Shaw Media buys The Ottawa Times from Small Newspapers 3/27/18

The Ottawa (Ill.) Times has been sold to Shaw Media of Crystal Lake, Ill., according to Len R. Small, president of Small Newspapers. The Times serves both Ottawa and Streator, Ill., publishing a newspaper five days a week. The asset sale includes related operations, including Starved Rock County Magazine, a regional travel publication.

Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a media merger and acquisition firm based in Santa Fe, N.M., represented the Small Newspaper Group in the transaction.

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Cover Video brings buzzy, shareable editorial content to AP Video Hub 3/27/18

The Associated Press has announced it will offer eye-catching human interest, entertainment and viral content from Cover Video on its online AP Video Hub platform.

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TownNews.com strengthens video offerings with Field59 acquisition 3/27/18

TownNews.com is acquiring Field59, which produces video management and streaming solutions for media organizations.

"We are thrilled to have Field59 join the TownNews.com team," said Brad Ward, CEO of TownNews.com. "Field59 has been a strong and trusted partner for several years. Integration of Field59's video platform within BLOX CMS allows our customers to have broadcast quality video available for their desktop, mobile and OTT applications."

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Help us stop tariffs on newsprint 3/26/18

The Coalition to Stop Tariffs on Printers and Publishers is asking newspapers to take a stand and join the fight against unwarranted preliminary countervailing and antidumping duties imposed this year by the Department of Commerce on Canadian imports of uncoated groundwood paper, which includes newsprint used by newspapers, printers and other publishers. Combined, these duties climb as high as 32 percent.

Here are two ways to help now:

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Arkansas Supreme Court vacates contractor ruling 3/26/18

By L. Michael Zinser, The Zinser Law Firm

On March 1, reversing the Court of Appeals, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that a part-time grocery store security guard was an independent contractor, and not an employee, for purposes of Workers' Compensation.

The significance of this decision for newspaper publishers in Arkansas is that the primary factors relied upon by the Arkansas Supreme Court are usually present in the contract relationship between newspaper publishing companies and its independent contractor newspaper carriers.

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TKS to close office in Dallas 3/26/18

Effective March 31, TKS will be closing its office in Dallas.

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Live video: Have fun, it's a community now 3/26/18

In segment one of Innovation in Focus, the Donald W. Reynolds Futures Lab spoke with Terez Paylor, Chiefs beat writer at The Kansas City Star, who goes live with readers every week. During March, Innovation in Focus explored live video by testing various tools and methods in the field. In this segment the Futures Lab used multiple iPhones to broadcast live from the Columbia Missouri Farmers Market.

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Independent contractor status in North Carolina 3/19/18

By L. Michael Zinser, The Zinser Law Firm

Recently, a former newspaper carrier filed a wage claim with the North Carolina Department of Labor, claiming employee status at a daily newspaper in the state. The newspaper carrier filed with the state Department of Labor, rather than federal DOL, because the federal wage and hour law contains a complete exemption for newspaper carriers; the North Carolina wage and hour law does not.

Of course, the newspaper stated that the individual was an independent contractor, not an employee. As part of its investigation, the North Carolina Department of Labor asked the company to provide specific information, in order to determine whether there was an employer/employee relationship.

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SNPA joins coalition to stop baseless newsprint tariffs 3/19/18

SNPA is a member of a coalition announced Monday that is fighting proposed countervailing duties (CVD) and anti-dumping duties (AD) on imports of Canadian uncoated groundwood papers including newsprint and other papers.

The coalition – Stop Tariffs on Printers & Publishers (STOPP) – is comprised of members of the printing, publishing and paper-producing industries, which employ more than 600,000 workers.

These preliminary duties, which were assessed by the Department of Commerce in January and March, respectively, are the result of a petition filed by one company, North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC), an outlier in the paper industry that is looking to use the U.S. government for its own financial gain. The STOPP coalition is concerned that these CVD and AD duties, which range up to 32 percent combined, will saddle U.S. printing and publishing businesses with increased costs and threaten thousands of American jobs.

"To think that one company could file a petition that would so adversely affect the entire newspaper industry is unconscionable," said SNPA Chairman Chris Reen, who is president and publisher of The Oklahoman Media Company. "The consequences of this will be devastating to an industry already under enormous financial pressure. The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission should heed the warnings from local publishers. There is no way to absorb these costs along the supply chain – they will lead to even more job losses and in some cases, outright news deserts."

SNPA President Patrick Dorsey said: "We are already working hard to absorb the price increases related to a tight newsprint supply environment. Implementing these unreasonable duties of up to 32 percent is inexcusable and will lead to a loss of many more jobs than they claim to save."

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Lawton Constitution to be sold to Southern Newspapers 3/13/18

Bill Burgess, Jr. and Brad Burgess have announced that they have entered into an agreement to sell the Lawton (Okla.) Constitution to Southern Newspapers, headquartered in Houston, Texas. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

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