Ledger, News Chief journalists form union
Journalists in The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.) and News Chief's newsrooms (Winter Haven, Fla.) elected to form a union Thursday and will be represented by The NewsGuild-Communication Workers of America. The bargaining unit, the first in the state according to the union, will cover the newspapers' reporters, photographers, copy editors and other non-management journalists.
MOREtronc restructures into traditional and digital publishing units
tronc, formerly Tribune Publishing, is splitting itself into two separate business units for reporting purposes, the company has announced. Its print publishing arm has been christened "troncM" (for "media") while its digital publishing arm is "troncX" (for "exchange").
The troncM segment includes revenue from print circulation, advertising, and direct mail and expenses related to content, ad sales, distribution and marketing.
The troncX segment includes revenue from digital advertising and digital-only subscriptions, as well as from the Tribune Content Agency, the marketing agency Motiv8 and the real-estate site "For Sale By Owner." Its expenses include dedicated digital staff.
Splitting the business into two reporting segments is a way to separate continuing losses in print circulation and print advertising from the digital side of the business that tronc clearly sees as the future.
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MOREPut your data into action with this step-by-step guide
When it comes to data and analytics, newspapers have more information at their fingertips than ever before. "Metrics help us see what readers are and aren't reading. That's a good thing," said Michelle Nicolosi, director of digital, video and Life & Culture at The Oregonian and Oregonlive.com.
And that means good news for publishers, according to Matt Lindsay, president of Mather Economics. There's a misconception that newspaper publishers have continued to be sloth in their digital adoption and innovation. In his estimation, newspapers have a healthy lead on broadcasting, in terms of how they're leveraging data.
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MOREFauquier Times purchased by local investors
Local investors have signed documents to buy the weekly Fauquier Times, Prince William Times and Gainesville Times from Loudoun-based Virginia News Group, according to Randy Cope, managing director of Cribb, Greene & Cope, who represented Virginia News Group in the transaction. Terms were not disclosed.
MOREAP expands, rebrands custom content and distribution service
The Associated Press has expanded its custom content and distribution service, re-branding it AP ContentWorks, to reflect its broader set of capabilities.
AP ContentWorks offers a full suite of customizable services, including strategy, distribution, project management and measurement, as well as the creation of text, video, photo and graphic content. The content is delivered to AP's member publishers and broadcasters through the Nativo platform.
MOREAP to publish first all-time college football ranking
The Associated Press will rank the nation's all-time top college football programs for the first time, as tabulated from its more than 1,100 weekly polls of top college football teams over the past 80 years.
The all-time ranking is being released today at 2 p.m. (EST). They will be based on total poll appearances, number of times ranked No. 1 and AP national championships.
MOREMorris Publishing Group acquires Buzz on Biz, LLC
Morris Publishing Group, LLC has acquired Buzz on Biz, LLC which includes the Buzz on Biz suite of print, digital, broadcast, radio shows and events.
MOREHearst purchases Houston Community Newspapers & Media Group
Hearst has acquired the Houston Community Newspapers & Media Group from 1013 Star Communications. The announcement was made by Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz and Hearst Newspapers President Mark Aldam. Dirks, Van Essen & Murray represented Hearst in the sale.
MOREBarrow newspapers to merge
The Barrow County News, the oldest continually operating business in Barrow County (Ga.), has been acquired by Mainstreet Newspapers, Inc., of Jefferson and will be merged with the Barrow Journal to become a single newspaper and website servicing the people of Barrow County.
MOREThe Fayetteville Observer is sold to GateHouse Media
Fayetteville Publishing Co. has sold The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer and its other businesses to GateHouse Media, LLC. The sale ends 93 years of local ownership by the family of the late Ashton Wilson Lilly.
Fayetteville Publishing Co. was represented by Gary Greene, managing director of Cribb, Greene & Cope.
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We have a new website:
www.newspapers.org
America's Newspapers – the association formed from the merger of the Inland Press Association and Southern Newspaper Publishers Association – was ceremonially launched October 6 at its inaugural annual meeting in Chicago.
Dean Ridings will be its chief executive officer, effective Nov. 11.
America's Newspapers unites two of the oldest press associations to form one of the industry's largest advocates for newspapers and the many benefits to their communities, civil life, freedom of expression and democracy.
"Newspaper journalism provides a voice for the voiceless, challenges elected officials, shines a light on government, calls for change when change is needed, and exposes corruption and injustice," said Chris Reen, the president and publisher of The Gazette in Colorado Springs who will serve as the first president of America's Newspapers.
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New association launches today;
SNPA-Inland merger is complete
A new association formed by the consolidation of SNPA and the Inland Press Association was officially launched today. The name of the new association will be announced on Oct. 6 at the association's first annual meeting in Chicago.
Edward VanHorn, SNPA's executive director, said that the merger unites two of the country's oldest press associations into a progressive new organization that will use its bigger and more powerful voice to be an unapologetic advocate for newspapers.
MoreSNPA's staunchest advocate honored for 43 years of service
Edward VanHorn, who went to work for SNPA 43 years ago straight out of the University of North Carolina, will be honored at next week's SNPA-Inland Annual Meeting as this year's recipient of the Frank W. Mayborn Leadership Award. The award is named for the Texas newspaperman who helped shape SNPA in the early 1950s and served as president from 1961 to 1962.
"He's been that silent leader behind the newspaper industry and SNPA," said SNPA President PJ Browning, president and publisher of The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C. "We're honored to have the opportunity to give him this award as he's retiring. We thought it was very fitting."
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