March 2014 APME News magazine

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his edition of APME News is not only the first maga-zine for 2014, it represents the first efforts by our

association’s Marketing Committee, led by Angie Muhs ofMaine Today, to help extend the reach and depth of our

content.Angie wrote our cover story, “Obstacles to access,” which

begins on Page 6. She also was the inspiration of our APMESounding Board survey on the topic of public access and theobstacles faced by our member editors.

She also notes in the story how APME, working with theAmerican Society of News Editors, made a principled standabout the White House’s frequent use of handout photos in lieuof providing access to President Barack Obama (you can read

from the two group leaders on Page 8).My thanks to Angie, Alan English and

Autumn Phillips for their contributionsto this issue, along with the inputs andedits from other colleagues and com-mittee members.

Speaking also of our sister organization, you can read a reporton Page 5 about our upcoming joint conference with ASNE inChicago. This will certainly be a don’t-miss event, so please makeevery effort to join this historic combination of these two groups.

Also of note: Changes to the APME contest deadlines. Entriesare due March 31, so make sure you read all about it on Page 18.

Thanks for reading!

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The President’s Corner: Historic APME/ASNE partnership is long overdueKen Paulson: Students use bingo board to convey speakers’ tiresome topics Windy City wins: Chicago to welcome joint convention in SeptemberObstacles to access: APME survey shows roadblocks in gaining accessDear members: Letter offers plea to White House for public press accessMaine bout: Fighting government secrecy by various state agenciesHow They Did It: The Fire Line: Wildfire in ColoradoHow They Did It: Sea Change by The Seattle Times staffGreat Ideas: APME features a collection of the industry’s best and brightestAll aboard: Veteran editor, educator picked as new NewsTrain project directorAlan English: In leaner times, one-person storytelling machines are neededWinners wanted: APME Journalism Excellence Awards deadlines, detailsMember Showcase: APME Photo of the Month winnersEditors in the news: Promotions, appointments, awards and recognitionAP Stylebook minute: 2013 edition alters longstanding White House entry2014 APME Board of Directors

EDITORAndrew OppmannAdjunct Professor of JournalismMiddle Tennessee State [email protected]

DESIGNERSteve [email protected]

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APME News is the quarterly magazine of the Associated Press Media Editors, a professional, nonprofit organization founded in 1933 inFrench Lick, Ind. Its members include senior editors and leaders from news operations in the United States and Canada that are affiliatedwith The Associated Press, including more than 1,400 newspapers and online sites and about 2,000 broadcast outlets. The group alsoincludes college journalism educators and college student media editors. APME works with AP to support and recognize journalism excellence and the First Amendment. To learn more about APME’s programs and activities, visit apme.com.

ABOUT THE COVERPresident Barack Obama greets audience members after a Jan. 30 speech in Nashville.

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APME NEWS PHOTO BY ANDREW OPPMANN

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From the EditorAndrew Oppmann

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he Associated Press Media Editors is enthusi-astically preparing for the first-ever joint con-

ference with the American Society of News Editorsthis fall. This historic partnership is long overdue.

We plan to convene newsroom leaders fromaround the country as we continue to chart a

new, digital course for gathering and delivering news. Welook forward to seeing you Sept. 15-17, 2014, in Chicago. Weare embracing this moment in the spirit of collaborationand partnership, experimentation and innova-tion.

As we look forward, APME remains steadfastin our commitment to the core values that havebeen our foundation: journalism excellence, thetraining and development of editors, partner-ship with the Associated Press, diversity in newsstaff and coverage, and upholding the FirstAmendment.

APME recently partnered with journalism organizationsaround the country to push back against White House limitson press access.

A coalition of press organizations, including ASNE, APME,the White House Correspondents Association and manyothers, delivered a letter to White House Press Secretary JayCarney expressing our concerns about the practice of issu-ing visual press releases rather than allowing press access.

A subsequent meeting was held and we are watchingclosely.

APME is pleased to roll out the 2014 News Train program,our premiere regional journalism training workshops. Wethank Michael Roberts for an exemplary job leading News-Train in recent years and welcome Linda Austin as the newNews Train project manager.

Linda brings years of experience leading newsrooms andinnovating in the classroom to the role. We are excited tokickoff this year’s NewsTrain series on April 25-26 inVancouver, Canada. Additional sessions will be held in

Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas, Nev.; and Austin, Texas. APME also is pleased to partner with the Maynard

Institute for Journalism Education to offer virtual mentoringto journalists on careers, news coverage, training and devel-opment and leadership. Editors are still needed for this pro-gram. Each will serve one-week stints as an editor-in-resi-dence, answering online questions about transitioning toediting, news coverage and other topics.

If you are interested in being a part of the program, pleasecontact Evelyn Hsu at the Maynard Institute,[email protected]. The Maynard Institute is hopingfor robust participation from APME membereditors.

In our effort to highlight journalism excel-lence, APME has refined our journalism contest.The awards recognize work that is innovative,well-written and incisively reported.

The categories include an annual Innovator of the YearAward, a best in show Public Service Award, the new AlNeuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalismand the Tom Curley First Amendment Sweepstakes Award.Additionally, a new category has been added this year: bestmobile platform. This category honors a news organizationthat made significant improvements to a mobile applicationor platform.

The 2014 contest deadline has shifted to more closelyalign with the traditional contest season. Please considerentering your news organization’s best work.

This program year marks another important milestone:the 26th anniversary of the APME Foundation. Establishedin 1988, the foundation was created to advance the educa-tional programs of the APME. The sustainability and viabili-ty of the foundation remains one of our key priorities. Weseek your continued support. n

Adams Simmons is the editor of The Plain Dealer inCleveland. She can be reached at [email protected]

APME/ASNE union: Embracing thespirit of collaboration, innovation

The President’s CornerDebra Adams Simmons

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ou may have seen the attention-getting postof two Boston University College of

Communication students who used a bingoboard to convey how tiresome their college’s guestspeakers are.

From Romenesko: Kyle Clauss writes: “Myroommate [Alex Reimer] and I are students at BostonUniversity’s College of Communication.We’ve listened to our fair share ofself-righteous, out-of-touch journalistguest speakers, so we created thisbingo board. Thought you and yourreaders might appreciate it.”

That’s surprising on a couple offronts. First of all, it’s remarkable thatKyle and Alex know what bingo is.Second is the nature of the messages thatthe young men dismissed as emptyclichés:

n “Mentions small paper where careerbegan”

n “Do you want to be first or right?”n “We tell stories.”n “You need to be a one-man show.”n “You get to see the world.”n “Compares old school methods to ease of

digital age”n “People say journalism is dead, but I think there’s no

better time to be a journalist.”n “How many of you are on Twitter? Anyone?n “Bemoans corporatization of media”n “How many of you read The New York Times? Good.”n “Lame jab at Fox News”n “Free press is the foundation of a healthy democracy.”If you’re thinking about dropping by your local journalism

school to offer some insights, don’t let the snark emanatingfrom Boston University dissuade you. As a former newspa-per editor and now dean of the College of MassCommunication at Middle Tennessee State University, I cantell you that not only do we want you, but we need you.

We need you to tell our students about that first job injournalism and how it transformed your life.

We need you to explain why you place accuracy above allother values and how the rush to publish without confirma-tion can damage lives irreparably.

We need you to provide a sense of history, including whathappened when large corporations purchased family-owned newspapers, and how the profit motive affects thenews media, for better and worse.

We need you to talk about which news sources you valueand which you don’t, and why.

We need you to convey your enthusiasmfor journalism’s past, present and future,including the digital tools that allow us toreach a wider and more engaged audi-ence than ever before.

And most of all, we need you toexplain why you put up with long andunpredictable hours, uncertainty inthe marketplace and a salary lesshandsome than you’d receive else-where, all because this is good andnoble work. Keeping an eye on peo-ple in power, ensuring the free flowof information and looking out forthe community you serve is at theheart of the free press clause, andyes, the foundation of ourdemocracy.

I’m sure there were young people withattitude at the time of the First Amendment’s ratification,

taunting Tom Paine for his tiresome obsession with the“Rights of Man” and Thomas Jefferson for his old-schoolconcern for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

But the commitment of that first generation to freedom ofthe press and speech helped make this a singular nationand ensured that every generation would be free to mock itselders. Is it true that “there’s no better time to be a journal-ist?” I don’t know, but I sure want that conversation on mycampus.

Every journalism and mass communications collegeneeds a committed faculty and well-executed curriculum,but we also need the hope, heart and perspective of thosewho have spent their careers in America’s newsrooms. Ourdoors are wide open. n

Paulson is the dean of the College of Mass Communicationat Middle Tennessee State University and president of theFirst Amendment Center in Nashville. He can be reached [email protected]

CLICHE BINGO! Studentsshould not snub these speech topics

By Ken Paulson

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Legendary citywelcomes historic

ASNE/APME conventionin September

he Windy City is about to become theWinning City.Oh, forgive the Cubs and look past da

Bears, because this is about Chicagowinning in other ways.

A city that reinvented the hot dog and pizza.A city that made skylines sexy.A city with a Gold Coast, Magnificent Mile and a Billy

Goat Tavern.Chicago becomes the Winning City in September, thanks

to landing the first ASNE/APME convention set for Sept. 15-17 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Chicago seems a perfect match for APME, ASNE andAPPM members because of the city’s historic reputation foroutstanding journalism and engaged readers.

“True to our core values, we plan to honor exemplarywork at this historic gathering of the nation's top editors,explore best practices in gathering and distributing infor-mation, promote experimentation in our newsrooms andtwo-way conversations in our communities,” said APMEpresident Debra Adams Simmons, editor of The PlainDealer in Cleveland.

Conference planners are putting together a three-dayschedule that focuses on leadership, innovation andengagement. Details to come, but #BETTERTOGETHER#ENGAGE #INNOVATE could serve as hashtags and descrip-

tors of what to expect from the 2014 convention.Adams Simmons said important issues will be

illuminated in Chicago along with “our connec-tion with readers, the continuing fight on behalfof the First Amendment and our ongoing com-mitment to diversity.”

The convention will follow APME tradition inoffering useful ideas and practices for journalists. The Sept.16, agenda is being built on a “Toolkit Tuesday” theme,emphasizing workshops that provide innovative- and col-laborative-focused takeaways for newsrooms.

Save the dates – Sept. 15-17 – and look for moreannouncements soon as editors reunite in a city thatdeserves a big W. n

TCHICAGO


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hen President BarackObama settled in for his first

day at work in 2009, the WhiteHouse press corps was not

allowed to photograph him.Instead, the White House

released its own, vetted images.It was, the press soon learned, not an isolated

incident. White House press photographers were allowed tophotograph Obama in his office only two more times, in2009 and 2010, and other events began to be deemed “pri-vate” with no media. But then the White House would pro-vide images on social media channels.

The issue came to national attention late in 2013, after acoalition of media groups, including APME, expressed con-

cern about the practice. It drew even more atten-tion after Santiago Lyon, vice president and directorof photography at The Associated Press, wrote anop-ed in The New York Times, decrying the Obamaadministration’s “propaganda.”

The next day, press secretary Jay Carney wasgrilled at a White House press briefing.

Media access to the president may be a high-profile bat-tle, but editors across the country say that they are con-cerned about roadblocks being put up for reporters seekingaccess to officials, records and meetings at all levels of gov-ernment.

In a recent survey by the Associated Press Media Editors,65 percent of editors who responded said that they felt

Obstacles

President Barack Obama reacts with the audienceduring a speech in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 30.

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APME survey showseditors face roadblocks in gaining access to publicofficials and information

By Angie MuhsMaine Today Media

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government agencies had become“less helpful” or “far less” helpful inproviding access to records, meetingsand officials in the past five years.

Michael Oreskes, the AP’s seniormanaging editor, told a recent APMEboard meeting that the news servicehad found itself fighting to intervene when editors learnedthat incoming New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio plannedto hold a private inauguration ceremony, with no media anda webcast done by government employees.

Oreskes said he doesn’t see the incidents as isolated, butrather as a culture shift.

“Whatever the rules of the road are at the White House,they trickle down to governors and mayors,” Oreskes said.“This seemed to be a page directly out of the Obama play-book.”

In the APME survey, 57 percent of the editors also saidthey believe governments have imposed more restrictionsto public access or exemptions to existing access laws in thepast five years.

Editors rated local and county government meetings andlocal courts as being most accessible. Federal records andstate government records – and access to state governmentofficials – are becoming less accessible, they said.

Doug Oplinger, managing editor of the Akron BeaconJournal, said Ohio has seen $1 billion in education fundingturned over to for-profit management companies andchurch-related private schools with little public informationavailable.

“We have a very dangerous situation in which businesshas gained access to billions of dollars in public money andstate leaders have made provisions to allow that to happenwith little or no accountability or oversight,” he said. “Thestate purposely has canceled data-gathering programs sothat there is no ability to analyze and hold accountable.”

Other restrictions have even hit local governments. J.J.Perry, executive editor of the American News in Aberdeen,S.D., said some local police agencies used to provide inci-dent reports that included addresses. Now, reporters receivea brief description, such as “assault” and a time of day.

Perry said his paper also has hit roadblocks as it tries toinvestigate possible mismanagement of funds for a stateprogram.

“Readers have told me ‘keep at it!,’ but they consistentlyvote for officials who clearly do not value openness,” Perrysaid.

About a third of editors surveyed said they think many

readers make the connection between access issues andwatchdog journalism, while another 40 percent said thatsome readers do. Still, 60 percent of those surveyed saidthey think the public knows little about their own rightsunder access laws.

Educating the public can be a delicate balance, Oplingersaid. “News organizations are reluctant to write about theaccess issues we face because we fear looking like we’rewhining,” he said.

The survey did find some bright spots. Eighty-eight per-cent of editors reported having a lawyer available to helpthem fight access battles. Almost 80 percent said they arespending the same, or even more, on legal fees than theywere five years ago.

Most organizations also felt their reporters were well-trained or “okay” on fighting for their own access.

“We work hard in our newsroom to fight the battles our-selves, resorting to lawyers only when we don't win and runout of options,” said Alan Miller, managing editor/news atThe Columbus Dispatch. “And more often than not, we havebeen successful.” n

Muhs, an APME board member, is director of audienceengagement for Maine Today Media in Portland. She can bereached at [email protected].

>> Continued from previous page

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�“Whatever the rules of the road are at the White House,they trickle down to governors and mayors. This seemedto be a page directly out of the Obama playbook.”Michael Oreskes, Associated Press senior managing editor

ORESKES

The White House frequently releases official photos on its website, WhiteHouse.gov, and to the media. In this Oct. 11, 2013,photo, President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama andtheir daughter Malia meet with Malala Yousafzai, the youngPakistani schoolgirl who was shot in the head by the Taliban a year ago, in the Oval Office.

OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA


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November 21, 2013

Dear Members of the American Society of News Editors and the Associated PressMedia Editors:

or decades, American news photogra-phers have captured iconic moments

in and around the White House: PresidentKennedy, from behind in silhouette in thedays before the Cuban Missile Crisis.

President Carter, triumphantly joininghands with Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin atthe signing of the Camp David Accords. PresidentReagan, walking out of the Oval Office for the finaltime. President George W. Bush, taking counselfrom President George H.W. Bush along the WhiteHouse Colonnade.

These presidents have recognized that photo-graphic access by the public's press to their leaderis essential to Americans' trust in the workings ofgovernment.

But not this president. The administration ofPresident Obama is routinely denying the right ofindependent journalists to photograph or video-tape the president while he is performing officialduties. Instead, the White House is issuing visualpress releases - handout pictures taken by officialgovernment photographers - and expecting newsoutlets to publish those.

These are not instances where national securityis at stake, but rather, presidential activities of afundamentally public nature. In recent months,these restricted events have included President

Obama meeting with the Congressional HispanicCaucus, with former Secretary of State HillaryClinton, with African-American clergy, and withPakistani human rights activist Malala Yousafzai.

In each case, the White House deemed the events"private," but then sent its own photographs to thepress and directly to the public over social media.This is, we are sure you will agree, unacceptablepractice, raising both constitutional and ethicalconcerns.

These photographs are, in essence, governmentpropaganda tailored to serve the president's inter-ests and not the public's.

Today, a coalition of press organizations, includ-ing ASNE, APME, the White House CorrespondentsAssociation and many others, delivered a letter toWhite House Press Secretary Jay Carney expressingour concerns about this practice and asking for animmediate meeting to discuss those concerns.

In the meantime, we must accept that we, thepress, have been enablers. We urge those of you innews organizations to immediately refrain frompublishing any of the photographs or videosreleased by the White House, just as you wouldrefuse to run verbatim a press release from them.We urge those of you in journalism education tohighlight this issue in your classrooms. And weurge those with editorial pages to educate and acti-vate the public on this important issue.

Sincerely,

David Boardman Debra Adams SimmonsASNE President APME President

The following letter is from ASNE President David Boardman, dean of the School of Media and Communications at Temple University, and APME President

Debra Adams Simmons, editor of The Plain Dealer.

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By Cliff SchechtmanPortland Press Herald

teenager calls the Biddeford, Maine,police and pleads for help because his

landlord is threatening him. An offi-cer promptly arrives, but soon

leaves after determining it’s a civilissue.

Three minutes later, the teenager and his girl-friend lie dead, his mother wounded and the landlord aboutto be arrested and charged with murder.

Why did police leave the scene? Had the victim told dis-patchers the landlord was armed, and did the dispatcherpass that on to police?

The Portland Press Herald had been trying to answerthose questions but was stymied by law enforcement’srefusal to release the 911 tapes.

Does the public have the right to know how well lawenforcement is doing its job? Apparently not in Maine,where the state’s Attorney General for years had imposedblanket confidentiality on all 911 transcripts related tohomicide investigations. “It is the position we have taken inevery single homicide investigation. End of story,” saiddeputy attorney general William Stokes.

But nearly a year after the killing, the Press Herald wonwhat legal observers said was a precedent-setting casewhen Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court unanimously de-clared that 911 transcripts should be released to the public.

The Press Herald has been aggressively fighting govern-ment secrecy across various agencies throughout the stateand has been having some success. But these small victoriesreflect more than our good fortune to have a legal budget.They reflect our efforts to build a newsroom-wide sensibilitythat we are the watchdogs for the community.

We have miles to go before we can say we’ve succeeded- but we’re on a good path. It requires training, discipline- every reporter should have one working FOI request atall times - and an evangelical approach to public servicereporting in every corner of the newsroom, including fea-tures and sports.

We’ve had to fight for inspection records of daycare facili-ties, internal fire department incident reports and statewiderestaurant inspection records. In each of these cases, ourcoverage resulted in positive changes.

Access issues also have flared in court. Last year,a judge in the infamous Zumba prostitution casein Kennebunk tried conducting secret jury selec-tion because she feared prospective jurors “wouldnot be candid if they were questioned publicly.”

Once again, the Press Herald fought the secretpractices, arguing that an open and public trial isone of our vital First Amendment values. Maine’shighest court unanimously overruled the judge

and ordered the jury selection to be conducted in public, adecision that will likely change the way jury selection isdone in Maine.

Our commitment to watchdog journalism has promptedsome state officials to retaliate.

Last year, Gov. Paul LePage’s administration ordereddepartment heads to no longer speak to Press Heraldreporters after the newspaper published a series examininghow the state’s top environmental regulator supported poli-cies that benefitted her former lobbying clients in the chem-ical and drug industries.

National criticism rained down on the administration andit eventually lifted the gag order.

As editor, I’m in the enviable position of running a newsorganization with an enlightened owner who believes prob-ing journalism is our highest calling. But no amount ofresources can take the place of a newsroom's passion forthe mission.

We should not be observers but truth seekers. n

Cliff Schechtman is executive editor of the Portland (Maine) Press Herald.

Maine bout: Fighting governmentsecrecy by various state agencies

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�Our commitment to watchdogjournalism has prompted somestate officials to retaliate.

SCHECHTMANA

In 2013, Gov. PaulLePage’s adminis-tration ordereddepartment headsto stop speakingto the Portland(Maine) PressHerald. Afternational criticism,the gag order waseventually lifted.


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By Autumn PhillipsTwin Falls Times-News

ENVER -The documentary was 30 minuteslong, but almost a year in the making.

“The Fire Line: Wildfire in Colorado” was astand-alone piece of journalism - shot, edited

and produced by The Denver Post’s photo staff.It went live on denverpost.com on Dec. 21 and focused on

the Waldo Canyon fire that burned in 2012, four miles northof Colorado Springs. The blaze caused the evacuation of32,000 residents, destroyed 346 homes and was part of a

growing and dangerous trend.Tim Rasmussen, assistant managing editor of photogra-

phy and multimedia, said the idea came from a brainstorm-ing session of the photo staff in December 2013. They want-ed to take on a project unlike anything they’d done beforeas a team.

“Every year, we try to ramp up the level of work we do,”Rasmussen said. “We did this to get better, to raise the stan-dard of excellence for ourselves.”

Megan Lyden, a senior multimedia photo editor, took the

HOW THEY DID IT

THE FIRE LINE:WILDFIRE IN COLORADO

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lead as the editor of the project. The staff made lists of inter-views they needed and divided up the work, and they shotthe wildfire season of 2013 – including dramatic footagefrom when photographer Helen H. Richardson and AAronOntiveroz got stuck behind the fire line of the Black Forestfire near Colorado Springs.

With a year to plan, they mapped out images they wantedto capture. They built a 10-foot rail system in Rasmussen’sgarage out of electrical conduit pipe from Home Depot,brackets and a transformer for a hobby train. The systemran on a car battery.

They hiked with it out in the woods and let it run for 10hours to create the video time-lapse featured in the docu-mentary. In it, you see the moon rise and move across thesky behind the movement of the trees.

Audio was a big part of the project, some pulled fromvideo given to them by the Colorado Springs FireDepartment and some pulled from 911 dispatch calls.

The biggest cost in the project was $1,000 spent to buythe music.

“The Fire Line: Wildfire in Colorado” was a huge learningexperience for The Denver Post staff in their ongoing effortto learn new multimedia skills, Rasmussen said. “When Igot to The Post 71/2 years ago, there wasn’t any video.

“The first videos we did were OK. We got better. We chal-lenged ourselves and we learned from our mistakes.”

Since the video wasn’t connected to a story, The DenverPost ran a tease to it on its Sunday front page and it ran inits entirety on the Channel 7 newscast, The Post’s televisionnews partner.

“I’ve worked at small papers, and at any paper there aregreat stories to be told,” Rasmussen said. “It’s important thatthe staff is passionate about it. They have to be willing to dowhat it takes.”

Watch the documentary online at: http://www.denverpost.com/fireline/ci_24638312/watch-denver-post-documentary-fire-line

Autumn Phillips is the editor of the Twin Falls (Idaho)Times-News. She can be reached [email protected]

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�“It’s important that the staff is passionate about it. They have to be willing to do what it takes.”Tim Rasmussen, assistant managing editor of photography and multimedia, The Denver Post



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By Autumn PhillipsTwin Falls Times-News

cean acidification. It’s a chemistry lesson inthe effect of carbon dioxide on the sea. It’sthe eye-glazing stuff of academic sciencejournals.

But The Seattle Times environmental re-porter Craig Welch and photographer Steve

Ringman saw the potential. The oceans were changing, sealife was dying and those who make their living off the seawould soon see a shift in their livelihoods if the world didn’tstart paying attention.

“We were brainstorming last year about doing a big proj-ect about coal, but as Craig talked about it, it was obvious

he was passionate about ocean acidification,” said TheSeattle Times Deputy Managing Editor Jim Simon. “It had adramatic impact in this part of the country – on the south-west Washington coast where it had already caused a die offof oysters.

“The Seattle Times and others had written about acidifica-tion. But few had really looked at the global scope of theproblem.”

Welch found that acidification was posing a threat tomarine life on a much larger scale and much faster thanmany scientists had originally predicted.

Bolstered by a $19,000 grant from the Pulitzer Center onCrisis Reporting, reporter Welch and Ringman traveled

HOW THEY DID IT

SEA CHANGETHE SEATTLE TIMES

Tadi, a Bajau octopus- and fish-spearfisherman, holds onto an octopus he hasjust speared in a small hole in the coral.

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THE SEATTLE TIMES/STEVE RINGMAN

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along a sweeping arch of the Pacific Ocean from DutchHarbor, Alaska to Papua New Guinea. (VisitPulitzercenter.org for more information on grants availablefor international reporting.)

In order to pull off the project, titled “Sea Change,”Ringman and Welch had to learn how to scuba dive – inDecember in the cold waters of the Puget Sound.

In the field, the reporting involved interviews with about150 people, as well as visits to Indonesia, Papua New Guineaand four states.

And in the newsroom, more than 15 staffers – designers,graphic artists, photo and video editors, producers, devel-opers – had a hand in the project.

“It was by far the most ambitious multi-platform, multi-media storytelling we had ever done,” Simon said. “Wewanted to create an immersive experience for readers.”

The digital design for the stories was created fromscratch, integrating photos, video, animated graphics, evenshort interviews with scientists.

In print, the first three stories of the Sea Change serieswere published on Sept. 15-17. But online, all those stories

were published simultaneously as a single package.“We rolled it out in a different way than we ever do,”

Simon said. “The first part published Sunday, Monday andTuesday in print, but we made it all available online, all atonce, on the previous Friday.”

They sent it out to subscribers through email and selec-tively through social media, hoping to create a viral buzz.

“We don’t think it diminished the print product doing itthat way,” Simon said. “In fact, we hoped people gravitatedto our print product because of it.”

Sea Change was among the most-read stories onSeattletimes.com after the rollout.

“For such a long piece and complex subject, it wasremarkably well read,” he said. “There’s still a big appetitefor longer form journalism, especially if it’s built in thisimmersive environment. Readers will respond.”

To read (and immerse yourself) in the Sea Change project, visit http://bit.ly/1hhZ4P2)

Autumn Phillips is the editor of the Twin Falls (Idaho)Times-News. She can be reached [email protected]


A Bajau woman fishing in shallow waters off their community of stilts, spears a stone fish which is very deadly if stepped on - not to eat but to get rid of so nobody gets hurt. The stonefish has spines across its

back that project out when stepped on.

THE SEATTLE TIMES/STEVE RINGMAN


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great ideas2013 APME

INDIANAPOLIS CONFERENCE

ave you launched a great new feature,page or web project, or used a socialmedia tool in a great new way? Well,we want to recognize your great idea.

Associated Press Media Editors recognizes aGreat Idea every month on APME.com and weshowcased monthly winners in our popularannual Great Ideas book, which was released at

our conference in October.This is a chance for your newspaper to show

off great work and to help fellow editors by pro-viding ideas that might work in their markets.

It’s simple to submit your Great Idea. Just goto the Great Ideas page at APME.com, fill outthe online form and attach an image or submit alink.

MAYAN APOCALYPSESan Antonio Express-News, San AntonioEmily SpicerWHAT THEY DID: For the “Mayan apocalypse” in December, we had an overall cover illustration for our “Party like there’s no tomorrow” theme.The whole staff contributed pieces: It’s the last supper/last party – how to throw the ultimate end-of-the world bash, with a playlist, décor, menu, etc.

DON’T FEAR THE MENUThe Virginia-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.Jim HaagWHAT THEY DID: When afood lede fell through, ourfood writer put together a pro-nunciation guide, completewith definitions, of all thosefancy terms turning up onmenus. Words like quinoa,pho, blue curacao. We evenincluded the names of a couple of local restaurantsthat we had been incorrectlypronouncing for years. And, inside the section, we gave readers a pocketversion of the pronunciation guide that they could cut out and keep intheir wallets.

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GREAT IDEAS

IF THESE INSTRUMENTSCOULD TALKNews-Record, Greensboro, N.C.Cinday LomanWHAT THEY DID: Arts & Enter-tainment reporter Dawn Kane cameup with the idea to have symphonymembers write pieces about theirinstruments – as the voice of theinstruments. Dawn shepherded theirsubmissions, and we got exception-al photographs to illustrate the stories.

WOMAN OF SPIRITSpostgazette.com, PittsburghBob BatzWHAT THEY DID:We gathered a dozen of the top female bartenders in the city for a group picture and separate vignettes on each of them.

CHALK IT UP TO THE PHOTOGRAPHERArizona Daily Star, Tucscon, Ariz.Ryan FinleyWHAT THEY DID: Our staff photographer, Kelly Presnell, used his love ofcomic books and street art to give our Winter High School All-Stars package aspecial feel. Using a black background tarp from the Star’s studio and somechalk, he sketched out basketball hoops, soccer goals and a wrestling mat, thenposed our players of the year on the floor. The result: A street-inspired Sundaycenterpiece that popped.

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GREAT IDEAS

WINTER STORM:BEFORE AND AFTERSouth Shore Newsrooms,MassachusettsGateHouse MediaWHAT THEY DID: With a winterstorm bearing down on NewEngland, a group of GateHouseMedia newsrooms onthe South Shore reached out toreaders to send them photos frombefore the storm and after thestorm. Readers were asked to takephotos in the same spot to illustratejust how much the snow hadchanged the landscape.

16 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 y A P M E N E W S

A B’MORE LOVE STORYBaltimore Sun, Baltimore Anne TallentWHAT THEY DID: For Valentine’sDay, The Sun dining critic outlinedthe ideal destination for every stageof a relationship, from first date tomeeting the parents to one-yeardating anniversary to breakup spot.Funny and painfully accurate.

PME is pleased to announce a new proj-ect director for its popular regional

NewsTrain workshops. Veteran editorand educator Linda Austin will run

NewsTrain, a 10-year-old nationaltouring workshop serving journal-

ists in their own cities. Programs are designed toprovide training in the skills, knowledge and infor-mation newsroom leaders need in a rapidly changing mediaenvironment.

This year’s NewsTrain workshops will be hosted inVancouver, Canada; Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas, Nev., andAustin, Texas.

“APME looks forward to delivering the high-quality, low-cost training to journalists that has been one of our core ini-tiatives and is thrilled that Linda Austin will lead ourefforts,” said APME President Debra Adams Simmons.

Austin has been the executive director of the Donald W.Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism and aprofessor of practice at Arizona State University’s WalterCronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

for the past five years. Before that, she was the editor of the Lexington

Herald-Leader in Kentucky; executive editor of TheNews-Sentinel in Fort Wayne, Ind.; and managingeditor of the News & Record in Greensboro, N.C. Shealso held leadership positions at The PhiladelphiaInquirer, including business editor, graphics editor,assistant managing editor/finance and editor/ pub-

lisher of PhillyTech magazine. She was a fellow in the PunchSulzberger Executive News Media Leadership Program atColumbia University’s Journalism School and earned a mas-ter’s degree in educational technology from Arizona StateUniversity.

She will jump right in. The first NewsTrain of 2014 is April25-26 in Vancouver.

“I want to continue helping journalists to access high-quality, low-cost training after I leave the Reynolds Center inMarch,” Austin said. “As a former APME member andNewsTrain attendee, I know firsthand how essential thistraining program is. I’m honored to help continue its proudtradition in its second decade.” n

Veteran editor, educator Linda Austin picked as NewsTrain project director

AAUSTIN


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shley Smith, chief photographer at the Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho, is one. Val Horvath

Davidson of The Times, Shreveport, La., is too.They are taking their future into their own

hands and increasing their stock within theirnews organizations the same way report-

ers willing to learn video and photography are. Smart moves.“News organizations are going to

get leaner. We are going to have todo more than less, and I think thatis obvious,” said Smith. “But thatdoesn’t mean you have to give upon good storytelling. You just haveto prioritize and adapt.”

Smith decided to take a writingcourse at a local college, finding heneeded the time to make somemistakes and build his confidenceas a writer. He wanted to be agreater part of the storytellingefforts in Twin Falls.

He has found the change -writing more of his own completepackages - enlivens his work andexperience as a journalist.

For example, soon after takingclasses, Smith embarked on learn-ing all he could about Ernest Hem-ingway’s retreat in Idaho. New-found skills taught him to observemore than what a photographerwould see.

He took in other external stimuli,learned to listen for special quotes.He became more involved in storysubjects-interacting with the community and fullyimmersing himself gave Smith a unique perspective on thestory.

“Everybody knows the more skill sets you have, you’ll bestanding on better ground,” said Smith, who wants to bepart of the future and keep having fun. Smith’s experiencehas reinvigorated his journalistic passion - he finds greaterpleasure in working on the whole story rather than just apart.

Davidson's route to a job change included being chosento write more stories to help provide more communitynews, and then she embraced the opportunity to be a big-ger part of the newsroom.

Davidson started writing community features and keptthem coming, while balancing photo assignments comingher way. Her writing improved with feedback from a team

editor. Ultimately, Davidson landed a

community reporter job – her per-severance and experience paid offas the newsroom grew smaller. Sheis versatile.

“If I had a choice, I wouldn’t goback to just being a photographer. Ilove being on the front lines findingthe stories,” Davidson said. “I can’tbelieve I used to work in a separateroom as photographers and think-ing that was ideal. I love being inthe middle of it all, and this job hasme there.”

The sentiment is shared by othersadvancing their skills. “You’re anadded commodity for the news-room, more valuable. I’m moreengaged. Doing this relit a spark forme,” Smith said.

Times photojournalist HenriettaWildsmith sees a day when she’llconvert to taking on a beat ratherthan only photo assignments. Shesees what Davidson has done andrealizes the potential. She wants towrite more and have a greater role.

She doesn’t want to be outmoded. “It’s exciting. I see somany possibilities handling the writing too,” Wildsmithsaid.

Alan English is general manager and executive editor of TheTimes, Shreveport, La. His first journalism jobs included staffphotographer, chief photographer and photo editor beforestepping into newsroom and newspaper management. Hecan be reached at [email protected]

In leaner times, one-personstorytelling machines are needed

By Alan English

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he 2013 APME Journalism Excellence Awards,which honor superior journalism and innova-

tion among newspapers, radio, television andonline news sites across the United States andCanada, have a new deadline: Monday, March 31.

The awards seek to promote excellence by rec-ognizing work that is innovative, well-written and incisivelyreported. A special award honors innovation by colleges anduniversities.

All awards will be presented for journal-ism published or launched between Jan. 1,2013, and Dec. 31, 2013. Because of thechange in the entry period, first-place win-ners in the previous contest (running fromMay 1, 2012- April 30, 2013) are not eligibleto enter their winning work in the currentcontest. All other entries are eligible andwill be considered by judges.

Besides the new deadline, the APMEawards will feature a new category: BestMobile Platform. This new category willhonor a news organization that producedor made significant improvements to amobile application or platform in 2013.

Four of the categories offer monetaryawards: the Seventh Annual Innovator ofthe Year Award for newspapers, the Best ofShow in the Public Service Awards, The AlNeuharth Award for Innovation inInvestigative Journalism and the TomCurley Sweepstakes Award in the FirstAmendment Awards.

The entry fees are $75 per entry for APME members and$100 per entry for non-members.

The awards will be presented at the ASNE/APMEConference Sept. 15-17 in Chicago, and are linked on theAPME website. The finalists of the newspaper Innovator ofthe Year will make presentations at the conference, and thewinner will be selected by conference attendees.

Nominations are received online only. The first step is signing up as an "entrant" at the APME

contest site. Please keep your entrant username and pass-word. You will need it to submit entries and return to thesite to edit or add more entries before submitting them forjudging. Submit all entries before accessing the paymentpage to check out.

>> Enter at: https://www.omnicontests4.com/Default.aspx?comp_id=1265

Again, the deadline to submit entries will be midnightEST Monday, March 31. For more information, contact SallyJacobsen ([email protected]) at The Associated Press at 212-621-1838 or Joshua Schwartz ([email protected]) at TheAssociated Press at 212-621-7831.

>> Eighth Annual Innovator of the Year Award

The award recognizes innovation inprint, online, management, structure orother area that demonstrates a bold, cre-ative effort to improve a news or informa-tion product and increase audience.Demonstrable success is required for theentry’s standing. The winner will be award-ed $1,000. The sponsor is GateHouseMedia.

n Definition of Innovation: A new, cre-ative and forward-thinking concept thathas long-lasting effects and attracts newaudiences or dollars. It can be a product, atechnique or a new structure, but it mustbe able to show how it met a specific goalover a period of time. It should have poten-tial to become an industry standard over aperiod of time.

n Eligibility: The competition is open toany editor or staff member of an AP-member news organi-zation, a team from a member news organization or amember news organization.

n Submissions: A total of 20 files can be uploaded witheach entry. This can include a combination of documents,published pages and multimedia files, if applicable.

n Online innovation: The entrant is responsible for mak-ing the site available to judges through a Web link. URLshould be submitted with the application.

n Print innovation: Submit electronic files of publishedtear sheets.

n Online and print: Combinations are welcome, andshould be submitted according to rules for both.

n Management, structure or other: Explain thorough-

APME Journalism ExcellenceAwards: Deadline, contest details


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ly the innovation and how it improved or increased efficien-cy, effectiveness, coordination and audience or enhancedthe newspaper’s competitiveness or ability to improve con-tent. Provide examples of resulting content as appropriate.

n Judging: A panel of APME board and committee mem-bers will judge all entries and select three finalists. The final-ists will be presented to attendees of the ASNE/APME jointconference in Chicago, and a vote of attendees will deter-mine the winner. A representative of each finalist will beasked to present his or her news organization’s entry at theconference. Attendance is not required to win, but it will dif-ficult for attendees to select a winner without a representa-tive’s presentation.


>> Third Annual Innovator of the YearAwards for Television and Radio

The awards recognize innovation in television and radiothat demonstrates bold, creative efforts to improve a newsor information product and increase audience. Demon-strable success is required for the entry’s standing. An awardwill be given for the TV winner; another for the radio win-ner.

n Definition of Innovation: A new, creative and for-ward-thinking concept that has long-lasting effects andattracts new audiences or dollars. It can be a product, atechnique or a new structure, but it must be able to showhow it met a specific goal over a period of time. It shouldhave potential to become an industry standard over a peri-od of time.

n Eligibility: The competition is open to any news man-ager or staffer of an AP-member TV or radio station or net-work, or a team from a member TV or radio station or net-work.

n Submissions: A total of 20 files can be uploaded witheach entry. This can include a combination of producedsegments or stories, documents, and/or multimedia files asappropriate.

n Management, structure or other: Explain thorough-ly the innovation and how it improved or increased efficien-cy, effectiveness, coordination and audience or enhancedthe station or network’s competitiveness or ability toimprove content. Provide examples of resulting content asappropriate.

n Judging: A panel of APME board members will judgeall entries and select the winner.


>> Third Annual Innovator of the YearAward for College Students

The award recognizes innovation by university studentsin print, online, management, structure or other area thatdemonstrates a bold, creative effort to improve a news orinformation product and increase audience. Demonstrablesuccess could improve the entry’s standing.

n Definition of Innovation: A new, creative and for-ward-thinking concept that has long-lasting effects andattracts new audiences or dollars. It can be a product, atechnique or a new structure, but must be able to show howit met a specific goal over a period of time. It should havepotential to become an industry standard over a period oftime.

n Eligibility: The competition is open to any APME affili-ate member who is either an enrolled student or facultymember.


n Online innovation: The entrant is responsible for mak-ing the site available to judges through a Web link. URLshould be submitted with the application.

n Print innovation: Submit electronic files of publishedtear sheets.

n Online and print: Combinations are welcome, andshould be submitted according to rules for both.

n Management, structure or other: Explain thorough-ly the innovation and how it improved or increased efficien-cy, effectiveness, coordination and audience or enhancedthe newspaper’s competitiveness or ability to improve con-tent. Provide examples of resulting content as appropriate.

n Judging: A panel of APME board members will judgeall entries and select the winner.


>> The Al Neuharth Award for Innovationin Investigative Journalism

This award recognizes groundbreaking work by a newspa-per that creatively uses digital tools in the role of being acommunity’s watchdog. The winner in each circulation cat-egory will be awarded $2,500.



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n Eligibility: The awards are given to Associated Press orCanadian Press member newspapers.

n Criteria: This award recognizes groundbreaking workby a newspaper that creatively uses digital tools in the roleof being a community's watchdog. Special consideration isgiven to journalism that helps a community understandand address important issues. Criteria for evaluating inno-vation include interactivity, creation of new tools, innova-tive adaptation of existing tools, and creative use of any dig-ital medium.

n Nominations: Nominations may be made by a news-paper itself, other newspapers, by AP bureaus or by civic orcultural organizations.

n Circulation categories: There shall be two awards:one for newspapers with average daily circulation up to75,000, and the other for newspapers of 75,000 average dailycirculation or more, according to the latest audited figures.The winner in each category will receive $2,500 in prizemoney. APME reserves the right to decline to award a win-ner in any category.

n Submissions: Entries should include electronic files ofclippings of stories, series and/or editorials and communityreaction. No more than 20 electronic files may be submit-ted, including a detailed letter outlining the background,accomplishments and results of the effort. Entrants areresponsible for making the digital tools available to judgesthrough a Web link. URL should be submitted with theapplication. The letter should discuss significant challengesto the accuracy or the approach of the entry, and steps thenewspaper took to address those concerns. The entry mustinclude all published corrections or clarifications.

n Judging: Judging will be done by a panel of APMEboard members, including the APME president.


>> NEW: Best Mobile PlatformThis award is presented to the news organization that

produces or made significant improvements to a mobile(smartphone or tablet) application or platform in 2013,which most advances the state of the art in utility andengagement. The ideal entry will embody improvements incontent, design, functionality and technology that set anexample worthy of emulation by the industry.

n Eligibility: The competition is open to any editor orstaff member of an AP-member news organization, a teamfrom a member news organization or a member newsorganization.


n Online: The entrant is responsible for making the siteavailable to judges through a Web link. URL should be sub-mitted with the application.

n Management, structure or other: Explain thorough-ly the mobile application and how it improved or increasedefficiency, effectiveness, coordination and audience orenhanced the newspaper’s competitiveness or ability toimprove content.

n Judging: A panel of APME board and committee mem-bers, including one who has experience with developmentof mobile apps, will judge all entries and select the winner.


>> 44th annual Public Service AwardsThe APME Public Service Awards are given to Associated

Press or Canadian Press member newspapers for meritori-ous service to the community, state or nation. From thethree division winners, an Overall Winner will then be cho-sen and receive $1,500, as provided by the APMEFoundation.

n Criteria: Entries will be judged on the basis of how thenewspaper made full use of its resources in serving the pub-lic good and on the high quality of journalism exhibited inthe work. Work that demonstrates evidence of positivechange that has benefited the public or its institutions willbe given strong consideration. The entry may be a singlearticle or a series, and, in addition to the primary print cov-erage, can include sidebars, graphics, online work, com-mentary and editorials.

n Nominations: Nominations may be made by a news-paper itself, by other newspapers, by AP bureaus or by civicor cultural organizations.

n Circulation categories: There shall be three awards:one for newspapers with average daily circulation to 39,999;one for newspapers with average daily circulation of 40,000to 149,999; another for newspapers of 150,000 average dailycirculation or more, according to the latest audited figures.APME reserves the right to decline to award a winner in anycategory. Only newspapers are eligible to submit entries,except that bureau work may be entered by a single news-paper for judging in the 150,000-and-over circulation cate-gory regardless of the size of the paper in which the workappears.

n Submissions: Entries should include electronic files of




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clippings of stories, series and/or editorials and communityreaction. No more than 20 electronic files may be submit-ted, including a detailed letter outlining the background,accomplishments and results of the effort. The letter shoulddiscuss significant challenges to the accuracy or theapproach of the entry, and steps the newspaper took toaddress those concerns. The entry must include all pub-lished corrections or clarifications.

n Judging: Judging will be done by the president andthree past presidents of APME plus a senior editor of TheAssociated Press. Judges will select the Overall Winner fromthe three division winners.


>> First Amendment Award and Citations The 2013 APME First Amendment Awards will be given to

journalists or newspapers for work that advances freedomof information, makes good use of FOI principles orstatutes, or significantly widens the scope of informationavailable to the public. Other distinguished efforts will behonored with First Amendment citations. The Tom CurleySweepstakes Award of $1,000 will be given to the winningentry that best exemplifies the spirit of the FirstAmendment.

n Criteria: The objective is to honor journalists andnewspapers for significant or breakthrough work that pro-tects or advances the First Amendment or federal and stateFOI statutes. A story or project that makes good use of anFOIA law does not necessarily meet the criteria for theAPME First Amendment Award, and may be deserving ofconsideration in the APME Public Service competition.Judges in the First Amendment contest will give preferenceto entries that break ground in the use of freedom of infor-mation principles or overcome significant official resistanceto legal application of the First Amendment or FOI laws.Newspapers must choose whether to enter their projects inthe First Amendment or Public Service contests.

n Nominations: Nominations will be made by individu-als, newspapers, professional societies, journalism schools,state AP associations and others.

n Circulation categories: There shall be three awards:one for newspapers with average daily circulation to 39,999;one for newspapers with average daily circulation of 40,000to 149,999; another for newspapers of 150,000 average dailycirculation or more, according to the latest audited figures.The Tom Curley Sweepstakes Award, carrying a $1,000 prize,will be given to the winning entry that best exemplifies the

spirit of the First Amendment. APME reserves the right todecline to award a winner in any category.

n Eligibility: Individual staff members of The AssociatedPress or Canadian Press member newspapers, or the news-papers themselves, are eligible. However, an individual ornewspaper may be nominated for contributions to freedomof information over the years.

n Submissions: The objective is to honor newsmen,newswomen and newspapers for efforts to obtain informa-tion to which the public otherwise would not have access. Itis important that entries emphasize and document thoseefforts. Electronic images of pages must include publicationdates. A total of 20 files may be uploaded and can be a com-bination of published pages, documentation and/or multi-media files. A detailed explanation of the entry to be sub-mitted as a document file to your online application shoulddiscuss significant challenges to the accuracy or theapproach of the entry, and steps the newspaper took toaddress those concerns. The entry must include all pub-lished corrections.

n Judging: Nominations will be judged by members ofthe APME Executive Committee, the chairman of the APMEFirst Amendment Committee and distinguished experts onpublic access issues.


>> Digital Storytelling AwardsThe award recognizes Associated Press or Canadian Press

member newspaper, television, radio and online partnersfor the effective use of digital storytelling.

n Criteria: These awards recognize print-online orbroadcast-online combinations that draw on feature story-telling, data visualization, social media, use of apps, games,video and/or blogs in presenting the story. The article canbe on any topic, but it must have a narrative or featureapproach to it. Entries should demonstrate the effective useof the digital medium, highlighting its ability to engagereaders, viewers or listeners and present information incompelling new ways.

n Nominations: Nominations may be made by a news-paper or broadcast outlet itself or its online partner.

n Circulation categories: There shall be three awards:one for newspapers with average daily circulation to 39,999;one for newspapers with average daily circulation of 40,000to 149,999; another for newspapers of 150,000 average dailycirculation or more, according to the latest audited figures.APME reserves the right to decline to award a winner in any



category.n Submissions: Entry should include main URL, three

supporting URLs, plus a 500-word (max) statement explain-ing why the work deserves recognition. Judges will give spe-cial weight to entries that highlight reader engagement andinteractivity. You can include electronic files of stories, seriesand/or editorials and community reaction. No more than 20electronic files may be submitted, including a letter describ-ing the nominated story and how it was developed. The let-ter should discuss additional elements produced for onlineand how the online efforts contributed to development ofthe story in print or broadcast. The letter also should dis-cuss any action resulting from the coverage. It also shouldmention significant challenges to the accuracy or approachof the entry, as well as steps the news media outlet and/orthe online unit took to address those concerns. Publishedcorrections or clarifications must be included.

n Judging: Judging will be done by a committee appoint-ed by the president of APME.


>> International Perspective AwardsThe 2013 APME International Perspective Awards will be

given to Associated Press and Canadian Press membernewspapers for outstanding coverage of international newsfor local readers.

n Criteria: These awards recognize newspapers that pro-vide effective and thoughtful coverage of world events for alocal audience.

This could be reflected in coverage from the newspaper'sown foreign staff; consistent, discriminating selection of

news agency and syndicate material with an eye to overallimportance, the quality of writing and the specific interestsof the local community; locally produced stories tracing theinternational connections of people, businesses and otherorganizations in the newspaper's circulation area; articlesabout, or by, local people living or traveling abroad; and theeffective use of local experts to provide background oninternational developments.

n Nominations: Nominations may be made by a news-paper itself, by other newspapers, by AP bureaus or by civicor cultural organizations.

n Circulation categories: There shall be three awards:one for newspapers with average daily circulation to 39,999;one for newspapers with average daily circulation of 40,000to 149,999; another for newspapers of 150,000 average dailycirculation or more, according to the latest audited figures.APME reserves the right to decline to award a winner in anycategory.

n Submissions: An entry can include electronic files ofstories, series and/or editorials and community reaction.The files should include proof of publication date. A total of20 files may be uploaded, and should include a letter with adescription of the newspaper’s criteria and philosophy forinternationally related coverage.

The letter also should discuss any accomplishmentsresulting from the coverage.

It should also discuss significant challenges to the accura-cy or approach of the entry, and steps the newspaper tookto address those concerns. Published corrections or clarifi-cations must be included.

n Judging: Judging will be done by a panel of APMEboard members.


22 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 y A P M E N E W S

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CHICAGO!SEPT. 15-17 y HYATT REGENCY

Let’s get togetherwww.apme.com


M A R C H 2 0 1 4 y A P M E N E W S 23

APME NEWSAPME recognizes contributions to the APphoto report through the Showcase Photoof the Month Award. The competition isjudged by AP and member photo editors.The monthly winners are displayed at theannual conference and a Showcase Photoof the Year Award is presented.showcase

member

OCTOBERAP Photo/AL.comMark AlmondHuntsville's AnnaHahnemann is hit in thenose while making a returnduring the Alabama HighSchool Athletic Association(AHSAA) Class 6A EliteEight State volleyball tour-nament championshipmatch against Bob Jonesat the Crossplex inBirmingham. Bob Joneswon the championship.

NOVEMBERAP Photo/Santa Rosa Press DemocratKent PorterFirefighters from Schell Vista of Sonoma County and SantaClara County Cal Fire prepare to put out hotspots on a fire inthe hills of Soda Canyon above Napa, Calif., Friday, Nov. 22,2013. The fire grew to over 300 acres by daybreak, fanned byhigh winds.

DECEMBERAP Photo/The OregonianBeth NakamuraPhillip Hartlip, 9, a patient at Randall Children’s Hospital fromCamas, Wash., shares a moment with Santa in Portland, Ore.Santa and his elves made the windows of the Randall Child-ren's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel extra bright Monday, Dec.16, 2013. The window washers have been washing the hospi-tal’s windows for 22 years


24 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 y A P M E N E W S

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The Tennessean announces changesThe Tennessean and TN Media, a Gannett company, announced

key changes to the newsroom’s leadership team and structure.Stefanie Murray, 33, formerly assistant managing editor/digital

with the Detroit Free Press, was named to the newly created role ofvice president/content and engagement.

This position is the top leadership role inside The Tennessean’snews center. In this role, Murray is responsible for strategicapproach, performance management, audience growth and devel-opment and news content and quality across all platforms andproducts.

Maria De Varenne will continue to serve as News Director /Editor for The Tennessean and will report to Murray in the newlyannounced structure. De Varenne has been the editor for TheTennessean since December 2011.

Also, Meg Downey, The Tennessean’s Managing Editor since2006, announced her retirement after 35 years of service withGannett.

Miller to lead Monterey newsroomDon Miller, the editor of the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Sentinel, has

been named editor of the Monterey County Herald, replacingRoyal Calkins. The move is part of a reorganization plan, saidPublisher Gary Omernick, who manages both The Herald andSentinel.

Miller is a veteran journalist who joined the Sentinel in 1984 andwas named editor in 2007. While continuing his role in SantaCruz, he vows to continue The Herald’s focus on local reportingand photography, both in print and online.

AP hires new editor for Va., W.V.The Associated Press has named a Denver journalist as its new

editor for Virginia and West Virginia, filling a position that openedlast fall when the news organization fired three staff members overan erroneous story about then-gubernatorial candidate TerryMcAuliffe.

Steve McMillan is moving to the Richmond-based positionafter spending 16 years at The Denver Post. McMillan, 56, was awriter and editor in Denver. He spent 41/2 years there as businesseditor. He has also worked as business editor and as an assistantcity editor at the Albuquerque Journal.

AP hires Bussewitz for Hawaii postCathy Bussewitz, an award-winning Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press

Democrat reporter skilled in multimedia and data reporting, hasbeen hired as a government and politics reporter for The Associa-

ted Press in Hawaii.Bussewitz previously covered state government for the AP in two

states, Nevada and California, in 2009 and 2010. While covering theNevada Legislature, she broke stories on suspicious contractawards and a historic state budget shortage. Bussewitz later cov-ered the California Public Employees' Retirement System, thecountry's largest public pension fund.

Kessel named managing editor in Canton Laura Kessel has been named managing editor of The

Repository in Canton, Ohio. Previously she worked for the News-Herald of Willoughby, Ohio, where she served as managing editorbeginning in 2005. Kessel has coordinated a number of long-termand special projects for The Herald and its sister paper, TheMorning Journal in Lorain.

She will direct the content gathering and other operations aswell as oversee the universal design and copy desk that paginatesGatehouse Ohio’s two additional papers, The Times-Reporter andThe Independent. She is a former member of the Associated PressMedia Editors board. She reports to Executive Editor Teri Hayt.

Brink named business editor in ClevelandMary Lou Brink, former interactive media and niche publica-

tions director for the Fort Wayne Newspapers in Fort Wayne, Ind.,and most recently a community relations specialist for ITT Techni-cal Institute, has been appointed the business editor for The PlainDealer in Cleveland.

Brink, an Ohio University graduate who grew up in Columbus,will oversee seven full-time business journalists who write forOhio's largest newspaper in print and online at cleveland.com.

Wilson top editor in Paducah, Ky.Steve M. Wilson has been named executive editor of The

Paducah (Ky.) Sun.The western Kentucky newspaper reports Wilson has more than

30 years of experience in senior positions at newspapers, mostrecently serving as editor of The Kentucky Enquirer.

Lovett top editor in Henderson, Ky.Tom Lovett has been named editor of The Gleaner in

Henderson, Ky. The Gleaner says Lovett is a longtime Owensbororesident and a veteran of The Evansville Courier & Press.

Both papers are owned by The E.W. Scripps Co. Lovett will suc-ceed David Dixon, who retired last year after more than 37 yearsin the newsroom.

editorsin the newsIndustry’s promotions, appointments, awards and recognition



Hengel to lead content for media groupMike Hengel, editor of the Las-Vegas Review-Journal, will now

oversee the editorial content of all of Stephens Media’s 75 daily andweekly newspapers in nine states, the company announced.

AP names Gillespie as deputy sports editorNoreen Gillespie, a deputy regional editor for The Associated

Press who helps oversee news coverage of 14 states and was a keyeditor at the past two Olympics, has been appointed deputy sportseditor for the news agency.

Gillespie, currently based in Chicago at the AP’s Central RegionalDesk, will be based in New York and will report to Global SportsEditor Michael Giarrusso, who announced the promotion.

She will work with four regional sports editors in the UnitedStates and International Sports Editor Simon Haydon to overseemore than 100 sports journalists around the globe, handling spotcoverage of games, investigative reporting and planning for eventssuch as the Super Bowl, World Cup and Olympics.

Register hires Michigan journalist as editor The Des Moines (Iowa) Register has named a Michigan journalist

as its editor. The Register announced it had appointed AmalieNash as its editor and vice president for audience engagement.

The 37-year-old Nash fills a position that became availablewhen Rick Green moved from editor to president and publisherof the Register in August.

Nash has worked for the past three years as assistant managingeditor for metro-state news at the Detroit Free Press. Nash alsospent the last 15 months coordinating the Gannett Michigan net-work of news sites, including six newspapers and one televisionstation.

Star-Banner names Ross managing editor Jim Ross, senior editor of the Star-Banner since May 2009, has

been named managing editor of the Ocala, Fla., news organization,according to Doug Ray, executive editor.

Ross succeeds Tom McNiff, who recently left the Star-Banner tobecome executive editor at the Leesburg Daily Commercial, a sisternews organization.

New publisher for Forsyth County NewsSwartz-Morris Media Inc., which is headquartered in Cumming,

Ga., has named Vince Johnson as the new publisher at theForsyth County News, replacing John Hall, who is on medicalleave.

The County News reports that Johnson started working in news-papers in 2007 and has six years of digital media experience. Hepreviously held digital media positions in Statesboro, Santa Clarita,Calif., and Birmingham, Ala.

Publisher named for west Ga. newspapersA group of newspapers in west Georgia has a new publisher. Marvin Enderle has been named publisher of the Times-

Georgian in Carrollton, the Douglas County Sentinel in Douglas-ville and associated weekly newspapers.

The Times-Georgian reports that all of the publications areowned by Paducah, Ky.-based Paxton Media Group.

Enderle's previous positions include publisher of The Enquirer-Journal in Monroe, N.C., and publisher of Paxton Media Group'snewspaper in Russellville, Ark.

Herald-Journal publisher to head Fla. groupKevin Drake, publisher of the Herald-Journal of Spartanburg,

S.C., has been named head of the Ledger Media Group in Lake-land, Fla. Both newspapers are part of the Halifax Media Group.

The move was announced by Halifax Media Group CEOMichael Redding and South Region Publisher Jim Doughton inLakeland and was reported by the Herald-Journal.

Drake replaces Jerome Ferson, who resigned last week.

CEO Fenwick out at Dow Jones subsidiaryIn an unexpected shakeup, News Corp said that it is replacing

Lex Fenwick, CEO of its Dow Jones subsidiary. The media compa-ny controlled by Rupert Murdoch said it plans to review how DowJones serves institutional clients.

The company named William Lewis Dow Jones’ interim CEO. News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson said the review will include

improvements to DJX, a product for institutions that includes avariety of services such as Factiva and the Dow Jones newswire.

The product was meant to compete with rival Bloomberg'sfinancial data and news services and was largely developed byFenwick, who joined Dow Jones in February 2012 after 25 years atBloomberg LP, where he held positions including that of CEO atBloomberg Ventures.

Gibson to lead Ugandan newspaperA retired University of Kansas professor has been named execu-

tive editor of a media group in Uganda. The Lawrence (Kan.)Journal-World reports that Malcolm Gibson, a retired KU journal-ism professor, recently signed a two-year contract with Nairobi-based Nation Media Group to serve as executive editor for MonitorNewspapers in Kampala, Uganda. As executive editor, Gibson willoversee editorial operations of the national daily newspaper, theDaily Monitor, and two radio stations.

Nelson leaves publishing positionTodd Nelson, regional publisher of Lee Enterprises’ Central

Illinois Group, announced that he is leaving Lee to become presi-dent of the Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, LLC and vice presi-dent and general manager of the Arkansas Democrat-GazetteNorthwest Edition.

Loyal named editor, general managerGannett Co. Inc.’s U.S. Community Publishing division

announced it has named Taylor Loyal as editor and general man-ager of The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Loyal, previously worked as news director and digital director atThe DNJ. He became the editor and general manager of SmyrnaA.M., a weekly DNJ product, shortly after that newspaper launchedin 2007.

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26 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 y A P M E N E W S

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N.C. editor adds title of publisherThe editor of The Daily Dispatch of Henderson, N.C., has become

the newspaper's new publisher.According to The Daily Dispatch, Rick Bean, the president of the

North Carolina division for Paxton Media Group, announced thatAlan Wooten will be the new publisher and also retain his currenttitle as editor.

Wooten replaces James Edwards as publisher.

Cawthon named news editor in N.C.Online editor Graham Cawthon has been promoted to news edi-

tor at The Star of Shelby, N.C. The Star reported his appointment.He joined the staff in 2005, and has been a crime reporter, busi-

ness reporter and city editor as well as online editor. In his newrole, Cawthon will lead the news team and oversee coverage.

Cawthon has led The Star's social media initiative, which current-ly has more than 25,000 followers.

Pensacola names new publisherTerry Horne has been named president and publisher of the

Pensacola News Journal, Gannett Company announced.

Horne was publisher of the East Valley Tribune in Arizona andgeneral manager of 1013 Communications, which offers digitalservices in Phoenix, Dallas and Houston.

He also was CEO and president of the Orange County Registerfrom 2007 to 2011. He also served as vice president of communitynewspapers for The Arizona Republic from 2004-2007.

Niblett named publisher in MississippiJason Niblett has been named publisher of The Chronicle

newspaper in Laurel, Miss., outgoing publisher Kevin Williamsonannounced. The Chronicle is owned by Emmerich Newspapers.

Williamson previously announced his plans to accept a leader-ship role with the Hattiesburg Impact, a free newspaper owned by adivision of Buckley Newspapers Inc. Niblett has been with TheChronicle since it launched in April 2012.

Pike is new editor in Glasgow (Ky.)Daniel Pike has been named editor of the Glasgow Daily Times

in Glasgow, Ky., Publisher Keith Ponder announced.A Glasgow native, Pike returns to his hometown newspaper after

more than six years as a newsroom manager at the Bowling GreenDaily News. n

ome AP Stylebook users noticedthat the 2013 edition - print andonline - dropped a longstandingentry on the White House. TheStylebook editors meant no disre-

spect to the venerable residence.Rather, the guidance not to “personify” theWhite House with phrases such as "the WhiteHouse said" has been overtaken by commonusage in news.

The advice to use only phrases such as “aWhite House official said” seemed unneces-sarily wordy and added little substance to aninitial attribution for breaking news.

Not that the deletion minimizes the importance of attri-butions. On the contrary. Details on how the news was con-veyed to AP need to be included - though placed lower inthe story. For accuracy and precision, the story should namethe source of the information or say whether it came in anews release.

By the same token, a company may be cited initially for

corporate developments, or an agency orother recognized group for an announcementor other piece of news. Specifics on sourcingshould be included in amplifying informationin the story.

The Stylebook's attribution entry currentlysays:

attribution AP news reports must attributefacts not gathered or confirmed on our own,whether the pickup is from a newspaper, web-site, broadcaster or blog, U.S. or international,AP member or subscriber. AP reports mustalso credit other organizations when they

break a story and AP matches or further develops it.To underline guidance, we're adding a sentence along

these lines: News from a government, agency, organization,company or other recognized group may be attributed tothat entity on first reference in the story: the White Houseannounced. In a follow-up attribution, specify whether theinformation came from a spokesman or other named offi-cial or in a news release. n

AP Stylebook minuteBy David Minthorn

2013 edition modifies longstanding entry on the White House

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Officersn President: Debra Adams Simmons, The Plain Dealer,Clevelandn Vice President: Alan D. Miller, The Columbus (Ohio)Dispatchn Secretary: Teri Hayt, The (Canton, Ohio) Repositoryn Journalism Studies Chair: Laura Sellers-Earl, EOMedia Group., Salem, Ore. n Treasurer: Dennis Anderson, Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star

Executive Committee(officers above plus)n Past President: Brad Dennison, GateHouse Media,Fairport, N.Y. n AP Senior Vice President/Executive Editor: KathleenCarroll, New Yorkn AP Vice President/Senior Managing Editor: MikeOreskes, New Yorkn Conference Program: Bill Church, Herald-TribuneMedia Group, Sarasota, Fla.; Jim Simon, Seattle Times

APME News Editorn Andrew Oppmann, Middle Tennessee State University

Directors

(Terms expiring in 2014)n Bill Church, Herald-Tribune Media Group, Sarasota, Fla.n Michael Days, Philadelphia Daily Newsn Alan English, The Times, Shreveport, La.n Kurt Franck, The Blade, Toledo, Ohion Gary Graham, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.n Joe Hight, The Gazette, Colorado Springsn Eric Ludgood, Fox 5 News, Atlantan Aminda Marques Gonzalez, Miami Heraldn Martin G. Reynolds, The Oakland Tribunen Monica R. Richardson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

(Terms expiring in 2015)n Dennis Anderson, Peoria (Ill.) Journal Starn Mark Baldwin, Rockford (Ill.) Register Starn Chris Cobler, Victoria (Texas) Advocaten Angie Muhs, Portland (Maine) Press Heraldn Jim Simon, The Seattle Times

(Terms expiring in 2016)n David Arkin, GateHouse Media n Autumn Phillips, The Twin Falls Times-News, Twin Falls, Idahon Meg Downeyn Thomas Koetting, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

APME BOARDOF DIRECTORS2014

Our communication vehiclesn apme.comn http://www.facebook.com/APMEnewsn https://twitter.com/APMEn http://apmeblog.blogspot.com/n http://www.facebook.com/NewsTrainn https://twitter.com/NewsTrain and, APME Update:n http://www.apme.com/?page=Newsletters



Documents

March 2014 APME News magazine