May 2014 - Tennessee Press Association
Transcription
May 2014 - Tennessee Press Association
May 2014 Volume 77 INSIDE EXTRA, EXTRA!! The Smokies are calling you! By ROBYN GENTILE 4-page Summer Convention Preview President’s letter Call out the candidates Page 2 Accolades Member papers win awards; Tenn. students haul them in, too Pages 3, 4 Tracks Who’s coming and going in the industry Page 5 Remembering Gail Kerr Her obituary and her legacy Page 6 Times Free Press named Pulitzer finalist Page 7 Obituaries Richard ‘Rikki’ Frederick Hall, Lauren B. Smith, James L. Mooney Jr., Jack Gunter, Loraine Slimp, Edwina Napier Page 8 No. 11 Member Services Manager Excitement is building at TPA for the Summer Convention, June 5-7 in Gatlinburg, and we hope it is building with you, too! It is just over a month away, and it offers so much value for our members and fun for all. “Our committee has put together an outstanding slate of speakers. We have a jam-packed schedule on key topics dealing with both the traditional newspaper and the digital products,” said Jana Thomasson, chair of the convention committee and publisher of The Mountain Press in Sevierville. “In addition, there’s plenty of fun to be had in the mountains, a picnic at Dollywood, a golf tournament, strolling the streets of Gatlinburg or just some outlet shopping,” she added. Fun for all Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge offer plenty of amusement, but convention attendees will have a special opportunity on Friday to enjoy a golf outing or spend the day at Dollywood. And don’t miss the party that evening to celebrate the installation of TPA’s new president. See CONVENTION, Page 2 Education The convention offers 11 educational sessions for publishers, editors, reporters, ad managers and circulation managers. (Inserted in this edition is the full convention brochure.) Topics include: • What is really going on in the newspaper industry, a keynote by Kevin Slimp • Retailer Panel to discuss overall marketing strategies • Cell phone journalism • Growing circulation • Paywalls • Marketing events • Open government • Contests & promotions • Newspaper digital offerings • Hot Ideas exchange Networking Adding to the excitement and networking opportunities of the convention is the invitation to members of the Kentucky Press Association to participate. Conventions in Gatlinburg traditionally include an invitation to KPA, and we look forward to renewing friendships and making new ones. Photos courtesy of Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau Page 2 • The Tennessee Press • May 2014 Call out the candidates (USPS 616-460) Published monthly by the TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE, INC. for the TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION, INC. 435 Montbrook Lane Knoxville, Tennessee 37919 Telephone (865) 584-5761/Fax (865) 558-8687/www.tnpress.com Subscriptions: $6 annually Periodicals Postage Paid At Knoxville, TN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tennessee Press, 435 Montbrook Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919. The Tennessee Press is printed by The Standard Banner in Jefferson City, Tenn. Greg M. Sherrill ................................................................................................................................. Editor Amelia Morrison Hipps ...................................................................................... Managing Editor Robyn Gentile .......................................................................................... Production Coordinator Angelique Dunn ....................................................................................................................... Assistant The Tennessee Press is printed on recycled paper and is recyclable. The Tennessee Press can be read on www.tnpress.com OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION Lynn Richardson, Elizabethton Star ........................................................................................President Jason P. Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press .......................................................... Vice President Joel Washburn, The McKenzie Banner ......................................................................... Vice President John Finney, Buffalo River Review, Linden ...........................................................................Treasurer Greg M. Sherrill, Knoxville ...................................................................................... Executive Director DIRECTORS Keith Wilson, Kingsport Times-News ................................................................................... District 1 Jack McElroy, News Sentinel, Knoxville ................................................................................ District 2 Chris Vass, Chattanooga Times Free Press ........................................................................... District 3 Darren Oliver, Overton County News, Livingston ............................................................ District 4 Hugh Jones, Shelbyville Times-Gazette ................................................................................. District 5 Jesse Lindsey, The Lebanon Democrat ................................................................................... District 6 Mark Palmer, The Daily Herald, Columbia .......................................................................... District 7 Brad Franklin, The Lexington Progress ................................................................................. District 8 Daniel Richardson, Magic Valley Publishing, Camden ................................................... District 9 Eric Barnes, The Daily News, Memphis ...............................................................................District 10 Michael B. Williams ......................................................................................Immediate Past President Tennesseans need to take full advantage of opportunities they will have across the state during this election year – the opportunities most of our Tennessee newspapers provide for them to know more about the candidates running for office in their local elections. In addition to working with the various candidates and helping them place their campaign advertising in our publications, many of our newspapers also host forums and run extensive articles and interviews with candidates. It is an important service that we provide to our communities, which in most cases, no one else offers. In our community, candidates have been invited by members of a local citizen’s group to come and take part in a forum the group has organized, set to take place in a local school’s auditorium. We have helped publicize it, and of course, we will be there to cover the event. Each candidate will have three minutes to plead their case to those present telling their story as persuasively and succinctly as they can. At this point, we aren’t sure how many candidates will accept the invitation to come and speak their piece. But one thing is certain – those who make the choice not to attend will be saying just as much as the ones who do take the stage. We are making a big deal of pushing them all to participate. We think it’s important, that we as a newspaper be the voice of vigorous persuasion in matters of this kind. Here’s what we’re telling our candidates, in a very public way, up here in Northeast Tennessee: Being shy isn’t an option when you decide to throw your hat in the ring as a political candidate. That’s why we call it “public” office. When you filed your papers with the election commission, you signed a proclamation of your desire to serve and respond to your community. Whether you’re a polished speaker or a novice behind the podium is quite beside the point. The point is whether or not you’re willing to come out and meet us – the voters. After all, we have some very important decisions to make. Allowing your community to get to know you better, expressing your views and introducing yourself is important. While three minutes isn’t a great deal of time to explain your platform, if you CONVENTION, from Page 1 TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE Victor Parkins, The Milan Mirror-Exchange ......................................................................President Jason P. Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press .......................................................... Vice President Ralph C. Baldwin, Jones Media Inc., Greeneville ................................................................ Director David Critchlow Jr., Union City Daily Messenger ............................................................... Director Jeffrey D. Fishman, Tullahoma News ....................................................................................... Director Jana Thomasson, The Mountain Press, Sevierville ............................................................. Director Greg M. Sherrill ............................................................................................... Executive Vice President TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION Gregg K. Jones, The Greeneville Sun .......................................................................................President Victor Parkins, The Milan Mirror-Exchange ............................................................ Vice President Richard L. Hollow, Knoxville ...................................................................................... General Counsel Greg M. Sherrill ......................................................................................................... Secretary-Treasurer CONTACT THE MANAGING EDITOR TPAers with suggestions, questions or comments about items in The Tennessee Press are welcome to contact the managing editor. Call Amelia Morrison Hipps, (615) 442-8667; send a note to 1260 Trousdale Ferry Pike, Lebanon, TN 37087, or email editor@tnpress. com. The deadline for the June issue is Monday, May 5. YOUR PRESIDING REPORTER LYNN J. RICHARDSON Are we calling them out? You bet we are. One of the local organizers is calling this election the most important one in 45 years. We don’t know about that, but make no mistake about it: Every single election should be important to all of us. Apathy has taken hold of our voting public. Either we don’t vote at all or we rely far too much on advice from our neighbors and our cousin’s uncle’s sister to tell us for whom we should vote. Name recognition has become the ultimate endorsement for office, rather than solid qualifications and experience. By providing thorough coverage, supporting and, in some cases, sponsoring events such as this, we are offering our communities the opportunity to hear and see who these candidates are and what they stand for. Here locally, we don’t know how this forum will turn out. We don’t know how many candidates will show up or what the ones in attendance will say when they get there. But one thing is certain: our state needs leadership – strong, fair and honest leadership – at all levels of government. We owe it to our communities to provide opportunities for our citizens to learn more about candidates’ positions on crucial issues, whether in print or in person. We should also be taking notes and making an issue of the ones who don’t bother to show up for events or are reluctant to respond to interviews we request. This is an important election year and the search is on – for those who have the character and the qualities required to help Tennessee move forward – at the local level and beyond. Our Tennessee newspapers have the awesome responsibility to help our readers get to know the people who are asking for their votes. Nothing could be more important right now. Lynn J. Richardson is publisher of the Elizabethton Star in Elizabethton. Trustees will meet and the TPS Stockholders (all member newspapers) will gather for the annual meeting and election of directors. Welcoming a new president Association business TPA, the Tennessee Press Service and the Tennessee Press Association Foundation all have business to conduct during the convention. TPA’s Board of Directors will meet. TPA members will vote on new officers and directors at the Business Session, while the TPAF Board of stay on point, you should be able to offer up a pretty fair description of your background, experience and qualifications. That amount of time should also give you plenty of time to express what you consider to be the biggest issues facing our local government. TPA will install a new president during the convention. TPA President Lynn Richardson will pass the gavel to Jason P. Taylor, publisher and president of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Taylor has served as vice president of dailies for two years and is slated for nomination as TPA’s 2014-15 president. Convention registration materials and complete information can be found online at www.tnpress.com/ summerconvention.html. Hotel Attendees are encouraged to make reservations early with The Park Vista Hotel. Gatlinburg is a popular summer resort and the only rooms left for June 6 are in TPA’s block. Contact The Park Vista at (800) 421-7275. TPA’s rate is $114 plus tax, per night. The rate code is TNP. The deadline is Friday, May 9. We hope you will make plans now to join us! REGISTRATION For details see packet mailed in April or scan this QRC with your mobile device. May 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 3 ACCOLADES FOR YOUR CALENDAR The Commercial Appeal claims ASNE award for retracing King’s final steps in Memphis The American Society of Newspaper Editors today awarded the Punch Sulzberger Award to The Commercial Appeal for its work last year retracing Dr. Martin Luther King’s final 32 hours in Memphis. The national honor, named for Perrusquia former New York Times publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, recognizes excellence in digital storytelling and was awarded to the CA’s Marc Perrusquia, a longtime investigative reporter, and photographer Jeff McAdory. Their work, entitled ‘six:01,’ led readers McAdory through King’s last 32 hours in Memphis, from the moment he landed at Memphis International Airport on April 3, 1968 until his death on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel at 6:01 p.m. the following day. The story was published last April on the 45th anniversary of King’s death. “The Commercial Appeal took the death of Martin Luther King Jr. dogged pursuit of public records, authoritative interviewing, artful storytelling and skilled photography,” said Louis Graham, editor of The Commercial Appeal. “The creative, interactive digital presentation gave it wings. We could not be prouder the ASNE judges found it worthy of national recognition.” The award carries a $2,500 prize. The Commercial Appeal April 14, 2014 To read the story, go to http:// media.commercialappeal.com/mlk/ or scan the QRC below with your mobile device. further than any news organization had done before, digging deep into archives to uncover how the day unraveled for one of America’s most noteworthy figures,” read the judges’ comments. “Judges thought they had read everything that could be written about MLK; this innovative online presentation proved them wrong. Riveting and powerful, it was best in class.” Their work was chosen over two other finalists, the Tampa Bay Times and ProPublica, an indepen- Three Tennessean staffers win national SPJ awards By BRIAN WILSON The Tennessean, April 16, 2014 Three Tennessean staffers won top national honors from the Society of Professional Journalists on April 16. Staff writers Nate Rau and Jessica Bliss won the award for non-deadline reporting for “txt + drving = risk,” a special section foRau cused on texting while driving that published in September 2013. Longtime photographer John Partipilo also won the organization’s feature photography award for his Rural Tennessee project published in November 2013. The SPJ’s Sigma Delta Chi awards are given annually to news organizations across the country. The Tennessean joined the Wall Bliss Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Washington Times as the only newspapers who won multiple Sigma Delta Chi awards on Wednesday. “It is a great honor for John to be recognized for his stunning photography, and for Nate and Jessica to be recognized for their compelling project,” said Maria De Varenne, editor and news director of The See TENNESSEAN, Page 6 dent, nonprofit investigative unit that operates from New York City and shares its content with publications around the country. “six:01 was born from the best traditional print journalism offers: What Award Will You Bring Home? Who: TPA Members What: 2014 UT-TPA State Press Contests When: Friday, July 11, noon Where: Embassy Suites Nashville Airport Hotel Why: Because you’re winners! * Winners will be notified of an award, but not placement, by letter from TPA on May 19. MAY 1-2: TPA Advertising/Circulation Conference, Chattanooga 11-13: International Newspaper Marketing Association World Congress at The Fairmont, San Francisco, CA 15-17: Southern Circulation Managers Association Conference, Orlando, Fla. 24: 68th Annual National Cartoonists Society Reuben Awards event, San Diego JUNE 5-7: TPA 145th Anniversary Summer Convention, Gatlinburg 16-18: American Jewish Press Association Annual Conference, Cleveland, OH 25-29: International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors Conference at Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colo. 26-29: Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference, San Francisco JULY 11: UT-TPA State Press Contests Awards Luncheon, Nashville 30-Aug. 3: National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair, Boston AUGUST 4-8: Newspaper Association Managers Annual Conference, Nashville 6-9: Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Convention, Montreal, Canada SEPTEMBER 4-6: National SPJ Excellence in Journalism Conference, Nashville 4-6: The National Federation of Press Women annual convention. 13-16: Asian American Journalism Association 25th Annual Convention at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel. 14-16: SNPA’s Carmage Walls Leadership Forum, Galveston, Texas 15-17: American Society of Newspaper Editors Annual Conference at Chicago. 18: Second Annual TPAF/KY Press Golf Tournament, Kentucky Page 4 • The Tennessee Press • May 2014 ACCOLADES Tenn. universities bring home awards in the SEJC “Best of the South” 2013 contest By SEJC ADMINISTRATION Feb. 26, 2014 LAFAYETTE, La. — The Southeastern Journalism Conference presented its 2013 “Best of the South” contest winners at its annual convention, hosted by The University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Feb. 20-22. The awards were chosen from 440 qualified entries from 35 universities. Overall, 169 students from 34 universities were ranked in the 30 “Best of the South” categories. The SEJC consists of 51 member universities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee. The SEJC chose Tomi Parrish, journalism instructor and coordinator of the Office of Student Media at The University of Tennessee at Martin, as Educator of the Year. Tennessee State University came in second for the most overall awards with 17, just two behind the University of Mississippi’s 19. Other Tennessee schools in the final rankings were: • Troy University, 13 • Lipscomb University, 10 • University of Tennessee at Martin, eight • University of Memphis and Austin Peay State University, five each • Union University, four • Belmont University, three • Middle Tennessee State University, two • University of Tennessee, one Overall, 169 students from 34 universities were ranked in the 30 “Best of the South” categories. The SEJC consists of 51 member universities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee. The Southeastern Journalism Conference named University of Alabama senior Abbey Crain as 2013 College Journalist of the Year, for her reporting on a series of articles, most notably her work on the “The Final Barrier,” a story detailing allegations of racism within the sorority recruitment process at The University of Alabama. She received a $1,000 cash prize from SEJC as part of the award. Winners from Tennessee universities were: Tennessee State University, Nashville • Kelli Volk, second place, Best Radio News and Feature Reporter and fifth place Best College Audio News Program • Alicia Bailey, third place, Best Multimedia Journalist • Chantell Copeland, third place, Best Television Journalist and fifth place Best Radio Journalist • Brandi Giles, fourth place, Best Radio Hard News Reporter • Ce’Dra Jackson, sixth place, Best Magazine Writer • Patrick Lewis, sixth place, Best Opinion-Editorial Writer • Quinn Panganiban, sixth place, Best Television News Feature Reporter • Jer’Mykeal McCoy, sixth place, Best Journalism Research Paper • Ashli Beverly, eighth place, Best Advertising Staff Member • Brittney Bodden, 10th place, MARKETPLACE Associated Publishers Inc., a northwest Tennessee newspaper printing company, is seeking a lead press operator/supervisor at its Huntingdon, Tennessee plant. Salary plus benefits. Typically, a four-day work-week, except on special occasions. Long work hours Monday and Tuesday. Company has News King press, 8-unit web. The company is equipped with direct-to-plate, an inserter, and prints six community newspapers. Responsibilities include serving as lead operator of the press and overseeing the entire production and scheduling. Considerable experience is a must and good mechanical skills are essential. Send resume to Victor Parkins at victor@milanmirrorexchange.com. • • • • Best Magazine Page Layout Design LaToya Pickett, third place, Best Public Service Journalism TSU Television Newscast, fourth place, Best College TV Station Blue Sapphire Awards Show, eighth place, Best College Video News Program TSU Meter, tied ninth place, Best College Newspaper Troy University, Clarksville • Paul Boger, first place, Best Radio News Feature Reporter • Natalie Boyd, second place, Best Radio Hard News Reporter and second place for Best Radio Journalist • Carson Brown, second place, Best Newspaper Page Layout Designer • Kelcie Hathcock, second place, Best Press Photographer • Christina Cook, third place, Best Television Hard News Reporter • Danielle Percival, fifth place, Best Television Journalist • Brandon Murray, fifth place, Best News-Editorial Artist/ Illustrator • Brittany DeLong, seventh place, Best Advertising Staff Member • Zach Winslett, eighth place, Best Arts & Entertainment Writer • Karli Mauldin, ninth place, Best News Writer • Troy TrojanVision-TV, fourth place, Best College Video News Program, • Troy TrojanVision-TV, sixth place, Best College Television Station Lipscomb University, Nashville • Kelly Dean, ninth place, Best Television News Feature Reporter • Michael Fox, fourth place, Best Multimedia Journalist • Janice Ng, 10th place, Best Feature Writer • Sydney Poe, fourth place, Best Television Journalist • Savanna Schubert, fourth place, Best Television Hard News Reporter • Kyrsten Turner, ninth place, Best Feature Writer • Cory Woodroof, second place, News Writing, On-site Competition • Erin Turner, third place, News Photography, On-site Competition • Kyrsten Turner, second place (tie), Media Law, On-site Competition • Lumination Radio, second place in Best Audio News Program and fourth place in the Best Radio Station • Lumination TV, fourth place in Best Television Station and sixth place in Best Video News Program University of Tennessee at Martin • Tomi Parrish, Educator of the Year • MaryLynn Williams, first place, Best Radio Journalist • Aimee Bilger, third place, Best Radio News Feature Reporter • Mary Jean Hall, sixth place, Best News Graphic Designer • Bradley Stingfield, ninth place, Best Sports Writer • The Pacer, sixth place, for both Best College Website and Best Public Service Journalism • WUTM, third place, for both Best College Radio Station and Best College Audio News Program University of Memphis • Samuel Prager, first place, Best Magazine Writer • Margo Pero, tied, sixth place, Best News Writer • Lisa Elaine Babb, seventh place, Best Feature Writer • Faith Roane, tied, 10th place, Best Newspaper Page Layout Designer • L. Taylor Smith, tied, 10th place, Best Feature Writer Austin Peay State University, Clarksville • Christy Walker, first place, Best News-Editorial Artist/ Illustrator • David Hoernlen, third place, Best News Graphic Designer • Josh Vaughn, tied, ninth, Best Press Photographer • Conor Scruton, ninth place, Best Newspaper Page Layout Designer • Cable Channel 99, fourth place, Best College Television Station Union University, Hendersonville • Beth Byrd, fifth place, Best News Writer • Alana Hu, seventh place, Best Special Event Reporter/Editor • Jacob Moore, ninth place, Best Press Photographer • Cardinal and Créme, tied, fourth place, Best Public Service Journalism Belmont University, Nashville • Autumn Allison, second place, Best Multimedia Journalist • Katie Greene, seventh place, Best Sports Writer • Laura Hostelley, tied, eighth place, Best Arts and Entertainment Writer Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro • Emily West, first place, Best Feature Writer • Seventh place, Best College Website University of Tennessee, Knoxville • Tenth place, Best College Website Tennessean reporter earns award for environment coverage Tennessean reporter Duane W. Gang’s coverage of fracking and coal ash in Tennessee won an award from the Southern Environmental Law Center. The annual Reed Environmental Writing Award for Journalism, which Gang was established in 1994, celebrates work that enhances public aware- ness of the value and vulnerability of the South’s natural heritage. It is given for coverage in one of the six Southern states of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Gang has written extensively about environmental issues since joining The Tennessean in 2012. He led the reporting and writing for major fracking and coal ash projects in 2013. The award is named for SELC founding trustee Phil Reed, an attorney and environmental advocate. The Tennessean March 29, 2014 Please share this copy of The Tennessee Press with your colleagues! Pass it on! May 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 5 TRACKS McFerron new reporter at The Jackson Sun The Jackson Sun announced Nick McFerron as its education reporter. McFerron has lived in Jackson for almost eight years, after leaving Zimbabwe to attend Union University in 2006. McFerron earned his bachelor of arts with a major in journalism and photojournalism from Union in 2010. “I’m very excited to be working at the Sun and learning more about Jackson, Madison County and the U.S. school system,” McFerron said. He previously worked as a correspondent for the newspaper The Jackson Sun March 9, 2014 Miller leaves Daily Post-Athenian; Whaley named interim publisher Daily Post-Athenian Publisher Mike Miller announced he is leaving that position to accept a post with the Greater Florence (S.C.) Chamber of Commerce effective April 4. He also served as publisher of The DPA’s sister newspaper, The Monroe Whaley County Advocate & Democrat. Daily Post-Athenian General Manager Rhonda Whaley was appointed by Jones Media Inc., the DPA’s parent company, as acting publisher. On March 31, it was announced that Whaley will also serve as interim publisher of the Advocate & Democrat as well. “Working with the Jones Media team and the folks here in Athens has been one of the best experiences I have had personally and professionally,” Miller said. “Clearly, Athens is a special place with special people. “And, Jones Media has a winning formula for leading successful newspapers.” Miller, who came to the newspaper in July 2012, has agreed to become the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce president. Miller had served as publisher of the Florence newspaper, the Morning News, for seven years, from 1999 to 2006, when he took over the helm of the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal before becoming publisher here. “Mike has led the DPA through a crucial period and we are most appreciative of his efforts and achievements,” said Jones Media Chief Operating Officer Ralph Baldwin. “We all hate to see Mike leave the DPA, but we understand the unique opportunity that’s presented itself to him.” Whaley has worked at the DPA for the past 25 years, first joining the paper’s business department and then was promoted to business manager. In 2008, she was appointed as the newspaper’s general manager and has been responsible for all aspects of revenue and expenditures. In 2013, she was assigned additional duties and became the paper’s advertising director. She is a McMinn County native, a graduate of McMinn Central High School and Tennessee Wesleyan College. She also earned a master’s degree in business administration from Bryan College. She and her husband, James, live in the Etowah area. “Rhonda has been successful at each and every job and task she’s been given with the DPA, and I have every confidence in her ability to lead the newspaper through this transition period,” Baldwin said. “Her experience, understanding, appreciation and love for this community will serve the newspaper well.” “I am very proud of this newspaper and the great staff that works here. We all share a vested interest in this newspaper, and each day we strive to make it the best community newspaper around,” Whaley said. “My goal as publisher is to continue the great newspaper legacy that I have been handed, while at the same time always looking for ways to improve what we are doing.” Regarding her position at The Advocate & Democrat, Whaley said, “We are extremely fortunate to have such a wonderful staff. They are dedicated and are passionate about what they do. I am excited about joining this team. “We have worked together for years and we all share one goal, and that is to make The Advocate & Democrat the best small community newspaper it can be.” Daily Post-Athenian March 19 & 31, 2014 Scalf named Star’s general manager Delaney Scalf has been promoted to general manager of The Elizabethton Star and for Elizabethton Newsmedia, LLC. Lynn Richardson, president and publisher, announced the promotion to others at the Star on March 21. In that position, Scalf Scalf will oversee and lead all dayto-day operations of the news media organization – the parent company of the Elizabethton Star. “I am excited at the opportunity to take the Elizabethton Star to new levels of excellence,” Scalf said. “My biggest goal is to make this newspaper better than it’s ever been – from front to back,” he added. “Everything I’ve worked toward has centered on making changes to improve efficiency and quality. That will continue going forward.” “We are thrilled to have someone of Delaney’s experience available to take such an important leadership role with our company,” said Richardson. “I have known Delaney for many years and have always had a great respect and admiration for his commitment to excellence and his attention to detail. We are very fortunate to have him as part of our team.” Scalf has had a long career with the Star, one filled with extensive and varied work experience within the company. He began his career with the Star in June 1986, working in the pressroom. He left the company briefly, taking a position with the East Tennessee Chair Company. He returned to the Star in the spring of 1989. Scalf once again went to work in the pressroom and mailroom, working first as a machine operator and then advancing to a supervisory position. However, he soon began to work in several other departments, including the circulation department and prepress, where he gained experience in everything from ad and page design to direct sales and photography. His leadership abilities were noted and in 1998, Scalf was promoted to operations manager. In that role, he selected and oversaw the installation of a new press system that included a process-less CTP system – one of only three such systems in the nation at the time. Scalf also helped remodel and ready the Star’s composing room for pagination, or computer-based layout. His leadership was instrumental in making the Star one of the first newspapers in Tennessee to be 100 percent paginated. Since that time, he has continued to upgrade the Star’s printing system, making it one of the best in the region. Scalf is active in the community and is a member of Harmony Freewill Baptist Church in Hampton. He has also served as the assistant youth director, as a trustee and Sunday school teacher at Redeeming Grace Freewill Baptist Church in Erwin. A sports enthusiast, Scalf has coached T-ball, Pee Wee, Little League and Junior Babe Ruth baseball, basketball and soccer. He has also served as the assistant basketball coach for Valley Forge Junior Cadets this year. He enjoys landscaping and working to restore his 1974 Pontiac Trans Am. Scalf is a graduate of Elizabethton High School and completed the Dale Carnegie Training Course with honors. He is married to Pam Scalf and has six children, Cody, J. D., Corey, Tyler and Madison Scalf and Mindy Colon. Scalf also has three grandchildren, Luis, Zachary and Bryson Colon. Elizabethton Star March 23, 2014 first place for General Excellence in 2004 and 2005, the top honor given to a newspaper by the TPA. “I’ve certainly seen a lot of changes in my 27 years at Memphis Business Journal,” Wellborn says. “I have tried to maintain the high standards of business reporting at our newspaper, and I feel confident that the new direction of MBJ will bring readers the most timely business news available.” Memphis Business Journal March 23, 2014 MBJ editor Bill Wellborn retires Rouse named new Statesman Publisher Bill Wellborn, long-time editor of Memphis Business Journal, announced his retirement in March. Wellborn spent more than 27 years with MBJ, starting as a reporter in 1986. His weekly humor column on the op-ed page was widely cherished in the Wellborn Memphis community and exhibited his patented, dry humor. Many readers remarked Wellborn’s column was the first thing they read when their newspaper arrived, and that it was their favorite feature in the Journal. Wellborn earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas and has remained both an active alumnus and rabid Razorbacks fan. He still attends most every Arkansas football game, both home and road games, and would often cite his alma mater in his column. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Memphis, where he taught a journalism feature writing class for a time. His career started in 1978 as a general assignment reporter at the Arkansas Sun. He was the sports editor for both the Daily Record in Malvern, Ark., and the Helena World in Arkansas from 1980-1983. For the next three years, he served as managing editor of Associations Publications in Collierville, overseeing all editorial functions for three national trade magazines. Wellborn was managing editor of MBJ and became editor in 1997 when the privately-owned newspaper was purchased by American City Business Journals. The list of awards MBJ has earned under his leadership are too numerous to name, and his humor column consistently won awards from the Tennessee Press Association every year as Best Column, including first place awards most every year from 2004-2011. MBJ won Shelia Rouse, who has extensive newspaper management experience in Southeast Missouri and Western Tennessee, has assumed the publisher position at The Daily Statesman, effective Tuesday, April 1. It will be an expanded role within Rust Rouse Communications for Rouse, who has been publisher of the State Gazette in Dyersburg, Tenn., since 2001. She also will assume duties as publisher of the Daily Dunklin Democrat in Kennett, the Delta News-Citizen in Malden, the Missourian-News in Portageville and the North Stoddard Countian in Advance-Bloomfield. She will continue as publisher in Dyersburg. “I am really excited about accepting this position,” Rouse said. “The Daily Statesman has always been an integral part of the community, and I look forward to being involved in that tradition in the future. The staff and I are committed to providing an outstanding newspaper for our readers and advertisers. “We also will be working hard to continue to develop our digital media presence as we provide a wide range of news and advertising services.” Rouse is a 1983 graduate of Kennett High School and studied journalism at both Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Ark., and Mississippi County Community College in Blytheville, Ark. She is married to Jimmie Smith Jr., formerly of Kennett. Rouse has been involved in numerous civic activities in Dyersburg, including service as president of the Coats for Kids Program and the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation. She is a member of the Rotary Club. She is a graduate of the Dyer County Leadership Class, the Dyersburg Citizens Police Academy, See TRACKS, Page 10 Page 6 • The Tennessee Press • May 2014 Beloved Tennessean columnist Gail Kerr dies By MICHAEL CASS The Tennessean, March 26, 2014 Gail Kerr, who captured a changing Nashville, held elected officials accountable and spoke for homeless people, sexual assault victims and neglected children as the local columnist for her hometown newspaper, died Tuesday, March 25, 2014. She was 52. The cause appeared to be a blood clot, said her husband, Les Kerr. Mrs. Kerr had been battling cancer, a disease she had beaten twice, and was scheduled to receive a blood transfusion when she died. She was still working on Monday. “Gail was a consummate journalist,” said Tennessean Editor and Director of News Maria De Varenne, who edited Mrs. Kerr’s columns. “She gave voice to those in the community who didn’t have one. She stood up for people and causes she believed in, and she wasn’t afraid to spar with politicians and civic leaders when she disagreed with them. “Her insightful and thought-provoking columns were a mainstay, and she will be missed by her friends at The Tennessean and throughout the community.” Mrs. Kerr, who grew up in Donelson, started working for The Tennessean as a “copy girl” in 1978, when she was in high school. After graduating from Southwestern at Memphis – now known as Rhodes College – in 1983, she returned to the newspaper as a beat reporter, then team leader, then city editor and, finally, columnist. George Walker IV • The Tennessean Working for the newspaper “is the only job she ever had,” her husband said. Tennessean Chairman Emeritus John Seigenthaler, who hired Mrs. Kerr, said she came into a newsroom dominated by men and asserted herself quickly, always requesting “the tough beats and the tough stories.” “She made a real difference,” Seigenthaler said. “She had great self-confidence to match great talent. It was a combination that the paper benefited from and I think the readers benefited from.” She covered then-Gov. Lamar Alexander’s second term, shadowed Bill Clinton and Al Gore during their campaigns for the White House, chronicled the downfall of Davidson County Sheriff Fate Thomas and went to Houston in 1995 to interview an oilman with an NFL team named Bud Adams. Mrs. Kerr wrote a profile of Tipper Gore after Al Gore was elected vice president. Richard Stevens, her editor in the mid-1990s, still remembers a great detail from the story: Tipper Gore’s red drum set, a notable belonging in light of her earlier, divisive efforts to put warning labels on popular music. Mrs. Kerr “was one of the most remarkable reporters I ever worked with,” said Stevens, now editor and general manager of The Leaf-Chronicle in Clarksville. She started writing her column in 2000. Frank Sutherland, the newspaper’s editor at the time, said she was good at it because she did original reporting, which helped her arrive at “an informed opinion.” She relished the role, and readers embraced her. Mrs. Kerr was never afraid to take on politicians when she believed they were hypocritical, grandstanding or shortsighted. She sharply criticized a proposal that would have required Metro government to do business in English only, an idea voters soundly defeated in 2009. Last month, after The Tennesse- Tennessean announces project honoring Gail Kerr By ADAM TAMBURIN The Tennessean, April 2, 2014 The Tennessean launched a fundraising project to help the homeless in memory of Mrs. Kerr, who on several occasions used her writing to encourage efforts to house Nashville’s most vulnerable population. The campaign, called Gail Kerr’s House The Homeless fund, mirrors a project the beloved columnist proposed before she died. She had planned to partner with How’s Nashville, a coalition including Metro’s Homelessness Commission and a long list of nonprofits, to raise money for housing. Since June, the How’s Nashville coalition has moved more than 400 of the city’s most vulnerable homeless people into housing at a cost of about $1,000 a person. In a proposal pitching the partnership last fall, Kerr called How’s Nashville “an unprecedented effort to ‘drop the silos’ in the caring community and get a tough goal accomplished by working together to raise money.” She also knew there would be deadly consequences for some Nashvillians if something wasn’t done. “Homelessness in Nashville is lethal,” she wrote. Her third bout with cancer delayed plans to start raising money in February. The Tennessean announced this week that the organization was moving forward with Kerr’s proposal. The goal is to raise $25,000. “The Tennessean wants to create this legacy project in Gail’s name to fulfill her wish of helping How’s Nashville in its work with the chronically homeless,” said Laura Hollingsworth, Tennessean president and publisher. “We want the community to share in this opportunity to honor Gail.” Tennessean editor Maria De Varenne said the project reflects Kerr’s passion for helping people. Years before she wrote her fundraising proposal, Kerr regularly used her lunch breaks to serve lunch to the homeless and urban poor at Downtown Presbyterian Church. “Gail is an icon in the community, and this will fulfill a dream she had of helping the homeless,” De Varenne said. Mrs. Kerr’s husband Les Kerr remembered sitting on the couch with her in the evening while she eagerly discussing the opportunity to help See HOMELESS, Page 8 See KERR , Page 8 TENNESSEAN, from Page 3 Tennessean. Partipilo spent six months documenting the changing landscapes of rural Middle Tennessee while still completing other daily assignments. His Rural Tennessee project also has been recognized by Gannett Co., the Tennessee Partipilo Associated Press Media Editors and the National Press Photographers Association. Rau and Bliss led the reporting for the “txt + drvng = risk” special section and multimedia project that evaluated the laws, campaigns and risks tied to texting while driving in Tennessee. The special section was also a finalist for a Gannett Award of Excellence last year, while the mul- John Partipilo • The Tennessean One of the many photographs documenting the changing landscape of rural Middle Tennessee that John Partipilo took during his six-month Rural Tennessee project. timedia elements of the project also received national recognition. May 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 7 Chattanooga Times Free Press a Pulitzer finalist A Chattanooga Times Free Press investigation into the cycle of inner city violence was honored today as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, journalism’s highest honor. The Pulitzer committee honored “Speak No Evil” in the local reporting category. The committee cited Joan Garrett McClane, Todd South, Doug Strickland and Mary Helen Miller “for Garrett McClane using an array of journalistic tools to explore the ‘nosnitch’ culture that helps perpetuate a cycle of violence in one of the most dangerous cities in the South.” McClane and South were the reporters for the series, while Strickland captured the images. Miller was in charge of the multimedia components of the series. Matt McClane was responsible for the design and graphics, while Ken Barrett was the webmaster for the series. In the About This Series section of the series, the Times Free Press noted the following: “This series was reported and written over nine months. More than 150 people were interviewed. Some were shadowed for South months. “Other research included hundreds of pages of police and court records, books and research papers from universities and the U.S. Department of Justice. “Photographers and reporters traveled on night-time ride-alongs with police, went doorto-door to talk to community members, met with gang members, drove to North Carolina, talked to numerous national experts and were present for court hearings and police interviews with witnesses. “Subjects provided personal documents including diaries and records from psychologists, schools, juvenile court and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. “Most interviews were recorded on audio. Quotes Strickland italicized in the series were recounted to the reporter from a source who was present. Quotes in quotation marks were words heard by a reporter or taken from court transcripts.” The Pulitzer in local reporting was awarded to the Tampa Bay Times for an investigation into the squalid conditions in housing for the city’s homeless population. Also cited as a finalist was The Record, of Woodland Park, N.J., for exposing how heroin has permeated the suburbs of northern New Jersey. Chattanooga Times Free Press April 14, 2014 To read the series, go to http://projects.timesfreepress. com/2013//12/15/speaknoevil/index.html or scan the QRC below with your mobile device. Make your goal to hold more hands than smartphones. BRING YOUR FAMILY CLOSER WITH THE ULTIMATE SMOKY MOUNTAIN DESTINATION. Trade in the distractions of everyday life for a little more “together time” at Dollywood. Here, family is celebrated. Hosts genuinely care. And there’s enough entertainment to fill an entire weekend. Visit Dollywood.com to start planning your Smoky Mountain getaway. Make your goal to hold more hands than smartphones. Love every moment THEME PARK Dollywood.com Miller Page 8 • The Tennessee Press • May 2014 OBITUARIES Richard Frederick Hall Richard Frederick Hall, known to everyone as Rikki, succumbed on March 30, 2014 to a very aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, after a 13-month battle. Mr. Hall was born in Redondo Beach, CA, on Feb. 13, 1965, and Hall attended schools in Torrance, Calif., and Gaithersburg, Md., before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received a bachelor’s degree in Humanities and Engineering in 1987. He attended graduate school in ecology at the University of Tennessee. He was the managing editor of The Hellbender Press, an East Tennessee environmental newspaper and a long-time columnist for the Metro Pulse. Mr. Hall was very active in the progressive political and environmental scene in and around Knoxville. He was a true naturalist. His life list of birds seen is long and his knowledge of insects and other critters was deep. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Dick and Annelle Hall of Laguna Hills, Calif., and Fred and Ella Blozan of San Marino, Calif., and his brother’s first wife, Valerie Hall. Survivors include his loving wife, Kim Pilarski-Hall; her two children, Ian Turner of Morganton, W.Va., and Alexandra Turner, of Savannah, Ga.; his parents, Richard and Yolanda Hall of Asheville; his motherand father- in-law, Carol and Harry Pilarski of Naples, Fla.; his brother and his wife, Jeff and Mary Hall of Braintree, Mass., and their children, Laina Hall and Tyler Hall; his uncles and aunts, Steven and Ann Hall of Oakton, Va., and Carl and Kathie Blozan of Cashiers, N.C.; his cousins, Will Blozan and his family of Black Mountain, N.C., Ben Blozan of Greensboro, N.C., Betsy Hall of Singapore, and Andrew Hall and his family of Sierra Madre, Calif.; and a host of friends in Knoxville and elsewhere. On March 30, Mr. Hall’s body was returned to the earth at the Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center in Washburn, Tenn., a natural burial preserve. A memorial service was held at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church on Saturday, April 12. Donations may be made to the Little River Watershed Association. Arrangements by Click Funeral Home and Cremations–Middlebrook Chapel. Knoxville News Sentinel March 31, 2014 Lauren B. Smith Lauren B. Smith “Joe” or “Moon”, age 91, passed away Tuesday, April 1, 2014 after a short illness. He was born in Clarksville, Tenn., to the late Charles M. and Lucile Brunty Smith. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Charles M. Smith and Laurence G. “George” Smith, his twin. He graduated from Clarksville High School in 1940. He served in the United States Navy during World War II on board LST 1123 as a gunners mate in the Pacific. After starting at the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle as a printer, “Moon,” as he was known by fellow employees, was a printer for the Newspaper Printing Corp. (Banner, Tennessean) for 32 years. He coached many young baseball players in the Junior and Senior Knothole Baseball organization through Inglewood area Dan Mills Men’s Club and Isaac Litton. He KERR, from Page 6 an reported that the city had withheld a lengthy report on domestic violence and published a much shorter, less alarming version, her reaction was scathing. “Mayor Karl Dean and city leaders should be ashamed of themselves,” she wrote on Feb. 17. In her final column, published last week, she called the Tennessee House of Representatives “boneheaded” for voting to delay implementation of Common Core standards. “Common Core is not some evil, communist-created system aimed at brainwashing America’s school kids into becoming Democrats,” she wrote. “In fact, it was created and backed by a bipartisan group of governors and lawmakers who believe there ought to be universal standards in school.” But even her targets respected her deeply. “Gail wrote about state government and a variety of topics, but, in my opinion, Gail was truly at her best when she was writing about Nashville enjoyed fishing and golf. He was a long time member of the Inglewood group at Fifty Forward Madison Station Senior Citizens where he played bingo, pool, and reminisce. Survivors include his wife, Virginia Austin Smith; two sons, Richard Smith and Mac (Vicki) Smith; grandchildren, April (Keith) Henry and Jonathan (Samantha) Smith; great-grandchildren, Jasmine Smith, Jordan Smith, Alizea Boyle, Justin Boyle; several nieces and nephews. Funeral services were Friday, April 4, 2014 at 11 a.m., at Spring Hill Funeral Home, with the Rev. Ron Lowery officiating. Burial followed the service at 1 p.m., at Greenwood Cemetery in Clarksville. The family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Salvation Army in lieu of flowers. Arrangements by Spring Hill Funeral Home & Cemetery. The Tennessean April 3, 2014 James L. Mooney Jr. James L. Mooney Jr., 97, of Red Bank, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Monday, April 7, 2014. He was a graduate of Chattanooga Central High School. Jim married the love of his life, Dorothy Martin, in 1945. Mr. Mooney was an Mooney award winning professional photographer and started his career in the publishing industry as a boy in the 1930s, where his duties included delivering papers and carrying copy for the Chattanooga News. This led him to the position of press photographer, which he continued and local issues,” Dean said in a statement. “She understood Metro government better than most, and that knowledge came from a lifetime of experience covering a city that continues to grow and change over time. “Gail could be an elected leader’s best friend – and worst nightmare. And that’s a good thing. We need more journalists like that. Reading her columns, you could tell they were informed by her knowledge of Nashville’s history – what we’ve done right and where we’ve gone wrong – and that gave her a unique understanding of what it takes to be a good elected official, a good local government and a good city.” Gov. Bill Haslam said Mrs. Kerr “was motivated by wanting the best for a city and state that she cared deeply about, and her love of Nashville and Tennessee came through in everything she wrote. I will miss her. Her thousands of readers will miss her, and The Tennessean has lost a caring and passionate voice.” Mrs. Kerr was born on Aug. 22, 1961. She was a member of Downtown Presbyterian Church. for 45 years. His career included time as a military photographer in Hawaii during World War II, several years with the Louisville Courier Journal, 18 years with the Chattanooga News Free Press and 17 years with The Times in Chattanooga until he retired in 1981. Mr. Mooney had many stories from his years as a combat photographer with the 3116th Army Signal Corps Battalion as a Sergeant. During WWII, he was the first photographer assigned to the new “Mid Pacifican” Army Newspaper, and later for the “Stars and Stripes,” as the Chief Photographer in Honolulu, Hawaii. During his time in Hawaii Jim worked with the co-creator of Superman, Jerry Siegel. There he covered a secret meeting between President Franklin Roosevelt and Gen. Douglas MacArthur, USO shows by Bob Hope, Joe DiMaggio as an enlisted soldier, and a Purple Heart ceremony for Marines wounded at Iwo Jima. Among his awards was the international competition of 1949 sponsored by the University of Missouri and Encyclopedia Britannica in which his winning Best Feature photograph “My Baby Brother” was published internationally, and symbolized an early fascination with family values following WWII – before the “Baby Boomer” phrase was coined. He was also published in National Geographic, Life Magazine and many other books, magazines and newspapers. Other awards included the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) first place on two separate occasions. Mr. Mooney was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and he loved spending time with his family. You could find him driving around town to see his great grandchildren She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority at her college alma mater Southwestern at Memphis, now known as Rhodes College. She was a member of The Society of Professional Journalists. She was very involved with The Bob Mueller celebrity Golf Tournament for MS, she also worked with The Annual Woman against MS luncheon. She helped every year with the Gridiron fund raising event. She was preceded in death by father, Joe McKnight and sister, Sherry McKnight. Survivors include her husband of 20 years, Les Kerr; mother, Peggy McKnight; sister and brotherin-law, Joyce & Rodger McLean; nephews, Craig (Maggie) McLean and Keith McLean; great niece, Alijana McLean. Services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 28, at Downtown Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Ken Locke officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Downtown Presbyterian Church, The National MS Society and The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation. participate in sporting events with his camera in hand. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary Elender Meadows and James Leonard Mooney Sr.; three sisters, Anna Franks, Ruth Harp and Ruby Camp. Survivors include his loving wife, Dot, his wife of 68 years; daughter, Tina Mooney Philpot and son-inlaw, David Philpot, of Dunwoody, Ga.; and his son, Richard Martin Mooney and daughter-in-law, Jan M. Mooney, of Soddy-Daisy; grandchildren, Susan Thompson (Fred) Tilton, of Kennewick, Wash.; Beth Thompson (Matt) Garrett of Vilos, N.C.; Kristie Mooney (Jared) Magee, of Soddy-Daisy; Ted (Semra) Mooney of Rochester, N.Y., and Laura Mooney (Daniel) Hathaway, of Atlanta; and great-grandchildren, Catherine and Madelyn Tilton, Will and Isabelle Garrett, Andrew and Ally Magee, Aleyna and Ricky Mooney and Carter and Ethan Hathaway. Mr. Mooney was a member of First-Centenary United Methodist Church in Chattanooga where he and Dot joined the Yomaco Sunday school class as newlyweds. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First-Centenary United Methodist Church, 419 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37402, or Hearth Hospice, 1800 Rossville Ave., Suite 7, Chattanooga, TN 37408. Funeral services were on Saturday, April 12, at First-Centenary United Methodist Church with Dr. David Harr and the Rev. Brian Davis officiating. Graveside services were on Monday, April 14, at Chattanooga National Cemetery with military honors. Arrangements were by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist. Chattanooga Times Free Press April 11, 2014 See OBITUARIES, Page 9 HOMELESS, from Page 6 the How’s Nashville cause. He said The Tennessean’s project would bring the same kind of practical progress she celebrated as a journalist. “She was always one for solving problems,” he said. “This is just another way she can get things done.” Donations to Gail Kerr’s House The Homeless fund may be made by visiting the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s website at www. cfmt.org. Donations can also be mailed to the Community Foundation’s office at 3833 Cleghorn Ave., Nashville, TN 37215. If you’re writing a check, be sure to include the fund’s name in the memo line. May 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 9 OBITUARIES, from Page 8 Jack Gunter Jack Gunter, 85, the Nashville Banner’s former chief photographer and a longtime newspaper executive who used his fearless, fiercely inquisitive eye to help chronicle the city, died Thursday afternoon, April 10, 2014. Mr. Gunter Gunter started his storied career at the now-closed Banner as a 16-year-old East High School student “errand boy” and ultimately became the former afternoon newspaper’s chief photographer and vice president and general manager. He learned photography from his older brother Frank and other photographers on staff at the Banner and became a full-time photographer in 1948. In his almost 50 years as a newspaperman, Mr. Gunter was fearless, fiercely inquisitive and clearly loved his work. “Being in a newsroom is like having a window on the world,” he said in 1995 at the time of his retirement. “During the nearly half a century at the Banner, I met and photographed presidents, kings, cab drivers and little lost children. What a slice of life!” Banner editor Beth Stein wrote a column at the time of Mr. Gunter’s retirement, aptly describing him as a “decidedly colorful character.” “You see old movies about newsrooms where reporters and photographers are always out chasing the bad buys. That’s Jack,” Stein wrote. “No one loved the thrill of the hunt more – so much so that sometimes he became the news,” she wrote, relating a story of Mr. Gunter chasing down a purse-snatcher while on assignment with the police reporter. “Just ask anyone who has worked with Jack Gunter … and you’ll get a slow smile and a great story,” Stein wrote. Not only was Mr. Gunter a force to be reckoned with personally, but his photographs captured a huge swath of Nashville’s history from the late 1940s through the early 1990s. He covered the civil rights movement and other important events and issues. In 2008, he donated his photographs to the Nashville Public Library, where they are housed in the Nashville Banner Room at the main branch downtown. From 1950 to 1953, Mr. Gunter served as a combat photographer for the 45th Infantry Division in Korea and was awarded an Army Commendation Medal for acts of valor or heroism. Mr. Gunter was a proud veteran but returned to civilian life and rejoined the Banner in 1953. He shot thousands of pictures and was named chief photographer in 1972. Over the years his pictures were featured not only in the afternoon newspaper but in Life magazine, as well as Newsweek, Time and many other publications. After Mr. Gunter’s retirement, he worked as a court officer for the late Probate Judge Jim Everett and then became a court officer for Chancellor Judge Carol McCoy. He was a graduate of Leadership Nashville, served as chairman of the TSU Foundation and was a member of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. He and his late wife, Bettye Hailey Gunter, had two children and six grandchildren. Services for Mr. Gunter were Tuesday, April 14, at St. George’s Episcopal Church, where he was a member. Arrangements were handled by Phillips-Robinson Funeral Home. The Tennessean April 11, 2014 Loraine Slimp Loraine Southerland Slimp, 91, passed away in her sleep the morning of Friday, April 11, 2014, in Tyler, Texas, where she had moved earlier this year. Born in Cedar Creek in Greene County, Tenn., she was the daughter Slimp of Alfred and Frances Waddell Southerland. Her late husband, Robert Bruce Slimp Jr., served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WW II. Loraine also worked with her husband at their electronics shop in Elizabethton and later at East Tennessee State University. Survivors include three sons and their families, Kevin Slimp and Ann O’Connor, of Knoxville; Barton Slimp and Catherine Brennan, of Woodridge, Ill.; and Mickey and Janet Slimp, of Tyler, Texas: and grandchildren, Ashley and Zachery Slimp of Knoxville, Lori and Danny Kessler of Seattle, Wash., Rocky Slimp of Mokena, Ill., and Sara Slimp of Tyler, Texas; brothers, JR Southerland of Johnson City, Tenn., and Clarence Southerland of Greeneville, Tenn.; and her sister, Malta Hunt of Chuckey. She has over 30 nieces and nephews throughout East Tennessee and the country, including a very special niece, Marie Southerland of Johnson City, and nephew, Alf Southerland of Houston, Texas. She was preceded in death by one son, Ronnie Slimp; sisters Leoma Ware, Hazel Blevins, Marilyn Blevins and Ruby Corby; and brothers, Lonnie and Clinton Southerland. Mrs. Slimp was a member of the Middlebrook United Methodist Church in Knoxville, where she lived from 2001 until 2014. She lived in Johnson City from 1954 until 2001, where she was a member of the East Unaka Christian Church. A graveside memorial service was held at Roselawn Cemetery in Johnson City. Memorials may be made to Middlebrook Pike United Methodist Church FISH Food Pantry, 7234 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37909. Knoxville News Sentinel April 13, 2014 Edwina Napier Edwina Napier, 88, died Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at the Cumberland River Hospital in Celina, Tenn. Edwina Ruth Hargrove was born May 11, 1925 in Overton County, Tennessee to the late William Edward and Gladys Napier (Jouett) Hargrove. Edwina married Billy J. Napier on June 14, 1947. Billy preceded her in death on Feb. 18, 1967. Beside her parents and husband, Mrs. Napier was preceded in death by brother: Jack Hargrove, sister: Margaret Langford. She was a longtime member of the Celina Church of Christ and served as a postal clerk in Celina, Tenn. for many years. Mrs. Napier’s column ran in the Dale Hollow Horizon weekly for the better part of the past 35 years and appeared for the final time in last week’s Dale Hollow Horizon featuring her well-known recipes, Bible verses, local birthdays and announcements of various community events or happenings. Her work first appeared on Sept.16, 1979, in the inaugural issue of The Clay Citizen, a weekly newspaper founded here by her son Don Napier and, due to the fact she never missed a deadline, readers have enjoyed it ever since. In April of 1986, Patsy Judd of Burkesville, Ky., purchased both The Clay Citizen and The Clay Statesman newspapers, combining them into what is known today as the Citizen-Statesman. The paper changed, but Mrs. Napier’s column didn’t as Judd welcomed her writings with open arms. Like Napier’s son Don, Judd also eventually sold her newspaper. Mitchell Media of Livingston, Tenn., continued the Citizen-Statesman name and Mrs. Napier’s column until she found her final home with her family at the Horizon. Mrs. Napier’s grandsons Jona- than and Thomas Weaver, drawing from their uncle’s vast journalism experience, began the new paper in August of 2004. As a show of continued support for her family, Mrs. Napier joined her grandsons’ new venture and began directing her submissions to the Horizon, where they appeared up until her death last week. Though her “Food For Thought” column graced the pages for the last time when the paper hit news stands on March 26, in memory of Mrs. Napier’s contributions, the Horizon has begun a new one called “Nanny’s Favorites,” featuring the columnist’s favorite recipes and bible verses reprinted from past editions. Mrs. Napier’s tradition of announcing local birthdays will also be continued through another new feature called “Birthday Weekly,” which will highlight birthday submissions from readers who visit www.dalehollowhorizon.com to submit a birthday. Besides her regular column, Mrs. Napier also offered a weekly history lesson through the Horizon’s pages called “From Bill Fiske’s Bugle.” Each week, she would scour the pages in search of interesting tidbits which appeared in Celina’s old newspaper called Bill Fiske’s Bugle. With careful consideration, she would compile them for readers, giving them a glimpse into the days of old. The majority of the papers she looked through with care were actually given to Napier’s son Don in the late 1970’s by Alva Fiske, the son of the newspaper’s namesake Bill, while she also searched other volumes given to her by Frances Donaldson. In her absence, her son plans to continue her tradition with his “From Bill Fiske’s Bugle” column. Mrs. Napier was also known for her vast knowledge of genealogy as she took pride in not only knowing her own family history, but also that of others. She was also very knowledgeable about the lost community of Willow Grove, due to the fact she and her (Hargrove) family were residents of the community before the construction of Dale Hollow Lake. Survivors include her sons Jack (Mara) Napier and Donald (Natalie) Napier, both of Crossville, Tenn.; Bill (Pam) Napier of Chatsworth, Ga.; daughters: Betsy (Merle) Holtam of Moss, Tenn., and Linda (Jerry) Strong of Celina, Tenn.; 14 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren, and a niece: Jean Irvin. Funeral services were Friday, March 28, at the Celina Church of Christ with Bill Threet officiating. Interment followed in the Fitzgerald Cemetery in Celina. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice. Dale Hollow Horizon April 15, 2014 FYI - CONTACT INFO Tennessee Press Association Mail: 435 Montbrook Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919 Phone: (865) 584-5761 Fax: (865) 558-8687 Web: www.tnpress.com Email: (name)@tnpress.com Those with boxes, listed alphabetically: Laurie Alford (lalford) Pam Corley (pcorley) Angelique Dunn (adunn) Beth Elliott (belliott) Robyn Gentile (rgentile) Frank Gibson (fgibson) Earl Goodman (egoodman) Kathy Hensley (khensley) Whitney Page (wpage) Greg Sherrill (gsherrill) Kevin Slimp (kslimp) Kayretta Stokes (kstokes) Alisa Subhakul (asubhakul) David Wells (dwells) Tessa Wildsmith (twildsmith) Heather Wright (hwright) Advertising email: knoxads@tnpress.com Tennessee Press Service Mail: 435 Montbrook Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919 Phone: (865) 584-5761 Fax: (865) 558-8687 Web: www.tnadvertising.biz Tennessee Press Association Foundation Mail: 435 Montbrook Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919 Phone: (865) 584-5761 Fax: (865) 558-8687 Web: www.tpafoundation.org Page 10 • The Tennessee Press • May 2014 Answer on police records a long time coming As unbelievable as it might sound, it has taken 27 years to find a case to challenge the way local law enforcement has abused and exploited a state Supreme Court ruling to make it difficult for the press to cover crime in our communities. Reporters and editors will recognize it as the “matter under investigation” reason to deny records, which is really not an exemption under the Tennessee Public Records Act. A case called Appman v. Worthington has been the bane of editors and reporters, particularly police reporters, since 1987. Not necessarily the case in particular, but its interpretation. Some will remember an audit of law enforcement by TCOG almost 10 years ago that found 45 percent of sheriffs and 33 percent of municipal police departments refusing to release reports of recent burglaries in their communities. Most argued they were allowed to withhold the “offense/incident” reports because they were part of the department’s “investigative file.” The opportunity to challenge that interpretation comes in a lawsuit by The Tennessean and a coalition of 10 print and broadcast media organizations and The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. They are seeking records collected in the investigation and arrest of four (now former) Vanderbilt University football players accused of raping a student in a campus dormitory. She TRACKS, from Page 5 the FBI Citizens Academy and the Center For Sales Strategy. Active in numerous newspaper organizations, she has served on the board of the SEMO Press Association and the advertising/circulation committees of the Missouri Press Association and the Tennessee Press Association. She also is a member of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, Inland Press, Local Media Association and PAGE. Prior to accepting her first publisher position, Rouse worked as advertising director at the Dyersburg News. She also served as general manager at the Democrat Argus in Caruthersville, advertising director at Malden and as an advertising executive at Kennett. “I really look forward to working with everyone in the Dexter community,” Rouse said. “Please feel free to contact me at any time with ideas you have on how our newspaper can better serve this area.” Current Publisher Ron Kemp will continue in his role as regional vice president for Rust Communications, working with Rouse on the newspapers she publishes as part of his overall responsibilities. PUBLIC POLICY OUTLOOK FRANK GIBSON was reportedly unconscious at the time. The coalition won a partial victory in Davidson County Chancery Court last month and is appealing the other parts to the state Court of Appeals. The Tennessee Press Association and the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters plan to file amicus briefs in support of the coalition’s appeal and to help preserve the victory already won. It should be noted that the coalition is up against a different sort of coalition that includes the Metro Police Department, represented by the Metro-Davidson County Law Department; the Davidson County District Attorney General, represented by the state Attorney General and the former U.S. Attorney for Middle Tennessee, who represents the victim as “Ms. Jane Doe.” The victim’s name has been known to the news media for months but under the policy and practice of news organizations no one has published or broadcast her name. Media lawyers and many journalists (including me) have been “Shelia is an excellent publisher, and the newspaper will be in very good hands under her leadership,” Kemp said. The Daily Statesman March 28, 2014 Joanna Crangle named MBJ publisher Joanna Crangle has been named publisher of the Memphis Business Journal, succeeding Stuart Chamblin, who retired effective March 31. Crangle joined the Memphis Business Journal as circulation director in August 2006 and had been advertising director since June 2008. Crangle During her tenure as circulation director, Memphis hit its paid subscriber budget for the first time since American City Business Journals bought the Memphis paper in the mid-1990s. While she was ad director, the business journal beat its ad revenue budget for the first time. waiting for a chance to challenge this “exemption” because it is really not an exemption. Davidson County Chancellor Russell T. Perkins last month gave the answer we’ve been arguing for several years – without much success. The rape allegedly occurred on June 23 last year but did not become a matter of public knowledge until Aug. 10 – the date of the indictment. When The Tennessean asked for certain records in the case, the MPD refused, claiming they were confidential under Rule 16(a)(2) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure. The rule states: “This rule does not authorize the discovery or inspection of reports, memoranda, or other internal state documents made by the District Attorney or other state agents or law enforcement in connection with investigating or prosecuting the case. Nor does this rule authorize discovery of statements made by state witnesses or prospective state witnesses.” The rule exists to restrict what defense attorneys in criminal cases are entitled to get from prosecutors, not to keep public information out of the hands of the public. The keywords in Rule 16 are “INTERNAL” and “MADE BY,” but police and prosecutors have argued for years that it covers the entire file. In earlier court cases, police had argued they had an absolute “general law enforcement” exemption that allowed them to withhold anything they want. The state Supreme Court shot that down even years ago. Chancellor Perkins noted that there is “no broad law enforcement privilege” that falls within the Public Records Act mandate that public records are open “unless otherwise provided by state law.” He also noted the state Supreme Court has “consistently held there is a presumption in favor of access to public records.” “Taking a case-by-case view as a trial court, the Court concludes that exempting all the records from review under Rule 16(a)(2) would be tantamount to adopting a law enforcement privilege for pending criminal cases that may not necessarily be called for by the language of 16(a)(2),” Perkins wrote. “The Court concludes that records submitted to Metro Police Department that were not developed internally and that do not constitute statements or other documents reflecting the reconstructive and investigative efforts…are outside the expansive reach of Rule 16(a)(2),” the chancellor held. The Tennessean sought records collected from third party sources, things like text messages between the football players and friends (some in California), and university surveillance video (with images of the victim removed). There were reports one of the alleged attackers videotaped the assault with a smart phone camera and shared it with friends, but the newspaper did not request that. The Criminal Court judge had granted a protective order for all photographs and even the Chancellor did not examine those. Perkins said the news organizations were entitled to see text messages (with any attached photos removed) because “texts do not reflect mental impressions or investigative tactics of the Metro Police Department.” “The court declares that certain of the records plaintiffs have requested are public records that do not fall into any exception recognized” by law, he said, while staying his decision pending appeal. In the Appman case, an inmate at Morgan County Regional Correctional Facility was murdered. The prison’s internal affairs department investigated. Lawyers for one of several inmates indicted in the case tried to get the investigator’s records using the public records act. The implication at the time was that defense lawyers were seeking an advantage by going around court rules on discovery in Rule 16(a)(2). The true irony in this situation is how long Rule 16(a)(2) has been used to get around the requirements of the Tennessee Public Records Act. Frank Gibson is TPA’s public policy director. He can be reached at 615202-2685 or fgibson@tnpress.com. “This is an incredibly exciting time to be a part of this industry, a dynamic and evolving multi-media business news platform,” Crangle says. “It is an incredible honor for me to lead and serve this great company of ours and while we have seen success, we are thirsty for more. “As we continue in this new phase of our journey together, I am thrilled to take on this challenge and look forward to what the future may bring.” Prior to joining ACBJ, Crangle was with American Honda and the Hendrick Automotive Group. She was born and raised in Memphis and graduated from the University of South Florida. She and her husband, Matt, have two sons, 4-year-old Caleb and Logan, 12 weeks old, and two dogs, Marley and Manni. She is a die-hard fan of the University of Tennessee and the Boston Red Sox, loves to travel – she’s been to 11 countries – and is an avid supporter of the arts in the Memphis area, where her brother, Matthew Hasty, is a well-known artist. Memphis Business Journal March 28, 2014 New address for Cannon Courier he took a leave of absence to finish his third book. In Dubai, Murphy oversaw coverage of the Gulf Arab states and Iran, and also assisted in coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings. Murphy was part of the AP’s Pulitzer-nominated coverage of Iran’s contested 2009 presidential elections. “Brian is a proven news leader with a track record for owning the big story,” Pane said. “He is a storyteller at heart with an infectious enthusiasm for digging beneath the surface, for capturing stories in a vivid and textured way. I’m looking forward to seeing him bring those talents to a fascinating part of the U.S.” From 2007 to 2008, Murphy was an assistant international editor overseeing AP’s coverage of Iraq. Previously, he served as international religion writer, which included coverage of the Islamic world and the papal transition following the death of Pope John Paul II. In 2007, Murphy and AP’s Religion Writer Rachel Zoll won the Wilbur Award for a series on Christian missionaries in Africa. The Cannon Courier has moved. The new physical and mailing address for the paper is: 113 W. Main St., Woodbury, TN 37190-1143. Cannon Courier April 2, 2014 Murphy named AP news editor for Tenn., Ky. ATLANTA (AP) — Brian Murphy, a longtime foreign correspondent who has covered and directed stories from bases in Europe and the Middle East, has been named The Associated Press news editor for Tennessee and Kentucky. The apMurphy pointment was announced Thursday by South Editor Lisa Marie Pane. He will begin his new job on June 2. Murphy was bureau chief based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 2009 until late 2013, when See TRACKS, Page 12 May 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 11 Just which crime records are open to the public? A city editor called me recently, wanting to know what records his local police department was required to make public. Seems like a simple question, but in Tennessee, it has become anything but that. The city editor’s staff was dealing with a new public information officer at the police department who was declining to turn over some incident reports because of their sensitive nature. The newspaper had a good relationship with the police chief and knew his track record was to be as transparent as possible about crime in the community. The city editor hopes the matter is now resolved, with the police chief’s guidance that incident reports should not be withheld. But it exposes a common friction when it comes to crime reporting in Tennessee – what information does the public have a right to know about crime in their community, and what latitude do police have to withhold certain details? The answers have consequences for the media’s ability to report independently on crime and law TN COALITION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT DEBORAH FISHER enforcement – and a citizen’s ability to find out about crime in their neighborhood. Inquiries related to access to law enforcement records have steadily grown in three years for the Office of Open Records Counsel. Open Records Counsel Elisha Hodge logged 288 inquiries on the topic from March 2013 to February 2014. That compares with 249 the year before, and 171 the year before that. The questions span topics – fees, access to reports and time frame for response. When Hodge gets a question from a law enforcement agency about whether they are required to release incident reports to the public, she shares Attorney General opinions from 1980 and 1981, and tells them case law in Tennessee doesn’t directly address the confidentiality of incident reports, also called offense reports. The Oct. 2, 1980 Attorney General opinion says “such reports are not ‘public records’ which must be made available to the public.” It cites an exception created by Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 16(a) (2) that covers work product of law enforcement during an ongoing investigation or prosecution. A follow-up Feb. 12, 1981 opinion said its earlier opinion “only applied to so-called ‘work product’; that is, documents created for internal use in the preparation of a prosecution or investigation.” But because it didn’t specifically address offense reports, Hodge said the second opinion did not clear up the question. “Do you have the right to access an offense report or incident report when there is a pending criminal action, which could include an investigation or prosecution? That’s the question. And in my opinion, that’s what’s not clear.” Looking for leads this May? Here’s a few May is a great time of the year. The cold winter months are behind us. Advertisers are shaking off the winter blues. People are getting out of their houses. This means business is picking up. Here are some types of businesses that would be good fits for multiple newspaper ad placements in one of Tennessee’s Advertising Networks: TnSCAN, classified line ads; TnDAN, small display ads; and TnNET, online banner ads. • Air conditioners and repair • Allergy clinics • Home improvement – such as windows, doors, garages, flooring, paint, and home furnishings • Lawn and garden supplies • Lumber and building materials • Outdoor furniture • Sporting goods • Tires and auto supplies • Travel/Tourism The list below contains some types of businesses seen regularly in Tennessee’s Advertising Networks: • Adoption • Auctions • Business for Sale • Business Opportunity • Cable/Satellite TV • Cattle Sales • Divorce Services • Education • Help Wanted • Help Wanted – Drivers • Help Wanted – Education • Help Wanted – Sales NETWORKS ADVERTISING MANAGER BETH ELLIOTT • Home Remodeling • Homes for Sale • Lake Property • Land for Sale • Lots & Acreage • Mobile Homes for Sale • Schools • Steel Buildings Many of the Network ads are repeats, meaning that multiple newspaper advertising works and the person that sold the ad has stayed in touch with their client. The newspapers selling the ads keep a great commission and their clients are getting great coverage. There are three keys to selling the Network ads. Remember to tell your clients about the Networks if they have a need to get their message outside of your local area. Follow up with your client once the ad is sold. Follow up with your client once the ad is sold. (Not a typo, just bears repeating). If your newspaper is looking for a new source of revenue, the Networks might be it. Each ad your staff sells can bring in a hefty commission. Tennessee Press Service is here to help. If your staff needs a refresher training session, contact us at 865584-5761 ext. 108 for David Wells, TPS Director of Advertising or ext. 117 for me. Happy Spring! TPA awards luncheon set for July 11 in Nashville Save the date, Friday, July 11, for the 2014 UT-TPA State Press Contests Awards Luncheon. It will be held at the Embassy Suites Nashville Airport Hotel in east Nashville. Winners will be notified of an award, but not placement, by letter from TPA on May 19. For those desiring to stay overnight in Nashville, TPA has reserved a block of rooms at a special rate of $151.20. The hotel offers free parking and a complimentary breakfast. One may make a reservation by calling the hotel at (615) 871-0033. The deadline for reservations is Tuesday, June 10. Some police departments give out offense reports. Others don’t. There are some situations where offense reports should be redacted before being released to the public, Hodge said. For example, if a victim has a court order of protection, he or she can go to the law enforcement agency and ask them to not release identifying information. Hodge also cited a 2002 case in Nashville where an appeals court found that identifying information of a juvenile victim of sexual assault should be redacted in fulfilling a public records request. So where does that leave local newsrooms? When the waters are calm, everyone might row in the same direction. But the fundamental issue remains. If the public reports a crime, and the police record that information – the basic who, what, when and where – in an offense report that starts the process of investigating, shouldn’t the who, what, when, where reported by the public be available to the public? Shouldn’t the public know what crime is being reported in their community in a timely way – not after the case is over, sometimes years later? Don’t they have a right to unfiltered information that outlines the initial details and narrative reported to law enforcement? If law enforcement gains ultimate discretion on all of the public records in its possession that might become information in an investigation or prosecution, the ability for a relevant and timely check on government power secured for citizens by the Tennessee Public Records Act becomes a charade. Claiming the offense report is part of an investigation shuts the public out of basic information and unless noticed and challenged can contribute to a culture of unnecessary police secrecy. Deborah Fisher is executive director of Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit alliance of citizens, media and good government groups that provides education and research on the state’s open government laws. Page 12 • The Tennessee Press • May 2014 So many topics, so little space. I needed help. This morning, I created a poll on my Facebook wall, which includes thousands of newspaper friends, and asked for help in deciding among three potential topics for this column. The poll looked like this: “I need your thoughts. Help me pick a topic for my column today. Select one of the following? • A few new tools out there to help newspaper folks get their jobs done. • The fallout from my previous Digital First column and their announcement to close down their Thunderdome division. • What I learned from working with six small papers in Nebraska this month about running successful papers. Within minutes, I received 40 or so responses. I was a little surprised at the results. Almost 60 percent selected “What I learned from working with six small papers in Nebraska.” Approximately 22 percent chose “A few new tools,” while 19 percent selected a column concerning the Digital First fallout. I wasn’t surprised that the column on successful small newspapers was selected, but I didn’t expect a blowout. Making the results even more surprising, I could tell who voted for what, and it was clear that people at large dailies are just as interested in what the papers in Nebraska are doing to be successful as are people in small community papers. So let me tell you a little about Nebraska. Newspapers in Nebraska aren’t that much different than papers here in Tennessee, just smaller. Rob Dump and his wife, Peggy, own six small papers in rural northeast Nebraska. The largest is Cedar County News in Hartington. According to US Census Bureau numbers, Hartington has dropped in population from 1,662 in 1990 to approximately 1,500 today. The circulation of Cedar County News is 2,000. The circulation of the five smaller papers averages 900 each, with the smallest, The Coleridge Blade, reporting a circulation of 312. Total circulation for all six papers is 6,500. Scenes for the movie “Nebraska” were filmed at the Osmond Republican. TRACKS, from Page 10 Murphy joined AP in 1987 as a reporter in Boston. He later worked in Miami and as an editor on the International Desk in New York, before his first overseas posting in 1993 as a correspondent in Rome, where he won the 1995 APME hon- THE NEWS GURU KEVIN SLIMP Rob, along with Peggy, attended the Institute of Newspaper Technology years ago and has been contacting me ever since about my coming to work with their papers. The obvious problem was the cost associated with flying a consultant across the country to spend a few days in Hartington. I learned years ago, when Jean Matua (another Institute alum) had both Ken Blum and me at her newspaper, a 1,300-circulation weekly in a Minnesota town of 700, in the same week to work with her and her staff of one, that such problems are opportunities for people like Rob and Jean. So I wasn’t surprised when Rob called me a few months back to let me know he had received a government grant to bring me to Nebraska. After arriving in Sioux Falls and making the 90-minute drive to Hartington on Wednesday, I spent Thursday training Rob’s incredibly impressive staff; most seemed to be graduates of journalism schools in or near Nebraska. His daughter, Kalee, shared time between school at The University of Nebraska, in Lincoln, and working with the paper in Hartington. Most of the staff had worked at the papers for extensive periods and seemed to thoroughly enjoy their work. The staffs of all six papers gathered on the town’s primary street, in a former store that has since been converted to a home for the newspaper press, with a conference area in the front. We spent most of the day improving the photo editing process for the papers and training the staff in advanced skills using Adobe InDesign. We worked on improving their method of creating ads for their websites and making the printing process go more smoothly. On day two, I worked individually with several of the staff members. Peggy and I created a new system for streamlining her classifieds, using nested styles in InDesign. Rob and I began the work to create a photo archiving system for the papers. I worked with other staff members to solve PDF problems, get all the fonts to work together in all six papers and streamline the entire process. At the end of day two, Rob and I sat in his office and discussed the time we’d spent together. He was amazed at how much we’d gotten done. “I never imagined we could do so much in just two days,” he told me a few times. Then it was my turn to ask questions. In our conversation I learned that all of his papers were written and designed in the communities they served. All six papers have editors who live in, or near, the towns they orary mention for feature writing for a story chronicling the struggles of an African immigrant family in Italy. He was bureau chief in Athens from 1997 to 2004, directing coverage of the preparations for the 2004 Olympics and assisting in coverage of Balkan conflicts. Murphy has spent the past year working on his third book, which recounts the story of a World War II pilot who survived more than 80 days alone in the Alaska wilderness. Murphy, 54, is a native of New Jersey and earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. The Associated Press April 10, 2014 serve. And get this: All are profitable. I asked Rob how he could afford to have a paper with a circulation of 312. “Well, people ask me that question a lot,” he said, “and I look at it this way. We’re able to pay for our staff and to make a little profit. And it’s good for the community to have its own newspaper.” Rob pretty much summed up what I say are the three qualities that exist in most successful newspapers: • Focus on local content, produced locally • Support and training for staff • A quality sales staff that understands the role and benefits of newspaper advertising Maybe next month, we can discuss those new tools. KUDOS to Joel Washburn, the first to register (April 9) for the Summer Convention. 4 - Summer Convention Preview June 5-7, 2014 Stay and Play Park Vista Hotel, Gatlinburg What Is It About Gatlinburg? The Gateway City To The Smokies Is Like No Other Town It’s a little place: Gatlinburg. About two miles long by five miles wide. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, now boasting over nine million visitors a year, has transformed Gatlinburg from a sleepy little town of 70-plus years ago into the perennial mountain getaway choice by generations of families. And, it was just named as one of America’s prettiest towns by Forbes magazine. RESERVATIONS: toll free: 800-421-7275 local: (865) 436-9211 Please make your reservations early. The hotel expects to sell out on our convention dates! CONVENTION RATE: $114 plus tax, per night CODE: TNP The Park Vista by Doubletree is a renovated, 300-room, circular landmark hotel rising high above Gatlinburg with stunning views of the Great Smoky Mountains. DEADLINE: Friday, May 9 LOCATION: 705 Cherokee Orchard Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 WEBSITE: www.parkvista.com The hotel’s pool area was refurbished into a mini water park that kids will enjoy. Check In: 4:00 p.m. Check Out: 11:00 a.m. Deadline: May 9 Election of 2014-15 Officers, Installation TPA will elect a new president, officers and directors for districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 during the Business Session on June 5. TPA President Lynn Richardson, publisher of the Elizabethton Star, will pass the gavel toTPA’s new president during the Installation Banquet on June 6. Jason Taylor, president and publisher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, is slated to be TPA’s 2014-15 president. Arts and crafts have long held a deep association with the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Nowhere else in the South will you find a richer heritage of fine cra craftsmanship than in Gatlinburg. Great Smoky Arts & Cr Crafts Community, es established in 1937, is the largest group a of independent artisans in North America. This area offers y o u the best in a wide range of craft shops, including p o tt e r y, wo o d c a r v i n g , candlemaking, quilting, weaving, broommaking and painting, among many other fine art forms. A leisurely stroll on the downtown Parkway opens up a world of opportunities when you’re in Gatlinburg. See sharks at Ripley’s Aquarium, play a round of miniature golf, go alpine sledding, take in the view from the space needle or visit other attractions. If you love to shop, Gatlinburg atlinburg is your kind of place! With more than 400 specialty shops, boutiques and galleries, you can easily find a special collectible or unique one-of-a-kind piece in this mountain resort. www.gatlinburg.com. Moonshine Three moonshine distilleries are now open for tours in Gatlinburg. 10 free things to do while visiting Gatlinburg http://tinyurl.com/FreeGatlinburg Synchronous Fireflies Synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus) are one of at least 19 species of fireflies that live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. They are the only species in America whose individuals can synchronize their flashing lig patterns. Since 1993, this peak light da has occurred at various times date fro from the third week of May to the thir third week in June. TPA Tennessee Press Association 144th Anniversary Summer Convention with special invitation to Kentucky Press Association Summer Convention Info Information about the 2014 dates of the firefly shuttle between Sugarlands Vis Visitor Center and Elkmont will be rele released on April 28th. The reservation syste system will open on April 30th. www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/fireflies.htm Party! Join us after the Installation Banquet for a party Friday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. Richardson Taylor Convention Registration DEADLINE: Friday, May 16 for discounted registration. WEBSITE: http://www.tnpress.com/SummerConvention.html CONTACT: Tennessee Press Association (865) 584-5761, ext.100 or 105 The Chattanooga Times Free Press is hosting a party for all conventioneers to celebrate the installation of Jason Taylor as TPA’s 2014-15 president. Plan to have fun and show your moves on the dance floor while DJ TRAXX in The Smokies entertains with a variety of music. We’ll see who can keep up with Jason Taylor, winner of the 2009 Chattanooga Dancing With The Stars competition. Gatlinburg June 5-7, 2014 June 5-7, 2014 2 - Summer Convention Preview Convention Educational Sessions Invitation to Kentucky Press Association Members TPA is delighted to invite members of the Kentucky Press Association to join in this 2014 Summer Convention. We look forward to renewing friendships and making new ones in Gatlinburg! Convention Schedule THURSDAY, JUNE 5 Noon Registration Opens 1:00 p.m. TPA Board of Directors Meeting TPA Business Session (membership meeting) will immediately follow the Board of Directors Meeting 3:30 p.m. TPA Foundation Board of Trustees Meeting 6:00 p.m. Opening Reception in downtown Gatlinburg FRIDAY, JUNE 6 8:00 a.m. Breakfast—Keynote address by Kevin Slimp 9:00 a.m. Concurrent sessions A. Retailer Panel B. Emerging Issues in Open Government 10:15 a.m. Concurrent sessions A. Cell phone journalism: One-man banding from the Àeld B. ClassiÀeds: What you should do now C. Contests & Promotions 11:15 a.m. Sessions adjourn—move to off-site events 12:30 p.m. Golfers shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Picnic and afternoon at Dollywood 7:00 p.m. TPA Installation Banquet—Jason Taylor, president of Chattanooga Times Free Press, to be installed as TPA’s President 8:30 p.m. Party SATURDAY, JUNE 7 8:00 a.m. Hot Ideas Breakfast 9:00 a.m. Tennessee Press Service Stockholders Meeting (includes election of directors) 9:30 a.m. Concurrent Sessions: A. Marketing Events—Selling Events to Your Community Friday, June 6 B. Newspaper Digital Offerings 11:45 a.m. Convention adjourns As of 4/22/14, subject to change. Please refer to on-site program at convention. HOTEL DEADLINE: May 9 Hot Ideas Breakfast—Get your R.O.I. and some cash for your wallet! KEVIN SLIMP, Institute of Newspaper Technology Bring your great ideas and examples to share at this breakfast where $200 in cash is on the line. Share your promotions, revenue-generating or cost savings ideas. The prizes for the best ideas are $100 ¿rst place, $75 second place and $50 third place. Everyone who attends this breakfast will go home with at least one idea that gives R.O.I. on your convention attendance! Kevin Slimp is a familiar face to newspapers throughout the world. His syndicated column for newspaper publishers can be found in more than 60 industry-related journals in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. Kevin has been invited to keynote many of the major newspaper conferences in North America and Europe this year, speaking about the future of print journalism. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear our home-grown expert speak on the topic: “What’s really going on in the newspaper industry.” Retailer Panel Emerging issues in Open Government Opening Reception in the heart of Gatlinburg Join us for this reception in downtown Gatlinburg, where you will be entertained by local musicians and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks courtesy of the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. Thursday, June 5 6:00 p.m. Reception 7:30 p.m. Evening on one’s own LYNDSI LANE, Chattanooga Times Free Press Learn how creative traditional and nontraditional advertising and promotion create high-traf¿c events. No matter the size of your market or event, Àex your most powerful marketing muscle—your newspaper! Lyndsi Lane is Marketing Manager of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Growing Circulation DEBORAH FISHER, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government DALE LONG, The Greeneville Sun Hear an update on Tennessee Coalition for Open Government activity, plus emerging issues regarding open records and open meetings. Some topics will include fees for public records, access to crime records, cameras in public meetings and what recent litigation and appeals court rulings mean for your newsroom. Deborah Fisher is Executive Director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. Dale Long, chairman of TPA’s Circulation Committee, will coordinate this session on growing home delivery and single copy sales. Dale Long is Director of Printing and Distribution of The Greeneville Sun. sponsored by Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau Marketing Events—Selling Events to Your Community The panel will discuss their company’s overall marketing strategy (newspapers, broadcast, web, social media, email campaigns, frequent shopper programs, etc). They will talk about how newspapers play a role now and what we need to do to move forward with them in the future. Invited panelists include Food City and Cracker Barrel. Moderated by David Wells, Advertising Director, Tennessee Press Service. Golf Tournament at Gatlinburg Golf Course Avid fans know that golfing isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life! While in Gatlinburg and the Smokies, indulge in your favorite pastime at the area’s most uniquely designed course. From the challenging layout and emerald fairways to beautifully wooded landscapes and well-manicured greens, you’ll remember this picturesque setting in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Tournament limited to 24 players Cell phone journalism: One-man banding from the field JOHN KUNZA, Knoxville News Sentinel The mobile phone today is much more than just a device that makes phone calls. Whether you refer to it as mobile, backpack, digital or multimedia journalism, one thing remains the same— the cellphone is an essential news gathering tool in the ¿eld. Reporters are now expected to update social media, shoot video, edit video, take photographs and ¿le all from their phone while they are out in the ¿eld. John Kunza is Digital Managing Editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel. Classifieds: What you should do now RICHARD CLARK, Northeast Tennessee Media Group There is hope for classi¿eds, but the answers are not easy. Here’s what you should do now. Richard Clark is Vice President of Inside Sales & Small Business Initiatives for the Northeast Tennessee Media Group. Contests & Promotions STEPHANIE CAREY, Second Street Media According to Borrell Associates, online promotions are expected to grow to an 80 billion dollar industry by 2017, which is more than double its current level, while banner and other online advertising are stagnating. Learn how your publication can grab its share of this signi¿cant revenue opportunity. You’ll discover how you can build a plan to develop a sustainable revenue stream from contests, ballots, deals, and other promotional opportunities. $65 Friday, June 6 11:15 a.m. Transportation on your own Concurrent sessions A. Paywall Panel discussion Saturday, June 7 What is really going on in the newspaper industry B. Growing Circulation 10:45 a.m. Summer Convention Preview - 3 June 5-7, 2014 Paywall Panel This panel of print executives will describe their experience with website pay models. The session will cover the different ways in which their companies deal with pricing options, growth projections and other aspects of digital subscriptions. They’ll cover revenue and editorial angles. Panelists: Benjy Hamm, Editorial Director, Landmark Community Newspapers, Kentucky; Jack Lail, MultiMedia Editor, Knoxville News Sentinel; Darrell Richardson, Publisher, The Oak Ridger, Oak Ridge, Tenn. and Frank “Buzz” Trexler, Managing Editor, The Daily Times, Maryville, Tenn. Hamm Lail Richardson Trexler 12:30 p.m. Shotgun start Boxed lunch included Dollywood is the perfect gathering place to share good times with family and friends. Thrilling rides and great live entertainment await you! Those not attending sessions can arrive for the park’s opening at 10:00 a.m. to maximize time at the park. 1:00 p.m. Picnic lunch at Dollywood Transportation on your own Three local newspapers discuss the digital products they are offering and the successes and/or setbacks they have encountered. They also discuss how they market these new products and which one they feel will be the most successful for them. Moderated by David Wells, Advertising Director, Tennessee Press Service. Panelists: Ed Bourn, Digital Sales Director , Chattanooga Times Free Press; Rob Bunch, General Manager, High Road Digital, Greeneville; and Seth Horn, Digital Media Director, Lakeway Publishers, Morristown Park hours 10:00 0 0 a. aa.m. m. m. to 7:00 p.m. Ages 12 & up: $20 Ages 4-11: $10 Parking fee: $10 sponsored by Dollywood Bourn Bunch Horn Wells Athlon Media Group Picnic and Play at Dollywood! Friday, June 6 Newspaper Digital Offerings Prizes sponsored by 4 - Summer Convention Preview June 5-7, 2014 Stay and Play Park Vista Hotel, Gatlinburg What Is It About Gatlinburg? The Gateway City To The Smokies Is Like No Other Town It’s a little place: Gatlinburg. About two miles long by five miles wide. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, now boasting over nine million visitors a year, has transformed Gatlinburg from a sleepy little town of 70-plus years ago into the perennial mountain getaway choice by generations of families. And, it was just named as one of America’s prettiest towns by Forbes magazine. RESERVATIONS: toll free: 800-421-7275 local: (865) 436-9211 Please make your reservations early. The hotel expects to sell out on our convention dates! CONVENTION RATE: $114 plus tax, per night CODE: TNP The Park Vista by Doubletree is a renovated, 300-room, circular landmark hotel rising high above Gatlinburg with stunning views of the Great Smoky Mountains. DEADLINE: Friday, May 9 LOCATION: 705 Cherokee Orchard Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 WEBSITE: www.parkvista.com The hotel’s pool area was refurbished into a mini water park that kids will enjoy. Check In: 4:00 p.m. Check Out: 11:00 a.m. Deadline: May 9 Election of 2014-15 Officers, Installation TPA will elect a new president, officers and directors for districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 during the Business Session on June 5. TPA President Lynn Richardson, publisher of the Elizabethton Star, will pass the gavel toTPA’s new president during the Installation Banquet on June 6. Jason Taylor, president and publisher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, is slated to be TPA’s 2014-15 president. Arts and crafts have long held a deep association with the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Nowhere else in the South will you find a richer heritage of fine cra craftsmanship than in Gatlinburg. Great Smoky Arts & Cr Crafts Community, es established in 1937, is the largest group a of independent artisans in North America. This area offers y o u the best in a wide range of craft shops, including p o tt e r y, wo o d c a r v i n g , candlemaking, quilting, weaving, broommaking and painting, among many other fine art forms. A leisurely stroll on the downtown Parkway opens up a world of opportunities when you’re in Gatlinburg. See sharks at Ripley’s Aquarium, play a round of miniature golf, go alpine sledding, take in the view from the space needle or visit other attractions. If you love to shop, Gatlinburg atlinburg is your kind of place! With more than 400 specialty shops, boutiques and galleries, you can easily find a special collectible or unique one-of-a-kind piece in this mountain resort. www.gatlinburg.com. Moonshine Three moonshine distilleries are now open for tours in Gatlinburg. 10 free things to do while visiting Gatlinburg http://tinyurl.com/FreeGatlinburg Synchronous Fireflies Synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus) are one of at least 19 species of fireflies that live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. They are the only species in America whose individuals can synchronize their flashing lig patterns. Since 1993, this peak light da has occurred at various times date fro from the third week of May to the thir third week in June. TPA Tennessee Press Association 144th Anniversary Summer Convention with special invitation to Kentucky Press Association Summer Convention Info Information about the 2014 dates of the firefly shuttle between Sugarlands Vis Visitor Center and Elkmont will be rele released on April 28th. The reservation syste system will open on April 30th. www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/fireflies.htm Party! Join us after the Installation Banquet for a party Friday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. Richardson Taylor Convention Registration DEADLINE: Friday, May 16 for discounted registration. WEBSITE: http://www.tnpress.com/SummerConvention.html CONTACT: Tennessee Press Association (865) 584-5761, ext.100 or 105 The Chattanooga Times Free Press is hosting a party for all conventioneers to celebrate the installation of Jason Taylor as TPA’s 2014-15 president. Plan to have fun and show your moves on the dance floor while DJ TRAXX in The Smokies entertains with a variety of music. We’ll see who can keep up with Jason Taylor, winner of the 2009 Chattanooga Dancing With The Stars competition. Gatlinburg June 5-7, 2014