The following is a link to the New England Press Associations newletter in which I was assigned to cover one of the speakers at the NEPA Convention in 2009:
http://www.nenpa.com/resources/Documents/2009%20March1.pdf
“There will be a quiz in 15 minutes,” said the speaker, Tom Kearney, Managing Editor of The Stowe Reporter of Stowe, V.T., as he passed handouts around the room. Laughter ensued, setting a relaxed, comfortable tone which persisted throughout the afternoon workshop entitled “Making Good Decisions for News Coverage” at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, February 6th.
The audience consisted of reporters, editors, mail delivery persons, investigators, and publishers. The catch was that it was usually one person fulfilling all of these roles.
Tom Kearney [cq], 62, spoke to a room of about 30 who were aching to find out how they can put forward their best paper with the most effective content. These people came to this workshop to learn how to enhance their small publication with little to no staff.
Lee Kahrs [cq], News Editor of the Brandon Reporter of Brandon, V.T., is proud to say that she “handles the news from its conception all the way to [the] doorstep.” For the Reporter, she writes the news, decides the layout, edits, puts the newspaper together and then delivers it herself. She attended the workshop seeking help on prioritizing stories and learning how to become a better editor and said she came away with a different way of thinking. Kahrs stated that Kearney was really good in delivering little nuggets of knowledge that will surely be useful in the future.
Some of the highlights of the workshop could be found in the open discussions Kearney allowed throughout the session between its participants. These discussions allowed people to ask questions of, and provide advice or suggestions for, peers in similar positions. This was another factor which turned this lecture-style presentation into more of an open forum.
Some of the main issues addressed included questions of how small publications can compete with the “paper of record,” or those papers most widely read within their demographic, especially when the bigger paper is able to cover so many areas so quickly. Participants also asked for advice in how to attract not only readers, but companies to invest in advertisements in their newspapers.
Kearney answered these questions and many more, providing tips on getting your publication to be taken seriously, how to compete with the bigger, older bears of journalism, and how use limited resources to create a worthwhile and marketable product.
For publications aiming to attract more readers, Kearney advised them to broaden their vision and connect with their community. He stated that in smaller communities, a tiny newspaper’s main competition is probably word-of-mouth, not necessarily a bigger publication, implying that they need to attract more attention. You need to find “some kind of crack-cocaine of the hobby area. If you can become the voice of that, you can help yourself.” He drove this point home with examples of how his own Stowe Reporter has an entire section about snow and also, how another publication solely about horses and everything involved with the animal, is doing quite well for itself. Kearney says that filling niches can greatly boost your circulation.
In competition with larger publications, Kearney said, a smaller publication has the edge of being able to cover a story better and more in depth. A weekly publication, especially, can take the time to cover events with a different, more intense angle, while dailies are pressured to just get the story in while it’s hot.
Addressing boosting your advertisements, Kearney stated that it is your job to focus on making the best publication you possibly can, gaining readers, and trying to grow. If you do that, then advertisers will come. They want to know they are investing in something people will read, Kearney said, so just focus on making a good newspaper.
Kearney also gave some pointers on how to make a newspaper in any condition better than it already is.
“How many of you know your mission statement?” As a single person raised their hand, Kearney looked at the woman and said, “There’s one… and I think you wrote it!” Amidst chuckles, the speaker declared that one sure-fire way to increase productivity and cohesiveness is to know your mission statement. He went on to insist that another must-have to benefit these factors is having news meetings. It is imperative, Kearney said, to gather your staff and decide what is best for the publication, discuss what everyone is working on, and what the final goals are. Meetings, he said after a few people expressed that they were time consuming and hard to get together, actually save time. They can allow everyone to comment on individual accomplishments, possibly provide help, and plan ahead for the next issue. According to Kearney, no matter how small your staff is, “the more you talk about what is important, the better you are.” Even if, he says referring to Kahrs, you are having a meeting of one.
In wrapping up the workshop, Kearney wanted the participants to absorb two most important pieces of knowledge. “You have two things. You have time and you have people. How are you going to use them?” Kearney stressed the importance of planning and aspiration. “The fact that you’re the newspaper that keeps track of what happens in your community doesn’t make you a stenographer…” Make time for important stories, Kearney advised, and don’t get captivated by events. Also, “boring people make boring newspapers… We take the interesting parts and the important parts [of a story] and throw the rest away.” This is the key to being a reputable and well-liked publication, said Kearney.
After the session, while walking to the banquet, Kearney was asked by a colleague if retirement, after so many years in the news business, was in the near future. “I can’t see it really,” he replied, “I like what I do.”
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