Forums

Human Resources Workshop: Anchoring the Business - 11/11/10 - VPA Headquarters

2010-08-31T05:20:28-05:00

It has been said the only constant in business is change. We disagree. “Anchoring the Business” workshop on Nov. 11 at VPA headquarters will provide you with tools and techniques to help recognize, retain and re-energize your company’s most critical resource—employees.

Your leadership can provide the anchor your work force needs to succeed in today’s changing and storm-tossed waters. Angela Cornish, director of human resources for Media General’s North Carolina and Mid South markets, and Gwen Partenheimer, SPHR, a human resources manager for Media General, will lead this workshop.

Registration form - http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/111110humanresources.pdf

Questions or to register via e-mail - Kim Woodward, 804-521-7574 - kimw at vpa dot net

Sales Training Packages For New Reps

2010-07-20T00:25:33-05:00

Do most newspaper sales managers put together a initial training package for new sales reps to work from. I am trying to compare what I use as a start up package for reps with other VPA members. If you would not mind sharing your format, please upload any PDF’s available.

Baretta Taylor
Group Sales and Marketing Manager
Womack Publishing - South Hill Group

The 6 steps to sales success - Thursday October 7 - VPA Headquarters 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

2010-07-02T00:40:36-05:00

The 6 steps to sales success - Thursday October 7 - VPA Headquarters 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Whether you’re new to newspaper/online advertising sales or just need a tune-up, this fun, informative and hands-on session is for you! We’ll break down the sales process into 6 easy steps and we’ll also teach you how to sell in a down economy, generate new business, deal with difficult customers and overcome objections. Selling print with online requires a different approach than what you may be using currently; we will use real-life scenarios and role-playing in this session so you can make your own selling style adjustments for increased success.

Workshop will be led by Carolyn Cullen & Jim Gainey

Carolyn Cullen is the Regional Advertising Director for Central Virginia Newspapers and The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is responsible for overseeing all advertising and pre-press operations for two dailies and four weeklies, their respective websites, as well as all commercial printing, specialty publications and marketing and promotions.

Prior to joining Media General, she spent nine years with Tribune Company in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. She was responsible for directing the Advertising department’s multimedia sales and new business strategy as well as conducting all employee training for the Advertising department. She has also been a media buyer for an ad agency in Richmond and directed public relations and grant writing for the University of Richmond Women’s Resource Center.

Ms. Cullen holds a Master’s degree in Women’s Studies from the University of Minnesota. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Mary Washington College. She serves on the board of the Central Virginia Chapter of the American Marketing Association and is also a member of the Professional Development Committee at the Virginia Press Association. She is also a certified trainer of Integrity Selling and Integrity Coaching.

Jim Gainey is the advertising Director for the Northern Virginia Daily newspaper and nvdaily.com. Working with a staff of ten sales and clerical personnel who serve and sell to the counties of Shenandoah, Warren and Frederick as well as a few outlaying areas of the Shenandoah Valley. Jim has over twenty-five years in the sales and marketing profession. With over ten years selling experience with newspaper advertising and web advertising. Jim comes to the newspaper industry from a sales and marketing background and was a manager for Geneses Marketing overseeing five states. Prior to his marketing career he was a police officer in the US Air Force, Washington DC Capitol Police and the Prince Georges County Police Department.

Questions or to register - Contact Kim Woodward 804-521-7574 kimw at vpa dot net

Download a registration form http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/100710_sales_event_flyer.pdf

Advertorial “How To” Workshop - September 16

2010-06-23T05:11:31-05:00

Discuss types of Advertorials and tips on generating ideas for new ones. Review successful prototypes with step-by-step guide on how to produce each. Will discuss planning, assigning and editing of Advertorials plus some layout and graphic tips. Workshop will be led by Clissa England, specialty publications editor at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Registration form - http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/091610_ad_event_flyer.pdf

Questions or to register by e-mail: Kim Woodward, kimw at vpa dot net - 804-521-7574

Photography for Non-Photographers - 8/19/10 - VPA Headquarters

2010-06-16T04:30:48-05:00

Photography for Non-Photographers, will offer some great tips and tricks for reporters who find themselves behind the lens. Mike Stewart, interim regional photo editor-South for the Associated Press, will lead the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Session at VPA headquarters. See below links for more information and a registration form.

http://www.vpa.net/index.php/education/article/22961/ - for more information
http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/08192010_Flyer_VPA.NET.pdf - registration form.

Cost is $70 for members, and the price is good for two staff members and includes lunch.

Additional questions? Contact Kim Woodward, 804-521-7574 kimw at vpa dot net

Message from Jeff Lester, The Coalfield Progress regarding 2010 VPA’s Community Journalism Workshop:

2010-05-17T05:21:57-05:00

Dear VPA Members,

One of the best things about VPA’s Community Journalism Workshop is meeting new journalists at the start of their careers — and meeting them again just a few years later as they collect awards and rise to leadership positions.
We’re just like you: We know it’s hard to justify spending extra on professional development when you must apply every dime you can to staying in the black.
But we know you’ve got someone in the newsroom who could benefit from a crash course in journalism basics. This is a bargain: Two days, one night, intense instruction from some of the best in the business, for just $99.
VPA has presented this valuable workshop since 2001, featuring veteran Virginia editors, writers and publishers. We cover the gamut:
Interviewing skills, storytelling, FOIA, photography, beat maintenance, writing ledes, one-on-one critiques and more. We’ll even follow up with your staffer in a few months to see how they’re doing.
A lot of us have presented together for years. We work hard and have a lot of fun. This year, we welcome a new team member whose name you might have heard: Daniel Gilbert, who earned the Bristol Herald Courier a Pulitzer Prize for public service with his investigative reporting.
C’mon. You know who you need to send. VPA needs at least 15 participants but we welcome plenty more.

Here’s a link for a registration form & agenda - http://www.vpa.net/index.php/education/article/14049/

http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/2010-CJW-regis.pdf

Jeff Lester
News Editor, The Coalfield Progress
Presenter - VPA’s Community Journalism Workshop

FREE Computer Assisted Reporting Class - July 12 - VPA Headquarters - Class Size Limited - Sign Up Today!

2010-05-10T04:59:02-05:00

Free computer assisted reporting class July 12
VPA is cosponsoring a Computer Assisted Research and Reporting (CARR) class to be held on Monday, July 12, at VPA headquarters in Glen Allen. The course class will cover how to enter and analyze data in Excel, where to find data from public and private sources, working in campaign finance data files, how to use and visualize your data and more.

The workshop is cosponsored by the Heritage Foundation, the Sunlight Foundation, the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy and the Virginia Press Association.

The class starts at 9:30 a.m. and generally finishes not later than 5 p.m. Participants must bring a laptop with Excel. A box lunch will be provided for all participants.

The workshop is free to VPA members but limited to the first 15 registered. Register - http://site.heritage.org/carr/enrollment-form.aspx Be sure to click on the July 12 button during registration.

Contact Patrick Tyrrell, Research Coordinator, Center for Data Analysis, The Heritage Foundation, patrick dot tyrrell at heritage dot org, or Kim Woodward, Assistant Director, VPA, kimw at vpa dot net, for questions.

* * *

Course Agenda

9:30 - 9:45
Welcome and Introduction: Overview of Computer-Assisted Research and Reporting
Mark Tapscott, Editorial Page Editor, The Washington Examiner
Textbook: Computer-Assisted Reporting: A Practical Guide by Brant Houston, Executive Director, Investigative Reporters & Editors
9:45 - 10:20
Session One: Introduction to using Excel in reporting and research
Session Covers: Spreadsheet basics, calculating averages and percentages, using formulas, etc.?Session Goal: Become comfortable in using spreadsheets to analyze data
Instructor: Tapscott
Database: Mayor Campbell Staff Compensation

10:20 - 10:30
Break

10:30 – Noon
Session Two: Using Excel continued
Session Covers: Using sorting, filters, other Excel tools, plus a team application exercise
Session Goal: Building confidence in using Excel
Instructor: Tapscott
Database: Mayor Campbell Staff Compensation, Washington Metro Compensation

Noon – 1:15
Lunch Break

1:15 – 2:30
Session Three: Where to Find Data on the Web/Correlation
Instructor: William Beach, Director, Center for Data Analysis, The Heritage Foundation
Session Covers: Downloading data from web sites, putting data into Excel, understanding basics of correlation
Session Goal: Making effective use of Internet data resources

2:30 - 2:45
Break

2:45-3:30
Session Four: Analyzing campaign finance data
Instructor: Dave Levinthal, Communications Director, Center for Responsive Politics/OpenSecrets.org
Session Covers: Unlocked campaign finance data, how to access CRP/OS data resources, finding contributions by individuals, groups and industries, pitfalls of campaign data
Session Goal: Gain confidence in using campaign finance data and make maximum use of CRP/OS resources
Databases: CRP/OS Sample Data, Big Bundlers Sample, CRP/OS Data Dictionaries

3:30 – 3:40
Break

3:40 - 5:00
Session Five: Organizing an investigation
Instructor: Bill Allison, Investigative Journalist
Sunlight Foundation
Session Covers: Establishing priorities, focusing on manageable pieces, avoiding red herrings, etc.

Course Conclusion:
Graduation Certificates/Course Evaluations

API Workshop at VPA, Friday June 4 - “How To Turn Events Into Your Next Revenue Stream”

2010-05-10T04:53:11-05:00

Would you like to profit from businesses that never advertise with you?

Do you want your newspaper to be the focal point of your community?

Are you looking for ways to connect with Generations Y … and Z?

Can you be wacky, have fun AND make money all at the same time?

If you answered “Yes!” to any of the above (although we suspect you said “yes” to all four questions), you’ll want to attend the American Press Institute’s “Event Marketing: Creative Entrepreneurship” workshop, which will be held on Friday, June 4, at Virginia Press Association’s (VPA) headquarters in Glen Allen.

The one-day regional workshop, co-sponsored by VPA, will arm you with strategies and dozens of successful case studies to help you turn events into a powerful revenue stream.

The program has been designed to address the needs of and identify opportunities for all newspapers – from small weeklies to major metros.

Find out:

The essential steps for designing the most creative events that will have the greatest appeal to your market ... and make money.
How event marketing departments can generate substantial revenue … including some that make between $2 million and $4 million annually.
Ways to capture new audiences and enhance your brand and value proposition through events.
The keys to successfully creating and staging an event … and what pitfalls to avoid.
How to harness the power of social media to market your events.

Featured discussion leader William Cone is an international event marketing producer and consultant. For three decades, he has been involved with major promotions and causes in more than 1,400 cities and towns across North America and Europe. Cone has worked with dozens of newspapers and other media companies, corporations, marketing agencies, educational groups, governmental bodies and non-profit organizations on how to maximize revenue and publicity through events, promotions, partnerships and cause marketing.

Tuition is $150 and includes lunch.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Those responsible for developing strategies for new revenue streams through events as well as those who design, manage and deliver special events for their organizations.

DETAILS

Workshop location: Virginia Press Association
11529 Nuckols Road
Glen Allen, VA

Schedule: Check in (8:15 – 8:50 a.m.)
Morning session (9 – noon)
Group lunch (noon – 1 p.m.)
Afternoon session (1 – 3:30 p.m.)

For online registration, directions and other information, including nearby accommodations, go to this LINK on the API Web site, or:

http://www.americanpressinstitute.org/10/EventVirginia

Registration questions? Please contact Melanie Grachan at mgrachan at americanpressinstitute dot org or 703-715-3307.

A Message to VPA Members - From Anne Adams, The Recorder RE: 2010 Community Journalism Workshop

2010-05-10T04:31:01-05:00

Dear VPA Members,
We know times are tight. We know professional development budgets have been chopped. But my colleagues and I have worked to fine-tune one of the most successful, popular seminars available through VPA — the Community Journalism Workshop.

Two days; one night; $99. It’s a steal.

We know you’ve got at least one reporter that would get a big boost in his or her skills by participating, not to mention a boost in morale.

Our core group of instructors includes editors, writers, and publishers you know, all veterans in the industry. We have conducted this workshop for nine years. Participants have given us good feedback we’ve used to improve it over that time. They consistently cite the interactive nature of CJW, which allows them to network with one another and get working solutions to real life challenges in journalism. One said it “started the fires burning again” and made him excited to get back to work.

This is bang for your buck — all good stuff every reporter needs: FOIA, interviewing, storytelling, beat maintenance, writing ledes, photography, and more ... all packed into one, intense program. Even those with a fair amount of experience say they learned new tips for the newsroom at the CJW.

Sign up now — you know who needs to attend. VPA needs a minimum of 15, but we’ve got room for plenty more. Thanks for considering this great opportunity for your staff.

Here’s a link for a registration form & agenda - http://www.vpa.net/index.php/education/article/14049/

http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/2010-CJW-regis.pdf

Anne Adams
Publisher, The Recorder
VPA Board of Directors
Founding Presenter of VPA’s Community Journalism Workshop

2010 Community Journalism Workshop - Presenters

2010-04-29T05:49:50-05:00

Anne Adams has been with The Recorder covering Bath and Highland counties for 20 years. She became general manager in 1997, and purchased the newspaper in March 2007. She has won numerous Virginia Press Association awards for graphics/design, general news, investigative reporting, feature writing, and editorials, including a Best in Show writing award in 2006, and the D. Lathan Mims Award for Editorial Leadership in the Community in 2008. The Recorder is a seven-time recipient of the VPA Award for Journalistic Integrity and Community Service for newspapers with a circulation under 30,000. The Recorder was recognized with a first-place National Newspaper Association award for best local news coverage, and Adams won an NNA award for environmental coverage in 2009. Adams was elected to the VPA’s board of directors in March 2008, and has participated in the Community Journalism Workshop as an instructor since its inception.

Brian Baer is the online managing editor for The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg. He oversees fredericksburg.com, the company’s Web site. He previously worked as a copy editor and reporter for the newspaper. began his career as a Progress staff writer in 1990.

Lou Emerson is the co-founder of Emerson2, a newspaper consulting firm started by him and his wife, Ellen, following the sale of The Fauquier Citizen and The Culpeper Citizen in late 2005 to Times Community Newspapers. The Emersons founded The Fauquier Citizen in 1989 and The Culpeper Citizen in 2003. Under their watch, The Fauquier Citizen won more than 450 state and
national awards, including the Inland Press Foundation’s “Nation’s Best Non-Daily Newspaper” award in its circulation group for 2005 and 2006. Last year, Emerson received the George Mason Award, the highest honor presented by the SPJ’s Virginia Pro Chapter.

Daniel Gilbert joined the Bristol Herald Courier as a staff writer in December 2007. He is the recipient of several national awards for investigative reporting, including the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Prior to moving to Bristol, Gilbert, 28, worked as a freelance writer in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and in Washington, D.C. for English and Spanish-language news outlets. Trilingual in English, French and Spanish, Gilbert’s work has been published or carried by the Dallas Morning News, the Christian Science Monitor, The Associated Press, Reuters, Scripps Howard News Service, The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Washington Post Co.’s Spanish-language weekly, El Tiempo Latino. Gilbert got his start in journalism at the Potomac News in Woodbridge, Va., where he covered immigration. A native of Prince William County, Va., he graduated from the University of Chicago in 2005 with a B.A. in international studies.

Katrice Hardy is the Urban Team Leader at The Virginian-Pilot. She oversees a team of reporters and editors who are responsible for covering the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth and for producing two weekly community tabs, the Compass and Currents.

Jeff Lester began his journalism career 20 years ago as a staff writer at The Coalfield Progress in Norton. He became the newspaper’s senior writer in 1999, and worked at its sister paper The Post from late 2001 through mid-2005, when he returned to the Progress as news editor. Lester has received numerous Virginia Press Association awards for reporting, and was a co-recipient of the association’s best-in-show writing award for non-daily newspapers in 2002.

Amy Umble is the religion and social services reporter for The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg. Before that, she worked as the assistant community news editor, writing stories, taking pictures and helping with the editing.