Classroom

By Peter Wagner The biggest problem publishing newspapers today is public perception. Every newspaper, from the largest metro to the smallest family-owned community weekly, is judged by the actions of all the others.
  If a large chain decides to reduce the number of day they publish or the size of their …

(Editor’s note: Randy Van Dyne, executive director of the All Hazards Training Center at the University of Findlay, Ohio, spoke at the 2018 Ohio News Media Association convention on workplace security and wrote this column at ONMA’s request. One of the center’s specialties is training media outlets such as ABC …

By Kevin Slimp Over the past week or so, I received an email from a publisher asking if I could send examples of community newspapers who are doing things right. His plan was to contact these publishers to learn if he could benefit from their experiences. I told him I …

By Peter Wagner Local and even metro newspapers print very few new or used car display ads anymore. Automotive advertising, once a huge part of every paper’s revenue, has all but disappeared. Even those multi-page metro paper weekend automotive sections, packed full of car and truck feature stories and loaded …

By Kevin Slimp Disclosure: I have neither voted for, nor endorsed, any political candidate mentioned in this column. Spring has come to an end. I could have come up with that brilliant assumption from the sounds of the birds as I walked my neighborhood this morning, or the noticeable decrease …

By Kevin Slimp So much to write about, so little space. It’s been a whirlwind of a week for me, beginning in Knoxville, Tenn., where I caught a flight for a “quick trip” to Winnipeg, before heading home for a couple of days, then heading to Sioux Falls, S.D., and …

By Bart Pfankuch When I returned to full-time reporting and writing three months ago, I had to skip the warm-up period. As the lone writer for a new non-profit, public-service news service, my task was to immediately develop enterprise material of statewide interest in South Dakota. It hasn’t been easy, …

By Peter Wagner Newspapers and shopper publications in Iowa and surrounding states are again carrying a major grocery chain insert that pulled out of all papers the end of December. I am purposely leaving out the name of the chain. The return of the insert is good news for us …

By Kevin Slimp I’ve noticed a definite trend lately. It might be related to the increased number of industry activities I’m involved in these days, or perhaps it’s just be one of those things that can’t be explained. Whatever the reason, I’ve been getting a lot more email over the …

By Peter Wagner Many community newspapers are reporting that numerous business owners are saying “I don’t need to buy newspaper advertising. I promote my business for free on social media.” If pressed, most will tell you they use Facebook to reach their needed buyers. But social media is really not …