QCNA CONNECTOR wwwqcnaorg The Official Publication of the Quebec Community Newspapers Association March 2010

Whatrsquos Inside The Duncan Report Page 2 QCNA Happenings Page 3 Industry Highlights Page 4 Advertising Tidbits Page 5 QCNArsquos BNC Shortlist Page 6

QCNA Awards Gala InfoCCNArsquos BNC Winners Page 7 Jim Pumarlo - A checklist for evaluating advocating sensitive issues Page 8 Kevin Slimp - Kevin answers questions on pdfs photos Page 9 Jim Pumarlo - Improving relations with city hall a two way street Page 10 John Foust - The power of the freebie Page 11

QCNArsquos Better Newspaper CompetitionAwards Gala

amp

30th Annual General Meeting

at the

Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites21700 TransCanada Highway Vaudreuil-Dorion QC J7V 8P3

Friday May 28 2010Watch for your invitation

coming soon via email

bullbullbull (See Pages 6 amp 7 For Shortlist amp Awards Gala Info) bullbullbull

Mark Your Calendars

QCNA Connector March 2010 2

The Duncan Reportby Greg DuncanExecutive Director

ldquoOur bylaws were written 25 years ago and now are sputtering and gasping There are still some good parts that we will want to keep and have adjusted but in the end it is trade-in timerdquo

At the most recent March meeting of the QCNA board of directors a plan was

implemented to revisit where we are as an association immediately It goes without saying perhaps that along the way we will look in the rearview mirror gauge our progress and steer ahead with a new strategy to get us to our destination as an industry We know all too well that media habits are changing and that we need to adapt where needed The fact is that we have been talking about setting new strategy for some time but have been way-layed by the challenges of navigating a road filled with obstacles and curves and bumps that can and often do impact community newspapers The hills have always been steep and the road to success precarious for English community newspapers in Quebec Itrsquos time to pull over for a minute and adjust the GPS as needed Itrsquos not that we havenrsquot pulled in at the rest stop to look at the map before In fact we did just that as we attempted to redefine association bylaws not so long ago Those efforts led us to the conclusion that the bylaws resemble a clunker of sorts Sure wersquove tuned them up slightly over the years and tried to perform occasional maintenance but the reality is that

like any old clunker you can only keep fixing them for so long before you realize that it may be time to invest in a new vehicle Our bylaws were written over 25 years ago and now are sputtering and gasping There are still some good parts that we will want to keep and have adjusted but in the end it is trade-in time No recall here we are heading to the dealer and you are going to help us decide what

vehicle is best We want something trustworthy and reliable while being economical and efficient something that can carry a decent cargo yet have enough speed to keep up and quickly get us through the many hazards on the highway of our mission Speaking of mission we will be employing a SWOT team whose task is to identify strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats This team includes all member publishers or their representatives Initially the board of directors whom you have elected to guide the association will identify and relay any issues with our current vehicle to a lead mechanic Once assembled these issues will

be delivered to you for your thoughts and feedback so we can gauge whether or not we can move forward on a mutually accepted path toward a formal adoption of a strategic map No doubt there will be conflicting thoughts and ideas that will emerge as to the make and model of car and what issues there may be with our current model However I am confident that we can choose some transportation that will collectively serve us well Our

individual needs and wants may differ but after all we are not supposed to be driving individual cars in this effort More aptly a big community newspaper bus that can and will carry its

many passengers for many years to come is what we really need It wonrsquot hurt if itrsquos shiny either So fasten your seatbelts This is where the rubber hits the road As we near our fiscal year end of March 31st I personally wish to thank you for your continued support of the association Always remember that I am just a phone call away I admit email can be very handy and useful but I do like to hear voices and see faces too I know that QCNA staff feels the same and it is our commitment to help you in any way we possibly can We look forward to seeing you at our annual general meeting and awards gala on May 28 at Le Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites

This Is Where The Rubber Hits The Road

QCNA Connector March 2010 3

QCNA happeningsThe Suburban Wins Eight Awards At SNACongratulations to The Suburban on its recent winnings of eight editorial awards at the Suburban Newspapers of Americarsquos (SNA) annual awards competition held recently The awards won were 1st place ndash Community Service award and Best Feature Photo 2nd place ndash Best Editorial page cartoon and 3rd place ndash Best column writing Best Opinion column and Best Editorial page and Honorable Mention ndash Best Sports photo and Best continuing coverage (Hampstead break-ins)

Courrier Laval Bilingual ClosesThe Courrier Laval Bilingual owned by Transcontinental Media ceased publishing effective December 19 2009 This former QCNA member newspaper serviced the Chomedey Laval area

West Island Chronicle amp Westmount Examiner Lose Their EditorsAs a result of Transcontinental Mediarsquos latest restructuring in December 2009 both the West Island Chronicle and The Westmount Examiner have lost their editors Albert Kramberger and Wayne Larsen respectively Both were offered a reassignment as reporter to which Kramberger declined and Larsen accepted During this transition Raffy Boudjikanian left the West Island Chronicle and can be heard on CBC Radio 1 Albert Kramberger Wayne Larsen and Raffy Boudjikanian are all QCNA award-winning journalists

Board Member amp VP Louis Mercier Moves OnFormer Vice President on QCNArsquos Board of Directors Louis Mercier was recently transferred within Transcontinental Media and as a result he has stepped down from the Board of Directors QCNA wishes Louis well in his new endeavors

Interim Director Appointed to QCNArsquos Board of DirectorsSteve Bonspiel Publisher and Editor of The Eastern Door has been appointed as Interim Director on QCNArsquos Board of Directors to fill the vacancy left when Louis Mercier stepped down

Former Publisher Kenneth Deer Wins Aboriginal Achievement AwardFormer Publisher of The Eastern Door Kenneth Atsenhaienton Deer was one of four Quebec winners at this yearrsquos National Aboriginal Achievements Awards being honored with the journalism prize Deerrsquos journey started 16 years ago when he started publishing The Eastern Door In winning the prize for journalism Deer said the award was also in recognition of his international human rights work as he has traveled to Geneva for the past 23 years to contribute

to the development of the United Nationsrsquo Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples Deer retired from The Eastern Door in the summer of 2008 after selling the publication to former Nation news editor Steve Bonspiel and filmmaker Tracey Deer

SomeQCNA HaitiConnections

READY TO GOndash Carolyn Kitzanuk is seen here handing over the awards entries to Purolatorrsquos courier extraordinaire Luc

for delivery to the judges scattered all across CanadaSee the awards shortlist with the three finalists in alphabetical order on Page 6 Be sure to sign up for the conference and awards banquet to be held at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites on May 28 2010 Watch for your invitation coming soon via email and at QCNArsquos website wwwqcnaorg

Former QCT Contributor Dies in HaitiFormer Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph contributor James Coates 37 was killed in the earthquake that hit Haiti in January of this year while working for the United Nations in Port-au-Prince Circumstances of Coatesrsquo death were not disclosed although he had been working in a five-storey headquarters building that collapsed during the quake

Former Record Journalist Was Reporting from HaitiReneacute Bruemmer former award-winning journalist with The Record in Sherbrooke was reporting for The Gazette on the ground from Haiti days after the devastating earthquake that hit that country in January of this year Reneacute Bruemmer was the 1998 winner of QCNArsquos top individual writing award the Paul Dumont-Frenette Award

Former QCT Assistant Editor Appointed Community Tablersquos CEDEC Director for Queacutebec Chaudiegravere-Appalaches Michegravele Thibeau former assistant editor of the Quebec Chronicle Telegraph has been hired as CEDEC Director for Queacutebec Chaudiegravere-Appalaches by the Community TableMichegravele was an award-winning journalist and an Editorial Services Committee volunteer for QCNA

QCNA Connector March 2010 3

QCNA happeningsThe Suburban Wins Eight Awards At SNACongratulations to The Suburban on its recent winnings of eight editorial awards at the Suburban Newspapers of Americarsquos (SNA) annual awards competition held recently The awards won were 1st place ndash Community Service award and Best Feature Photo 2nd place ndash Best Editorial page cartoon and 3rd place ndash Best column writing Best Opinion column and Best Editorial page and Honorable Mention ndash Best Sports photo and Best continuing coverage (Hampstead break-ins)

Courrier Laval Bilingual ClosesThe Courrier Laval Bilingual owned by Transcontinental Media ceased publishing effective December 19 2009 This former QCNA member newspaper serviced the Chomedey Laval area

West Island Chronicle amp Westmount Examiner Lose Their EditorsAs a result of Transcontinental Mediarsquos latest restructuring in December 2009 both the West Island Chronicle and The Westmount Examiner have lost their editors Albert Kramberger and Wayne Larsen respectively Both were offered a reassignment as reporter to which Kramberger declined and Larsen accepted During this transition Raffy Boudjikanian left the West Island Chronicle and can be heard on CBC Radio 1 Albert Kramberger Wayne Larsen and Raffy Boudjikanian are all QCNA award-winning journalists

Board Member amp VP Louis Mercier Moves OnFormer Vice President on QCNArsquos Board of Directors Louis Mercier was recently transferred within Transcontinental Media and as a result he has stepped down from the Board of Directors QCNA wishes Louis well in his new endeavors

Interim Director Appointed to QCNArsquos Board of DirectorsSteve Bonspiel Publisher and Editor of The Eastern Door has been appointed as Interim Director on QCNArsquos Board of Directors to fill the vacancy left when Louis Mercier stepped down

Former Publisher Kenneth Deer Wins Aboriginal Achievement AwardFormer Publisher of The Eastern Door Kenneth Atsenhaienton Deer was one of four Quebec winners at this yearrsquos National Aboriginal Achievements Awards being honored with the journalism prize Deerrsquos journey started 16 years ago when he started publishing The Eastern Door In winning the prize for journalism Deer said the award was also in recognition of his international human rights work as he has traveled to Geneva for the past 23 years to contribute

to the development of the United Nationsrsquo Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples Deer retired from The Eastern Door in the summer of 2008 after selling the publication to former Nation news editor Steve Bonspiel and filmmaker Tracey Deer

SomeQCNA HaitiConnections

READY TO GOndash Carolyn Kitzanuk is seen here handing over the awards entries to Purolatorrsquos courier extraordinaire Luc

for delivery to the judges scattered all across CanadaSee the awards shortlist with the three finalists in alphabetical order on Page 6 Be sure to sign up for the conference and awards banquet to be held at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites on May 28 2010 Watch for your invitation coming soon via email and at QCNArsquos website wwwqcnaorg

Former QCT Contributor Dies in HaitiFormer Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph contributor James Coates 37 was killed in the earthquake that hit Haiti in January of this year while working for the United Nations in Port-au-Prince Circumstances of Coatesrsquo death were not disclosed although he had been working in a five-storey headquarters building that collapsed during the quake

Former Record Journalist Was Reporting from HaitiReneacute Bruemmer former award-winning journalist with The Record in Sherbrooke was reporting for The Gazette on the ground from Haiti days after the devastating earthquake that hit that country in January of this year Reneacute Bruemmer was the 1998 winner of QCNArsquos top individual writing award the Paul Dumont-Frenette Award

Former QCT Assistant Editor Appointed Community Tablersquos CEDEC Director for Queacutebec Chaudiegravere-Appalaches Michegravele Thibeau former assistant editor of the Quebec Chronicle Telegraph has been hired as CEDEC Director for Queacutebec Chaudiegravere-Appalaches by the Community TableMichegravele was an award-winning journalist and an Editorial Services Committee volunteer for QCNA

QCNA Connector March 2010 4

Industry HighlightsLooking For Marketing Tools Industry Ads Case StudiesCNA amp CCNA are providing member newspapers with marketing pieces and case studies to aid their sales efforts and to promote printThese materials are available for download from the Marketing section of the CNA website and were produced by Suzanne Raitt CNArsquos Vice-President of Marketing and Innovationbull Case Studies can be found at httpwwwcna-acjcaenmarketingsales-toolscase-studiesbull Marketing Pieces are located at httpwwwcna-acjcaenmarketingsales-toolsCNA has also launched an industry ad campaign in partnership with CCNA providing a series of print and web ads in various sizesbull Industry Ads can be downloaded at httpwwwcna-acjcaennewspapers Be sure to insert your newspaper logo in the space provided where applicableContact Suzanne Raitt at sraittcna-acjca if you have any questions

Indigenous World Association Finds New Home In KahnawakeThe Indigenous World Association has

moved its headquarters from Hawaii where it was headquartered for the last eight years to Kahnawake and for Kenneth Deer the non-governmental organizationrsquos (NGO)

Chief Administrative Officer it is a reminder of the importance to advocate for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the international arenaldquoThis is where my heart isrdquo said the former publisher and editor of The Eastern Door Deer has been active in the organization since the 1990s and was able to work within the former UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights the UN Commission on Human Rights and other UN bodies and agencies For more info contact kennethdeergmailcom

Design A Logo And WinCNA and CCNA members are invited to submit designs for a new logo and name to be used by both associations for marketing purposes Submitted artwork will be presented to both Association Boards for consideration and may become its official marketing ldquofacerdquo moving forward It would appear on its website marketing materials and case studies The winner will also receive a $500 VISA gift card for their efforts Deadline for submissions April 7 2010 For more details go to httpwwwnewsonnewscanewsassociations047design-logo-and-win

John Gomery New Head of Quebec Press CouncilJohn Gomery is the new head of Quebec Press Council The 77-year old retired Superior Court justice who presided over the federal inquiry into the sponsorship scandal was chosen over four other candidates for the position Read more at httpwwwmontrealgazettecomnewsGomery+presde+over+Quebec+Press+Council2586412storyhtmlixzz0gH4y2Mv3

CNACCNArsquos Conference Happening May 13-14 2010CNACCNArsquos ldquoInk amp Beyond 2010rdquo conference taking place jointly with OCNA will be happening on May 13 amp 14 in Toronto at the Sheraton Toronto Centre Read more at httpwwwinkandbeyondca

Journalist Turned Web-Entrepreneur Is a One-Man News CrewGreg Horn has been a one-man news crew producing his own news website KahnawakeNewscom for more than a year now At 34 Concordia journalism graduate Greg Horn is already a highly localized media titan KahnawakeNewscom which covers news and events in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory reaches nearly every household in the South Shore community of 8000 and well beyond to all over Quebec and then some with visitors from every continent nowldquoI call it an online newspaper because I adhere to the same journalistic practices and principles that I held true to when I worked at a newspaperrdquo said Horn ldquoTo be successful you need to be able to do everything ndash writing photography editing videography and graphic designrdquoHorn was previously the editor of The Easten Door and his reporting and photography there won him numerous awards Source httpwwwmontrealmirrorcom2010010710news1html

QCNA Connector March 2010 5

Advertising Tidbitsby Marnie OwstonAdvertising Coordinator QCNA

LOI - (Links Of Interest)

Insertion orders by email starting March 31 2010

As you know presently when QCNA has a display advertising insertion

order for your paper it is sent to you by fax The time has come for me to start sending these insertion orders to each of you by email instead I know we all receive many emails each day so I want to give you and your staff a heads up I will try to make sure my emails are easy to notice clear and concise I will also ask for a quick reply from the receiver so I know Irsquove been read

Beginning Wednesday March 31 you will be receiving your insertions from me by email each week usually on Wednesday or Thursday for the following week There may be some campaigns booked passed the Thursday however I will email the insertion orders as soon as possible and before your individual deadlines

E-tearsheeting starting with campaigns booked to you starting March 31 2010

Well itrsquos time ndash e-tearsheeting has been used by many of you recently with your local advertisers and QCNA has wanted to do the same for some time now E-tearsheeting should reduce the time it takes for QCNA to collect all tearsheets send them to the agency and receive payment

Starting with display advertising booked to you on March 31 for the week of April 5 each paper will be required to send their tearsheet page to QCNA by email The tearsheet page must be sent to me at marnieqcnaqcca include the whole page with the ad and be in PDF If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch with me by phone or email I will include a reminder with each insertion order for the next while

Awards preparation

The shortlist for the QCNA annual better newspaper competition can be found on Page 6 and it will have been emailed to you as well Congratulations to all who entered I will be contacting each paper on the list to send me the jpg or pdf of their shortlisted entries My method of request will not change from previous years so I know that most of you understand the process and will reply to my email as soon as possible

The Buying ProcessEileen Barak Director of Government Affairs for Community Media Canada (CMC) has prepared a very informative PowerPoint presentation on the buying process of the federal government You can contact me at marnieqcnaqcca if you are interested in having me forward this document on to you

INSERTION ORDERS amp E-TEARSHEETING INFO

Hyper local news in Canada a J-Source projectThe practice of hyper local journalism is spreading quickly as a term replacing what historically was known as ldquolocal newsrdquo in broadcasting and ldquocommunity reportingrdquo in newspapershttpwwwjsourcecaenglish_newdetailphpid=4851ampPHPSESSID=6f43e45f4ef030fdf54fac770a7d04f1

Six Pixels of Separation- The Bloghttpwwwtwistimagecomblog

Transform your newspaper - Some QCNA newspapers are doing just thathttpwwwpagesuitecomNewspapersaspx

Looking for new employees or need a job httpwwwmediajobsearchcanadacomjob_browseasp

httpwwwjeffgaulincom

Just for fun- how will mankind survive if we let the Internet kill newspapershttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=huuNHtbp1oE

Having trouble keeping up with the sites you visit Read them in one place with Google ReaderhttpswwwgooglecomaccountsServiceLoginhl=enampnui=1ampservice=readerampcontinue=http3A2F2Fwwwgooglecom2Freader

QCNA Connector March 2010 6

QCNArsquos Better Newspaper Competition Shortlist (alphabetical)

BEST OVERALL NEWSPAPER AWARDSAl Best Overall NewspaperEastern DoorLow Down To Hull amp Back NewsNunatsiaq NewsHonorable Mention The Equity

A2 Best Front PageEastern Door Low Down to Hull amp Back News Suburban City Edition

A3 Best Editorial PageLaval News Pontiac Journal Townships Outlet Honorable Mention The Eastern Door The Record

A4 Best Feature PageCanadian Jewish NewsLow Down to Hull amp Back News Nunatsiaq News

A5 Best Sports Page(s)Courrier Laval BilingualEquitySuburban City Edition

A6 Best Special SectionCanadian Jewish NewsSuburban City EditionWest Island ChronicleHonorable Mention Nunatsiaq News

A7 Best Community Newspaper PromotionLow Down to Hull amp Back NewsWest Island Chronicle

A8 Best AdAylmer BulletinGleanerWest Island Chronicle

A9 Best WebsiteCanadian Jewish NewsLaval NewsLow Down to Hull amp Back News

WRITERSrsquo AWARDSB1 Best News StoryAli Silvet - Laval NewsGerman Amy - NationMcCully Sharon - Townships Outlet

B2 Best Feature StoryDiamond Neil - The Nation George Jane ndash Nunatsiaq News Scowen Reed - Townships Outlet Honorable Mention Carole St Aubin The Equity Steve Bonspiel The Eastern Door

B3 Best Business Story Bonspiel Steve - Eastern DoorGerman Amy - NationParry James amp Pilon Celine - Your Local Journal

B4 Best Investigative or In-Depth ReportingBonspiel Steve - Eastern DoorBoudjikanian Raffy - West Island ChronicleGeorge Jane - Nunatsiaq News

B5 Best Sports StoryBoudjikanian Raffy - West Island ChronicleDiamond Neil - NationOrsquoShaughnessy Terry - Your Local Journal

B6 Best Arts and Entertainment StoryBoudjikanian Raffy ndash West Island ChronicleFoscolos Toula ndash Monitor Greenway Trevor ndash Low Down To Hull amp Back News

B7 Best Column Writing (with tie for 3rd place)Jenkins Phil ndash Low Down To Hull amp Back NewsKataquapit Xavier ndash The Nation Stewart Lyle ndash The Nation Vukets Cynthia ndash Low Down to Hull amp Back News

B8 Best Business Column or FeatureBoudjikanian Raffy ndash West Island Chronicle Burgess Mark ndash Low Down to Hull amp Back News Ryan Fred ndash Pontiac Journal

B9 Best Editorial (local affairs)Bell Jim - Nunatsiaq NewsMantell Nikki - Low Down to Hull amp Back NewsWajsman Beryl - Suburban City Edition

B10 Bob Phillips Award for the Best Editorial (general)Bell Jim ndash Nunatsiaq NewsNicholls Will ndash NationRyan Fred ndash Aylmer Bulletin

B11 Best Headline WritingBaxter Sara E ndash Your Local JournalBoudjikanian Raffy ndash West Island Chronicle Greenway Trevor ndash Low Down To Hull amp Back News

B12 Best French-language News StoryLeblanc Benoit ndash Courrier Laval Bilingual Levy Elias ndash Canadian Jewish News Tessier Lionel ndash Journal du Pontiac Journal

B13 Best French-language Editorial ColumnDel Burgo Alberto ndash Nouvelles Parc Extension News Where there are fewer than six entries there will be only one winner

B14 Best Education StoryBonspiel Steve ndash The Eastern DoorBoudjikanian Raffy ndash West Island ChronicleMurray Julie ndash Aylmer Bulletin

B15 Best Agricultural StoryBonspiel Steve ndash The Eastern Door Greenway Trevor ndash Low Down To Hull amp Back NewsVillemaire Claudia ndash Quebec Farmersrsquo Advocate

B16 Best Environmental StoryBurgess Mark ndash Low Down To Hull amp Back NewsGeorge Jane ndash Nunatsiaq NewsLegault Manon ndash Nation

B17 Best Municipal Civic Affairs StoryBoudjikanian Raffy ndash West Island Chronicle Burgess Mark ndash Low Down to Hull amp Back NewsSt Aubin Carole ndash The EquityHonorable Mention ndash Julie Murray Aylmer Bulletin

B18 Best Community Health StoryFonda Nick - Townships OutletKramberger Albert - West Island ChroniclePole Corinna - The Record

PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDSB19 Best News PhotoAlarie Martin ndash Courrier Laval BilingualBaxter Sara E ndash Your Local JournalMcLean Wilbur ndash The Equity

B20 Best Feature PhotoGreenway Trevor ndash Low Down to Hull amp Back NewsLewis Ashley ndash Your Local JournalSoong Andrew ndash The Suburban City EditionHonorable Mention ndash Jacques Pharand Chronicle West Island

B21 Best Sports PhotoGreenway Trevor ndash Low Down to Hull amp Back NewsMcColl David ndash West Quebec Post Soong Andrew ndash The Suburban City Edition

B22 Best Photo EssayDesbiens Groulx Sam Simard Tringue Viau ndash Aylmer BulletinDiamond Lawson Stewart ndash The Nation Windeyer Chris ndash Nunatsiaq News

BEST EDITORIAL CARTOONB23 Best Editorial Cartoon Bonaparte Anthony ndash The Suburban City Edition Ciechanowska Paulina ndash Low Down To Hull amp Back NewsRoach Stan ndash West Island Chronicle

QCNA Awards Gala amp Conference Info

2010 CCNA Better Newspaper Competition Winners AnnouncedCongratulations go out the following QCNA member newspapers on their CCNA Better Newspaper Competition wins

Best All-Round Newspaper (Circ 2000 to 2999)3rd PlaceThe Eastern Door

Best Local Editorial (Circ 12500 amp over)

2nd PlaceBeryl WajsmanThe Suburban City Edition

Best Historical Story (Circ up to 3999)2nd PlaceSteve BonspielThe Eastern Door

Best Sports Photo (Circ 12500 amp over)

1st PlaceAndrew SoongThe Suburban City Edition

And Best All-Round Newspaper Blue Ribbon Winners in their respective circulation categoriesNunatsiaq News amp The Suburban City Edition

For a complete list of winners go tohttpbetternewspapersca20102010-winners

QCNA Connector March 2010 7

QCNArsquos 30th annual general meeting conference and awards gala will

take place on Friday May 28 2010 at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites located on the Lake of Two Mountains in Vaudreuil-Dorion just off the Trans Canada Highway

This yearrsquos events will include the 30th annual general meeting breakouts buffet lunch day sessions including Kevin Slimp Director of the Institute of Newspaper Technology presenting lsquo10 Simple Ideas for Making Money on Newspaper Web Sitesrsquo and more cocktail reception gala banquet awards presentation and bar with live music overlooking the lake

Special guests and emcees for our awards gala includeDebra Arbec CTV news anchor and reporter - Debra was born in

Montreal and received her BA in broadcast journalism at Concordia University Throughout her career Debra has received several journalism awards and some of her previous work stints include CKUT radio CJAD radio and The Weather Network

And famous Montreal comedian Joey Elias who will entertain the crowd with his humor Joey began performing comedy in 1992 after losing a pool hall bet to a friend His loss was the comedy worldrsquos gain and Joey has

appeared in no less than 12 Just For Laughs Festivals and is now spreading his horizons into the realm of acting

A block of rooms will be available at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites at a conference rate of $169 (hotel front) or $179 (lakeview) per singledouble occupancy until April 27 All rooms are suites Be sure to mention QCNA To make your hotel reservation you can call toll-free 1-800-363-7896

There are plenty of leisure activities to partake in indoor pool spa massage tennis courts beach free guest canoe and bike access and nearby shopping restaurants and Ecomuseum

Your invitation is on its way shortly via email Looking forward to seeing you at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites

QCNA Awards Gala amp Conference Info

2010 CCNA Better Newspaper Competition Winners AnnouncedCongratulations go out the following QCNA member newspapers on their CCNA Better Newspaper Competition wins

Best All-Round Newspaper (Circ 2000 to 2999)3rd PlaceThe Eastern Door

Best Local Editorial (Circ 12500 amp over)

2nd PlaceBeryl WajsmanThe Suburban City Edition

Best Historical Story (Circ up to 3999)2nd PlaceSteve BonspielThe Eastern Door

Best Sports Photo (Circ 12500 amp over)

1st PlaceAndrew SoongThe Suburban City Edition

And Best All-Round Newspaper Blue Ribbon Winners in their respective circulation categoriesNunatsiaq News amp The Suburban City Edition

For a complete list of winners go tohttpbetternewspapersca20102010-winners

QCNA Connector March 2010 7

QCNArsquos 30th annual general meeting conference and awards gala will

take place on Friday May 28 2010 at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites located on the Lake of Two Mountains in Vaudreuil-Dorion just off the Trans Canada Highway

This yearrsquos events will include the 30th annual general meeting breakouts buffet lunch day sessions including Kevin Slimp Director of the Institute of Newspaper Technology presenting lsquo10 Simple Ideas for Making Money on Newspaper Web Sitesrsquo and more cocktail reception gala banquet awards presentation and bar with live music overlooking the lake

Special guests and emcees for our awards gala includeDebra Arbec CTV news anchor and reporter - Debra was born in

Montreal and received her BA in broadcast journalism at Concordia University Throughout her career Debra has received several journalism awards and some of her previous work stints include CKUT radio CJAD radio and The Weather Network

And famous Montreal comedian Joey Elias who will entertain the crowd with his humor Joey began performing comedy in 1992 after losing a pool hall bet to a friend His loss was the comedy worldrsquos gain and Joey has

appeared in no less than 12 Just For Laughs Festivals and is now spreading his horizons into the realm of acting

A block of rooms will be available at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites at a conference rate of $169 (hotel front) or $179 (lakeview) per singledouble occupancy until April 27 All rooms are suites Be sure to mention QCNA To make your hotel reservation you can call toll-free 1-800-363-7896

There are plenty of leisure activities to partake in indoor pool spa massage tennis courts beach free guest canoe and bike access and nearby shopping restaurants and Ecomuseum

Your invitation is on its way shortly via email Looking forward to seeing you at the Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel amp Suites

QCNA Connector March 2010 8

By JIm Pumarlo

A checklist for evaluating advocating coverage of sensitive issues

How many editors have faced reporting bad news ndash or put another way ndash making an

uncomfortable news decision Pressed by a reader for the rationale yoursquove replied ldquoThatrsquos our policyrdquo or ldquoIt doesnrsquot meet our guidelinesrdquo Yet in the calm and privacy of your office you reflect ldquoWe could have done a better jobrdquoThe examples of tough issues are numerous especially in community newspapers Stories can range from following teacher negotiations or publishing salaries of public officials to reporting business layoffs or interviewing families of homicide victims

Consider three of the most sensitive issues

bull A high school hockey team picked by many to win the state title opens its season without its starting goalie who is serving a suspension for a state high school league violation The team still wins thanks in part to a stellar performance by a backup goalie with no varsity experience What do you report

bull A city dump truck collides with a motorcyclist killing the cyclist A clearly distraught truck driver crouches at the scene consoled by a passer-by Your photographer happens to pass the scene minutes after the collision capturing the full emotions in a photo Do you publish the photo

bull An elementary-school boy commits suicide apparently the result of excessive ribbing by classmates The aftermath of this suicide more so than others we have witnessed in the community lingers in the school How do you handle the story

All of these incidents are being talked about in the community They have an impact on people They are sensitive

issues And they are news They should be reported if newspapers are to represent themselves as a living history of their home towns Reporting these stories in a responsible fashion is a requisite for community newspapers to remain relevant especially during these rapidly changing times

Itrsquos natural and healthy for newsrooms to pause and consider whether readers are served by the reporting of certain news Here is one checklist and accompanying rationale that advocates the publication of challenging stories

Is it true Newspapers routinely report why athletes are ldquomissing in actionrdquo ndash whether due to an injury a family emergency or a college recruiting trip Sitting on a bench for violating school or high school league rules is equally newsworthy

What is the impact of an event Itrsquos standard procedure at most schools to call in counselors in the wake of an untimely death of a classmate whether the death is due to natural causes or a suicide The death automatically becomes conversation in homes Can newspapers ignore the story

Is the report fair Teacher salary negotiations often are emotional and acrimonious At the same time the salaries can represent 75 percent of a school districtrsquos budget Newspapers are performing a vital service by keeping a community abreast of contract talks giving equal attention to all sides of all issues

Is it a public or strictly private issue A closure of a major employer has a tremendous economic impact on a community The news begs for explanation and interpretation

Will the story make a difference A newspaperrsquos attention to a fatal accident including a photo can become a springboard for action to install traffic signals at a dangerous intersection

Will the truth quell rumors A newspaper receives word from an elementary school student that a high school teacher lost all his fingers in a lab experiment ndash the ldquonewsrdquo clearly spreading quickly An investigation reveals that the teacher lost a finger tip and a story sets the record straight

How would you justify your decision to readers Certain stories are expected to generate reader reaction and editors should be prepared to answer questions The circumstances might provide excellent fodder for a column to readers

How would you treat the story if you were the subject This question is not intended to prompt rejection of a story Rather itrsquos a reminder to treat the story with sensitivity

In the end fairness and consistency should be guiding principles for any story and they are especially important when dealing with sensitive subjects

Another element ndash discussion ndash is common to all of these questions in deciding whether and what to publish All decisions are stronger if the options are talked about with as many individuals as possible ndash people within and outside of the newsroom Discussion doesnrsquot mean consensus will be developed but it assures that editors will get many perspectives before making a final call

Jim Pumarlo writes speaks and provides training on Community Newsroom Success Strategies He is

author of ldquoVotes and Quotes A Guide to Outstanding Election Coveragerdquo and ldquoBad News and Good

Judgment A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in a Small-Town Newspaperrdquo He can be contacted at

wwwpumarlocom

QCNA Connector March 2010 9

Kevin Slimp

Institute ofNewspaper Technologykevinkevinslimpcom

From Becky in IowaHi Kevin

I have an SD card that was taken out of a camera and placed in another without first downloading the photos We tried using PhotoRescue (3 years old) to retrieve the photos We were able to get some but most seem corrupt Do you have any ideas how else to retrieve these photos It is an 8GB card with approximately 1000 photos

Dear Becky

It sounds like you did what you could do to get them There are services that normally charge $700+ to retrieve info from drives but thatrsquos probably more than you want to spend to get your photos back My favorite program to do this is Klix from JoeSoftcom It might be worth $30 to give it a try Good luck (Becky wrote back ldquoThanks Kevin I tried Klix and it retrieved almost all of the photos undam-aged I downloaded it for $30 but itrsquos worth it Thanksrdquo)

From Victor in TennesseeHi Kevin

How can I open an InDesign CS3 file in CS2

Not a problem Victor

Simply export the file in InDesign CS3 as an InDesign Interchange (INX) file You will be able to open the file in InDesign CS2 CS3 or CS4 Now for an interesting side note During a trip to Minnesota recently someone told me they had been successful in opening an INX file in a text editor and changing a few numbers which allowed them to open the file in earlier versions of InDesign than usual Normally an INX file can only be opened in versions of InDesign

one number lower than the version it was exported from This morning I opened a file in InDesign CS4 exported it as an INX file then changed three numbers in the INX file by opening it in Apple Text Editor and changing three settings Sure enough I sent the file to someone using InDesign CS and they were able to open the file successfully The settings I changed were ldquoDOMVersionrdquo ldquoreaderVersionrdquo and ldquoproductrdquo

From Curt in IllinoisKevin

We are getting more and more ads from outside of our company in which black is made up of all four CMYK colors I re-member reading one of your articles a while back about either a plug-in or a pro-gram used to fix these PDF files Can you suggest a good one

Kevin answers questions concerning photos InDesign and PDF problems

Yes Curt I can think of a couple of options

Your most affordable option other than to open the file in Photoshop and go through what can be a grueling process of converting the plates to black is available in Acrobat 9 Pro There is a color conversion tool that sometimes does a very good job of finding all the black text on mul-tiple plates and converting them to the black plate only While this doesnrsquot always work it works often enough to give it a try Another op-tion though a bit expensive for many newspa-per budgets these days is Enfocus Pitstop Pro This plug-in for Acrobat does a great job of correcting color problems including converting text on all four plates

From Beckham in IowaIrsquom having trouble that no one can seem to help with My company is still using InDesign CS2 I tried calling Adobe for help but theyrsquore no longer supporting this version of Creative Suite We just got two new 27rdquo iMacs with OS 106 (Snow Leopard) On the new computers InDe-sign keeps crashing wonrsquot export PDFs and randomly has items disappear from the page Is this a problem with using CS2 on the new machines I also thought it may be a problem with our ancient font package a lot of them conflict with the system fonts in the new OS Irsquove disabled all of the fonts that do but am still hav-ing problems I am assuming that itrsquos ei-ther the fonts or CS2 or both but no one can tell me for sure This only happens in InDesign

Dear Beckham

If it were the fonts I would think yoursquo d see similar problems in other applications Have you tried throwing away your In-Design preferences Thatrsquos the first thing I always try Yoursquo ll find them in your User foldergtLibrarygtPreferencesgtcomadobein-designplist (Beckham wrote back the fol-lowing ldquoI just exported a PDF You made my day Thanksrdquo)

By changing a few numbers in the INX le InDesign documents can be

opened in earlier versions

l version=rdquo10rdquo encodingrsquordquoUTF-8rdquo standalone=rdquoyesrdquogttypersquordquodocumentrdquo DOMVersion=rdquo50rdquo readerVersion=rdquo40rdquo product=rdquo50rdquo

QCNA Connector March 2010 10

Improving relations with city hall a two-way streetBy JIm Pumarlo

A fire chief is suspended without pay after he takes his nephew and another firefighter off his working

shift for a joy ride on the cityrsquos fire boat Is this newsworthy

Three local firms are vying to become airport manager in what has become a contentious process A committee on a 4-3 vote recommends the existing vendor to the city council even though the proposal exceeds the low bid by $100000 over the life of the five-year contract Should citizens know who voted for which vendor

Editors and reporters most assuredly will answer ldquoyesrdquo to both questions The newspaper tracked down both stories but only after pressing our regular contacts at city hall

Irsquove used these two scenarios when addressing public officials on how to strengthen media relations My premise Be prepared to share the bad as well as the good news the sensitive as well as the feel-good stories In fact itrsquos in their best interests to initiate the coverage Such a pro-active stance can reap long-term dividends

The advice is equally appropriate for newsrooms

The press and the government too often are pitted as adversaries That doesnrsquot have to be the norm Newsrooms should continue their aggressive pursuit of news At the same time editors and reporters should be diligent in developing relationships with newsmakers who can be uncooperative in sharing ldquoall the newsrdquo

Here are some tips to help break down the barriers

bull Introduce yourself Have you ever asked someone for a favor Yoursquore most successful if you have an established relationship The same holds true when seeking information from public officialsndash especially if the news is unflattering from their perspectivebull Initiate coverage early Short notice is a common reason for editors to turn down requests for news coverage Turn the tables for a moment and think how many times a staff has been aware of an event but waits to be approached for coverage Create a master calendar that includes everything from the fire station open house to local government budget workshops to student recognition events Contact the appropriate individuals to explore coverage well in advancebull Lay the groundwork Nothingrsquos more frustrating for editors than being pitched a story without really understanding its significance The unfortunate result is that the individual is dissatisfied with the coverage and the newspaper misfires on an important story Proper preparation will result in a more substantive story for readers Local government budgets provide an excellent example The numbers can take months to prepare and tweak yet many reporters donrsquot see the finished product until the meeting where it is adoptedbull Entertain submissions Any staff no matter its size cannot be everywhere Submitted stories and photos can be an excellent substitute This doesnrsquot mean a free-for-all develop and publicize ground rulesbull Localize state and national stories This practice produces solid news stories and is a great way to give attention to local public affairs on a regular basisbull Provide other avenues such as guest columns A word of caution Be sure the columns are more than a PR pitch

These contributions can complement and supplement coverage especially for newspapers strapped for resources

All these examples are opportunities to say ldquoyesrdquo to requests for coverage They serve the dual purpose of improving relationships with city hall and providing substantive content for newspapers

Donrsquot be misled however Despite your best efforts relationships with newsmakers wonrsquot always be rosy Editors still will have legitimate reason to reject some requests and reporters still will confront resistance in their pursuit of ldquobadrdquo news

In a nutshell newsmakers must learn to volunteer the bad news and the good news And newspapers ndash even in their roles as government watchdogs ndash must be as receptive to covering the good news as they are to digging for the bad news Developing relationships can be slow and agonizing and itrsquos a neverending process

Strengthening these relationships is hard work It requires effort from both sides and itrsquos best to take baby steps So herersquos a starter

Imagine the reaction if you invite the local city manager to coffee and present ideas for expanding substantive coverage of city hall You might be surprised at where the conversation leads and ndash most important ndash your readers stand to be the ultimate beneficiary

Jim Pumarlo writes speaks and provides training on Community Newsroom Success Strategies He is

author of ldquoVotes and Quotes A Guide to Outstanding Election Coveragerdquo and ldquoBad News and Good

Judgment A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues

in a Small-Town Newspaperrdquo He can be contacted at wwwpumarlocom

QCNA Connector March 2010 10

Improving relations with city hall a two-way streetBy JIm Pumarlo

A fire chief is suspended without pay after he takes his nephew and another firefighter off his working

shift for a joy ride on the cityrsquos fire boat Is this newsworthy

Three local firms are vying to become airport manager in what has become a contentious process A committee on a 4-3 vote recommends the existing vendor to the city council even though the proposal exceeds the low bid by $100000 over the life of the five-year contract Should citizens know who voted for which vendor

Editors and reporters most assuredly will answer ldquoyesrdquo to both questions The newspaper tracked down both stories but only after pressing our regular contacts at city hall

Irsquove used these two scenarios when addressing public officials on how to strengthen media relations My premise Be prepared to share the bad as well as the good news the sensitive as well as the feel-good stories In fact itrsquos in their best interests to initiate the coverage Such a pro-active stance can reap long-term dividends

The advice is equally appropriate for newsrooms

The press and the government too often are pitted as adversaries That doesnrsquot have to be the norm Newsrooms should continue their aggressive pursuit of news At the same time editors and reporters should be diligent in developing relationships with newsmakers who can be uncooperative in sharing ldquoall the newsrdquo

Here are some tips to help break down the barriers

bull Introduce yourself Have you ever asked someone for a favor Yoursquore most successful if you have an established relationship The same holds true when seeking information from public officialsndash especially if the news is unflattering from their perspectivebull Initiate coverage early Short notice is a common reason for editors to turn down requests for news coverage Turn the tables for a moment and think how many times a staff has been aware of an event but waits to be approached for coverage Create a master calendar that includes everything from the fire station open house to local government budget workshops to student recognition events Contact the appropriate individuals to explore coverage well in advancebull Lay the groundwork Nothingrsquos more frustrating for editors than being pitched a story without really understanding its significance The unfortunate result is that the individual is dissatisfied with the coverage and the newspaper misfires on an important story Proper preparation will result in a more substantive story for readers Local government budgets provide an excellent example The numbers can take months to prepare and tweak yet many reporters donrsquot see the finished product until the meeting where it is adoptedbull Entertain submissions Any staff no matter its size cannot be everywhere Submitted stories and photos can be an excellent substitute This doesnrsquot mean a free-for-all develop and publicize ground rulesbull Localize state and national stories This practice produces solid news stories and is a great way to give attention to local public affairs on a regular basisbull Provide other avenues such as guest columns A word of caution Be sure the columns are more than a PR pitch

These contributions can complement and supplement coverage especially for newspapers strapped for resources

All these examples are opportunities to say ldquoyesrdquo to requests for coverage They serve the dual purpose of improving relationships with city hall and providing substantive content for newspapers

Donrsquot be misled however Despite your best efforts relationships with newsmakers wonrsquot always be rosy Editors still will have legitimate reason to reject some requests and reporters still will confront resistance in their pursuit of ldquobadrdquo news

In a nutshell newsmakers must learn to volunteer the bad news and the good news And newspapers ndash even in their roles as government watchdogs ndash must be as receptive to covering the good news as they are to digging for the bad news Developing relationships can be slow and agonizing and itrsquos a neverending process

Strengthening these relationships is hard work It requires effort from both sides and itrsquos best to take baby steps So herersquos a starter

Imagine the reaction if you invite the local city manager to coffee and present ideas for expanding substantive coverage of city hall You might be surprised at where the conversation leads and ndash most important ndash your readers stand to be the ultimate beneficiary

Jim Pumarlo writes speaks and provides training on Community Newsroom Success Strategies He is

author of ldquoVotes and Quotes A Guide to Outstanding Election Coveragerdquo and ldquoBad News and Good

Judgment A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues

in a Small-Town Newspaperrdquo He can be contacted at wwwpumarlocom

QCNA Connector March 2010 11

by John FoustRaleigh NC

Recently I ran across two interesting ads in the same paper Each ad made use of one of the

most effective tactics in the marketing toolbox ndash a free offer The first ad was for an insurance company and promised a free key ring ndash with built-in flashlight ndash to anyone who called for an estimate on car insurance The second ad offered a free Mini Cooper automobile with the purchase of a high-end condo

Obviously there is a huge difference ndash in significance and cost ndash between a new car and a key ring However even though these offers are worlds apart they have a lot going for them Herersquos what we can learn from these two examples

1 Make it relevant The insurance ad targeted an older audience a fact which was clearly stated in the ad The real estate ad was aimed at hip young professionals ndash the audience that also fits the profile of Mini buyers That was no coincidence

An offer has to be relevant to the target audience The condo buyers would not pay attention to a key ring offer And a Mini would have zero importance to senior readers

Even though the flashlight feature may seem cumbersome and unnecessary to some readers that feature makes the key ring particularly desirable for seniors Many older people have difficulty finding keyholes at night

The condo developer probably considered a variety of models once he or she decided to give cars away But I have a hunch that the choice was quickly narrowed by the fact that the Minirsquos ldquocoolness factorrdquo would make a statement about the personality of the development If yoursquore cool ndash or if you want to be cool ndash this is the place for you Itrsquos clearly an offer that appeals to their Yuppie audience

2 Be a matchmaker The value of the giveaway should match the action you want readers to take A freebie that accompanies a purchase should be more expensive than a gift that rewards an inquiry And of course the bigger the purchase the bigger the giveaway

A car is an eye-popping gift ndash big enough to stop readers in their tracks A key ring is small But thatrsquos okay because each offer is a good match

3 Keep it fresh If an advertiser offers freebies all the time the tactic will eventually lose its appeal To produce results a free offer should seem special ndash and create a sense of urgency (ldquoRespond now before we run out of these handy widgetsrdquo)

Each offer should seem new and different not the same old thing For years a business magazine to which I subscribe made the same renewal offer ndash a free pen Ho hum They finally changed their tune and their most recent subscription notice offered additional issues at no extra cost That offer is much better

Although free offers have been around for years they continue to motivate consumers to take action The secret is to think it through ndash and make the right offer to the right audience

(c) Copyright 2010 by John Foust All rights reserved

E-mail John Foust for information about his training videos for ad departments jfoustmindspringcom

The Power of a freebie

QCNA STAFFGREG DUNCAN Executive Director

CAROLYN KITZANUK Administrative AssistantMARNIE OWSTON Advertising Coordinator amp Bookkeeper

Mission StatementThe Quebec Community Newspapers Association is

dedicated to the professional and economic development of English community newspapersand their enterprises serving minority communities in Quebec

Quebec Community Newspapers Association400 Grand Boulevard Suite 5

Ile Perrot QC J7V 4X2Tel 514-453-6300 Fax 514-453-6330

Email infoqcnaqcca Website wwwqcnaorg

QCNA acknowledges the support of The Department of Canadian Heritage and Quebecrsquos Ministegravere de la Culture Communications et Condition feacuteminine