Editors and journalism educators to start new conversation about journalism ethics and values

ASNE Ethics and Values Forum – Public Trust Through Public Engagement Nov. 16-17 at the Reynolds Journalism Institute Open to the public. Attend via livestream – register for reminder.
Presenters: Jim Brady, Steve Buttry, Jerry Ceppos, Chris Cobler, Jarvis DeBerry, Kelly McBride, Michele McLellan, Michael Skoler, Bob Steele, Jane Stevens, Esther Thorson, Lee Wilkins 2008-2009 Reynolds Fellow Mike Fancher will convene a select group of editors and journalism educators. The aim is to build public trust through public engagement. This forum is a collaboration between RJI and the ethics and values committee of the American Society of News Editors (ASNE), which Fancher chairs.
Topics to be explored: Differences in how citizens and journalists view journalism values When anyone can be a publisher, what distinguishes a journalist? New ways of partnering with the public “Surveys show the public doesn’t trust today’s journalists to get the facts right, to own up to their mistakes, to avoid political bias or to treat all sides fairly,” says Fancher, citing findings from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
“The potential consequences of this lack of public confidence in journalism are dire.” Fancher points out that journalism needs to be trustworthy in order to be relevant, valuable or necessary, especially now, when technology enables the public to rely less on journalists as fact-finders, gatekeepers and truth-tellers. “Ironically, the same technology is giving journalists new ways to create the bond of trust and respect that is essential to a free press,” says Fancher. “What is needed is a new ethic of public trust through public engagement.”
For more information contact: Kelly Peery, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, peeryk@rjionline.org; (573) 882-9650

KC STAR TO CHARGE FOR SOME CONTENT ON ITS KANSASCITY.COM SITE

11-06-2009
The Kansas City Star has notified registered users of its KansasCity.com Web site that effective 9/4/09 it has implemented new “Terms of Service” that will include a subscription or surcharge for certain on-line content.
The McClatchy-owned paper has been forced to dramatically reduce its staffing levels, seen its circulation drop and has tried all kinds of methods to generate additional revenue, including dramatically increasing the cost of the paper (Star Sunday paper went from $1.25 to $2.00).
As an example, former KC Star subscribers are now being offered a new subscription package that runs from Wednesday through Sunday (not daily as is the traditional model) for $1.25 per week (plus an E-subscription on the paper’s Web site).
Most recently the paper announced it was more than doubling the cost of its Thanksgiving Day newspaper to subscribers.

Two Decades After Folding, ‘St.L Globe-Democrat’ Looks to Return Online

By Mark Fitzgerald

Published: November 02, 2009 10:50 AM ET
CHICAGO – A former St. Louis television executive says the St. Louis Globe-Democrat will return as an online newspaper on Dec. 8 — 23 years after it folded for its second, and last, time as a daily.

In an announcement, Dan Rositano said the free site will be staffed by people “whose name will be familiar to former Globe-Democrat readers and all St. Louisians.”

He added in the statement, “Our columnists will be among the most-read voices in both St. Louis and the world today, covering news, sports, politics and all issues of the day.”

As soon as Rositano announced the revival of the Globe-Democrat, however, a legal obstacle emerged. As first reported on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Web site by Deb Peterson, the publisher of a six-time a year publication that calls itself the St. Louis Globe-Democrat said his attorney would be filing a cease-and-desist letter to stop Rositano from using the name.

Steve DeBellis told the P-D that he discovered the name had been abandoned in 1995, and so he began using it for his newspaper. He said he registered the name with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office in 2000.

Rositano, the former director of information and technology for KPLR-TV in St. Louis, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Monday morning. He told the Post-Dispatch that his application to use the Globe-Democrat trademark was “pending.”

If the Globe-Democrat is revived as a daily it would be another remarkable chapter in the history of the paper. Launched as the Missouri Democrat in 1852, it merged with the St. Louis Globe in 1875.

In 1959, the paper, then owned by Newhouse Newspapers, forged a joint operating agreement (JOA) partnership with Pulitzer Inc.’s Post-Dispatch. In 1983, Newhouse announced it was folding the Globe-Democrat, but continuing its JOA partnership with Pulitzer.

The U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division forced Newhouse to offer the paper for sale. It was bought by a young entrepreneur named Jeff Gluck. The paper quickly fell into financial difficulties, with paychecks bouncing. The daily was closed, but revived several months later by two local real estate developers.

It folded for good as a print daily on Oct. 29, 1986.

Sandra Baylis Named Director of Partner Events / Special Services for Publishing Group of America

FRANKLIN, TN (October 23, 2009)– Publishing Group of America (PGA) today named Sandra Baylis director of partner events and special services. In the newly created role, Baylis will be responsible for partner events such as the company’s Relish Cooking Show and Expo, and customized partner services such as Hometown Content, which provides newspaper publishers with value-added editorial and advertising content.

PGA is the publisher of American Profile, relish and spry magazines.

Steve Smith, senior vice president, publisher relations, for PGA, said, “Sandi’s creativity and her close relationships with our publishing partners make her ideally suited for this leadership position. I am confident that Sandi and her staff will do a terrific job strengthening relations with our newspaper partners through these signature events and services.”

Since 1999, Baylis has been a regional director for PGA, responsible for publisher relations and circulation sales across portions of the South and Midwest.

“I am excited to bring Relish Cooking School to life as well as other PGA events,” said Baylis. “I thrive on customer relations and am convinced that newspapers are the lifeblood of the community and, ultimately, our country.”

PGA has grown its newspaper base steadily since its founding in 1999 and now reaches 60 million people monthly via 1,700 newspaper partners.

NAA announces 2010 Youth Content Awards

The entry form for the 2010 Youth Content Awards contest is now available on our Web site.
This contest recognizes original stories, art and photographs by students ages 13 and up who work with their local professional newspapers to produce youth content. Categories are news story, news feature story, sports story, feature story, first-person feature, personality profile, best children’s writing, review, illustration/graphic, photograph and cartoon/comic. Fee is $10 per entry.
Deadline for entries is Nov. 30 (received, not postmarked). Winners will be announced during the NAA Foundation Young Reader Conference, scheduled for May 6-8, 2010, in Arlington, Va.
And mark your calendars for another deadline: entries for the Young Reader Awards contest will be due March 1, 2010.
Good luck!
Marina Hendricks/NAA Foundation

Obit: Joshua Aaron Fitzwater

Joshua Aaron Fitzwater was born June 12, 1982, to Ronald and Caroline Fitzwater, in Rolla, Missouri. He was a beloved husband, brother and son who went home to be with the Lord on October 10, 2009.
Joshua’s life was a life of service. Joshua was a very active youth in the Assemblies of God Royal Rangers program, attaining the Gold Medal of Achievement by age sixteen at the Bolivar First Assembly of God, in Bolivar, Missouri. His service in Royal Rangers was a direct result of his personal relationship in Jesus Christ. He enlisted in the Army Reserves his senior year in high school, later completing his basic and advanced training after graduation. While enrolled in college, Joshua’s reserve unit, the 459th Transportaion Unit, was called to active duty for deployment to Iraq in January, 2003, to serve for 19 months.
While on leave from Iraq, Joshua met his future bride Melissa Rae Cunningham of Rogersville, Mo. After returning from service, Joshua and Melissa were married on May 19, 2007.
He completed his education, graduating from Missouri State University in May, 2009. Joshua was diagnosed with cancer in September 2006. This, his bravest battle in life, eventually took its toll. Joshua fought hard against this enemy, even until the last day. Joshua is survived by his wife, Melissa of Springfield, Mo.; parents, Ronald and Caroline of Pearland, Texas; sister and her husband, Carrie and Jason Williamson; and niece, Jayna of Richmond, Texas; and brother Luke of Gastonia, N.C. Joshua is also survived by two grandmothers, Jewel Fitzwater of Greenville, Ohio, and Iona Cloyd of Wellington, Ohio; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Joshua will also be missed by his extended family, Ronald and Raelean Cunningham, Travis and Heather Bass; niece Rachel; and nephew, Braden, all of Rogersville, Mo.; and many friends.
The funeral and visitation will be in Greenlawn Funeral Home East, 3540 East Seminole, Springfield, Missouri. Visitation will be Wednesday, October 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. The funeral will be Thursday, at 11:30 a.m., with interment in Missouri Veterans Cemetery, in Springfield, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, a person may donate to the Joshua A. Fitzwater scholarship fund. Send donations in his honor and name to Greenlawn Funeral Home.

Journalism Ethics Forum “Public trust through public engagement”

November 15-17
RJI (Reynolds Journalism Institute) will host a public forum on journalism ethics.
Open to the public; livestream available
Topics to be explored:

• Defining journalism ethics and values in the digital age
• Better understanding public attitudes about journalism ethics
• Putting the public in “public service journalism”
• New thoughts about community connections
• Developing new resources for examining ethical questions
• Better collaboration between journalism educators and professionals

For more information about the forum, click here.

NNA president advises newspapers that H1N1 Virus is not really the “swine flu”

10/14/2009

WASHINGTON, DC — National Newspaper Association Cheryl Kaechele, publisher of the Allegan County (MI) News, today urged community newspapers to use precise language in coverage of the H1N1 flu virus. Technically, Kaechele said, the virus is not related to swine.

Kaechele said NNA was asked on behalf of pork producing states to clarify for readers that exposure to hogs, pork products or other swine is not the precipitator of the virus. Confusion from newspaper headlines that refers to H1N1 as “swine flu,” she said, has unfairly cast doubt upon the pork industry.

She said: “Here is what the Center for Disease Controls says about the H1N1 virus:”

This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs (swine) in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and bird (avian) genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.

As newspapers that often cover farming communities, she said, NNA member publications should be aware of the nature of this confusion and accurately label stories about the virus. She thanked Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo, for calling the issue to NNA’s attention.

CDC also provides useful tips for preventing illness, Kaechele said.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

Community newspapers can provide information on sensible management of the H1N1 season by contacting their public health agencies, she said. Information from CDC can be found at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm.

Capture the Moment: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs

Nov. 21, 2009 – Jan. 24, 2010 The most comprehensive display of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs ever shown in the United States will open on Saturday, November 21, at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence and run through January 24, 2010.
Of the millions of photographs seen in newspapers each year, only two Pulitzer photography prizes are given – one for spot or breaking news and the other for feature photography. Capture the Moment includes all of those winning images from 1942 – the year of the first photography award – through the 2008 winners.
Iconic images include Joe Rosenthal’s 1945 photograph of the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima, and the RockyMountain News’s staff spot news photographs of the 1999 Columbine tragedy.

The French Example: Free Newspapers for Young People Jeanne

-Emmanuelle Hutin, Ouest France, co-chair of the French Presidential Youth-Press Commission, France

There has been a lot of debate about the French government’s decision to give free, one-day-a-week newspaper subscriptions to every 18- to 24-year old in the country as a way to encourage newspaper reading and civic participation. But those who have dismissed the idea ought to consider that Ouest France and 40 other regional newspapers have been experimenting with the concept since 2006, and Ms Hutin described the project as a success.

It’s a tremendous opportunity, though she admits that merely giving them away is not enough. “Is it a good idea? Yes, as long as we don’t disappoint the young and succeed in interesting them in the news, with relevant content and approaches, by investing in other platforms and by strengthening links with them,” she says. “It’s a fantastic opportunity, but a huge challenge.”

At Ouest France, the largest general interest newspaper in France, the number of regular readers among 18- to 24-year olds increased by 22,000 in 3 years, with 12 percent re-subscribing after their free subscriptions ended. And 65 percent of the young subscribers continue to read Ouest France at least once a week after their subscriptions end. But it took work, says Ms Hutin, and more needs to be done.

The newspapers had to devise special content for the day it distributed the free subscriptions – in the case of Ouest France, it was a “Special Future” recruitment section. A marketing campaign using new media has to be created — traditional marketing didn’t really work. And a strategy to move the free subscribers to paid subscriptions had to be planned.

In Ouest France’s case, a two-day-a-week paid subscription was offered after the one-day-a-week free subscription expired.

“What do the publishers want? They want to thwart the large-scale flight of young readers,” says Ms Hutin. “The situation in France is alarming: from one generation to the next, young people are less likely to read newspapers. It is vital to reverse this trend.”

Take Young People Seriously
Joanna Parczyńska, Director of Free Press Division, Agora, and Waldemar Paś, Editor in Chief, Metro, Poland When Metro changed its editorial strategy a year ago to give priority to the needs, aspirations and problems of young people, it launched an enormous study to better understand its audience. That study not only provided marketing information, but also produced content for the newspaper.

“We analysed behaviour, but also gathered information about their aspirations and problems,” says Ms Parczynska. That produced a series of debates in the pages of Metro, and helped launch a series of unique panel discussion about the future of Poland. The roundtable discussions were particularly appropriate for Poland, since they reflected the roundtable talks of 1989 that ended communism, says Mr Pas.

The disussions, both in the seminars and in the newspaper itself, encouraged readers to share their opinions, and the outcomes – support for new infrastructure, development, and reform of the education system – were proposed to the government. “We believe young people will read newspapers. The key is to treat them seriously,” says Ms Parczynska. She must be right: with 1.3 millon readers, Metro is Poland’s third largest newspaper.

Creating News Sites for Young People
Michael Smith, Executive Director, Media Management Center, USA Today’s newspaper web sites are great for news junkies, but they turn off teen-agers. They’re too dense, there are too many choices, there is no clear hierarchy, they assume the reader has a familiarity with the news and with newspaper jargon, according to research carried out by the Media Management Center at Northwestern University for the Newspaper Association of America. “We need to create special websites for young people, not just take our main websites and make them less complicated, because our main sites attract people interested in news,” said Mr Smith. “If you are a news consumer, you can find it satisfying. If you’re a teen-ager who just wants to know what’s going on today, it’s overwhelming.”

The study suggested ways to create news websites to attract teens. Mr Smith said the future depends on doing so. “The role of the newspaper is to get young people interested in news. Because if they develop an interest, they get the habit. There are democratic imperatives in this going forward.”

While complicated websites overwhelm teens, becoming too simple will bore them. Mr Smith presented ten tips for developing web sites for teens. Here are some of them: 
 Don’t overload them. 
 Entice them to keep reading. 
 Summarize stories on the home page. 
 Rank stories by importance in a clear hierarchy. 
 Beware of too much scrolling and clicking. The study results are available here

What Can Traditional Media Learn from Social Media
Anna Holmquist, Chief Editor, and Ylva Hvarfner, Managing Director, familjeliv.se, Sweden Perhaps nothing defines the differences between social media and traditional media as their attitudes toward the separation of advertising and editorial. Where traditional media maintains credibility by keeping a clear wall between the two, their relative positions in social media is not so defined.

Ms Holmquist and Ms Hvarfner believe some of the practices of social media can be beneficial for traditional media – including breaking down the wall between advertising and editorial. While some of his advice is controversial, some of it is not. Familjeliv, owned by the Stampen Group, is Sweden’s largest family social networking site, reaching half of all Swedish women 25- to 35-years olds every month. Some advice, based on the experiences at Familjeliv: Involve your user. “The younger generation wants to integrate! Sometimes they want to read editorial material, but very often they want to write themselves, comment, vote and give their opinion! Open up channels to involve your users.” Involve customers in business development. “Users are our most important asset. They also feel a great commitment to the site and many even think that it is ”their” site.

When we develop new products and services it is obvious for us to involve users in the process.” Tear down the walls between sales and editorial. At Familjeliv, advertisers act as experts – for example, Nestlé can provide advice about babyfood, Pampers about diapers. The site sells sponsorship and advertising packages that includes not only traditional advertising but advertiser involvement in advertorials, customer surveys, expert forums and more.

Remaking NIE For An Online World Angelo Melone, Deputy Editor, of La Repubblica, Italy For the past nine years, the Italian daily La Repubblica not only provided copies of the newspaper to schools, but also provided an on-line system that allowed classes and teachers to create and print their own school newspapers. The project ultimately involved nearly 1.5 million young people and 8,500 schools. It wasn’t enough. “In nine years, many things changed in the relationship between young people and the means for receiving information, and consequently in the relationship with their computer,” says Mr Melone. So the newspaper completely transferred the project to the internet, allowing young people to create their own personal websites, under the supervision of their teachers. But even that wasn’t enough. The project has subsequently pulled together all the online creations into a national website, “a site of factual information written directly by the young people and, taken as a whole, a community of students who confront each other over topical themes, culture and entertainment, directly stimulated by items appearing in Repubblica.” To help that stimulation, Repubblica supplies them with free online subscription to the newspaper. The project was an immediate hit – 850,000 students from 5,300 schools signed up in the first three months. “We feel we have made it possible for students to create their own workgroups, to get in touch with the world of journalists and to see their articles published,” says Mr Melone. “And it is a way for us to encourage young people to get into the habit of reading newspapers. It has also benefited Repubblica, which has witnessed an increase in the number of its young readers. Another positive aspect is that the paper has willingly felt obliged to publish news originating with them.” Don’t Underestimate Young People lla Appelsin, Deputy Editor, Ilta-Sanomat, Finland The Finnish regional daily Ilta-Sanomat didn’t have a reputation for being involved in education, and it wanted to change that. The election of Barack Obama as the first black US president provided the opportunity. After consultation with area schools, the newspaper created a special 16-page supplement about Barack Obama’s inauguration for 12- to 19-year old students. The supplement mostly used stories that had appeared in the main paper, but included provocative questions about what the election meant for Finland and the world. “We wanted to challenge youngsters to think themselves. We wanted to bring Obama’s world so close that youngsters could even identify themselves in it,” says Ms Appelsin. The newspaper printed 130,000 copies, inserted them in daily newspapers and sent them to the schools during the first week of February, which was Newspaper Week in Finnish Schools. The supplement included questions on the roots of racial discrimination and encouraged students to talk about the impact of the election, not only in the United States, but in Finland and world-wide. It asked students to analyse Obama’s inauguration speech. Among the questions: “In which European country could a non-white person be elected as president or prime minister? Is it possible in Finland?” Ms Appelsin provided advice for newspapers considering similar projects. Among her suggestions: “Don’t underestimate young people. If it’s big news, they are interested in it.” How to make the most of our latest free serialized story Cathy Sewell, author of serialized stories for newspapers, USA To commemorate International Literacy Day in September every year, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers offers Ms Sewell’s serialized stories for children to newspapers for publication worldwide. Ms Sewell offered advice on how to use the stories. “Part of the value of serialized stories is to introduce news readers, or hesitant readers, to look through other parts of the newspaper,” she says. “It directs the reader to use other parts of the newspaper as a resource.”

The story, which can be read and downloaded here, is accompanied by comprehension questions, writing exercises, science facts, and exercises that teach children about newspaper journalism. Newspapers in 25 countries, with a combined 4 million circulation, used the story last year, with a wide variety of promotions, support and sponsorships. The story has eight chapters and the first one can be used at any time before 31 December.