Nevada Press Association The best in Nevada journalism since 1924
I wish I had written this, because I agree 100 percent with every point.
It’s MediaLife Magazine’s Seven Commandments of Community Newspapers, a quick read that either will reaffirm what you’re doing or open your eyes to the path back toward vitality.
Go ahead and take the time to read it now.
I really hope, as you read it, you thought: “These are the things we’re doing.”
Or maybe you thought, “This is what I expect my staff to be doing, but I’m not sure I’ve communicated it quite as succinctly.” If so, then make sure they see it. Better yet, adapt it to your own newspaper and your own town and make posters to hang on the walls around the office.
Allow me to take a shot at adding three, so there’s an even 10 Commandments.
8. Treat your customers as your friends.
It seems to me sometimes that newspapers are their own worst enemies when it comes to customer service. When I call a faceless international corporation nowadays, I expect to get an automated phone service and have to work my way through a maze of people and options to find somebody who can answer my question. It’s beyond frustrating.
When I call a community newspaper, I expect somebody to answer the phone and say, “Hang on. I’ll find out.” Are your employees doing something more important than serving your readers and advertisers? Really?
9. Make it easy to advertise.
A pet peeve of mine is the inability of the newspaper industry to figure out a price for its product. OK, I was an editor and not an advertising person — I think that makes me closer to the average Joe who doesn’t want to do calculus to arrive at a number for an ad.
I understand there are tons of options, and that you want the salesperson to be able to talk to the client and explore the best marketing plan, blah, blah, blah …
But when I pick up your paper or go on your web site and I’m unable to find even a clue as to how much it costs to do business with you, I’m already dissuaded from picking up the phone. My advice: Have a few ready-made, easy-to-understand packages and promote them.
10. Show up.
It was Woody Allen who said, “Eighty percent of life is just showing up.” There are a lot of ways to interpret that, but I think the people who work at community newspapers can take it literally.
Publishers, editors and ad managers sometimes are lulled into thinking their reporters, photographers and sales reps are the eyes and ears of the newspaper — out there in the community mingling, gathering, representing and networking. And few people know a community better than the reporters, photographers and salespeople.
But it’s no excuse for showing up yourself. That’s part of being a leader (No. 2) and engaging with your readers (No. 7).
Yes, there are all the public and social events where you’re expected, and the Chamber of Commerce lunches and Rotary meetings. But are you volunteering somewhere? Have you watched the high-school basketball team? When was the last time you attended a funeral for somebody not a relative? Do you go to church, plays, concerts, city council meetings?
By reading your paper, people new to a town should be able to learn what they need to know, and people who have lived there for generations should feel comfortable they are keeping pace with their town’s events. In both instances, they should care what happens because you care what happens.
Maybe that’s the only commandment you need.