Happy Holidays

The North Valley editorial team participated in a holiday happy hour recently to celebrate its recent launch of the Scottsdale Independent print product. A great time was had by all!

Chris Pitts Finishes the Race

West Valley graphic designer Chris Pitts completed an Ironman Triathlon Nov. 19 in Fountain Hills. He swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles and ran a marathon 26.22 miles in order without a break. The West Valley team congratulates Chris for training hard and finishing the race. We’re proud of you! 

Clicking, clacking sounds mean Santa is on his way

By Andrew West

Delaware State News

DOVER — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the Delaware State News.

On Friday, this editor went out to the Delaware Printing Company side of our plant to see how the Thanksgiving stuffing was going.

There was a lot of clicking and clacking going on around the inserting and stacking equipment. On Friday afternoon, the machine was dropping multiple flyers into the print “jackets” at a rate of close to 10,000 an hour. 

This is our version of the “North Pole” in action. We’re going to have another thick Thanksgiving Day edition. “We’ve had 19 straight days of assembling packets,” said Ray Ford, DPC’s production manager.

For the “ wow” factor, here are some facts about the Delaware State News that will be arriving at our subscribers’ homes and stores Thursday: • 574,656 inserts will go out the loading dock door on Wednesday evening;

• Each edition will weigh in at more than 2.5 pounds.

Even though some consumers are perusing websites in search of deals and Black Friday flyers, you really can’t beat the aggregation of so much shopping information in a Thanksgiving edition.

The newspaper will include a supplement from almost every big retailer in Dover.

The whole process is pretty amazing. It starts with a paper “jacket” — or wrapper — that holds the other inserted material.

For instance, with today’s edition, the television and comics section acts as one of the wrappers.

The “jacket” is placed, one at a time, into an inserting machine and clicks and clacks its way around a circle and vacuums holds it open.

Stacks of other inserts are put into place and they get dropped in one at a time as the jacket makes its way around the circle and into a stacking machine.

No wonder “Ollie” was smiling on each paper as his ad was falling into place.

Check online today and you can see a video of this process in the “From the Editor” section.

Mr. Ford said the first of the Thanksgiving Day edition flyers came in on Nov. 3.

You’ll be able to consider “ wish list” items on electronics, toys, fashion, jewelry and more.

When you add up all the hours, it’s basically a full week of work for the staff of 13 inserters at Delaware Printing Company.

This is in addition to the regular daily demands that go with the Delaware State News and extraordinarily long list of print customers Delaware Printing Company serves in the region.

“We’ll do an MVP award for each shift after we’re finished,' said Mr. Ford. “They get to vote on the employee that goes above and beyond.”

❑❑❑

Coming up on Thursday, Nov. 30, is our “Holiday Events and Celebrations” section. You’ll want to have that to practice your favorite songs in advance of the “Capital Holiday Celebration” in front of Dover City Hall that night.

Our holiday television fans will be happy to hear that our Holiday Viewers’ Guide is in the works, too. It will be in the Friday, Dec. 1 edition of the Delaware State News.

Andrew West is editor of the Delaware State News.

Ray Ford, production manager for Delaware Printing Company, says the Thanksgiving package has been in the works for three weeks.

Vernon Bailey works the stacker at Delaware Printing Company.

Best practices for covering mass shootings

BY KELLY MCBRIDE · OCTOBER 2, 2017

Mental health experts are still trying to determine how media coverage of mass shooting events can contribute to a contagion effect. Journalists can make choices around the coverage that will minimize the impact.

Here are some best practices:

Name the shooter infrequently and only when his name is critical to helping your audience understand what happened.

Related Training

·        

Best Practices for Reporting on Mass Shootings

WEBINAR

·        

Journalism and Trauma

 

SELF-DIRECTED COURSE

As more information becomes available, be careful to be accurate and contextual. Small details can take on inappropriate levels of importance in the early reporting stages. Those details can be harmful to the truth if they are inaccurate or out of context.

Avoid speculating about mental illness or allowing unqualified sources to speculate about mental illness. Witnesses, law enforcement and politicians usually know very little about the topic in general, are likely to know even less about the role of mental illness in this tragedy.

Avoid images of the shooter that could be seen as glorifying him by others who might be inclined to other acts of violence.

Superlatives, like “the deadliest mass shooting ever,” could possibly lead to contagion. Avoid using them in teasers, tweets and other formats where context is absent. Instead, use them in reporting formats where you can bring more context, such as interviews, the text of stories and produced packages.

See these recommendations for more information on the best practices for journalists covering mass shootings.

Dan Reidenberg and I did a webinar on these recommendations earlier in 2017. You can find it here, on our new NewsU beta site.

Related Training: How to Cover Big News As It Breaks

Kelly McBride

kellymcb

Kelly McBride is a writer, teacher and one of the country’s leading voices when it comes to media 

Reprinted from the Poynter Institute

North Valley Editor Speaks at Cronkite School of Journalism

North Valley News Editor Terrance Thornton Tuesday, Nov. 7 gave a guest lecture at a former colleague’s journalism class at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University on how local government works and why the local newspaper business has a bright future here in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Nov. 7 presentation marks Mr. Thornton’s seventh appearance at the Cronkite school.

Bradshaw Named Sun Cities Libraries Favorite Journalist

Sun City Independent Editor Rusty Bradshaw in Arizona’s West Valley office was presented with a personalized mug by the Friends of the Sun Cities Libraries naming him as the group’s favorite journalist.

The Friends is a nonprofit group that provides financial and volunteer support to the Maricopa County Library District’s two libraries in Sun City. Rusty reports on the group’s monthly meetings and other activities.

The Sun City libraries were once private and operated by the Friends of the Sun Cities Libraries. But about six years ago the group requested the county include Sun City’s libraries in the district and the action was approved by the library board. The Friends remained active to provide support to the two county branches through its endowment fund, donations and sales from its bookstore, located in the largest of the two branches.

Reporter has opportunity to moderate discussion group

Reporter Melissa Fittro moderated a discussion on education overrides during an Oct. 30 panel hosted by Arizona Talks. The event was in anticipation of 22 school districts within Maricopa County voting on bonds and overrides. The policy panel Ms. Fittro moderated included a member of the Arizona School Board Association and a senior advisor for the Arizona chapter of Americans for Prosperity.

FROM THE EDITOR

In defense of your First Amendment rights

“ The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Col. Edward Carrington (Jan. 16, 1787)

Those of us here at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA believe in the First Amendment. Not our First Amendment rights – but YOUR First Amendment rights. For a democracy to flourish and survive, its citizens must enjoy the right to free speech and discussion.

Unfortunately, it seems public discussion of meaningful issues has been made difficult -- if not impossible -- thanks to partisan politics, personal attacks and inaccurate information.

The result is not healthy for a democracy. Citizens are wary of getting involved in public issues. They don’t attend meetings. They don’t educate themselves on the issues facing their communities.

Bad discussions lead to bad decisions made by governmental bodies. Citizens feel left out and neglected. They turn away from the democratic process.

That’s not good.

Local news institutions, however, have always played a key role in nurturing democracy -- and I’m convinced they remain as important as ever.

Indeed, there is no more important time for a local newspaper to matter in local communities around the nation.

Scottsdale is no exception.

Our goal -- our mission -- at the Scottsdale Independent is to provide that service and be that newspaper to residents of Scottsdale.

Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, publishers of the Scottsdale Independent, is a unique publishing and printing company that supports every American’s First Amendment rights and encourages and assists citizens in exercising those rights responsibly.

We’ve published a local newspaper in one form or another in Scottsdale for over three decades. We continue to publish the monthly Scottsdale Independent, but our focus on fulfilling our journalist mission has shifted to our website -- scottsdaleindependent.com.

I encourage you to visit the site, sign up for our daily newsletter and then get involved. Use our site as your platform to express your First Amendment rights on issues pertaining to your community.

Someone once said “freedom of the press belongs to the man who owns that press.”

Well, scottsdaleindependent.com is your press -- your site to join the discussion, share your views and be a part of the decision-making that impacts your community.

Write a letter. Post a comment in response to other letters or stories that appear on the site. Email me direct with your thoughts and opinions.

We at the Scottsdale Independent are dedicated to the idea our profession is explicitly protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and with that charge comes great responsibility --- one we don’t take lightly.

Get involved in your community

A great community deserves a great newspaper.

I want you to tell me and our staff what is going on around you and what needs to be reported on at scottsdaleindependent.com and in the Scottsdale Independent newspaper.

Not only are we committed to reporting the news of Scottsdale fairly and accurately, but we also want our product to reflect the community and its citizens. We want your news and photos of school events, clubs, organizations, church activities and more.

If you feel passionate about something, let others know by running your opinion in our newspaper designed specifically to serve your needs.

You can email them directly to me at tthornton@newszap.comor you can send them to our general email, which is received by everyone on our editorial team at scottsdalenews@newszap.com.

TERRANCE THORNTON

EDITOR

tthornton@newszap.com

Terrance Thornton is editor of the Scottsdale Independent and Town of Paradise Valley Independent. He can be reached at 623-445-2774 or by emailing thornton@newszap.com.

Independent adopts digital daily focus; new monthly mailing to 75,000

By Bret McKeand Oct 29th, 2017 Comments: 1

Beginning this week, readers accustomed to picking up a copy of the weekly Scottsdale Independent at a local newsstand will notice a significant change: Most notably, they will no longer find the newspaper.

And those who visit us online to read the news of Scottsdale will also notice a significant change: Even more local news!

As of Nov. 1, the Independent has adopted a digital-first mentality, with our news team dedicating its efforts to provide more news on a timely basis at our website, http://scottsdaleindependent.com.

At the same time, we’ve discontinued publication of the weekly newspaper, and instead will publish a larger, more expanded edition once a month. And to provide greater value and service to Scottsdale businesses, rather than distribute the publication through newsstands – we’ll be mailing the publication directly to 75,000 homes and businesses in Scottsdale.

Readers will still find all the familiar print publication sections online: news, business, education, entertainment, neighbors, photo galleries, classifieds and more.

In reality, we’re becoming Scottsdale’s new daily newspaper – but online – with the news of the community available as soon as it’s ready each day, giving readers immediate access to the community’s news. No longer will readers have to wait to read what happened the prior week.

And to make it very easy to stay on top of their community’s news, we’re offering a free daily e-newsletter. Sign up for the e-newsletter at http://scottsdaleindependent.com/enewsletter.

Just as important, readers and advertisers will receive a new expanded monthly newspaper mailed directly to 75,000 mailboxes in Scottsdale. ZIP codes receiving the newspapers the first week of the month are 85266, 85262, 85255, 85260, 85259 and 85258.

Those living outside of these ZIP codes, we will continue to make our monthly publication available in a few limited locations in South Scottsdale. The publication, of course, is always available to view at no charge online.

The monthly publication will be different than what our weekly newspaper looked like and won’t necessarily duplicate what’s appeared on the web site.

The monthly newspaper will include issue-oriented stories and be packed with useful, helpful and interesting information, such as:

• news of local government, schools and organizations.
• business news, such as openings, relocations, renovations and announcements.
• a comprehensive calendar of the month’s events, activities, things to do and more.
• latest updates on local development, real estate and health care.
• features on restaurants, residents and charities.

Changing from our weekly bulk-rack distributed circulation of 10,000 newspapers to daily online news and a monthly direct-mail circulation of 75,000 dramatically enhances our service to readers and increases our reach to serve the needs of local advertisers.

Classifieds advertising, generally found in the back of the weekly newspaper, will continue to be available online, but will also be expanded to feature Valley-wide classifieds. Go to http://arizonaclassifieds.newszap.com.

To learn more about the benefits to advertisers in the monthly newspaper or scottsdaleindependent.com, call our advertising team at 623-445-2777 or email neads@newszap.com.

We hope you enjoy and appreciate the changes. Please let me know what you think, as well as any suggestions of how we can be of better service to you and the community.

Bret McKeand is publisher of the Scottsdale Independent. He can be reached at 623-445-2867 or a azpublisher@newszap.com.

EDITOR COMMENTARY

Some of our readers may not realize letters to the editor in a print newspaper are still a thing.

But the opinions section is one of our highest priorities as your community newspaper editors.

The Independent Newsmedia mission statement reads: “Our mission is to provide the information and understanding citizens need to make intelligent decisions about public issues.

In doing so, we strive to report the news with honesty, accuracy, fairness, objectivity, fearlessness and compassion.”

As such, our news reporting is vital to the mission and success of our newspapers and you will find our staff-written news articles on the front page of this paper each week.

These articles often report on important community issues and we strive to meet the expectations of our company mission as well as the tenets of journalistic ethics in everything we print.

But news coverage of such issues is just a starting point for discussion and community participation.

My greatest desire is for you to share ownership in these opinion pages, both as a reader and, when an issue touches or concerns you, as a writer, as well.

Online vs. print

So much of our engagement with issues and opinions in this new century has moved to the tiny screens on our phones and other online platforms.

Indeed, Facebook, Twitter, blogs and agency or municipal websites are all fertile ground for discussion and debate.

But while digital platforms offer previously unimaginable convenience and flexibility, they fail the community in a variety of ways, including an overly broad reach, lack of moderation, and a seemingly institutionalized penchant for hostility.

Rather than thoughtfully discussing important concerns, cyber chatters often descend into unreasonable and deceptive arguments, hateful rants and – in the worst cases – threats.

Though we value and defend free speech, you will not find this kind of behavior in print here. Reader may call out one another over ideas or issues. But we are here to referee those exchanges – we will not print hate or threats.

Online chat responders may be your local neighbors, but are often just random trolls from anywhere on the planet – literally.

Even when an online responder identifies as local, how can you really know who they are or where they live?

Too many online “debaters” are just in it to get a rise or intimidate you into silence, not to discuss or attempt to persuade you or, heaven forbid, learn something. And some issues – like the bond election – are discussions better left to those who actually live in Surprise.

By contrast, this old-fashioned, paper-and-ink publication arrives once each week on more than 32,000 driveways – every one of which is actually here in your community.

Anonymous responses do not get printed in the letters to the editor section. If someone wants to take you on, they must step up with the courage and accountability of a real, flesh-andblood human adult to do so. As an added bonus you won’t get in online forums, I will not reprint any letters containing ALL CAPITAL LETTERS OR DOZENS OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!

What’s that about anyway? It’s the digital equivalent of an angry child wandering uninvited into a discussion waving their arms and shouting nonstop at the top of their lungs.

Our letter policy states simply: “We encourage letters while retaining the right to edit for clarity, brevity, relevance and fairness.”

So, please. Check out this opinion section each week if you don’t already.

Read it. Own it. Join in a civil and thoughtful discussion. Or start a new one.

Because, in the end, your voice will always be the most valuable and interesting thing we can print on these pages.

Editor’s note: Matt Roy is News Editor of Surprise Today.

Karen Harrity Model of Customer Service

When a shift in delivery personnel resulted in a senior citizens’ housing development being left off a manifest, the patient readers of Salisbury’s Pine Bluff Village waited a few weeks to see if the missed drop was a one-time accident or a bigger system failure.

So, when the Salisbury Independent failed to arrive for a second week in a row, community president Annmarie Vincent alerted Circulation Manager Karen Harrity. Pine Bluff residents were, Mrs. Vincent told Harrity, desperate to see the paper resumed.

Harrity immediately made sure Pine Bluff was added back to the delivery list. Then, to make up for the missed editions, Harrity went to the trouble of rounding up back papers from returns, while also searching a distribution storage unit for the missed editions. The papers were distributed at Pine Bluff.

For Mrs. Vincent, Harrity prepared a special delivery gift bag that contained the missed papers, as well as flowers and a note of apology.

Mrs. Vincent was so happy by Harrity’s quick action and kindness that she dispatched two thank-you letters to Salisbury Independent.

“I am so glad and appreciative,” Mrs. Vincent wrote. “We are all now catching up on the local news that we had missed out on. I am so grateful for your services to me and can’t wait to read your wonderful newspaper.” Then Mrs Vincent concluded: “I will forever cherish the bag!”  

Karen Harrity

Apache Junction newspaper has digital-first daily focus, new monthly mailing to 35,000

Oct 23rd, 2017 · by Richard H Dyer · Comments: 0

After this week’s issue, readers will not be receiving a weekly Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent home-delivered edition of the newspaper.

News is going digital-first to the website, http://apachejunctionindependent.com, with sections such as Apache Junction/Gold Canyon news, business, calendar, east valley/state, education, entertainment, history of the area, meet your neighbor, opinion, photo/video galleries, Pinal County, police/sheriff/fire news and sports and outdoors.

We’re becoming a daily newspaper – but online – with the news of Apache Junction and Gold Canyon available as soon as it’s ready each day, giving readers immediate access to the community’s news. No longer will readers have to wait to read what happened the prior week. Sign up for a daily e-newsletter for free at http://apachejunctionindependent.com/enewsletter.

Also, readers and advertisers will receive a new expanded monthly newspaper mailed directly to 35,000 mailboxes in Apache Junction and Gold Canyon. ZIP codes receiving the newspapers the third week of the month are 85118, 85119 and 85120. The first issue will be mailed the week of Nov. 13.

The monthly publication will be different than what our weekly newspaper currently looks like and won’t duplicate what’s appeared at http://apachejunctionindependent.com.

The monthly newspaper will include issue-oriented stories and be packed with useful, helpful and interesting information, such as:

•news of local government, schools and organizations.
•business news, such as openings, relocations, renovations and announcements.
•a comprehensive calendar of the month’s events, activities, things to do and more.
•latest updates on local development, real estate and health care.
•features on restaurants, residents and charities.

Benefits to advertisers

Changing from weekly home-delivered circulation of 20,000 newspapers to daily online news and a monthly direct-mail circulation of 35,000 increases reach to serve the needs of local advertisers. Now they can reach every household and business in Apache Junction and Gold Canyon.

Classifieds advertising, found in the back of this week’s newspaper, will only be available online. Go to http://arizonaclassifieds.newszap.com.

To learn more about the benefits to advertisers in the monthly newspaper or apachejunctionindependent.com, call or e-mail General Manager Debbie Richardson at 480-257-8292 or drichardson@newszap.com.

Bringing back Speak Out

The Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent is in its 59th year of publication and is the Apache Junction Chamber of Commerce’s oldest official member. The Independent, then the Apache Sentinel, published by James Brooks, was launched in 1959 and became a chamber member in 1960. Independent Newspapers purchased the Sentinel in 1971 and changed the newspaper’s name to the Independent in 1983.

Transcribing calls from a Speak Out phone line of readers’ opinions was a weekly task for me years ago. But in the 30 years I have worked at the Apache Junction office, technological advancements have meant we gather news less by phone and people walking into the office and more by e-mail, Twitter or Facebook messaging.

Speak Out Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, a new feature presented by the Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent, provides a sampling of the many views and opinions posted by our readers in response to stories that have appeared at http://apachejunctionindependent.com. The views do not reflect the opinions of the newspaper, but are merely meant to provide readers with a reflection of the discussion within the community on various issues. Readers are encouraged to join the discussion and post their comments to Speak Out Apache Junction/Gold Canyon at http://apachejunctionindependent.com/section/opinion via Facebook or e-mail them directly to the editor at ajeditor@newszap.com.

Working remotely

With the change to an online-focus-first and the monthly newspaper, staff members will be working remotely and the office at 2066 W. Apache Trail Suite No. 110 is closing. The newspaper phone number remains the same – 480-982-7799. If something has to be mailed, send it to: Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent, 23043 N. 16th St., Phoenix, AZ 85077.

If you have any questions about the changes

e-mail rdyer@newszap.com or drichardson@newszap.com or call 480-982-7799.

Managing Editor Richard Dyer can be reached at rdyer@newszap.com

Arizona Journalists Took Home Seven Awards

Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA Arizona journalists took home seven awards at the 2017 Arizona Newspapers Association Better Newspapers Contest held Sept. 30.

Independent Newsmedia received honors for photography, news writing, investigative and enterprise reporting among others at the annual newspaper convention.

This year, 49 newspapers and four high schools entered the annual contest with a total of 1,463 entries, according to a Sept. 30 press release.

The contest consists of eight categories that measure the overall quality of the newspapers and 24 categories that honor individuals who contribute to journalism excellence.

The New Mexico Press Association were the judges of this year’s annual better newspapers contest.

Each of Arizona three offices were represented at the annual statewide contest with first place awards bestowed in the categories of “Best News Story,” “Best Column, Feature or Criticism” and “Best News Photograph.”

The North Valley Office of Independent Newsmedia — where the Town of Paradise Valley Independent and Scottsdale Independent newspapers are published — lead the Arizona effort at the Independent with a total of five awards.

Reporter Melissa Fittro took home both first- and third-place honors for stories appearing in both the Town of Paradise Valley and Scottsdale print products. The stories honored were:

·         For best feature or criticism in the non-daily circulation category of 3,500 to 10,000, Ms. Fittro took home first-place honors for her story: “One final mission: WWII Honor Flight includes Scottsdale, Fountain Hills residents.”

·         For best sustained coverage in the non-daily circulation category greater than 10,000, Ms. Fittro took home third-place honors for her Scottsdale Industrial Development Authority reporting series.

Editor Terrance Thornton took home third-place honors for both investigative and enterprise reporting efforts for stories that appeared in the Scottsdale print product. The stories were:

·         For investigative reporting in the non-daily circulation category greater than 10,000, Mr. Thornton took home third-place honors for his story: “Numbers show public safety costs exceed value of Scottsdale entertainment district downtown.”

·         For enterprise reporting in the non-daily circulation category greater than 10,000, Mr. Thornton took home third-place honors for his story: “Records reveal the lucrative nature of local municipal consultation.”

In addition to individual awards the Scottsdale Independent newspaper was awarded for both second-place honors in its circulation category for “Community Service/Journalistic Achievement” and third-place honors for “Reporting and News Writing Excellence.”

The West Valley Office where including the daily newspaper, the Daily-News Sun, the Peoria Today newspaper is published and lead by Philip Haldiman, who serves as editor.

Mr. Haldiman received first-place honors for a story that appeared in the Peoria Today in the non-daily circulation greater than 10,000, which was: “Undocumented immigrants now in light, fear returning to shadows.”

The East Valley Office — where the Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent and Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent newspapers are published — received first-place honors for its use of photography.

Arianna Grainey, both a photographer and reporter for the East Valley Office, received first-place honors for her photography. The effort honored was:

·         Best news photograph in the non-daily circulation greater than 10,000, Ms. Grainey took home first-place honors for the photos: “Father shows son how to spin a dreidel,” which appeared in the Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent.