| February 2002 |
Page 1 |
Conference Opens Feb. 28 in DC
Register today to attend the 2002 MDDC Editorial Conference, formerly the Winter
Convention, February 28 - March 1 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. Despite a new
name, the program will once again feature all the top attractions of the annual event. |
Newspaper Face Several Legislative Challenges in MD
General Assembly
Less than half way through the Maryland legislative session for 2002, the number of bills
directly affecting newspapers appears to be at a recent high, including measures dealing
with access to information, public notice advertising, telemarketing, hawking sales at
roadside and more. |
| Page 2 |
Board News
MDDC 2002 Officer Slate Presented
Tom Schmidt, president of Carroll Publishing in Washington, DC, has been nominated to lead
the MDDC Press Association for the next year.
- Board Member Elections Set for Feb. 28
A group of six directors, whose terms expire this year on teh MDDC Board of Directors,
have been nominated for re-election at the Annual Busines Meeting on Feb. 28. In addition,
one new director is being nominated to fill a one-year vacancy on the board.
|
NNA Main Office Moves to
Missouri
As part of a reorganization effort, the National Newspaper Association is relocating its
headquarters to Columbia, MO, at the Missouri School of Journalism. NNA will continue to
operate an office in Washington, DC, through an agreement with American PressWorks, a
VA-based association management and public affairs firm. |
| Page 3 |
Circulation News
Making it a People Business
Twice each year, spring and fall, I assist other circulation-marketing executives with a
district manager training seminar. The three-day seminar focuses on the basics of our
business, and I always get as much back from the groups as I give.
- NIE Programs Still Growing
The Newspaper Association of America Foundation recently released "Measuring Up! The
Scope, Quality and Focus of Newspapers in Education Programs in the United States."
This is the first study in eight years to quantify the growth that has taken place in NIE.
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| Page 4 |
Afro-American
Papers Redesigned
The Afro-American Newspapers are in the middle of a redeisgn of their newspapers which
began with a new banner and includes an increase to four sections. |
The Sun, WMAR Form
Partnership
The Sun and WMAR-TV have formed a partnership where the paper's news accounts and staff
will be used in the station's newscasts and the two will collaborate on marketing and
advertising. |
| Page 5 |
Legal News
Looking for Threats in Public Records Requests
Maryland Governor Parris Glendenning introduced a bill to the Maryland General
Assembly in January that would allow a record custodian to deny access to any record that
contains information "disclosing or relating to public security if the custodian
determins that inspection of the information would constitute a risk to the public or
public security."
- News Rack Control Plan Beaten
A federal appeals court recently upheld a judge's order preventing Atlanta's largest
airport from enforcing its four-year-old plan to control racks where newspapers are sold.
The Hartsfield International Aiport news racks plan imposes a $20 fee on publishers
selling newspapers from designated, city-owned news racks advertising Coca Cola products.
NAA Joins Internet Libel Case
The Newspaper Association of America (NAA) has joined a brief in a libel case that
will decide whether an Internet publisher coudl be subject to lawsuits in any state having
access to its Web site, even if the Internet publisher has no personal contacts with that
particular state. |
| Page 6 |
Advertising
News
Shoppers Still Turn to Newspapers
When Americans are in the mood to buy - and even when they're just browsing - they turn to
daily and Sunday newspapers for information that will help them decide what to buy and
where to make their purchase, according to a report by the Newspaper Association of
America (NAA).Making Ads that Stick Through
At a long-ago conference, I heard an ad agency executive form the Midwest compare
advertising to a bed of nails. |
| Page 7 |
Newsprint
Prices Continue Decline into 2002
The recession-triggered collapse of the advertising market, which has shaken scores of
media companies, is rattling players farther down the food chain too, making last year
perhaps the most painful year since the Great Depression for the volatile newsprint
business. |
Profile: Ron Monahan
Ron, publisher of the Cumberland Times-News, began
his career at the newspaper in 1966 working in the composing room. Since then he has held
a variety of positions including advertising sales representative, retail advertising
manager, advertising manager and was named general manager in 1993. He was director of
printing for Thomson Newspapers in West Virginia from 1995 to 1996 and then vice-president
of operations for Thomson's papers inWest Virginia and Cumberland. In 1997, he was named
publisher of the Times-News. Ron has been a member of the MDDC Board of Directors since
1999. |
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