Advertising’s slippery slope By John Foust, Advertising Trainer I remember taking a day-long ski trip to Virginia. The charter bus was filled with skiers who had different levels of experience: a few were pretty good, most were average, and some were novices like me.After a morning on the beginners’ slope,...
Is Your Website Being Used for AI? Can You Stop it?
Is Your Website Being Used for AI? Can You Stop it? Published Sept. 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Chatbots such as ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence services have exploded online since their introduction just a few months ago. They have become so popular...
South Carolina Supreme Court is unanimous in its support of open courts and open records. Are the trial courts paying attention?
South Carolina Supreme Court is unanimous in its support of open courts and open records. Are the trial courts paying attention? Published Sept. 2023 By SCPA Attorney Jay Bender On September 6 the Supreme Court of South Carolina filed an opinion vacating an order which had reduced the prison sentence...
Kansas case is an inflection point for rural newspapers
SUSTAINING RURAL JOURNALISM Kansas case is an inflection point for rural newspapers Published Sept. 2023 By Al Cross After local police raided the office of the Marion County Record and the home of its owners, creating a national outcry that was entirely justified, the question was asked in newspaper offices...
Interviewing
How to interview anybody By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Your guidelines for interviewing anybody are thankfully similar.Your subject may be the President of the United States or the woman who just won best arrangement at the local flower show.1. Do your research, even if it’s only talking with those who...
Take steps now to report on 2024 budgets
Take steps now to report on 2024 budgets Published August 18, 2023 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant We’re more than halfway into 2023, and many local governments are well involved in exploring 2024 budgets. Are your newsrooms aware of the process? Are you keeping readers abreast of the dynamics?It’s not...
Could the Kansas Police Newspaper Raid Happen Here?
Could the Kansas Police Newspaper Raid Happen Here? Published August 2023Editor's Note: SCPA members are welcome to republish this column online or in print. By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications The Aug. 11 police raid of the Marion County Record—in which the police seized the newspaper’s...
Get more mileage out of testimonials
Get more mileage out of testimonials By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Back in my ad agency days, I worked with a real estate client on a series of customer testimonials. We started with one, then added another and another. The final count was more than a dozen, which kept the...
Jay Bender letter to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. RE cameras in the court
Jay Bender's letter to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. RE video and still photography coverage of U.S. v. Donald J. Trump The following letter was sent Aug. 4, 2023. Here is a PDF of the full letter on letterhead. By SCPA Attorney Jay Bender Jay Benderjbender@brblegal.comAugust 4, 2023The Honorable...
Touch your readers with sensory words
Touch your readers with sensory words By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach You may remember onomatopoeic words from the 10th grade.These words express sounds such as to squeal or whoosh.There’s a different, more subtle category of words, says writing coach Henneke Duistermaat. Visual words for sight allow you to paint vibrant (or...
SCPA President: CBS’ Koppel report provides hope, relights the journalism embers
CBS’ Koppel report provides hope, relights the journalism embers Published July 2023 By SCPA President Richard Whiting, Editor of the Index-Journal If you are a South Carolina newspaper (and website) journalist, then I hope I’m not sharing something you did not already know about and, more important, already watch. But...
Ad lessons from a wall poster
Ad lessons from a wall poster By John Foust, Advertising Trainer I remember going to the opthalmologist a few years ago for my regular eye checkup. In the exam room, there was a large poster on the wall which featured a number of photographs of the same view of New...
Free Press Doesn’t Mean Freedom to Break the Law, But Police Shouldn’t Arrest Journalists
Free Press Doesn’t Mean Freedom to Break the Law, But Police Shouldn’t Arrest Journalists Published July 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Last month two reporters for the left-leaning The Asheville Blade in North Carolina were convicted of misdemeanor trespassing for not leaving when...
Read like a writer
Read like a writer By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Sounds simple, doesn’t it. You are already a writer.But think about it. Whenever you read – and it should be daily – think like a writer.Pay attention to what the writers are doing, how they hold your attention and keep you reading....
Keep it simple in sports writing
Keep it simple in sports writing By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Writing about a sport for those who don’t understand the sport is a challenge. Most writers figure they are writing for fans as familiar with the game as they are.John McPhee, author of A Sense of Where You Are and...
Yes, we need white space
Yes, we need white space By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach In a black and white movie, you want shadow and light.In a color movie, you want vibrant colors.Without these, they would be unwatchable movies.The same is true of your own writing – and reading.You want short words, short sentences, short...
Stories within your stories
Stories within your stories By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Anecdotes are a vital part of compelling storytelling. These are small stories that may open or close your larger story.They also can appear almost anywhere in the middle.John McPhee used an anecdote in a New Yorker article about environmentalist Edward Abbey.In his book, Abbey wrote...
Writing life stories
Writing life stories By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach To their families, obituaries are final chapters in the lives of those they love.For many, obituaries mark their loved ones’ release from pain.For others, it is the winding down of long and fruitful lives.For the unfortunate, they are wrenching, unwelcome nightmares, whether...
‘Running of the interns’ highlights why federal courts should be open to cameras
'Running of the interns' highlights why federal courts should be open to cameras Published June 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications “On your mark. Get set. Go!”These words were not actually called out in the federal courtroom where former president Donald Trump was arraigned...
Don’t sell your clients short
Don’t sell your clients short By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Gene told me about an experience he had when he was fundraising for the Boy Scouts. “I was young and completely sold on the value of scouting because some years earlier I had earned the designations of Eagle Scout and...
Report for America is looking for rural newspapers
INTO THE ISSUES Report for America is looking for rural newspapers Published June 7, 2023 By Al Cross Rural newspapers are missing out on a great deal — subsidized, eager, young reporters who can boost coverage and build the paper’s brand as a public service.The deal comes from Report for...
Is “Actual Malice” Really Not an Insurmountable Hurdle?
Is “Actual Malice” Really Not an Insurmountable Hurdle? Published May 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications This column has repeatedly discussed the numerous attacks on the landmark New York Times v. Sullivan precedent and the “actual malice” standard that it added to American libel...
What makes an ad campaign?
What makes an ad campaign? By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Amanda told me about taking over the advertising account of a business which had been placing ads in her paper for a long time. “In our first meeting, the owner said he had been running what he called a ‘campaign’...
States build support for newspapers; how to tell your story
INTO THE ISSUES States build support for newspapers; how to tell your story Published May 9, 2023 By Al Cross Newspapers and other local media seeking help through changes in government policies have turned their attention to state governments, after coming close last year in a Congress that is now...
Carefully screen columns by public officials
Carefully screen columns by public officials Published May 2, 2023 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant How will the Legislature deal with a record budget surplus, and what will it mean for taxpayer pocketbooks? Are there implications for public safety with the proposal to legalize marijuana? Which communities are the winners...
Even if Public Records Are Wrong, Accurately Reporting Them is Protected
Even if Public Records Are Wrong, Accurately Reporting Them is Protected Published April 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications The “fair report” privilege is a legal doctrine accepted in South Carolina and most other states which provides that a publisher is not liable for...
Do you know where your fire extinguishers are?
Do you know where your fire extinguishers are? By John Foust, Advertising Trainer We all want to take care of our advertisers and coworkers. Well, there’s no better way to do that than to help them stay safe in the workplace. There are some simple things we can do to...
Are your news, ad departments on same page?
Are your news, ad departments on same page? Published March 28, 2023 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Editors often raise red flags – or at least hesitate – at requests for business news, and often for good reason.A store seeks a story for its grand opening – three months after...
S.C. media and First Amendment advocates must remain vigilant as new ‘hurricane’ brews in Florida
S.C. media and First Amendment advocates must remain vigilant as new 'hurricane' brews in Florida Published March 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications In 2022, Hurricane Ian barreled across Florida, causing widespread damage and becoming the deadliest hurricane to strike Florida since 1935. Ian...
WHY WOULD AN INNOCENT MAN LIE?
WHY WOULD AN INNOCENT MAN LIE? Published March 2023Editor's Note: Member editors can pick this column up and run it in print and online as they see fit. By SCPA Attorney Jay Bender Why would an innocent man lie to police about the last time he saw his wife and...
If it’s 10:08, it must be a watch ad
If it’s 10:08, it must be a watch ad By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”That’s certainly true in advertising. Consider the nuances of photography. For example, the next time you...
To build trust and your audience, show how much you care, not just how much you know
INTO THE ISSUES To build trust and your audience, show how much you care, not just how much you know Published March 20, 2023 By Al Cross The national headline on stories about the latest poll on the news media and democracy were about its finding that half of Americans...
Editor ‘can handle mean,’ but can’t stand ‘baseless cynicism and unwillingness to think’
INTO THE ISSUES Editor ‘can handle mean,’ but can’t stand ‘baseless cynicism and unwillingness to think’ Published Feb. 21, 2023 By Al Cross This month’s column is mainly from someone else, because it illustrates a serious problem facing rural newspapers: How do they manage increasingly contentious public discourse and still...
Managing and Covering the Murdaugh Case and Other “Trials of the Century”
Managing and Covering the Murdaugh Case and Other “Trials of the Century” Published Feb. 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Although it is common to call a high-profile trial “the trial of the century,” it is a misnomer; there have been several such trials...
What are they selling?
What are they selling? By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Greensboro, NCMy wife and I once visited with Rick and Karen, a couple who had served as missionaries overseas. As part of their work to get involved in the community, Rick was assigned to teach a class at a local school....
Prime time to take inventory of your newsmakers
Prime time to take inventory of your newsmakers Published February 2, 2023 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Here’s a periodic action item for every newspaper: The exercise can be quite revealing in evaluating how you are connecting with various audiences. It is even more important in today’s fractured media landscape...
The power of enthusiasm
The power of enthusiasm By John Foust, Advertising Trainer There’s a story about a professor of literature at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. As he approached retirement, someone from the newspaper interviewed him. During the course of their conversation, the reporter asked the wise old professor about...
A Story Of Music, Trees, And Family By Two Sons Of The American South
A Story Of Music, Trees, And Family By Two Sons Of The American South Tom Poland 1/19/23 By Tom Poland A Southern Writer www.tompoland.net tompol@earthlink.net On a January day in 2019 I met Chuck Leavell in Georgia’s geographic center. We met to write a magazine cover story. Our story would...
A dozen ideas to get reading more in 2023
A dozen ideas to get reading more in 2023 Reba Campbell 1/19/23By Reba CampbellReading has always been a delight for me. I loved the library’s summer reading clubs when I was a kid. Browsing bookstores is a favorite pastime when I travel. Countless books on writers and writing are scattered...
Billy Holland: Living for a purpose
Living on Purpose: They hear His voice, and follow Him Dr. William Holland 1/19/23By Dr. William Holland Life is changing all around us. With technology providing an opportunity for every person on the planet to speak and listen, we are surrounded by so many opinions about everything, it’s becoming more difficult...
A new mission: answering how rural communities sustain journalism that serves local democracy
INTO THE ISSUES A new mission: answering how rural communities sustain journalism that serves local democracy JAN 1, 2023 By Al Cross The Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues has a new mission: to answer the question we posed at our second National Summit on Journalism in Rural America...
Resolve to be accessible, stay relevant
Resolve to be accessible, stay relevant Published Jan. 2023 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Surviving in today’s fractured media landscape depends on your ability to identify, collect and deliver the relevant community news. That job becomes more challenging if readers become frustrated in their attempts to connect with reporters. The...
Suing the Media for Revenge and Profit
Suing the Media for Revenge and Profit Published Jan. 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications In his new bestselling book and slew of media interviews promoting it, Prince Harry rails against the British media and their alleged collaborators within the British Monarchy, blaming them...
Old videotape law presents new legal challenge to news websites
Old videotape law presents new legal challenge to news websites Published December 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications An enterprising law firm in New York City is soliciting for plaintiffs to sue various newspapers whose websites allegedly include a “pixel” from Meta Platforms Inc.—the...
We’ve got some explaining to do
We’ve got some explaining to do By John Foust, Advertising Trainer People usually say “no” to things they don’t understand. It’s a salesperson’s job to help prospects understand what he or she is selling. What makes media choice A better than choice B? What’s all this talk about target audiences...
Advertising’s Bill of Rights
Advertising’s Bill of Rights By John Foust, Advertising Trainer In the advertising business, there are things which must be done in order to create an effective campaign. Think of it as Advertising’s Bill of Rights: Send the right message…to the right audience…in the right medium…at the right time…about the right...
Does the reporters’ shield survive death? And another way to foil FOIA
Does the reporters’ shield survive death? And another way to foil FOIA Published November 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications The murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German—for which a former local official who lost his reelection bid and was then removed...
Robust public affairs coverage requires more than recording meetings
Robust public affairs coverage requires more than recording meetings Published November 14, 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant My formula for shaping newspaper content is straightforward: Present a blend of stories that people like to read and stories they should read. Under the “should read” category, consider me an advocate...
Oboes and leadership
Oboes and leadership By John Foust, Advertising Trainer If you’ve been to a symphony concert, you’ve witnessed the cacophony of sound before the concert begins. Every instrument seems to be in its own world, independently running through the musical scale.Actually, this is a traditional and deliberate process to tune all...
Libel without a name?
Libel without a name? Published October 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications A parent’s apparently false allegation at a public November school board meeting that an administrator in Richland County School District Two had strip searched his daughter led to a defamation lawsuit against...
Go beyond ‘votes and quotes’ when delivering election results
Go beyond ‘votes and quotes’ when delivering election results Published October 10, 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Newsrooms have toiled the past many weeks churning out stories to help voters make informed choices on Election Day. Now you’re ready to put the exclamation point on coverage.“Votes and quotes” are...
Say it and do it, or renegotiate
Say it and do it, or renegotiate By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Joanne is an ad manager with a common-sense approach to managing her team and their goals. She believes in communication – not micro-management – but real communication on how things are going.“For years,” she told me, “I often...
The Royals and the Press
The Royals and the Press Published September 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications The death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II after a reign of more than 70 years has prompted a cascade of retrospectives and reminiscences of the major events and changes of the...
Keep eye out for 11th-hour election volleys
Keep eye out for 11th-hour election volleys Published September 7, 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Election Day is only weeks away. The hyper partisanship of races at all levels – from local to state to federal – demands that editors pay extra attention to press releases and letters to...
The power of being specific
The power of being specific By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar used to ask, “Are you a meaningful specific or a wandering generality?” He related his comment to a number of areas: long and short-term goal setting, day-to-day activities, and dealings with family members, coworkers...
Trial Gag Orders Are No Laughing Matter
Trial gag orders are no laughing matter Published August 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications South Carolina Circuit Judge Clifton Newman was praised (here and here, for example) in early August when he rejected requests for gag orders from both the prosecution and the...
Plan now to recognize first responders
Plan now to recognize first responders Published August 9, 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Are you looking for a project that can energize your news staffs, generate new advertising revenue and underscore the value of a local newspaper to potential new subscribers?Mark Oct. 28: National First Responders Day.Full disclosure...
Tell them why – and sell more
Tell them why – and sell more By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Like some other kids, I learned how to drive before taking the drivers’ education class in high school. My father took me to the school’s football stadium on weekends when the expansive parking lot was empty. The car...
Abortion Ruling Could Impact Media Law
Abortion Ruling Could Impact Media Law Published July 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications We have already seen some of the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent blockbuster decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which reversed its 49-year-old Roe v. Wade...
A key question: What’s next?
A key question: What’s next? By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Gregory talked to me about a lesson he learned in his early days of selling advertising. “In one of my first presentations, the prospect rejected my ideas for a new campaign. Back at the office, my ad manager must have...
The Spirit of ’76: Protecting us against the Putin Playbook
The Spirit of ’76: Protecting us against the Putin Playbook By Ken Paulson Director and Professor, Free Speech Center Middle Tennessee State University As we gather to celebrate Independence Day, it’s a good time to reflect on how our most fundamental freedoms have served this nation well.It’s an even better...
What’s happened to nuts and bolts of public safety reporting?
What’s happened to nuts and bolts of public safety reporting? Published June 21, 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Crime and public safety are garnering more headlines across the country. Law enforcement and racial disparities in the criminal justice system are under increasing scrutiny. Newspapers play a key role in...
South Carolina needs a good SLAPP law
South Carolina needs a good SLAPP law Published June 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications In late May, the Judiciary Committee of the North Carolina State Assembly approved a legislative bill, which would allow for early dismissal of lawsuits making libel or other claims...
Post and Courier advances digital subscriptions business with sports newsletters, in partnership with GNI
Post and Courier advances digital subscriptions business with sports newsletters, in partnership with GNI Published June 2022The Post and Courier and Google News Initiative (GNI) published a case study highlighting the impact of new paid newsletters to the paper’s digital subscription business. In partnership with the GNI, The Post and...
Two advertising goals: Attention and Retention
Two advertising goals: Attention and Retention By John Foust, Advertising Trainer As mentioned in previous articles, there are two types of advertising: image and response. Image advertising – sometimes known as institutional advertising – is designed to give people a good impression of the advertiser. (“We’re the dealership that cares.”)...
S.C. police agencies should follow FOIA law
S.C. police agencies should follow FOIA law Published May 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications A “possibly gang-related” shooting in a Greenville middle school. Records from the 2009 disappearance of a high school student in Myrtle Beach. And the notorious murder of Maggie and...
Use your special insight to recommend election choices
Use your special insight to recommend election choices Published May 4, 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Coverage of public affairs – recording the actions and inactions of governing bodies from local to federal levels – demands attention from newsrooms year-round. And for good reason. Elected officials regularly debate and...
A good idea is worth the wait
A good idea is worth the wait By John Foust, Advertising Trainer When I was a kid and jumped to conclusions about something, my father often said, “Hold your horses, son.” That’s an old saying that means, “Whoa! Stop and think carefully before making a decision.” Dad had a lot...
Lawsuit Settlement Will Loosen Ethics Confidentiality
Lawsuit Settlement Will Loosen Ethics Confidentiality Published April 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Just as the media have investigated and disclosed numerous examples of apparent conflicts of interest and corruption in state and local government here in South Carolina, a pending settlement of...
Seize opportunity to steer, moderate election noise
Seize opportunity to steer, moderate election noise Published April 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Election coverage was a priority when I toiled behind the editor’s desk. It was all-hands-on-deck in the newsroom as we sought information to help voters make their choices.As a final step, we endorsed in all...
The importance of proofreading
The importance of proofreading By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Proofreading is one of the most important skills in the advertising world. While anybody with a sense of humor can appreciate a harmless blooper (one of my favorites is the sign that read, “Ears pierced while you wait”), no advertiser wants...
Publication of Murdaugh Phone Call Recordings Raises Legal Issues
Publication of Murdaugh Phone Call Recordings Raises Legal Issues Published March 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act provides that state agencies must provide public records, within certain parameters and exceptions, to the public upon request. It also defines...
Sunshine Week 2022 | Andy Brack
Sunshine Week 2022 Column: Andy Brack Follow the law by making records, meetings always open for all For publication: Sunshine Week, 2022 686 words By Andy Brack MARCH 11, 2022 | South Carolinians share a common value that public meetings and the work of government should be done in public...
Sunshine Week 2022 | Richard Whiting
Sunshine Week 2022 Column: Richard Whiting Freedom of Information Act serves you, the public By Richard Whiting Have you participated in elections that put school board members, city and county council members or state lawmakers in office?Do you pay state and local taxes and, in return, receive services?Do you know...
Sunshine Week 2022 | Taylor Smith
Sunshine Week 2022 Column: SCPA Attorney Taylor Smith By SCPA Attorney Taylor Smith Sunshine Week has arrived and is our annual reminder that if governmental transparency is not achieved our democracy will also never be fully realized. Rejoice, though, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (SCFOIA) exists and sets...
Advertising’s blast from the past
Advertising’s blast from the past By John Foust, Advertising Trainer In order to look ahead to a new advertising idea, sometimes it helps to take a look at the past. When an advertiser has been in business for a number of years, there are plenty of possibilities.Let’s take a look...
$50 Million Verdict in South Carolina Libel Case Is an Outlier, Not an Omen
$50 Million Verdict in South Carolina Libel Case Is an Outlier, Not an Omen Published Feb. 2021 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications There is a saying among lawyers that “bad facts make bad law,” meaning that cases in which the litigants (and/or perhaps lawyers)...
Examine, evaluate reporting shortcuts
Examine, evaluate reporting shortcuts Published Feb. 9, 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant I fondly characterize newsrooms as organized chaos. I witnessed that firsthand guiding staffs when resources were plentiful and community newspapers had captive audiences.Dynamics are even more frayed in today’s changing media landscape as editors grapple with diminished...
One way to make presentations more memorable
One way to make presentations more memorable By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Samuel, the ad manager at a community paper, told me about a simple technique his sales team uses at the end of meetings with prospects and clients.“I once read that people remember only about 25 percent of what...
2021 Was a Record Year in U.S. Press Freedom, But Not in a Good Way
2021 was another record year in U.S. Press Freedom, but not in a good way Published Jan. 2022 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications The language of the First Amendment regarding freedom of speech and the press seems pretty absolute: “Congress shall make no law...
Are you ready for the new year? Take inventory, prepare calendar
Are you ready for the new year? Take inventory, prepare calendar Published Jan. 2022 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant It’s standard procedure at many newspapers to chronicle headlines in year-end editions. The continuing social and economic impact of COVID-19 is certain to capture a lion’s share of attention in most...
Into the issues
INTO THE ISSUES AP lets non-member weeklies republish its investigative story about 2020 election fraud Published Jan. 10, 2022 By Al Cross Almost a year ago, this column urged community newspapers to tell their readers the truth about the 2020 presidential election — that it was fairly held — to...
Would you mind showing me around?
Would you mind showing me around? By John Foust, Advertising Trainer One of the most important questions you can ask an advertising client is, “Would you mind showing me around?”Think about it. When you have a conversation in a client’s office, you get a filtered version of that person’s business....
Antitrust Clouds—and Lawsuits—Gather Against Big Tech
Antitrust Clouds—and Lawsuits—Gather Against Big Tech Published Dec. 2021 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications What started as a West Virginia publisher’s quixotic quest has become a major lawsuit, brought on behalf of more than 200 individual newspapers, to challenge the uncompensated use of newspapers’...
Do you have an eight-inch frying pan?
Do you have an eight-inch frying pan? By John Foust, Advertising Trainer There’s a story about an old man who was fishing from a pier. He was catching more fish than anyone else, so a crowd gathered to learn his secret. His behavior was unlike anything they had ever seen....
Meaningful meeting reports demand substantive leads
Meaningful meeting reports demand substantive leads Published Nov. 23, 2021 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Newspapers smartly are promoting their roles as government watchdogs to reinforce their strengths in the fractured media landscape. I join the chorus: Vibrant coverage of public affairs is at the foundation of vibrant communities. The...
Supreme Court Declines Chance to Clarify Right to Record Police
Supreme Court Declines Chance to Clarify Right to Record Police Published Nov. 2021 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications On Nov. 1 the U.S. Supreme Court declined to accept for review a decision by the federal Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver holding that...
Letters to the editor published in writers’ own words – literally
Letters to the editor published in writers’ own words - literally Published Nov. 4, 2021 By Richard Whiting, Executive Editor, Index-Journal If you’ve been in this business long, you’re aware —painfully aware — of the many changes our profession has experienced. It was one thing when the pica stick and...
Don’t let shortcuts thwart quality content
Don’t let shortcuts thwart quality content Published Nov. 2, 2021 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Many newsrooms, already strained by lean staffs, have seen resources exacerbated by the economic toll of the coronavirus. Circumstances have prompted editors and reporters to take shortcuts in gathering and publishing the everyday churn of...
Cut down on exclamation marks
Cut down on exclamation marks By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Lately I have noticed a disturbing trend in print and online advertising: the overuse of exclamation marks. They’re all over the place. Interestingly, no grammar book I have ever seen has suggested using more exclamation marks – or exclamation points...
Holy Cow!: Troubling Appeals Court Ruling Holds that Tweet Link May Be Libel, Though the Linked Article Is Not
Holy Cow!: Troubling Appeals Court Ruling Holds that Tweet Link May Be Libel, Though the Linked Article Is Not Published Oct. 2021 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications You may have noticed that California Congressman Devin Nunes is in the news. If you’re interested in...
Catch more customers for your advertisers
Catch more customers for your advertisers By John Foust, Advertising Trainer My friends Mark and Sandy invited me to spend a couple of days in a vacation beach condo they had rented, about a month before their first child was born. Mark and I decided to do some fishing, so...
The ‘blue shirt’ won. Is that the best we can do?
The ‘blue shirt’ won. Is that the best we can do? Published Sept. 27, 2021 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Local names and faces are the lifeblood of community newspaper content.There’s no better way to spotlight your readers than through photos. After all, “a picture is worth a thousand words”...
SOS for South Carolina’s FOIA
SOS for South Carolina’s FOIA Published Sept. 2021 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications In the past several weeks and months we have seen numerous examples of local and state government boards and agencies refusing to comply with South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act. These...
The advertising sales cycle
The advertising sales cycle By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Let’s take a look at the sales cycle. For our purposes, the focus is on advertising media sales, but this concept can apply to any business. Although the cycle has a beginning and an end, the end leads to a new...
Are you telling your own stories?
Are you telling your own stories? Published Aug. 30, 2021 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant I circulated a column celebrating community newspapers earlier this year in recognition of Sunshine Week. Its publication prompted a few comments.One reader, who hailed from a Minneapolis suburb, read the column in his local paper....
Embedded Graphics May Lead to Copyright Troubles
Embedded Graphics May Lead to Copyright Troubles Published Aug. 2021 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Hopefully most reporters, layout artists, and web designers at media companies understand that they can’t simply copy a photo or other illustration they find online and use it in...
Into the Issues (Aug. 2021)
INTO THE ISSUES Editorials provide leadership needed in pandemic Published Aug. 11, 2021 By Al Cross Editorials are falling from favor at many American newspapers, for various reasons, including a desire not to upset and chase away readers, especially when it comes to our increasingly tribal and polarized politics.Unfortunately, many...
Media Law Then and Now: In Recognition of Bill Rogers’ Retirement
Media Law Then and Now: In Recognition of Bill Rogers’ Retirement Published July 2021 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Each month in this column, I attempt to highlight a recent development in media law, either in South Carolina or nationally, that may have an...
Lessons from a failed advertiser
Lessons from a failed advertiser By John Foust, Advertising Trainer I remember talking to Clark about his early days in advertising. When he started his then-small marketing business, one of his first clients was a fast-food establishment that needed help with an introductory campaign. Although the store manager knew almost...