA Better Newspaper Contest materials mailing in November
OPA’s annual convention will move
from February to June, so mark your calendar for June 7-9, 2012. Since the awards
banquet is held during the convention, the
contest period has also changed.
Contest entry materials will be distributed in late November for the Better Newspaper Contest, Website Contest,
Print Quality Contest and Outdoor Writer
of the Year.
The contest period during this transitional year will be Sept. 1, 2010, through
Dec. 31, 2011.
The deadline for entry submissions
will be Jan. 23, 2012.
OPA CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
GAME
PLAN
Complete Listing of Events at
www.OkPress.com
THURS., OCT. 27
ONF WORKSHOP,
OKLAHOMA CITY
AD SALES SUCCESS
Carol Richer Gammell’s “Ad Sales Success”
workshop can help ad reps sell against
competition, find new clients and build loyal
customer relationships. For the first time
in the ONF advertising training series, you
can learn cold calling techniques! Richer
Gammell will train attendees in closing sales,
making cold calls and negotiation techniques.
Her interactive trainings will help attendees
develop new business. Registration $35.
MON., NOV. 7, OKLA. CITY, OK
MON., NOV. 14, WOODWARD, OK
MON., DEC. 5, TULSA, OK
MON., DEC. 12, LAWTON, OK
OPEN MEETING/
OPEN RECORDS ACT
SEMINARS
Attorney General Scott Pruitt, the
Oklahoma Press Association and
Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation
invite you to attend any of these
seminars designed to deal directly with
your questions and concerns about
Oklahoma’s Open Meeting and Records
Acts. Oklahoma First Attorney General
Rob Hudson and Communications
Director Diane Clay will present these
seminars. It’s free and open to the public.
The seminar is being presented six
times in 2011 across the state. For more
information, a press release or a letter
from the attorney general’s office, visit
okpress.com/events-calendar.
For more information on upcoming events,
visit the website as noted in the calendar,
go to the OPA website at
www.OkPress.com or contact
Member Services Director Lisa Potts at
(405) 499-0026, 1-888-815-2672 or e-mail
[email protected].
3
Sluggish response
to open records
request from DHS
The Oklahoma Department of Human
Services took six months to provide the
Tulsa World with information about lawsuit settlements related to child abuse and
neglect.
The World made three Open Records
Act requests on March 8, all related to
legal costs and lawsuit settlements.
DHS did not provide information on
two of those requests until the World
informed officials that the newspaper was
planning to publish a story about the
department’s failure to comply with the
requests.
On July 11, the DHS told the World that
its legal department was still researching
and compiling information and needed at
least two more months. Officials said the
legal staff was searching past files in storage to cull the requested information, and
that cases were not separated by category.
Oklahoma’s Open Records Act states
that, “A public body must provide prompt,
reasonable access to its records.”
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Scan a code to read commissioner proceedings
Neighbor Newspapers is making it easier for citizens of Tulsa and Wagoner counties to monitor the proceedings of county
officials.
Now anyone with a smartphone and a
QR code reader can scan the QR code in
Neighbor Newspapers publications and be
taken to a copy of the most recent county
commissioner proceedings.
This is just one more way for Neighbor
Newspapers to help keep citizens informed
about things going on at the county level
that may impact or concern them, said
Mike Brown, Neighbor Newspapers publisher.
A QR code is a scannable, barcode-like
tag that smartphones with QR reader apps
are able to scan.
These codes directly link to some form
of media, be it a photo gallery, videos or,
in this case, a website hosting county proceedings.
A free QR reader should be available
for download in your smartphone’s app
store; some smartphones already come
with QR readers installed.
Readers without smartphones or QR
readers can access the proceedings at
http://neo.neighbornews.com/commissioners.
Press shuts down at McAlester News-Capital
As of Oct. 1, the McAlester NewsCapital no longer prints in McAlester.
While writing, editing and composition
of the News-Capital is performed in McAlester, printing and distribution of the paper
has been moved to facilities owned by the
Muskogee Phoenix. Editorial and advertising copy will be transmitted to Muskogee,
where the paper will be printed and then
returned to McAlester for delivery.
Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.,
owner of the News-Capital, made the decision in an effort to consolidate its Oklahoma printing operations.
The News-Capital lost nine members
of its press and distribution crew with the
change.
“That’s the toughest part,” said Publisher Amy Johns.
While there will be changes in the
production of the newspaper, plans are for
subscribers to have it delivered to them as
usual.
“Our readers will still be able to enjoy
our papers when they come home from
work or school,” she said.
Plans call for the press to be dismantled
for any parts that can be salvaged.
The Countywide & Sun in Tecumseh
has moved. After more than 20 years at its
old location the paper moved across the
street to 108 E. Washington.
Gloria and Wayne Trotter, co-publishers, bought the new building two months
ago and began remodeling it.
One reason for the move is space. As
technology progresses in the industry, less
equipment is needed.
“Nothing has changed,” said Gloria
Trotter. “The phone number is the same
and our most important asset – our people
– are all the same.”
Brian Lamb to receive
OU journalism award Countywide & Sun moves to new office in Tecumseh
C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb will be the
third recipient of the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord Prize for Excellence in
Journalism.
Lamb will receive the award and speak
at a luncheon on Nov. 8 in Oklahoma City.
Lamb founded C-SPAN in 1979 and it
is available across the country, broadcasting live proceedings of the U.S. House and
Senate, as well as other political and public
affair events.
Lamb started his journalism career in
his hometown of Lafayette, Ind. He graduated from Purdue University in 1963 and
joined the U.S. Navy. He worked at the
White House and Pentagon public affairs
offices during the Johnson administration
and the Vietnam war. Lamb then began
working as a freelancer for UPI radio and
served as Senate Press secretary.
The prize is supported by an endowment created by the E.L. and Thelma
Gaylord Foundation as part of the gift that
established the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications at OU.
ISSN 1526-811X
Official Publication of the
OKLAHOMA PRESS
ASSOCIATION
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499
(405) 499-0020 • Fax (405) 499-0048
Toll-Free in Oklahoma: (888) 815-2672
Web: www.OkPress.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/okpress
PUBLISHER
Mark Thomas
[email protected]
EDITOR
Jennifer Gilliland
[email protected]
OPA OFFICERS
Rusty Ferguson, President
The Cleveland American
Jeff Shultz, Vice President
The Garvin County News Star
Gracie Montgomery, Treasurer
The Purcell Register
Mark Thomas, Executive Vice President
Oklahoma City
OPA DIRECTORS
Rod Serfoss, Past President
Clinton Daily News
Jeff Mayo, Sequoyah County Times
Jeff Funk, Enid News & Eagle
Robby Trammell, The Oklahoman
Dayva Spitzer, Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
Brian Blansett, Shawnee News-Star
Mike Brown, Neighbor Newspapers
SUBSCRIBE TO
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Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499. Periodicals
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE
OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.,
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499.
4
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
First Amendment Congress to be held Oct. 26
FOI Oklahoma’s annual First Amendment congress for high school students
will be held on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma on Oct. 26. The
theme will be “Stand up for Freedom.”
This year’s event will discuss the
value and the danger of free speech in the
U.S. and abroad.
A panel of international students
studying in Oklahoma will discuss events
in the “Arab Spring” and the risks of
speaking out in countries that do not
allow for the basic right to free speech.
Professor Joshua Landis, director of the
University of Oklahoma’s Center for
Middle East Studies, will moderate the
discussion.
Landis has spent more than 14 years
living in the Middle East and writes
“Syria Comment,” a daily newsletter on
Syrian politics.
Also on hand will be former ACLUOklahoma Executive Director Joann
Bell, who will talk about her involvement
with the landmark court case, ACLU vs.
Little Ax. Bell won FOI Oklahoma’s
Marian Opala First Amendment Award
earlier this year.
Bell will also lead a panel discussion
on Oklahoma ACLU cases with plaintiffs
the organization supported during their
legal fights.
UCO Professor Dr. Mark Hanebutt
will open with a program on understanding the First Amendment’s provision on
freedom of speech. Hanebutt, who also
is an attorney, will present examples of
challenged speech and court cases.
Essay winners will be awarded prizes
during the event and there will be a
tribute to Oklahoma Civil Rights leader
Clara Luper.
FOI Oklahoma was founded 22 years
ago and is a national leader in training
educators to teach the First Amendment
in Oklahoma classrooms.
For more information or to register,
visit www.foioklahoma.org.
DEATHS
ALISHA DIANE BLEVINS, a graphic artist at
the Pauls Valley Democrat, died Oct. 3,
2011, near Stratford, Okla. She was 45.
Blevins was attempting to avoid hitting
a deer when she collided with another car,
driven by 17-year-old Darian Hinkle of
Stratford, who was seriously injured in
the crash.
Blevins was born Sept. 13, 1966, in
Oklahoma City. She later attended East
Central University in Ada and earned a
degree in English.
Before working at the Democrat,
Blevins had worked at the Ada Evening
News.
Blevins is survived by her mother, Judy
O’Bryant of Pauls Valley, and one brother,
Garion Fuller and wife Shelly of Byng,
Okla.
ALAN HOLLAND JENKINS, former long-time
employee of the Oklahoma City Times/
The Daily Oklahoman, died Sept. 16,
2011, in Norman. He was 84.
Jenkins was born Nov. 22, 1926, in
Carnegie, Okla. He grew up in Oklahoma
City.
After graduating high school he joined
the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Fort
Wallace, Texas. He attended the University
of Oklahoma and graduated in 1949 with a
degree in journalism.
Jenkins married Mary Virginia Ivy in
1950 and shortly after was called to serve
in the Korean conflict.
After his overseas service, Jenkins
joined the staff of the Oklahoma City
Times/The Daily Oklahoman, where he
worked for 42 years.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years,
Virginia, of the home; two sons, Carl of
Silver Spring, Md., and Harley of Norman;
two daughters, Lee Nelson and husband
Mike of Norman, and Kay Jenkins of Norman; seven grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.
ORINNE EMMA (GRAY) WILEY, former
co-publisher of The Countywide News in
Tecumseh, died Sept. 10, 2011. She was
79.
Wiley was born June 2, 1932, in Ottawa, Kan. She graduated from Lyndon High
School and attended Kansas University,
graduating with a nursing degree in 1955.
She married Cloyce Wiley in 1954.
In addition to nursing, Wiley sold real
estate, was a tax preparer, published a
weekly newspaper with her husband, coowned a retail personal computer store
with him, and was the office manager for a
bank courier firm.
Wiley is survived by her husband,
Cloyce; two daughters, Elizabeth Wiley
and her partner Kristine Hofstra of Yellow
Springs, Ohio, and Susan Wiley-Carter
and her husband Trent Carter of Overland
Park, Kan.; one son, Mark Wiley and his
wife Gerry of Wilmetter, Ill.; one sister,
Deanna Gray Moore, of Springdale, Ark.;
and five grandchildren.
Granite/Blair and Eldorado papers cease publishing
Your new art & ad destination.
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Wells Publishing, owner of The Granite/Blair Enterprise and The Eldorado
Courier, announced it would be closing its
Oklahoma papers effective Oct. 6.
The Granite/Blair Enterprise had published for more than 50 years and The
Eldorado Courier for more than 100 years.
Wells Publishing purchased the Enter-
prise in December 2009 and the Courier in
December 2010.
No local employees were affected by
the closures. Both papers have been operated from Wells Publishing’s Texas headquarters.
Both papers published their final editions on Oct. 6.
LEGAL ADVICE
is just one of the benefits of being a member of the Oklahoma Press
Association’s Legal Services Plan. Remove the worry of needing
professional advice by enrolling today. For more information contact:
[email protected] | 800.245.9278
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION’S
LEGAL SERVICES PLAN
1-888-815-2672 or 405-499-0020
5
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Sequoyah
Canyon
Red Rock
Beavers Bend
Make yourself at home...away from home.
Visit OklahomaParks.com to book your getaway.
The best way to get away with your family is to visit one of Oklahoma’s State Parks. For the outdoor
enthusiast there’s plenty of fishing, hiking, backpacking and horseback riding. Following your fun-filled day
outdoors, make a new memory in one of the newly updated eco-friendly cabins.
Experience the great outdoors...and indoors.
Roman Nose
6
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
PLAYER PROFILE
Name: PHILLIP REID, OWNER, REID FAMILY PUBLICATIONS
Newspaper(s): WEATHERFORD DAILY NEWS, VINITA DAILY JOURNAL, PERRY DAILY JOURNAL,
BETHANY TRIBUNE, AFTON AMERICAN, THE GRAND LAKER, NOWATA STAR
Contact Information: [email protected]
Educational Background: University of Oklahoma, BS Journalism
Spouse/Children: Wife: Jeanne Ann (comptroller of family newspapers), Daughters: Hayden, an interior designer
in Dallas; Olivia, a senior at ECU in North Carolina; Son: Owen, a junior at Weatherford High School
Newspaper Background: The Norman Transcript in college, family newspapers from then on
Each month, The Publisher will profile a newspaper executive in this space. Learn more about your peers from all corners of
the state. To request the questionnaire for your Player Profile, email [email protected].
Q: What’s the most best part of your job?
A: Fellowship with managers and
employees of newspapers in creating a
product we can be proud of each and
every day!
Q: What civic activities are you involved in?
A: Typically serve on 5-8 boards per year.
Everything from Chamber of Commerce
to Revitalization and every fundraiser
in between. I keep a tally of the boards
and campaigns I have served on and we
have raised over $63 million.
Q:
Who’s had the biggest influence on your
career?
A:
My parents Ken and Phyllis Reid. They
are where I learned work ethic and
dedication to the communities I serve.
Q:
What would you describe as the three
most important responsibilities of your
job?
A:
Watchdog of the government, keeping
community informed and fostering strong
local businesses.
Q:
A:
What about newspaper publishing gets
you out of bed in the morning?
Dreaming about great coffee gets me
out of bed and good red wine makes
me want to stay in bed. Other than that I
really feel like I need to be responsible,
productive and try to make a difference
in the communities I serve…that takes a
lot of awake hours.
Q:
What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve
overcome in your career?
Q:
How does your newspaper play an
important part in the community?
A:
The joys, pleasures and frustrations of a
family owned business.
A:
Q:
A:
What are you most proud of?
Our readers will tell you our newspapers
are on top of what is local and important
in the community. Our newspapers are
the greatest history book ever written
about each community and I take a lot of
pride in that.
Family, of course. In business I would
say it has been expanding the family
business and developing a business
plan for our newspapers, which keeps
them viable and profitable.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I have a photography studio that I really
love. We have also prioritized travel
and have been very fortunate to have
traveled all over the world with our
children. My family will tell you I also
love gadgets and even write a weekly
column called Gadgets and Gizmos…
great excuse to purchase the latest
products.
Q:
Does your newspaper have a website?
How do you differentiate between the
two products?
A:
Not only do we have a website, the
Weatherford Daily News was one of the
first newspapers in the state to have a
website. All of our newspapers have a
presence online and I think it is definitely
key to our success in the future.
We capitalize on all forms of social
networking. We want to bring home the
fact that newspapers are the largest
player by far in providing online news
content. We are our own competition
and I want to keep it that way.
Q:
What type of annual events is your
newspaper involved in?
A:
I venture to say there is rarely any event
happening in our communities that our
newspapers are not involved in and in a
very big way.
Q:
In what ways has the newspaper
positively impacted your community?
A:
We are the vehicle to bring about
change, hold elected officials
accountable and bring about positive
results. Our readers have come to
expect that from our newspapers
and I appreciate their support and
encouragement every day.
Q:
What challenges are facing your
newspaper today and in the future?
A:
Unfortunately, like so many industries,
we are our own worst enemies. We must
understand the value and importance of
what we do and not take it for granted.
We also must work every day to perfect
what we do. Many times throughout the
year I ask for aggressive feedback on
how people would run our newspapers
if they owned them. Every single time
they offer insight that makes me want to
slap my forehead. Sometimes it is too
obvious. So, I take their ideas and run
with it.
Q:
A:
What are some area attractions in your
community visitors shouldn’t miss?
Southwestern Oklahoma State
Universities with one of the top
pharmacy schools in the nation;
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford Air and
Space museum, which is a Smithsonian
affiliate and houses one of the world’s
most extension collection of spacecraft
and artifacts; Western Oklahoma
Heritage Museum featuring Weatherford
heritage including a ’50s diner and
authentic one-room school house, and
you must come get a guided tour of the
wind turbines in Weatherford, which
is named the Wind Energy Center of
Oklahoma!
7
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Tablets and netbooks: Can any beat the iPad?
computer notes
from the road
by WILMA MELOT
Tablets are cool and everyone seems to
want one, but next year might be the best
time to buy. Prices are coming down and
operating systems are improving every
day.
Basically there are three categories of
tablets: iPad (Apple’s OS), Android 3.0
and other operating systems, like HP and
Blackberry. The iPad is the best tablet out
there but its $500+ price tag makes us
want to look at other options.
Before we go any further, I want to
flatly state that a good netbook is better
than any of these tablets for the money.
Unlike tablets, they have a real operating
system, keyboard and trackpad for you to
use. And trust me, it’s hard to type even 30
words per minute on any kind of a touch
screen. Plus, you can put real programs on
netbooks, not just apps.
Look at these three netbooks for the
same money as a tablet:
1. ACER ASPIRE ONE 722-BZ197 NETBOOK for $298.98 has the best specs and is
highly rated. It comes with AMD Dual-Core Processor C-50 (1MB x 2 L2 cache, 1.0GHz). This
netbook comes with some great features including 2GB (2) DDR3 SDRAM (most netbooks
don’t come with 2GB of RAM pre installed or
included in the price), a 250GB4 SATA hard
drive, 5400RPM with a multi-in-one card reader,
and Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit),which
lets you run any Windows software that fits on
the hard drive.
2. TOSHIBA NB505-N508BL 10.1-INCH NETBOOK for $267.99. It only comes with 1GB of
RAM but you can upgrade to 2GB for an additional $12. Specifications: Intel Atom processor
N455 1.66 GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 250GB
(5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive (same as
above), and Genuine Windows 7 Starter 32-bit
(a lesser operating system than the Acer). This
is a faster computer than the one above but
less RAM standard with 1GB DDR2 (works at
667MHz, max 2GB).
3. ASUS EEE PC 1015PN-PU27-BU 10.1-INCH
NETBOOK for $299. ASUS has always been
a leader in solid netbooks with top specs. This
one has Windows 7 Starter and Intel Atom N570
dual-core processor (1.66 GHz), 1GB DDR3
(expandable to 2GB), a card reader: 2-in-1
MMC, SD(SDHC) flash card slot. Additional
RAM is $12.
Now let’s take a look at the tablets. If
that $500 price tag isn’t too steep for you,
get the iPad; they just blow all the other
products out the water right now. But by
this time next year, others may catch up.
For Android tablets, the Asus Eee Pad
Transformer TF101 is the least expensive
of those with the Honeycomb OS. Its
$468.98 price tag seems to be a good buy.
Opening PDFs
in web browsers
The biggest drawback is no flash for the
camera. The Android operating system
is quickly catching up with Apple and
Goggle and provides all the office-type
programs needed to get real work done.
The Asus’ $150 dock accessory turns this
tablet into a notebook. Still, for the price,
iPad wins hands down.
Kindle’s latest, the Kindle Fire, adds
speed to your web surfing. For $200, this
tablet isn’t as robust as some, but it does
most of the things you want a tablet to do.
You can read Word documents and PDFs
as well as run your email program. For
now, it’s only WiFi, but it’s a great price
and offers great books for reading.
Computer consultant reflects on loss of Steve Jobs
Most of what I know and think of Steve
Jobs comes through using his products.
I had no idea when I first used an Apple
II computer in the ’80s where that Apple
logo would take me.
Supporting desktop publishing on
Apple products has been a large part of
my life’s work and it would not have been
possible without the vision of Steve Jobs.
It seems to me that he really came into
his own when he came back to Apple the
second time in 1996. His annual announcements of new products was greatly anticipated and the electricity he put off made
the whole crowd hang on his words. As a
marketer, he was one of the best.
I will always remember the announcement of the Mac Cube in 2000. It was
the beginning of the consolidation of big,
clunky computers into small, compact
products. It was one of Jobs’ many firsts.
We were all so amazed that a computer
could fit into such a small box and yet be
so powerful. That was only the beginning
of the small devices Jobs had in store for
us. If I remember correctly, it was also the
first announcement of his that I watched
on live streaming video.
Jobs’ idea of keeping things simple
so the end user would be able to easily
understand the product made it possible
for almost anyone to enter the digital age.
I remember giving a demonstration
to a group of publishers on how to use a
mouse after the first Mac computers came
out. It wasn’t easy to create enthusiasm in
that crowd! This was just one of the new
concepts I got to try explain over the years
plugged IN
as Jobs rolled out one amazing product
after another.
Jobs excelled at taking practical ideas
and making them easy, fun and beautiful
to look at.
And his products really lasted. Some
of the first Mac SE 20s I installed in 1989
were still running as late as 2005. They
may have cost a lot at the time, but you got
your money out of them.
As a lifelong admirer of Jobs, I will
miss his spirit. I hope he will be remembered for inspiring us to live each day to
the fullest.
He left behind a great team at Apple.
The company will progress forward with
his spirit and vision.
A frustrating problem with web
browsers occurs when they won’t open
a PDF within the browser. Instead, it
saves the file to a folder on the hard
drive.
Here’s how to control where the
file goes and what program opens it.
In Firefox, go to the Firefox menu >
Preferences. Click on the Applications
button at the top of the window. Within
this screen scroll to PDF and select the
application you want to open the file or
choose “always ask” if not opening a
program at all is what you desire.
This helps determine the right program to open the PDF, but what if you
want to open the file within the program?
In older versions of the Mac OSX
it was easy. We just removed all older
versions of Adobe Reader, reinstalled
the latest version compatible with our
computer’s browser, and it just worked.
An internet plug-in was installed in
the hard drive and the browser knew to
look for it there.
Depend on Adobe to change the
game again. With 10.5 and up it no longer “just works.” And Adobe says it now
only supports Safari.
One browser that does work is
Google Chrome. It opens PDFs within
the browser instead of downloading
them. To save space on your hard drive,
give this newer browser a try.
Model misprint
If you were looking for that Canon
camera I mentioned last month, the
model number wasn’t correct. The
model I was referring to is the Canon
SX130is. It’s a good point-and-shoot for
under $200.
OPA COMPUTER CONSULTANT WILMA MELOT’S COLUMN BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE OKLAHOMA ADVERTISING NETWORK (OAN).
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE OAN PROGRAM, CONTACT OKLAHOMA PRESS SERVICE AT (405) 499-0020.
8
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Time to start getting ready for the holiday season
Christmas is getting closer. As the holiday season quickly approaches, what is
your newspaper doing to mark the season?
Just like any brick and mortar store,
newspapers should look to the holidays not
only as a time to maximize profits but also
as a time to provide readers with ways to
make their holiday season easier.
Are you offering any special ad or
subscription rates? Are you looking to the
community to help you celebrate the season with inventive special sections?
These examples from member papers
offer a small cross section of what you can
do during the upcoming holidays.
Let us know if you’re doing something
special this holiday season. Send your
ideas to [email protected].
Christmas Covers
Special Sections
Fun with flags
Fun design draws readers into the information. The Frederick Press (left) uses a classic, Norman
Rockwell-type image of Santa Claus on the cover of its Dec. 23, 2010, issue. The Drumright Gusher
uses an inventive border of a town coated in a fresh snowfall to liven up its Dec. 23, 2010, issue.
Promotions
Adding a bit of Christmas cheer to your flag
can help your newspaper get noticed on the
rack and make it a more collectible record of
the season. From top, The Garvin County News
Star, Woodward News, The Norman Transcript
and The Marlow Review add festive elements to
their flags.
The Sequoyah County Times used the holidays as an opportunity to promote giving gift subscriptions
to the newspaper. The Sapulpa Daily Herald and local businesses teamed up for a sweepstakes
where readers received tickets for shopping at local businesses and were then entered into a drawing
for $10,000.
Use this time of year to involve the community
and offer some great service pieces. The Marietta
Monitor features art from local elementary school
classes in its Christmas coverage. The Shawnee
News-Star has a songbook for families to enjoy
during the holidays, complete with musical
notations and guitar chords. The songbook also
features Christmas recipes.
9
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
THE OGE
PHOTO CONTEST
Ben Thomas, left, gets an “accidental” splash to the face
by Hayden McLennan while the two are playing in the
water at Kever Kids Academy in McAlester.
Photo by KEVIN HARVISON, McAlester News-Capital, August 15, 2011
AUGUST 2011 DAILY WINNER:
KEVIN HARVISON
McAlester News-Capital
AUGUST 2011 WEEKLY WINNER:
RACHEL ANNE
SEYMOUR
The Bigheart Times
VIEW ALL WINNING PHOTOS AND SEE CONTEST RULES AT
WWW.OKPRESS.COM/OGE-PHOTO-CONTEST
Pawhuska’s Joey Phillips rides Rudy Downing’s bull No. 8680 for 74 points during the International Bull Riders Inc. Bull
Mania event in Skiatook. Kade Alberty took home first, along with a severely sprained knee, at the event.
Photo by RACHEL ANNE SEYMOUR,The Bigheart Times, August 25, 2011
10
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Americans rely on a variety of sources for news
Clark’s Critique
BY TERRY CLARK, Journalism Professor,
University of Central Oklahoma
[email protected]
Will they miss you if, or once, you’re
gone? Yes and no, apparently, if you’re
reading the latest survey results about
newspapers from the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism
and Internet & American Life Project.
What was different about this survey
was that people were asked about their
sources for 16 different categories of news.
I found some encouraging and some discouraging results, some of which we knew,
and other food for consideration in what
we cover.
Here’s the good news – Americans
rely on many different sources for news,
depending on types. Radio dominates traffic, TV, weather and breaking news. In all,
the data show that the majority (64 percent) of American adults use at least three
different types of media every week to get
news and information about their local
community – and 15 percent rely on at
least six different kinds of media weekly.
“Newspapers (both the print and online
versions, though primarily print) rank first
or tie for first as the most reliable source
for 11 of the 16 different kinds of local
information asked about – more topics
than any other media sources – crime,
taxes, local government activities, schools,
local politics, local jobs, community/
neighborhood events, arts events, zoning
information, local social services and real
estate/housing. But most of these topics – many of which relate to civic affairs
such as government, taxes, etc. – are ones
followed by fewer Americans on a regular
basis, according to the survey. The Internet
was a distant second, with 5 of 16.
But weirdly, here’s the bad news: The
same people, 69 percent, said if the newspaper no longer existed, it would have
little impact on their ability to keep up with
local news.
I don’t get that, except that people have
no idea how much newspapers invest in
gathering news. They just think it’s out
there. This dependence on newspapers for
so many local topics sets it apart from all
other sources of local news.
The internet, which was cited as the
most relied upon source for five of the 16
Great pages from community newspapers this month. Borrow some ideas and create great pages of your own.
topics, was a distant second to newspapers
in terms of widespread use and value.
The main “demographic,” as the
researchers love to say, was age, with 40
the dividing line. Here’s a summary: “If
someone is under age 40, she tends to
get the following kinds of local news and
information from the following places:
Internet: weather, politics, crime, arts/cultural events, local businesses, schools,
community events, restaurants, traffic,
taxes, housing, local government, jobs,
social services, and zoning/development.
Newspapers: crime, arts/cultural events,
community events, taxes, local government, jobs, social services, zoning/development. TV stations: weather, breaking
news, politics, crime, traffic, local government, and social services.
“If she is 40 or older, she tends to get
the following kinds of news in the following places: Newspapers: politics, crime,
arts/cultural events, local businesses,
schools, community events, restaurants,
taxes, housing and real estate, government activities, jobs, zoning/development,
social services. TV stations: weather,
breaking news, politics, traffic, crime.
Internet: local businesses, restaurants.”
There are lots more food for thought for
our strengths and roles that should help us
hang around. You can read all the details:
http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/
Local-news.aspx.
LOOKIN’EM OVER. With all that in
mind, consider the few items that stood out
to me this month. Where else do people
learn this about where they live?
“October turning pink,” breast cancer
package by Shana Adkisson in the Moore
American.
“Listeria lurking,” by Jon Watje in the
Mustang Times.
“Annexation outcry,” by Matt Montgomery in Friday Gazette.
“Town bumps speed bump request,”
by Christina Campbell in the Ft. Gibson
Times.
Drug dealers adapting to new laws and
enforcement tactics, by Dale Denwalt in
The Daily Elk Citian.
“Food pantry hit hard,” in the recession,
about a fund drive, by Christy Wheeland in
the Coweta American.
“Life in ‘Rural America,’” by Lindsey
Temple in the Garvin County News Star.
“Shrinking Lake,” Don Alquist photos
of Lake Murray in The Daily Ardmoreite.
“Wall Street anger at OSU,” by Silas
Allen in the Stillwater NewsPress.
Animal cruelty arrests, by Anny Sivilay
in the Vian-Tenkiller News.
“Foot lost and fancy free,” about the
animal shelter needs and a three-legged
pup, in the Seminole Producer.
In Afghanistan with Oklahoma National Guard members, an Army article, in the
Tulsa Beacon.
“Schools’ in, so are the head lice,” in
the Stigler News Sentinel.
“Boomer emblem brings in the green,”
by Blayklee Buchanan in the Oklahoma
Daily.
Here’s her great lead: “Boomer Sooner
is more than just a chant for OU fans. It’s
part of a multimillion dollar enterprise.”
And no place else will you get a front
Continued on Page 11
11
Clark’s Critique
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Continued from Page 10
page obituary of a long time “country
correspondent,” than remembering Opal
Costello in the Eakly Country Connection. “It is said that when a person dies,
especially an older person, a library burns.
A library surely has burned with Opal’s
death; however, C. C. Readers were fortunate to have witnessed a great amount
of history through ‘Opal’s Observations.’
Her humor, her recollection of long ago
events, and her talented writing skills were
truly remarkable; bringing back memories
to older readers, and informing younger
readers of things they had missed ‘long
ago.’ In addition, Opal kept up with Binger residents, ‘writing tomorrow’s history
today,’ as newspaper people like to say. We
will miss her greatly, as will our readers. /
We will not see the likes of Opal Costello
ever again.”
And when a lawman dies, where else
than a place like The Bigheart Times can
you read this on the front page, under
“Osage 41: 10-7 and laid to rest”: “Dwight
Barnard, a lawman who had an irrepressible sense of humor, a huge love for Osage
County and no stomach at all for gore, was
buried Friday in the Burbank cemetery
after he lost a personal war on cancer.
“Barnard, 68, was a legend among fellow police officers and members of the
general public. He was universally adored,
though his colleagues liked to poke fun
at him for one flaw: His utter inability
to spell, which sometimes prompted his
coworkers to suggest he employ a dictionary….”
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HEAD‘EM UP AWARDS. First place,
Oklahoma City Black Chronicle
Judge wails after she loses twins.
Second place, Stigler News-Sentinel,
Creepie Crawlies—School’s in—
So are the head lice
Third place, Seminole Producer
Foot Lost and Fancy Free
Honorable mentions: Thomas Tribune,
“Terriers maul the Bulldogs”; Mustang
Times, “Listeria lurking”; Fort Gibson
Times, “Town bumps speed bump request.”
PERSONAL NOTE: The biggest news
in the state and the nation this past month
involved media. The sale of The Oklahoman ends an era of one of the few remaining family owned metropolitan papers.
The death of Steve Jobs deprives the
country of an innovative genius. Their
impact has been tremendous on the state
and country.
NEWSPAPER BROKERS, APPRAISERS, CONSULTANTS
Serving the Newspaper Industry Since 1966
When the time comes to explore the
sale of your community newspaper,
you can count on us. We offer
decades of experience and a record
of success in community newspaper
sales.
Community newspapers still have
good value. If you’re ready to sell, call
us for a confidential discussion.
THOMAS C. BOLITHO
P.O. Box 849, Ada, OK 74821
(580) 421-9600 • [email protected]
EDWARD M. ANDERSON
P.O. Box 2001, Branson, MO 65616
(417) 336-3457 • [email protected]
NATIONAL EDIA
A SSOC IATES
www.nationalmediasales.com
12
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Interns appreciate opportunity to work at newspapers
Part 2 of ONF interns’ experiences at Oklahoma newspapers this summer
TONI HILL
Toni, a Tulsa Community College
graduate, interned at The Owasso
Reporter
M
y love for media began
during my teenage
years when I developed an insatiable desire for
knowledge about events and
authority figures that influenced
my world. I learned that my
personal universe was connected by the lives of others
and that knowledge was indeed power, and I wanted to be
part of that cycle. Not for personal gain, but to better the
lives of others.
My summer internship with the Owasso Reporter
allowed further engagement within the world of media.
I interviewed two prominent Owasso citizens who also
serve as representatives, District 74 state Rep. David
STEVEN HYDE
Steven, a University of Central
Oklahoma graduate, interned at
The Hennessey Clipper.
I
would have never believed
that it would be hard for me
to say goodbye to driving an
hour four days a week to work,
and then working out of a utility
room converted into an office.
That was before I reached my last day at The Hennessey
Clipper, and the end of my visit to Hennessey.
Today marks the end of my summer internship and I
must say I’m going to miss it. There are many things that
have been fun and created a great experience for me as I
approach my journey into the professional world.
CHELSEY KRAFT
Chelsey, a University of Oklahoma
junior, interned with
The Shawnee News-Star.
M
y aunt and her family once won a trip to
Disney World, and to
this day, my 39-year-old cousin
cannot stand to hear the song,
“It’s a Small World.”
Even if the song drove my
Derby and Oklahoma state Sen. Rick Brinkley who is
serving District 34.
My interviewing techniques and communication skills
were challenged by governmental mandates and procedures. I did more research and spent additional time to
convey the legislative updates accurately.
Other stories I covered include The Bible Church in
Owasso as they traveled to Joplin to assist in the tornado
relief efforts and a profile on a recent high school graduate, Jacob Martin. Martin journeyed to Africa to share
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Other memorable experiences
include sharing the fulfillment of a dream as local veterinarian Sharon Baker opened her own facility, the Cat
Clinic of Owasso.
I grew during the Neighbor Newspapers internship,
sponsored by the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation, by
gaining knowledge regarding the proper usage of sources,
including the limitation of relying on websites. Also discussed was the importance of appropriate follow-up as a
journalist versus using venues one would use in public
relations.
My time at the Owasso Reporter not only enhanced
my knowledge and skills, but also confirmed my desire
to engage within the ever-changing and essential world
of media. I will always feel gratitude for the privilege of
sharing copy space in the Owasso Reporter, the Collinsville News and the Skiatook Journal alongside other journalists intent on providing unbiased coverage to inform
and protect the communities served.
This experience further convinced me that my career
path, one that demands 24-hour commitment, nontraditional hours and unwavering commitment to integrity and
truth, is one of the most critical as our world continues to
change and grow.
Above all, I can think of no greater purpose in life
than to serve my fellow human beings through transferring information vital in the quest not only to educate
and inform the public, but also to empowering others to
experience life fully.
Over the last two months, I have enjoyed being a part
of this small town atmosphere. All the people I have met
have been very friendly and I really appreciate it. I know
it can be hard to welcome a stranger into your community,
but you have.
The Clipper brought me here to Hennessey and for that
I am thankful. I got my first look into the world of a small
newspaper.
Interning at a small-town newspaper gave me a chance
to do a little bit of everything. I have been designing
advertisements for local clients, shooting photos at many
events and my favorite task of all, putting together the
papers on Wednesday for delivery on Thursday. Learning
to be a jack-of-all-trades was definitely a must for me to
be effective this summer.
Some of the other things I will miss are my morning
coffee from Daylight Donuts, lunches at the library and
relaxing walks to get the mail in the morning. Having all
these places within walking distance is a big change for
me, and I liked it.
I would like to thank all the people who took time to
read my column. If you’ve read my column, you know
that family, life experiences, sports and even video games
make up much of who I am. So I guess I’m heading back
to The City, but I will always have a connection with this
town and remember the good times I had here.
Thanks, The Hennessey Clipper, for adding another
great chapter to my book of life.
This town and this paper have shown me things that I
do well and things I still need to work on to be the best I
can be. I leave here equipped with more experience and
knowledge than when I arrived. I now must apply these
skills to my professional life.
Thanks again for everything, and just from me to you,
you’re awesome!
cousin bonkers during his Disney World visit, it is very
true.
Here I am in the last week of my summer internship
through the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation. I find it
hard to believe because the past seven and a half weeks
have flown by.
It doesn’t feel like that long ago that I walked into the
News-Star office for my first day, nervous and unsure of
what to expect.
Through my internship, I have gained valuable experience that will benefit me in my future career and enjoyed
talking to sources as well as my co-workers.
I also discovered that it really is a small world.
In my time here in Shawnee, I met people who have
family that once lived in my hometown of Hooker.
One day, I met someone who grew up in Hooker, something I definitely did not expect.
Here at the News-Star, I met Tina from Turpin, a town
20 miles from Hooker.
My internship taught me many lessons and skills, and
it has also helped me realize that it really is a small world
after all, and part of my world is now Shawnee.
I have to admit, I am going to have to check the NewsStar website every now and then to find out what is going
on where I spent a summer learning and growing.
Continued on Page 13
13
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
ANDREW
MORPHEW
Andy, a senior at the University of Science
and Arts in Chickasha, interned at
The Duncan Banner.
B
eing 23 years old, with
a single semester until I
complete my communications degree, I consider my
experience at The Duncan Banner invaluable. Before I started my internship, I was
nervous. Although I knew so much about journalism,
how well I’d learn new things was at the forefront of my
mind.
At the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma in
Chickasha, I knew my passion was sports writing. I took
PSYCHESHA
MOSS
Psychesha, a senior at Oklahoma State
University, interned at
Oklahoma City Friday.
M
y experience as an
intern at the OKC
Friday
newspaper
has truly been educational and
rewarding. The skills and information I have learned so far while attending Oklahoma
State University have been valuable and applicable to my
internship. And the information and “on-the-job experience” the internship provided, I am sure will be beneficial
to my senior year at OSU and my career in the future.
The staff at the OKC Friday is kind and experienced in
the newspaper industry. The main advertisement designer,
that all the way to earning the sports editor position at the
student newspaper, The Trend.
At The Duncan Banner, however, I was thrown out of
my comfort zone. A co-worker, David Laughlin, who is
now the managing editor at the Waurika News-Democrat,
told me even though I’m not writing sports, these stories
would make me a better writer. I agree with David and
thank him for giving me some much-needed pep talks
despite our hectic deadlines.
I also would like to thank Toni Hopper for being so
helpful, even though I know how busy she was taking on
the interim managing editor position. Thanks for showing
me some great photo-editing skills.
Along with Toni, I would like to thank Justin Nutter,
sports editor for The Duncan Banner, for helping me realize some of my biggest writing flaws. I wish him the best
of luck as he gets ready for his first full season covering
Duncan-area sports.
Lastly, I would like to thank Mr. Ed Darling, publisher
of The Duncan Banner, for giving me a chance to show
what I was made of and for taking me on this summer.
Even though we would only talk for a little while and were
both busy with our jobs, without him hiring me I wouldn’t
have had this amazing opportunity.
For future interns and others looking into a newspaper,
I have some advice for you: Make sure you have a great
internship and always ask questions, no matter how redundant they might seem to you. I recommend that you step
out of your comfort zone a little and write more than what
you are used to. The best stories I’ve written for this paper,
believe it or not, were non-sports stories.
To wrap up, I would like to thank the Oklahoma Press
Association and all of the people who made this internship
possible. Without the staff at OPA and the hard work they
put into making this program a success, students like us
wouldn’t get a great opportunity like this.
Jason, helped me improve my Adobe Photoshop skills,
which I really appreciate because that’s an important program in advertising.
One of the sales representatives, Lovina, took me with
her on a couple of sales appointments so I could see the
reverse side of advertising. That was an experience I
learned from as well—I learned that clients can be sometimes difficult or particular with what they want, so you
have to create a balance of power and knowledge so that
you both can be happy and successful in the end. I still
definitely prefer the design part of the advertising process.
The general manager, Rose Lane, and the owner,
Leland Gourley, I would say were the most valuable
resources at the company. They both have so much experience in the industry and knowledge that has kept them
successful for years. They are two people who I can look
up to and learn a lot from. I appreciate them giving me the
opportunity to intern for them this summer, because it has
truly been a blessing.
I was also given the opportunity to attend a workshop
by the award-winning publisher Peter Wagner where I
learned tons about how to design an advertisement successfully and approach a potential client. The information
I learned will definitely help me create better advertisements now and during my career.
I think every student should intern if they are given the
opportunity. The things you experience can’t be taught
through a book and the knowledge you gain will put you
ahead of your fellow peers. I enjoyed interning at the OKC
Friday this summer and am glad I was given this wonderful opportunity to practice and improve my design skills,
meet with professionals in the industry and gain an experience a classroom could never give me.
I would like to thank my OSU adviser Karen, the manager and the owners of the OKC Friday, Rose and Mr. &
Mrs. Gourley, and the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation
for providing me with this great opportunity and experience.
The Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation’s internship program, made possible by a grant from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism
Foundation, promotes the value of working at Oklahoma newspapers and benefits students as they begin their professional careers.
The final three interns’ experiences will be featured next month.
Tech-savvy protest organizers make print a priority
That InterWeb Thing
by KEITH BURGIN, OPA STAFF
Sometimes, a website just isn’t enough.
Heck, sometimes the combined forces of
the mighty Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
and a slavering television media aren’t
enough.
Occupy Wall Street, an intended yearlong protest of banks and corporations, has
all of these tools at its disposal. But when
it wanted to reach the community at large
in a way that projected legitimacy, it pub-
lished a newspaper – good ol’ newsprint –
a broadsheet, no less, 75,000 copies.
The truth is, in an age when television
newscasts struggle to balance reporting
the facts and being the first to report,
where gossip junkies get their fix from
a 140-character digital rumor mill and
my daughter’s dog has a Facebook page,
newspapers are trusted.
Who’d of thunk it?
Ironically, this arguably anti-capitalist
group chose a medium that built and
was built by capitalism. That’s beside the
point, I suppose.
The point is, Occupy Wall Street felt
the need to print the “Occupied Wall Street
Journal.”
Today, right or wrong, perception is
reality. The perception that newspapers
provide legitimacy is built upon a long
tradition of quality journalism in real
newspapers.
Occupied Wall Street Journal leans
heavily upon this perception, just as heavily as its name leans upon the reputation
of one of the nation’s preeminent newspapers.
That’s why websites, social media, content aggregators like Huffington Post and
hyperlocal blogs will never replace newspapers.
All of these new “sources” of information are built upon a foundation that print
media provides.
Even though Facebook is the most
visited website in the world, the most common source of news for Web users is their
local newspaper website.
When people say, “Well, if it’s on the
Internet, it must be true,” they mean it as
a joke.
Even the tech-savvy organizers of
Occupy Wall Street know that what newspapers bring to the table is no joke.
14
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
THANK
YOU
to the following individuals and
organizations for their recent
donations to the Oklahoma
Newspaper Foundation:
In memory of
J.L. Jennings:
THE HENNESSEY CLIPPER
JIM & REBECCA MAYO
ANDY & KAREN RIEGER
In memory of Daniel Blackstock
and Jim Pate:
THE PURCELL REGISTER
In memory of Daniel Blackstock,
Dick Mayo and Jim Pate:
THE HOBART
DEMOCRAT-CHIEF
In memory of Jim Pate:
JIM & REBECCA MAYO
A donation to the Oklahoma Newspaper
Foundation will support its efforts to
improve the state’s newspaper industry
and quality of journalism.
ONF’s programs include training and
education for professional journalists,
scholarship and internship programs for
journalism students, and Newspaper in
Education efforts.
ONF relies on donations and memorial
contributions to fund these programs.
If you would like to make a donation,
please send a check to:
OKLAHOMA
NEWSPAPER
FOUNDATION
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
OPA/S Board of Directors meet in Oklahoma City
The Oklahoma Press Association Board
of Directors met in in Oklahoma City on
Sept. 29, 2011. See list at right for those
attending.
After calling the meeting to order, Ferguson asked the board to review the minutes of the July 28, 2011, meeting. The
board approved the minutes as presented.
External auditor Carol Oliver reviewed
the OPA, LSP and OPS combined financial
statements and said the financial statements represent fairly the financial position of the Oklahoma Press Association,
Legal Services Plan and Oklahoma Press
Service, Inc. on June 30, 2011. The board
acknowledged receipt of the combined
audit.
The board reviewed OPA and LSP
income statements, and OPA and LSP
investment reports for the period ending
Aug. 31, 2011.
A proposed amendment to the investment policy, which includes a procedure to
address if a corporate debt instrument falls
out of rating compliance, was discussed
at the meeting. The board unanimously
approved the proposed amendments to the
policy.
Also reviewed was a consolidated
report that compares total income, expenses, profit and cash for the month of August
with previous years as well as the proposed
budget for 2011-12. The proposed budget
reflects a reduced rental rate for the former clipping space in the OPA building
and an effort to sell more advertising in
The Oklahoma Publisher. The number of
legal actions during the year will determine LSP profit, Thomas said. LSP Committee Chairman Brown has requested
a LSP membership drive, which could
increase membership. The board unanimously adopted the proposed OPA and
LSP budgets.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Awards Committee: No changes were
recommended for the Better Newspaper
Contest rules. Contest materials will be
mailed to members in late November.
The committee and staff hope to increase
participation in all divisions with a special
emphasis in the second year of the college
division. Equal distribution of circulation
divisions will be reviewed by the committee at its March meeting.
Education Committee: A list of
upcoming workshops and topics discussed
by the committee for 2012 was reviewed
and board members were asked for input
on session topics and speakers for the OPA
convention in June.
Marketing Committee: Committee
member Phillip Reid, publisher of the
Weatherford Daily News, is developing
an advertising campaign promoting legal
notices to the general public. The committee and staff are also considering a column
in The Oklahoma Publisher to discuss and
share creative ads.
submitting it to the court by the Nov. 4
deadline.
Thomas and Mayo attended the NNA
Convention in Albuquerque, N.M., in September. Thomas said NNA is fighting to
prevent postal rate increases, retain Saturday mail delivery, and keep USPS from
making operational changes that would
significantly decrease the timeliness of
newspaper mail delivery.
The board also reviewed the upcoming Attorney General Seminars. OPA and
ONF have teamed up with Attorney General Scott Pruitt and his staff to host six
regional seminars on the Open Meeting
and Records Acts in 2011. The first seminar was held in Ardmore Sept. 26, which
60 people attended. Future meetings are
scheduled in Muskogee, Oct. 17; Oklahoma City, Nov. 7; Woodward, Nov. 14;
Tulsa, Dec. 5; and Lawton, Dec. 12.
Thomas informed the board of the
upcoming House General Government
Committee’s interim study on legal notices
scheduled for Oct. 17. Thomas and Mary
Mélon, publisher of The Journal Record,
plan to participate in the hearing.
OTHER BUSINESS
OPS BOARD MEETING
OPA/S BOARD ATTENDANCE
OFFICERS: President Rusty Ferguson, The Cleveland American; Vice President Jeff Shultz, The Garvin
County News Star; Treasurer Gracie Montgomery,
The Purcell Register
DIRECTORS: Past President Rod Serfoss, Clinton
Daily News; Jeff Mayo, Sequoyah County Times;
Jeff Funk, Enid News & Eagle; Robby Trammell,
The Oklahoman; Dayva Spitzer, Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat; Brian Blansett, Shawnee
News-Star
GUESTS: CPA Carol Oliver, External Auditor
OPA STAFF: Executive Vice President Mark Thomas;
Member Services Director Lisa Potts; Accounting
Manager Robert Wallar
ABSENT: Mike Brown, Neighbor Newspapers
In other business, the board discussed
Arcasearch, which digitizes newspaper
images for the OPA. Arcasearch recently
partnered with a vendor, Dirxion, for delivery of digital subscriptions. The transition
is to be complete Dec. 31, 2011. Member
newspapers currently using Arcasearch for
digital subscriptions can choose to make
the switch to Dirxion or choose another
vendor.
Ferguson appointed an ad hoc committee composed of Mayo, Shultz and Blansett to study and compare other possible
vendors for members to consider.
The board also discussed the 25-centper-page fee, which was instituted in July
2010, for newspapers that do not upload
PDF pages to Colormax/Arcasearch. Following a large promotional effort, most
business members are now uploading.
Board members reviewed the list of about
20 papers not uploading and, after considerable discussion, agreed either to bill the
newspapers for shooting pages as planned,
or after 90 days have the amount deducted
from their OPS ad check.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court asked
OPA for comments on its efforts to protect
personal identifier information in court
documents. Thomas said he will send
his letter for the board’s approval before
After calling the OPS meeting to order,
Ferguson asked external auditor Oliver
to review the OPS audit. Oliver said the
financial statements represent fairly the
financial position of the Oklahoma Press
Service on June 30, 2011. The board
unanimously acknowledged receipt of the
audit.
Reading of the minutes of the July
28, 2011, meeting was suspended and
approved by the board. The board reviewed
and acknowledged receipt of the OPS
income statement for the period ending
Aug. 3, 2011.
In summarizing the proposed OPS budget for 2011-12, Thomas said the staff
would focus on OPS reform as planned.
Growth in the clipping department is
expected and additional funds are budgeted for promotion of the department.
Thomas also said the 17th edition of the
Open Meeting and Open Records Acts
book is now available and that the legal
notice guide is currently being updated.
The board unanimously adopted the proposed budget.
Board members also reviewed the DidNot-Run Advertising report for July and
August 2011, which included 52 missed
ads by 31 newspapers at a cost of $5,299.07
in lost advertising revenue.
15
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
Abuse by public bodies
of emergency exception
By MICHAEL MINNIS, OPA ATTORNEY
In these hard economic
times, some public bodies
– for economic or other reasons – may abuse the “emergency” exception to the
requirement that municipalities publish their ordinances in full prior
to the ordinance becoming effective.
The requirement for full publication of
an adopted ordinance serves a very salutary purpose. A historical record is created
of how a particular ordinance reads and
the record is published to the public by a
non-government source that is not easily
subject to post-publication manipulation.
A municipality can avoid the full publication rule by attaching an emergency
clause to an ordinance. Municipalities
that adopt ordinances with an emergency
clause attached “are not required to be
published in full, but may be published by
title only.”
“[A]n emergency measure necessary
for the immediate preservation of peace,
health, or safety…must state in a separate
section the reasons why it is necessary
that the measure become effective immediately. The question of emergency must
be ruled upon separately and approved by
the affirmative vote of at least ¾ (threefourths) of all the members of the governing body of the municipality.”
Thus, if a routine ordinance is not published in full because of a claimed “emergency,” a newspaper should obtain a copy
of the ordinance to make sure that it was:
(a) ruled upon separately, (b) approved
by at least ¾ of all members of the public
body, and (c) valid reasons are set forth
for why the measure must become effective immediately.
If the procedures were not followed or
the reasons stated are not valid, newspapers should interview all the participants
for an explanation of the apparent deviation from the law.
These interviews could then be the
basis for an article or a series.
United States Postal Service
Average No. Copies
Each Issue During
Preceding 12 Months
b. Paid and/or
Requested
Circulation
(By Mail
and
Outside the
Mail)
(By Mail and
Outside the
Mail)
ROBERT WALLAR, Accounting Manager
[email protected] • (405) 499-0027
SCOTT WILKERSON, Front Office/Building Mgr.
[email protected] • (405) 499-0020
MEMBER SERVICES
LISA POTTS, Member Services Director
[email protected] • (405) 499-0026
ELI NICHOLS, Member Services Coordinator
[email protected] • (405) 499-0040
ADVERTISING
CINDY SHEA, Media Manager
[email protected] • (405) 499-0023
760
767
(2) Mailed In-County Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid
distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof and exchange copies.
107
104
(3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails including Sales Through Dealers and
Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter
Sales, and Other Paid Distribution outside USPS
0
0
(4) Paid distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS
0
0
867
871
COURTNI SPOON, Advertising Assistant &
OCAN/2X2 Contact
[email protected] • (405) 499-0035
93
90
CREATIVE SERVICES
204
24
8
JENNIFER GILLILAND, Creative Services Director
[email protected] • (405) 499-0028
32
359
1,226
174
1,400
18
320
1,191
209
1,400
71%
73%
(2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on PS Form 3541.
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes
Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail)
(4) Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail (carriers or other means)
Total Distribution (Sum of 15c, and 15e).
h. Total (Sum of 15f and g).
Percent Paid
(15c divided by 15f times 100)
16. Publication of Statement of Ownership. Will be printed in the October 2011 issue of this publication.
14. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher or Business Manager, or Owner
9/21/11
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this
form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil
sanctions including civil penalties).
Looking for a Complete
Combination Solution
Metro Creative Graphics, Inc.
1.800.223.1600
www.metrocreativeconnection.com
MORGAN BROWNE, Creative Assistant
[email protected] • (405) 499-0029
COMPUTER ADVICE
WILMA MELOT, Computer Consultant
[email protected] • (405) 499-0031
POSTAL ADVICE
BILL NEWELL, Postal Consultant
[email protected] • (405) 499-0020
OPEN (DIGITAL CLIPPING)
?
for Print and Online Special Sections
+
LANDON COBB, Account Executive
[email protected] • (405) 499-0022
210
(1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541
g. Copies Not Distributed
i.
MARK THOMAS, Executive Vice President
[email protected] • (405) 499-0033
(1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541. (Include
paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof and exchange copies.
e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)
f.
ADMINISTRATION
1400
c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation
(Sum of 15b. (1), (2), (3), and (4)
d. Free or
Nominal
Rate
Distribution
No. Copies of Single Issue
Published Nearest to
Filing Date
OPA STAFF
DIRECTORY
1400
a. Total Number of Copies (Net Press Run)
IMAGESETTER OUTPUT
CASSETTE WANTED
The Elk City Daily News is seeking an imagesetter
output cassette (canister) that is 20” wide for a
Konica EV Jetsetter 3100. Please contact Elizabeth
Perkinson at the Elk City Daily News, (580) 225-3000,
or email [email protected].
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, and CIRCULATION
1. Publication Title: THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER
4. Issue Frequency: Monthly
2. Publication Number: 406-920
5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 12
3. Filing Date: September 21, 2011
6. Annual Subscription Price: $12.00
7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication:
(Not printer) (Street, city, county, state, and ZIP+4)
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, 3601 N. LINCOLN BLVD., OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73105-5499
8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not printer)
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION, 3601 N. LINCOLN BLVD., OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73105-5499
9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor
PUBLISHER: OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
EDITOR:
MARK THOMAS
MG. EDITOR: JENNIFER GILLILAND
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
3601 N. LINCOLN BLVD., OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73105-5499
10. Owner
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION, 3601 N. LINCOLN BLVD., OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73105-5499
11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More
of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: NONE
12. N/A
13. PUBLICATION TITLE: THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER
14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 2011
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation
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View samples and get
more information from
metrocreativeconnection.com,
call Metro Client Services
at 1-800-223-1600,
or send an e-mail to
[email protected]
KEITH BURGIN, OPEN Manager
[email protected] • (405) 499-0024
KYLE GRANT, Digital Clipping Dept.
[email protected] • (405) 499-0032
BRENDA SUMMIT, Digital Clipping Dept.
[email protected] • (405) 499-0030
NELSON SOLOMON, Digital Clipping Dept.
[email protected] • (405) 499-0045
GENERAL INQUIRIES
(405) 499-0020 • Fax (405) 499-0048
Toll-Free in Oklahoma: 1-888-815-2672
16
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, October 2011
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AUGUST 2011 CONTEST WINNERS
Column:
Editorial:
KENDALL
BROWN
KIM
BENEDICT
The Norman Transcript
AUGUST 2011 COLUMN WINNER KENDALL
The Ardmoreite
BROWN, THE NORMAN TRANSCRIPT
Tom Lee and a life changed
Everyone is afforded in life those few moments, those
‘flashbulb memories,’ where you meet someone truly inspiring,
someone who in an instant changes your life forever. Something they do, something they say or maybe just something
they simply are touches something inside of you, and you’re
better for it.
Tom Lee did that for me.
I was a freshman in college, a scared, timid little Northwest
Oklahoma transplant that was unsure of where I was headed in
life. All I knew were two things: first, I needed a job and second, I thought I might like to take pictures. Not enough to commit to changing my major, mind you, as the thought of telling
my parents I’d become the dreaded ‘art student’ was too much
to bear, but just enough to toy with the idea of the mysterious,
glamorous idea of a future as a ‘photojournalist.’
That’s when I saw it: a listing in the classified section of
the student paper stating, simply, ‘Local photographer looking
for an assistant.’ Well, that was it, I was sold. I immediately
applied for the job and, without ever having actually spoken
with this local photographer over the phone, set up an interview. I was nervous, I was ecstatic, I was convinced that this
job was going to set me on my way.
When I walked into Tom Lee’s studio later that week I was
both shocked and shocking.
You see, what I did not know until I walked in that afternoon was that this local photographer, this Tom Lee, was a
quadriplegic. I was shocked, of course, but he looked just as
surprised as I was. My name, Kendall Brown, is an admittedly
androgynous one, and he had apparently expected a bulking
young man to walk through the door, not barely 5 feet and 120
pounds of small blonde girl.
Once the shock wore off for both of us, we settled in for our
conversation. I can’t call it an interview, because that’s simply
wasn’t what it was. Tom was looking for someone to not only
help with his photography, but also daily needs, something I
wasn’t strong enough to do. Many people would have probably
simply said ‘thanks’ and shown me to the door. Tom invited me
to sit down and asked why I wanted the job in the first place.
I explained to him that I thought that being his photo
assistant would help me decide whether I wanted to be a photographer. I wanted to know for sure before I committed even
so much as a semester of college to the new course of classes.
Tom, to be quite honest, looked absolutely bemused at my
stupidity.
“Why would being my assistant teach you if you want to
be a photographer?” he asked, staring at me with a half-smile
on his face. “Go be a photographer. That will teach you if you
want to be a photographer.”
That was the last time I saw Tom Lee. He called me the next
day and left me a very kind voicemail informing me of what
I already knew, that I wasn’t right for the job, but that I was
welcome to come by his studio any time to talk shop. I was too
intimidated by the man and his talent to even return his call.
But I did what he said. I went and I became a photographer.
I changed my major to photography and began spending countless hours in the basement of the art school, wrists deep in
photo chemicals learning the alchemist magic that is traditional
photography. Many late nights in the darkroom, as I would tire
of being there, tired of printing the same image over and over
again, looking for that perfect print, I would think of Tom. I
would be near to giving up, to putting my prints up to dry and
returning back to my apartment for just a few hours of precious
sleep when I would think about what I saw that one afternoon
in Tom Lee’s studio, how his work made me feel. I wanted my
work to inspire. So I kept going.
Tom passed away in the last year, and it will always be
one of my deepest regrets that I never stopped by his studio to
‘talk shop.’ But I am so glad for his influence that led me to
becoming a photographer, and, eventually, to being editor of
POP. I hope that many in the community will join me tonight
for IAO’s retrospective of his work. Tom spent much of his life
quietly producing amazing work in Norman, and now it’s time
for us to loudly celebrate it.
Enter and Win a
$100 Check from
ONG!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Each month, send a tear sheet or
photocopy of your best column and/
or editorial to ONG Contest, c/o OPA,
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma
City, OK 73105-5499.
Include the author’s name, name
of publication, date of publication
and category entered (column or
editorial).
Only ONE editorial and/or ONE
column per writer per month will be
accepted.
All entries for the previous month
must be at the OPA office by the 15th
of the current month.
Winning entries will be reproduced
on the OPA website at www.OkPress.
com.
Entries must have been previously
published. Contest open to
all OPA member newspapers.
Although Oklahoma Natural Gas Company
selects representative contest winners’ work
for use in this monthly ad, the views expressed
in winning columns and editorials are those of
the writers and don’t necessarily reflect the
Company’s opinions.
Thank you for continued support of “Share The Warmth”
Read the Winning Columns and Editorials on the OPA website: www.OkPress.com (Under Contests)