Web is Key to Reporting on Local Sports

Community sports is a cornerstone of the community newspaper industry.  Readers expect to see full coverage of their local school teams, scores, and features on players from throughout their community.  Covering local sports has always been a difficult task - just getting scores in a timely fashion has been a chore for many community newspaper journalists.

Gannett, owners of USA Today, have announced that they will be expanding their community sports website, Highschoolsports.net throughout America, launching in 100 markets by the end of 2010 and bringing in 9.4 million visitors.  Local TV, newspaper and web are linked together along with national and local advertisers, and an e-commerce site MyLocker.net.

It will be interesting to see what success Highschoolsports.net has in bringing together local sports in one place and how this will shape the future of community sports reporting in local papers and online.

Read the rest of the article here.

CRTC Mandates Community Content for Community TV

BC and Yukon community newspapers are proud purveyors of local content and continuing to build solid businesses around it. This week, cable TV operators were reminded of the value and importance of local content when the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced a new policy that mandates more opportunities to local citizens to participate in community television.  It also ensures that local TV channels will provide content that reflects the “realities and interests” of local citizens.

“Community channels give Canadians the unique ability to see themselves and their neighbourhoods, towns and cities reflected on television,” said Michel Arpin, the CRTC’s Vice-Chairman of Broadcasting. “This can only be achieved through equal partnerships between cable companies and the communities they serve. Access to the broadcasting system must be as open as possible, especially for people who are new to the production of television programming.”

Read the full CRTC ruling here.

2010/2011 CNA/CCNA Webinar Season

Register for the full season of CNA/CCNA webinars by September 20th and receive all 12 for just $225 (save $75).  This offers a way to deliver cost-effective training to the staff of community newspapers.  The webinars are held every second Tuesday at 9am PST.  Individual webinars are $25 each.

Webinar topics:
Better Beat Reporting: Digging for Articles
Beyond Google: Tips on Better Research Skills
Column Writing: Finding Your Voice
Digital Editions and Mobile Apps
Enter to Win: Contests and Promotions for Newspapers
Facebook and Beyond: Advanced Options
Headline Writing on Any Platform
Interviewing: Getting the Story
Legal Roundup
Magnificent Multimedia
Shoot to Thrill: Photography Skills
Using Social Media the Right Way

Proving the Power of Newspapers and Their Websites

As part of their media buy to promote RSPs, Scotiabank advertised in newspapers and on newspaper websites during the competitive RSP season (which also happened to be during the 2010 Winter Olympics this year).  The combination of print and online helped boost spontaneous awareness of Scotiabank to 76%.  Its media agency highlighted that “marrying the two media, newspaper and online, further propelled our reach and effectively created synergy for the campaign.”

Read the full case study here.

Community Newspapers Using New Media to Generate Revenue

More than ever, community newspapers throughout BC and Yukon are making use of new media to supplement their traditional revenue streams.  Blogs rich with local content are a great way for community newspapers to connect with their readers on an even more timely basis than their print editions or even their online editions.  Immediate, relevant information can be conveyed to readers through a blog or Twitter in a matter of seconds, rather than hours or days.

BC Blogs, powered by BCLocalNews.com, a Black Press project, is a source for a variety of different locally-based blogs from throughout the province.

Yukon News makes use of RSS feeds to allow their online readers to subscribe to any new content in three different categories.  This guarantees their readers will return to their site, generating traffic.  They also use Facebook and Twitter to connect with their readers on an ongoing basis.

Another great source for locally-based blogs is the Canwest Communities site.

Alfie Lau of the Burnaby Now runs a highly entertaining local blog called “Cheap Shots” that generates traffic, advertising revenue, and lots of laughs.

API Fellowship Applications

This MONDAY (Aug 2) is the deadline for American Press Institute fellowship applications.  Newspaper employees from the United States and Canada are eligible.  Applicants can select one API fall seminar, most of which are taking place in Pomona, California from September 13 to 17.

Find the complete details and application form here.

API fellowships available for newspaper employees include:

• The Malcolm F. Mallette Fellowship which provides tuition, hotel, group meals and a small travel stipend for an editor of a newspaper with a daily circulation under 50,000.
• The William L. Winter Fellowship which provides tuition, hotel, group meals and a small travel stipend for a newspaper executive who desires to enhance his/her leadership abilities.

CCNA/CNA Webinar - Register Now!

The CCNA/CNA will be hosting a webinar on Better Beat Reporting on September 21 from 12pm to 1pm EDT.  BCYCNA’s own Gord Hoekstra of the Prince George Citizen will host the webinar and discuss finding features while still producing copy for your regular beat.

You can find all the details here or go directly here to register.  $25 for CCNA/CNA Members (which includes BCYCNA members) and $50 for non-members.

Edgar Dunning Celebrates 100 Years with a Road Trip

Born in Elbow, Saskatchewan, Edgar is the BCYCNA’s first centenarian. He moved to British Columbia at the age of 12, where his father, a printer, founded the Delta Optimist in 1922. The newspaper was first housed in the Delta Hotel’s former saloon and Edgar recalls helping set type - by hand.

The quick-witted Edgar continues write a weekly newspaper column for the Delta Optimist, which he’s been writing for over 58 years.

The article 100 Years Young about Edgar’s visit to Barons, Alberta, which also celebrates 100 years in 2010, appears here courtesy of the Lethbridge Herald and Dave Mabell.

Changes to BC Press Council

The BC Press Council will now be responsible for adjudicating complaints regarding the websites of its member news organizations, the Council announced today. Directors voted unanimously to include member websites at their AGM in June.

This means that the Press Council’s complaints process is now available to community newspaper websites. Membership is also available to independent online media.

Black Press Acquires Several Glacier Papers

Glacier Media has agreed to sell 11 community newspapers to Black Press in British Columbia.  The Trail Daily Times, the Creston Valley Advance, the Fernie Free Press, the Grand Forks Gazette, the Nelson Daily News, the (West Kootenay) Weekender, the Prince Rupert Daily News, Quesnel Advisor, Cariboo Advisor, 100 Mile House Advisor and the Coast Mountain Advisor were all part of the sale.

Read more about the Black Press community newspaper acquisition here.