november 2012 colorado editor

colorado Inside: Hildner leaves impression on Pueblo sports and women. PAGE 7

O!cial publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXIII, No. 11 November 2012

editorBy Don Lindley

Public rights of access to government meetings and records in Colorado have su!ered in recent years because the media, the traditional defenders of these rights, have been swept up in an unprecedented transformation that has diminished its resources. To help "ll this void, leaders of the Colorado Freedom of Information Council decided

earlier this year to pursue a more ambitious educational, advocacy and fundraising mission aimed at protecting our right to know.

CFOIC sought and received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and then applied for a $25,000 grant from the National Freedom of Information Coalition. (#e NFOIC — www.

nfoic.org — is a nonpartisan alliance of state open government groups and freedom of information supporters. Its activities include awarding grants that support growth of state open government organizations.)

Last month, the NFOIC board approved the grant application and now the CFOIC must come up

with $25,000 in matching funds. To receive the grant and shore up defense of the First Amendment and rights of access, it needs support from everyone in Colorado who believes that basic standards of government transparency are at the core of American democracy and government accountability.

Since its inception in 1997, CFOIC subsisted on modest dues paid by members and the work of a network of volunteers. Because of limited resources, its activities have been con"ned primarily to sponsoring occasional open-government community forums, presenting annual awards to leading open government advocates in Colorado, and providing briefs or testimony in

By Sara WaiteJournal-Advocate Managing Editor

Julie Tonsing has been named as the new publisher for both #e Fort Morgan Times and the Sterling Jour-nal-Advocate. She has been the busi-ness manager and later publisher of #e Times since 2009.

Julie Tonsing has been named the new publisher of #e Fort Morgan Times and the Sterling Journal-Ad-vocate.

Tonsing will be taking on the role on Nov. 5 a$er David McClain, presi-dent and publisher of the Journal-Ad-vocate from 1995 to 2006 and since 2008, retires on Nov. 2.

She will be adding the Sterling title to her current duties as publisher of #e Times, where she has worked since 2009.

Prior to that, Tonsing was at the Journal-Advocate for 20 years, where she says she “grew up in the newspa-per business.”

When she le$ Sterling, she was serving as the JA’s business manager and "nancial manager for Eastern Colorado Publishing Company, which includes both the Sterling and

Gathering for J-Day

Council aims to !ght for right to know

Tonsing takes over top spots at two papers

CFOIC on page 8

CFOIC’s goal: Advocate for government transparency

PUBLISHER on page 8

Reprinted with permission from LMA Today.

Last year’s North American Innovation Mis-sion, sponsored by the Local Media Association Foundation, took participants to numerous stops over the course of the intense one-week study tour and a$erwards, LMA made a com-prehensive report available.

Suzanne Schlicht, COO of #e World Com-pany, was one of the I.M. participants and shared the numerous lessons and follow up re-port with colleagues throughout her company, including the team at #e Steamboat Pilot & Today, the oldest business in beautiful Steam-boat Springs, Colorado,

#ey wasted no time in taking action on

each of the key takeaways from the 2011 Inno-vation Mission report and made accomplishing them in ways suitable for their market a top priority.

As Ad Director Meg Boyer puts it, “#e "rst Pilot came o! the presses in 1886, and we haven’t stopped innovating since!” She and her team have worked hard to turn the lessons from that report into reality and their e!orts are pay-ing o! in many ways including being named “Best Innovators” in the 2012 LMA Advertising & Promotions Contest. It’s also paying o! in revenue – through mid-2012, overall advertis-ing revenue is up over last year by almost 4%.

What they are doing with the valuable les-

SYNC2 Media welcomes Senior Outside Sales Consultant, Mike Mac-Donald. Mike brings nearly 15 years of print and digital marketing experi-ence to SYNC2.

He is a graduate of Colorado State University with a B.A. in Consumer Sciences. He spent "ve years as a sales consultant at the Daily Camera in Boulder helping newspaper custom-ers to grow their businesses through the development of solid marketing programs.

“When I worked in print, I know my clients were interested in digital and, at the time, I was simply losing their dollars to other "rms who

had the ability to help them in ways that I couldn’t,” MacDonald said. “For print account executives today to have additional products in their portfolio, they truly are the one-stop shop for their clients.”

Following his time at the Camera, he became the Director of Sales and Marketing for an online consulting "rm, which operated legal-related internet directories and so$ware

development. In his digital consulting role, he worked with thousands of legal service pro-viders to help them better manage their busi-

Photo by Greg Luft/Colorado State UniversityNearly 1,500 high school students attended the Colorado High School Press Association annual Journalism Day, hosted for 11 years by Colorado State University. More than 30 industry experts

shared their knowledge on topics ranging from law and ethics and creating award-winning yearbooks, to photography for dummies and building a social media brand. See the J-Day photo spread on pages 4 and 5.

Marketing pro joins SYNC2#e innovation mission in action

MacDonald

INNOVATION on page 8 SYNC2 on page 6

2 colorado editor November 2012

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I am privileged and honored to be taking the reins as president of the National Newspaper Associa-tion.

Across America, citizens depend on their community newspapers for the news of their neighbors, their kids, schools, their communi-ties, their local government. In the vast majority of small cities and towns, newspapers – print, e-editions, html, utilizing audio and video – are the only source of news.

And if readers did not have newspapers, democracy in these communities would falter. Democ-racy cannot long survive without the news. It is the news – fair, accu-

rate, objective, timely and complete – that citizens rely on to make deci-sions on elections, on democracy, for their communities, their states and their country.

NNA continues to battle the U.S. Postal Service on behalf of commu-nity newspapers. Eliminating Sat-urday delivery, closing rural o%ces and closing processing centers have challenged community newspapers the past two years.

And now the Valassis negotiated service agreement and the postal service’s Every Door Direct Mail program are daggers aimed at the heart of the newspaper industry.

What is especially galling for community newspaper publishers is the fact that the local newspaper is typically the postal service’s biggest customer in a given town or city.

Just as Colorado Press Associa-tion is our voice in Denver, NNA is community newspapers’ voice and representative in Washington.

To those Colorado newspapers that are already NNA members,

thank you. To those who are not, I ask you to join. Membership in NNA builds our base, our founda-tion which means we can continue to be a force on postal matters, leg-islation before Congress, educating newspaper sta!, protecting public notice and enhancing, promoting and furthering this industry.

And a broader base gives NNA greater strength before federal government agencies and in the national media, as well as a stronger presence on Capitol Hill.

Second, Colorado newspaper representative should plan to attend the We Believe in Newspapers Lead-ership Conference in Washington, March 13-15. #e conference is an opportunity to deliver a message to our congressional representatives, to tell our elected o%cials what’s im-portant to community newspapers.

Two years ago NNA launched the We Believe in Newspapers campaign. It is aimed at a%rming newspapers’ roles in communities we serve through our editorial and

opinion pages, columns, advertising and self promotion.

Our message is newspapers are the conscience, the heart and soul, the heartbeat, the source and voice of democracy of our communities. If we believe in newspapers, and we do, we must tell our communities, the industry we are a part of, and the world what we believe and why.

Baranczyk is the !"h Colorado journalist to serve as NNA president. Predecessors were: George E. Hosmer, #e Herald, Fort Morgan, 1914; Guy U. Hardy, #e Daily Record, Canon City, 1918; Don Hardy, #e Daily Record, Canon City, 1965; and Bob Sweeney, Villager Newspapers, Denver, 2003.

Baranczyk is president of Arkan-sas Valley Publishing Co. and editor and publisher of #e Mountain Mail in Salida. AVP publishes #e Cha$ee County Times, Buena Vista; #e Herald Democrat, Leadville; and #e Park County Republican and Fairplay Flume in Bailey.

merlebaranczyk

nna president

News is at the heart of Democracy

Reports of train wrecks, blizzards, &oods, "res, tornadoes, sports state championships, parades, new business openings, old businesses closing, socials, deaths, births, wedding announcements, droughts, bountiful harvests, car accidents, homesteaders, meetings, #e Flagler News has covered them all. Now for the past 100 years.

Without a question the biggest story being the tragic air show tragedy that occurred September 15, 1951 just a few years a$er Clyde and Ruth Coulter took over the reigns as owner/publishers on July 1, 1948.

#e Coulters had the distinction of having to report on the worst air show accident in U.S. history right in their back yard. It was September 15, 1951, when the small town was stunned by an air show tragedy. Twenty dead; 30 injured in worst air show accident in U.S. history—Crash brings horror to peaceful Flagler as stunt plane hits crowd at show; 20 dead. 17 hurt—Small town stunned by air show tragedy. Just a few of the headlines that appeared in di!erent papers around the area.

#e Coulters again had to cover the burning of one of the towns main buildings, when the school at the end of north Main burned one October night in 1951.

#e Newspaper and the Coulters would play an intricate part in the passing of a bond issue to build a new school just as the newspaper

was with the building of that school in 1918.

#e town of Flagler had other newspapers of publications as far back as 1888. “#e Weekly Register,” published at Malowe. #ere is no record of its demise. #e Flagler Progress was the "rst permanent newspaper in 1908 which William (Will) Borland bought out in 1918 and merged out the Flagler Progress and made Flagler a one newspaper town with #e Flagler News. #ere has been seven owner/publishers of #e Flagler News in the past 100 years. #e three longest owner/publishers were the last three publishers, combining 82 years and counting.

Clyde and Ruth Coulter hold the honor of the longest longevity serving the community for 45 and a half years, from July 1, 1948 to January 1, 1993. #at feat will not be

matched. Tom and Jean Bredeho$ are going on their 20th year in 2013 buying out the Coulters on January 1, 1993. Twyman (T) Guard and his wife, Grace were at the reigns from 1931 to July of 1948. Edwards Krutchens founded #e Flagler News in 1913. J.D. Heiney bought him out in 1914 and H.E. Wetherell bought out Heiney in 1914. An April 26,

1915 edition of #e Flagler News announced that the next issue would be published by William H. Borland of Brush.

Will had a son named Hal who would later go on to be a world renowned author. #roughout the year #e Flagler News will be bringing you stories and pictures of the past 100 years.

"e Flagler News turns 100

Community Newspapercovering Phillips County in NE Colorado

Full-Service Commercial Printing��KRO\RNHHQWHUSULVH�FRP

colorado editor 3November 2012

Digital age’s dirty secretBy Chris Dickey

#is column is for you, old-fashioned readers of the printed page. Did you know you might just be considered the environ-mentally conscious consumers of media? Please allow me to explain.

For some time now there’s been a growing body of evidence suggesting drawbacks to our on-line-all-the-time society: Does Facebook make us lonlier? Can grown-ups communicate beyond 140 characters at a time? Are our kids’ brains being short-circuited? #at sort of thing.

But we like to think that our global obsession with all things digital is at least a “green” activity, unlike, say, o!-shore oil drilling. Natuarly, however, nothing is without consequences – especially obsessions.

#e New York Times recently completed a one-year study on the power demands that keep the seemingly in"nite amount of data – emails, texts, movie and music downloads, credit card transac-tions, Twitter feeds, etc. – &owing through cyber space. (#at a me-dia company took so much time to perform actual journalism in our age of round-the-clock sound bites is new in itself, but I digress).

#e results of the study are not pretty.

Behind the scenes of this glori"ed digital frenzy are behe-moth “data centers,” warehouses "lled with stacks upon stacks of computer servers – which are beefed-up desktop computers that process unbelievable quanti-ties of information. Data centers easily number in the “tens of thou-sands,” the Times reports. #ey’re growing at an exponential rate; “federal” data centers in the U.S. along grew from 432 in 1998 to 2,094 in 2010. And they suck up electricity like a death-row inmate chain-smoking cigarettes.

One industry expert estimates that individual data centers use as much energy as it takes to power a medium-sized town. To envision this on a local scale, that’s like Gunnison Rising annexations popping up all over the place, yet with nary a Kindle-carrying activ-ist uttering a word in protest.

What’s more, the report says, is that most of this power is wasted. Data centers only use, on average six to 12 percent of their electricity performing actual computations. #e rest is used to keep banks of servers on stand-by, basically, for those surges in online activity that could otherwise slow, or, heave forbid, crash our inalienable right to watch the latest YouTube viral video.

Lastly, in the event of a failure in the electricity grid, online com-panies rely on exhaust-spewing diesel generators to serve as back-up power supplies.

#e result of all this? “Pollution from data centers has increasingly been cited by the authorities for

violating clean-air regulations,” according to the Times. “In Silicon Valley, many data centers appear on the state government’s Toxic Air Containment Inventory …”

Kind of makes getting your "ngers ink-stained from reading the Sunday paper feel downright wholesome in comparison, doesn’t it. Who knew recycling page a$er page of those dead trees, which were a decaying "re danger to begin with, was such an act of environmental stewardship?

I know, know. #ere’s nothing “clean” about the old-fashioned way of delivering pictures and words, either. But that’s the point. #ere are no free lunches.

So what to do? Live like a cave-man? Even they wreaked havoc on their environment, especially a$er they "gured that "re thing out. And neither petroglyphs nor pictographs would stand a chance of being EPA-, HCCA-, LUR- or LDC-approved today.

Maybe, at the end of the day, we’re all just life-sucking, carbon-emitting parasites. At least we could admit it, rather than turning a blind eye to our environmen-tal realities – like, say, an anti-fracking or anti-mining type who thinks nothing of all the things that he enjoys, and uses regularly, that come from natural gas and mineral extractions.

Does Crested Butte have a single restaurant that doesn’t rely on natural gas for cooking? Does Robert Earl Keen, God love his honky-tonkin Texas soul, realize where the strings on his guitar come from? #e one he uses to sing anti-mining songs?

#at’s all I’m trying to say. Let’s strive to rid, or at least reduce, hy-pocrisy in the real world. Includ-ing the myth that technology is a “clean” industry.

And then perhaps we can start assessing other possible side ef-fects of the digital revolution. Like declining literacy. Newsday re-ports that national reading scores on the SAT college-entrance exam have sunk to their lowest point in 40 years, and writing e%ciency isn’t much better. At the risk of sounding like a Luddite, could the age of electronic gadgetry have anything to do with these troubling trends?

Heck, I don’t know. But I’ll leave you with this snippet of an email I recently received from a college – excuse me, a university – student:

“Are media class putting a de-bate on October 25 and we where wondering if we could run are add in your news paper.”

Oo$a. Maybe stone tablets are the way to go. At least back then you had to put some actual e!ort, and perhaps even a little thought, into what you were saying.

Chris Dickey can be contacted at 970-641-1414 or [email protected]

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It’s taken nearly 10 months, but I’m thrilled to report to you that the Coloradoan’s news team is at full sta!.

We could have gotten there sooner — but the addi-tion of new positions for our expanded reporting pool, coupled with my notorious habit of being exceptionally picky, meant that "nding the right "ts took longer than expected.

#e newest (and "nal, for now) hire on our news team is Paul Berry, a journalist who joins us from #e (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He "lls a role that is still rare, but becoming increasingly common in news-rooms: that of the engagement editor.

What’s an engagement editor?Simply put, an engagement editor connects. #ey

connect stories to readers, citizens to journalists, ques-tions to answers.

For those of you reading this in print, the idea of connecting a story to a reader might seem foreign. A$er all, you became connected to these stories when the paper was delivered on your doorstep this morning in one big package.

But, increasingly, readers online don’t get the digital equivalent of the “news is here” thwap of a paper on concrete. #us, part of the role of the engagement edi-tor is to make sure prospective readers are "nding the work we’re doing.

An example: Let’s say we do a story on the southern segment of the Mason Trail reopening a$er completion of the Troutman underpass (a story I personally can’t wait to see in the paper). Regular readers of the paper or website will be informed, but what about those who haven’t established a news habit?

Enter the engagement editor. In this case, they’d seek out Fort Collins’ cycling community where they digitally gather (places like Bike Fort Collins’ Facebook

page) and share the story there. #us, those readers who are potentially most interested in the information are now connected to it.

#at same scenario will play itself out many times per day — stories on energy, nonpro"ts, volunteerism, beer, environment, innovators and more all have po-tential audiences that aren’t seeing the stories. And, as long as our folks are going to write them, we aim to get as many people as possible to read them.

In addition to connecting stories with audiences, expect to see the engagement editor be able to directly answer a lot more questions asked of us on social me-dia. We o$en get questions on our Facebook page like, “Why are there sirens at Horsetooth and Shields?” #e engagement editor will be able to more closely monitor those questions, ask around the newsroom and post the answer rapidly online — even if the end result is too minor of an item to put into print.

#e engagement editor combines the old-school roles of town crier and ombudsman with new-school knowledge of social media approaches and web devel-opment.

In the end, the goal of an engagement editor is lo$y, and speaks to journalism’s highest purpose: make sure the community is as informed and educated as pos-sible. In this digital age, that means looping in readers in every way we know how.

During the coming weeks, I hope you notice the change. Visit our social media pages at Facebook.com/Coloradoan or Twitter.com/Coloradoan, and tell us what you’d like to see answered. We’ll put our news team to work.

Reprinted with permission from the Sunday, October 7, 2012, Fort Collins Coloradoan.

guest letterFrom Josh Awtry, editor, Fort Collins Coloradoan

What’s an engagement editor do?


A reporter and camera operator from Colorado State University’s CTV interviews a participant at J-Day 2012 on the Fort Collins campus.

Students from the Englewood Pirateer celebrate their loot at J-Day 2012. Standley Lakes students turn out en masse for J-Day 2012.

J-Day all the wayHigh school students &ock to CSU to learn about all things Journalism

PHOTOS BY GREG LUFT/COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY


Greg Luft, Alumni Coordinator and chair of Colorado State University’s Department of Journalism and Technical Communication speaks to students about covering tragedy.

Ryan Avery, 2009 graduate of the CSU Department of Journalism and Technical Communication, was recently named Toastmasters International 2012 World Champion of Public Speaking. Avery traveled from Portland, Oregon to speak to students at J-Day.

Colorado Press Association Executive Director Samantha Johnston speaks to students at J-Day 2012 about the importance of social media in creating personal and professional brands.

Professor Scott Winter from the University of Nebraska Lincoln discusses social media.

J-Day students experience a day where multimedia is encouraged. Students "lmed, tweeted, Facebooked and any other “ed” they could do regarding J-Day.

A student recounts how she overcame a failure in life as part of a session on stretching limits until you fail as a learning strategy.


cpa marketplaceSMALL WEEKLY FOR SALESmall weekly in Colorado mountain community. Grosses about $96,000. Fixed costs about $46,000. Good opportu-nity for young couple start-ing out, or older “downsized” journalists. Easy news beats. Monopoly situation. All build-ings and equipment included in sale price; you can walk in on Monday and put out a paper on Tuesday. Current owner will stick around to help with transition. Beautiful location, great for "shing, hunting and outdoor recreation. Excellent schools, low crime, no tra!c. Price includes o!ce building and residence. Price reduced to $220,000 from $270,000. Call 970-723-4404.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND NEW MEDIAResponsible for leadership & management of New Media strategy for the Archdiocese; BA or BS required, plus min. of 5 yrs exp. in comm. "eld; Must be Catholic in good standing with vast knowledge of Catholicism & superb ability to represent Church’s stance orally & in writ-ing. Please send a resume stat-ing desired annual salary range to [email protected].

COPY EDITOR " GREELEY TRIBUNEThe award-winning Greeley (Colo.) Tribune is searching for a full-time copy editor. Our news desk requires our copy editors to design pages, write headlines, edit copy and catch mistakes, meet deadline, assign stories to the web and assist with all our digital e#orts. Ap-plicants must have an eye for detail and snappy page design. Please send resumes and examples of your work to Editor Randy Bangert at [email protected].

NEWS EDITOR FOR AWARD#WINNING NORTH#WEST KANSAS TWICE#WEEK#LYNews editor for award-winning Northwest Kansas twice-weekly, near federal reservoir, hunting, "shing, farm area. Supervise part-time sta# and string-ers. Prefer journalism degree, one to two years’ professional experience, knowledge of AP style, page design, writing and camera, news judgement. This is a do-it-all position which requires skill and leadership, focused on creating the best local news possible. Reply with resume and clips to [email protected] and [email protected]. EOE/mfh Dana Paxton, general manager, The Norton Telegram, 215 S. Kansas, Norton, Kan. 67654.

Your newsroom has just "nished brainstorming on how to beef up its busi-ness reporting. #e conversation happens to be at the same time your newspaper has a major announcement itself. What better opportunity to signal to your read-ers a new page in local business reporting.

#e headline: “Publisher announces the call for redemption of all its public debt”

#e story begins: “XYZ Publishing Co., parent company of the local newspa-per, announced the call for redemption of all of its public debt. #e company elected to redeem all outstanding notes under its publicly funded indenture, and depos-ited funds with the trustee to pay o! these notes … XYZ Publishing Co. re"nanced its debt under more favorable terms …” #e company’s CEO adds, “Today demonstrates just how far we have come in proving that there is a sustainable future for our company.”

Say what? #e press release may as well have been written in Chinese. It would have just as much meaning for most readers.

#is is not the "rst corporate "nancial press re-lease that has created more confusion than clarity. Consider these two leads. Again, the companies remain unidenti"ed to protect the guilty:

“Company A announced today the "nal results of its previously announced private o!ers to exchange certain of its outstanding debentures and senior notes (collectively, the “Old Debentures”) for a combination of a new series of the Company’s debentures due 2042 (the “New Debentures”) and cash (the “Exchange O!ers”).” “Company B announced new so$ware and ser-vices designed to help Chief Marketing O%cers (CMO), Chief Procurement O%cers (CPO) and other key line-of-business executives realize quick-er business results by delivering intelligence guided

customer experiences, across all digital channels, aligned to the buying and shop-ping preferences of each individual.”

It’s a good bet that most reports writ-ten in this vernacular are immediately deleted from an editor’s e-mail “in box.” #at’s unfortunate, because the "nancial gobbledygook means something – maybe something quite important to your com-munity – if translated into plain English. Reporters do have avenues to do so.

First and foremost, don’t be afraid to ask the question. Track down the appro-priate contact – whether at a local facility or corporate headquarters – and ask for an interpretation. It’s also an opportunity

to develop a pro-active relationship for identifying and reporting the employer’s good and bad news.

Reporters also should become familiar with the Edgar website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. All foreign and domestic companies are required to "le registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Anyone can access and download the information for free.

Lastly, regularly monitor the websites of your major local employers for press releases and share-holders news.

It’s heartening to see newspapers devote resources to regular business coverage. Stories about employers and employees have a big impact on communities. What happens at the workplace might even overshadow a decision of the local city council. Today’s challenging economy warrants even greater attention to business as an everyday beat.

#ere are a variety of ready-made business stories to pursue, even for those newsrooms with limited resources.

Localize stories that may be found in metro

newspaper business sections. Customize state em-ployment "gures for your community or region. Report what companies are doing to comply with requirements of the federal health care reform legislation. Pro"le local companies that have found a niche in the global marketplace.

Go beyond the proclamations. Events such as Manufacturers Week or Small Business Week pres-ent opportunities for coverage, but stories must be meaningful. Find a local angle. Are companies challenged to "nd skilled workers? What’s the local economic impact of in-home businesses? If a com-munity does not have a recognition event, why not organize it yourself?

Use your chamber of commerce as a resource to track important happenings on the local busi-ness scene and not simply as an avenue to publish photos of each and every visit by the Red Coat Ambassadors. #en set guidelines for many of the standard stories: new businesses, closed businesses, anniversaries, expansions, businesses o!ering distinctive services.

#e underlying lesson is that any story, no mat-ter its importance, will be of minimal value unless it is easily understood. #at’s especially true in business stories that are written at some corporate headquarters. Editors and reporters need to ask the necessary questions to link the story to your com-munities. #e result will be a win-win scenario for the business and your readers.

Jim Pumarlo writes, speaks and provides training on community newsroom success strategies. His newest book is “Journalism Primer: A Guide to Community News Coverage.” He also is author of “Votes and Quotes: A Guide to Outstanding Election Coverage” and “Bad News and Good Judgment: A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in Small-Town Newspapers.” He can be reached at www.pumarlo.com and welcomes comments and ques-tions at [email protected].

Business reports should be understandable

I "rst heard it years ago...and I’ve remembered ever since: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Some say it originated with Benjamin Frank-lin. Others aren’t so sure. Regardless, the quote is memorable—and it’s a sure reminder to editors that they need to work on their planning. For every issue.

During a recent conver-sation with some editors, I pointed out that the jump on a page 1 lead story was (to put it nicely) “text heavy.” I o!ered some ideas for improving the design:

More photos.Breaking the one long story into

multiple shorter pieces.Use of pull quotes.#e problem with those sugges-

tions is that they just couldn’t be worked out at 9:30 p.m., a half-hour before deadline. #e layout person was swimming upstream and doing

his best just to get the pages done in time:

No one knew how long the story would be.

#ere were lots of good photos, but no space.

No one had per-mission to move ads to create more room for the package.

It was just too late to think of all that.

#at last point was all too true: It was just too late to think of all that.

An editor, knowing that this was going to be an important story (remember: it was the page 1 lead), should have been working on a de-sign plan much earlier in the day:

How can we segment this story into shorter pieces?

How long do these pieces have to be?

How about quotes for pullouts?

With such an emotional story, surely there will be some compelling quotes.

Who’s going to edit the story?Who’s shooting the photos? How

many? What subjects? What angles?How do we create extra space for

the jump?Can we move ads from that page?Whom do we ask to get the ads

moved?

What do we do to help Bob get this all designed on deadline?

Apparently no one in the newsroom had given such planning a thought. It never happened.

So, the one long story was written, with only a one column

photo running with the 30-inch jump. No pullouts, no display

photos...nothing to encourage those readers who followed the story.

Another quote applies: “If you keep doin’ what you’ve always done...then you’ll keep gettin’ what you’ve always got.”

How disappointing is that?

ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of Henninger Consulting. O$ering comprehensive newspaper design services including redesigns, workshops, sta$ training and evaluations. E-mail: [email protected]. On the web: henningerconsulting.com.

edhenninger

jimpumarlo

“The Scream,” by Edvard Munch. Does it remind you of you?

If you fail to plan . . .

SYNC2 from Page 1nesses as well as to understand the im-portance of online marketing.

Before joining SYNC2 Media, Mike was an Agency Business Devel-opment Manager for an online adver-

tising agency in Denver. He was re-sponsible for generating new business opportunities with Fortune 500 com-panies. His accomplishments include developing professional relationships with companies such as Time, JP

Morgan, Chase, Zynga and Disney.“SYNC2 Media is a great "t pro-

fessionally. Account executives today have the ability to act more like media planners and buyers than ever before,” MacDonald said. “#is role combines

my print and digital background into one. My expertise will help our print customers bring lost advertising dol-lars back in house, and it will help our association to me more relevant in the digital age.”

When he’s not in the o%ce, Mike enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

MacDonald combines print, digital talents


By Peter Roper

Sportswriters are irreverent, de"antly casual in dress and manner, and generally hostile to authority. Not to mention know-it-alls.

But if they had anything as grandiose as royalty, you’d have to consider Judith Kathryn Hildner a queen among the knaves. A$er all, she was probably the "rst woman sports editor in Colorado when #e Pueblo Chie$ain pro-moted her to that job 22 years ago.

“And you know, that is important to me,” the 64-year-old Hildner confessed last week, her clear blue eyes direct but warm. “When I started, there weren’t many women in news-rooms and certainly not covering sports.”

Readers are already imagining hulking, nearly naked football players trying to intimi-date lady sportswriters. We’ve heard the stories, seen the movies, and Hildner acknowledged that, yes, one Denver Bronco did demand to know what she thought she was doing in the sweaty, testosterone-laced locker room.

“My job,” she answered and went on asking questions.

#e news here is that Hildner has closed her notebook for #e Chie$ain, retiring a$er 46 years. It is hard to imagine the newsroom with-out her cheerful voice, o!ering up comment or criticism on some professional football or baseball game playing on the television that hangs in the sports department.

It’s a remote-controlled color TV. And there’s carpet on the newsroom &oor. #e sta! writes on quiet computers and there are women — lots of them — in all departments.

Not like #e Chie$ain newsroom in 1966 when the soundtrack to daily life was clatter-ing typewriters, the thump-thump-thump of teletype machines, a cloud of cigarette smoke in the air and male voices everywhere. On the telephone or talking or laughing at the daily &ow of news.

So how does a little girl from Niles, Mich., become a sportswriter? TV of course.

“#ere was a neighbor of ours back in Michigan who owned a television, which my family certainly didn’t have,” Hildner laughed. “And so I knocked on the door and asked if I could see the TV. He warned me I wouldn’t like it, that he was watching a (Chicago) Cubs baseball game. But he let me in and believe it or not, I discovered baseball.”

She’s not kidding. Little Judy Porter got the bug so seriously, she checked out a book from the library and learned how to score a game. She discovered statistics, that constant stream of numbers that de"ne athletic performance. Batting averages. Earned-run averages. Win-ning percentages. It was probably genetic.

Her father, Ed Porter, became an accountant for the CF&I when he moved his family here in 1954 while her mother, Jean, wrote a local column for the Southern Colorado Register.

“So I was the girl who kept stats for the sports teams at Pueblo Catholic High School,” Hildner said.

“And was an editor on the school newspa-per.”

Oh yeah. And she was a New York Yankees fan.

Hildner explained, “In those days, the weekly baseball game on TV was almost always a Yankee game. So I became a Yankee fan.”

Roll the highlight "lm and watch young Hildner graduate in 1966 and head for South-ern Colorado State College. Baseball fan.

Stats girl. And art major?Any veteran reporter will tell you the road

to a newspaper career is paved with good intentions.

“I don’t know why I chose art,” she said, smiling — but nevermind, she was already badgering #e Chie$ain sports department for part-time work.

“Bill McClatchey was sports editor and I’ve always been grateful that he was willing to take a chance with me,” she said.

Hildner credited Jeanne Hickman, another Chie$ain reporter, with having helped con-vince the oldschool editors that women could do the job.

#is is the Hollywood part of the story, where the young gal reporter meets the hand-some sportswriter from Pasadena, Calif. — Jack Hildner — and their newsroom encoun-ters turn into romance, and then marriage. Add a pregnancy with twin sons, Matt and #ad, and you get a devoted partnership that only ended last May when Jack Hildner, Chie$ain writer, editor and all-around-good guy, died from cancer.

It speaks volumes that Jack and Judy not only lived together, they worked together every day.

Some sportswriters are gamers, who like watching the mystery of an athletic contest reach its conclusion. Hopefully, with excite-ment and drama. You know the cliche, the

thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.And then there are writers who are drawn

to the people, the human story of athletes striving to accomplish something. It can be in a champagne-soaked Super Bowl locker room or a high-school wrestler standing with his arms raised in a gym full of cheering friends and schoolmates out on the Eastern Plains.

Hildner said she’s always considered it a privilege to cover the many high school and college teams in #e Chie$ain’s readership area over the decades. #e long drives, the hours in rickety press boxes — in rain, snow and sum-mer heat. #e young people who let her into their lives to share in their happiness or tears.

“#ere just isn’t any substitute for being there,” Hildner said. “And the smaller the com-munity, the more grateful they were that #e Chie$ain was there, taking note.”

Hildner laughed remembering some of the more bizarre events she’s covered — like the South High School football game against Mitchell High School where the Colts had to let the Marauders score at least one touchdown for South to move on to the playo!s. It was a point thing and she said it was surreal and funny to see Colt players resisting their instinct to tackle Mitchell ballcarriers.

And the poignant moments, like seeing

veteran Bronco receiver Steve Watson listening to a young John Elway talking to reporters a$er a Bronco loss in the 1987 Super Bowl.

“Here was Watson, clearly wrapping up his career, and you could see on his face that he understood just how important Elway was go-ing to be in the Broncos’ future, that something special was happening right in front of his eyes,” Hildner explained.

She also appreciated grace in the face of defeat, remembering how Todd Helton gave patient interviews a$er the Rockies’ disappoint-ingly quick exit in the 2009 baseball playo!s.

While she enjoyed her last 22 years leading #e Chie$ain sports department, she also missed covering all those small-town games. Hildner has a wall full of awards as a writer and reporter, she’s been inducted into the Greater Pueblo Sports Association Hall of Fame, and she continues to serve on the Colorado Hall of Fame selection committee. But what she will miss most is that daily involvement with her community.

She has truly enjoyed being a columnist, having Pueblo residents come up to her in stores and on the street, to share their thoughts with the lady sports editor they’ve learned to consider a friend.

A$er all, readers knew her husband’s byline for years, as well as her own.

Now they also read a son, Matt Hildner, and his news reports from the San Luis Valley.

“#e Chie$ain has been a good home for our family,” she said with emphasis. While she says she is retiring, writers don’t really do that. #ey just change their audiences and Hildner says she can’t imagine just quitting the word business. So don’t be surprised to see her name in print again.

A$er all, she’s still the kid next door who wants to come in and look at that new television.

Reprint with permission from #e Pueblo Chie"ain

Judy Hildner le$ a lasting impression on Pueblo sports and womenA True Pioneer

JUDYISMS Asked to recall important mentors

or to give advice to aspiring writers, Judy Hildner o#ered up some quick responses:

“If you want to be a good writer, you have to read good writers.”

She likes Dick Francis mysteries because the late jockey-turned-writer describes action so well in his novels. “It’s not about adjectives,” she said.

Hildner highly respected Dorothy Mauk, The Denver Post reporter, because Mauk was demanding about accuracy. “Dorothy wore these sharp-looking professional suits and covered

everything. But what I remember most was how careful she was to get everything right. That’s a role model to follow.”

Denver Post columnist Dick Connors taught her there is much more to a well-written column than voicing opinions. “I always liked the way Dick used quotes.”

Chieftain sportswriter Dave Socier. «Dave had a real gift for color, of making you feel like you were there.»

Asked about the future of newspapers and sportswriting, Hildner said, “I think there will always be a place for good writing and fact-gathering. I just don’t know what that will look like in the future.”

Retired Pueblo Chieftain sports editor Judy Hildner sits in the stands behind "rst base at Hobbs Field at the Runyon Sports Complex.

Chieftain Photo/Bryan Kelsen


PUBLISHER from Page 1Fort Morgan dailies, as well as sev-eral other newspapers on the east-ern plains.

She was named the Colorado Press Association’s Newspaper Per-son of the Year in 1995.

Tonsing will bring her experi-ence and success at #e Times as she takes over in Sterling, said Al Manzi, president and CEO of Prai-rie Mountain Media, the company that owns both papers.

Tonsing credited the sta! at both papers for making it possible for her to accept the dual role.

She feels her experience on the business side of running newspa-pers will serve her well as she tran-sitions to publisher of both papers.

Tonsing sees some opportuni-ties for collaboration between the two papers. She noted that while the two already share some content, she thinks that could be expanded, especially online, to provide read-ers with more news from around the region.

Manzi was optimistic about Tonsing’s promotion.

“If she has the same success in Sterling that she has had in Fort Morgan, the future is bright for both companies,” he said.

McClain said he wishes Tons-ing well and is con"dent the JA is in good hands.

“Julie’s promotion is very good news for Sterling, Logan County and for the JA. #is is her home ... She knows the community, the peo-ple and the importance of the qual-ity of life here,” he said. “I am certain that she will build a bigger, better and stronger newspaper and en-hance the powerful digital platforms we use to cover the community.”

Tonsing and her husband, Mark, live northwest of Hillrose. Both are lifelong residents of northeast Colorado, growing up in Holyoke. Tonsing is a graduate of Northeastern Junior College and Colorado State University, and has been involved in many civic orga-nizations.

CFOIC from Page 1

courts and the state legislature.With the NFOIC grant and

matching funds, CFOIC would hire a director (probably part-time at "rst). In addition to bringing council fundraising and revenue-generating e!orts to a level of sustainability, the director would be charged with

leading CFOIC’s expanded e!orts. #ese e!orts would include:

Education – CFOIC would organize open government seminars throughout the state directed at concerned citizens, elected o%cials and especially records custodians.

Information – CFOIC would develop a telephone and online hotline to provide information,

education, assistance and resources to the public and media seeking access to government-held information and government meetings.

Litigation – In addition to continuing to "le briefs in open government cases, CFOIC would form a litigation committee that would put citizens interested in

challenging denial of access to records or meetings in contact with pro bono attorneys who would represent them.Advocacy – Working with the

CPA and its lobbyist, CFOIC would o!er expert testimony on open government legislation. It also would rally public support for measures that strengthen open government guarantees.Website development – Working with the NFOIC, CFOIC would

develop a more robust website that would be a comprehensive repository of open government information and resources, and be the place to go for Coloradoans interested in all aspects of open government.

To support to these important e!orts, please send your tax-deductible contribution to the CFOIC c/o Tom Kelley, CFOIC president, 1336 Glenarm Place, Denver, Colo. 80204.

INNOVATION from Page 1

sons from the 2011 InnoMission Re-port is impressive and Meg and the team from this 11,000 daily newspa-per exemplify community newspa-pering at its best. LMA is proud to salute them and share some of their key initiatives.

Key Innovation Mission Takeaways

Takeaway No. 1 — Intense ongoing training

"e goal: Visit with 600 under-performing and non-advertisers in just six months. Legacy print reps were required to take their digital specialist with them on each sales call, and they were to lead with digi-tal products "rst. “#is was a great way to get our print advertising con-sultants up to speed and comfortable selling digital products,” says Boyer.

#ey hung up a countdown so that everyone always knew where the team was relative to goal. On the front of each countdown sheet was a number, and on the back was a form to be "lled out a$er each meeting. Brilliant! #e form included who was in the meeting, when and where it took place, what feedback the adver-tising consultants received from the possible advertiser as well as whether a contract was signed as a result of the meeting.

Tip from Meg Boyer I would strongly encourage any newspaper to give an initiative like 600 in 6 a shot. It takes a lot of e$ort to keep it going, but we gathered critical information, kept the sta$ motivated, and used it as a cross-training opportunity. Regularly report the results of the initiative to your sales team. Let them know who has seen the most clients and who has signed the most contracts as a result. Salespeople are competitive, and it will keep everyone moving forward.

Takeaway No. 2 — Legacy reps can sell digital

Capitalizing on the 600 in 6 months multi-media sales e!ort and

training, they revised commission structures to put the emphasis on digital.

Now the digital specialist gets paid commission on overall digital revenue, regardless of who makes the sale. Legacy reps earn increased com-mission on all sales (including print) for making their digital goals. #ey also held a half-day retreat where each digital sales rep made presenta-tions on their products.

It’s working. In January 2011, 100 percent of banner advertising and online directory sales were sold by a digital sales rep. In January 2012, 50 percent of digital sales were made by legacy print reps.

Takeaway No. 3 — Community Contributions

On the "rst Wednesday of each month, the newsroom and o%ces open to the public as part of their “Co!ee & a Newspaper” events. Community members are en-couraged to bring their thoughts, concerns and story ideas. “We’ve had a great response, especially when we tie hot topics to the events,” reports Boyer.

#ey also publish community contributions through their Share Steamboat Today feature. Read-ers submit more than 200 photos per month via Facebook or [email protected]. #e paper posts the photos on their website, on social media, and in the pages of the newspaper through their Share Steamboat Today feature.

A half-page, full-color promotion runs every day as a way to inform the community about these programs and to share some of the amazing photos they receive.

Social media has also proven to be a very powerful tool for them – they’ve already accomplished more than 4,000 fans on Facebook and 1,300 followers on Twitter. #ey recently joined Pinterest and have enjoyed a lot of initial interest. Find them on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/explorestmbt. “It is especially critical that we tie all of our online pieces together, so we try to constantly link from our di!erent sites and social media accounts,” says Boyer.

Takeaway No. 4 — New Content Strategies

Videos! Videos! Videos! #ey have made producing videos one of their largest goals for 2012 and aim to produce 18 videos per week using existing reporters and photogra-phers and their smart phones. It has been a challenge that the newsroom has eagerly taken on, and it’s been extremely rewarding for their young

journalists and their readers reports Boyer.

#ey’re also reporting in real time, as news happens, at Steamboat-Today.com. #ey send out an initial “tweet” or post to Facebook as soon as they get word of a breaking news item, and then follow up with the details as the story develops.

Takeaway No.5 — Creative Combinations

In 2011, the Steamboat Pilot & Today began o!ering incentives to businesses to advertise in print and online. In addition to those discount programs, they sold a “Press Pass” in January.

For $595, the advertiser could purchase a Press Pass, entitling them to 80 inches of display newspaper advertising, discounts on other print products and discounts on digital products.

#is initiative brought in $65,000 in January revenue and SALES LEADS for the rest of the year.

2011 also saw the start of their “Be Social” package, or social media management.

#e ‘Be Social’ package includes an enhanced listing on Explor-eSteamboat.com, their online busi-ness directory and visitor informa-tion website. It also includes regular posts on Facebook and Twitter. #ere are several add-on options for advertisers, including blogs, videos, email marketing and reputation management.

Takeaway No. 6 — Create New Business

#e Steamboat Pilot & Today launched Hot Steamboat Deals on Sept. 15, 2011. In the six weeks lead-ing up to the launch, they focused on securing deals, building the email database, building excitement in the community, and "nding the right person to lead the charge. Since its debut just eight months ago, Hot Steamboat Deals has brought in more than $100,000 in net revenue.

In an e!ort to continue growing the email database and o!er new products to customers, they launched a “Mom & Me” online photo contest. #e contest brought in 102 photos, 1,254 votes and 442 email addresses.

Innovation takeaways are a top priority

Advocating for government transparency

Editor out and aboutElizabeth Bernbergshows o# her August edition of Colorado Editor at the Sheraton Four Points in Biloxi, Miss., where she was attending the Newspaper Association Managers Classi"ed Network Conference. CPA wants your photos of Colorado Editor traveling around your community, state, nation and world. Submit your Traveling Editor photos to [email protected]. Selected photos will be run in upcoming editions of Colorado Editor.

Top spot at two papers

november 2012 colorado editor

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