Times-Shamrock buys Virgin Islands Daily News
On May 14 Times-Shamrock Communications announced an agreement in principle to acquire the Virgin Islands Daily News, an 8,500-circulation daily newspaper covering the U.S. Virgin Islands and portions of the British Virgin Islands.

The newspaper, which is based on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, a major cruise-ship destination, becomes Times-Shamrock’s eighth daily newspaper.

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Towanda Review seeks documents regarding county resignations
The Daily & Sunday Review on Thursday, May 8, formally asked Bradford County officials for documents pertaining to the departure from employment of Kevin Losinger, warden, and William Lavelle, director of Human Services.

Both men resigned, according to the county. However, no explanations of the circumstances have been made public.

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250,000 Bibles to be distributed with Post-Gazette
If all goes according to plan, on Sept. 7 when Allegheny County subscribers to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette unwrap their Sunday paper, they will find a New Testament in an advertising pouch like those used for sample soaps or cereals.

The Pittsburgh-themed New Testaments will have a front cover showing the Golden Triangle, a back cover photograph of Steelers kneeling in prayer and will include testimonies of well-known Pittsburghers. Pittsburgh will be the sixth city for CityReachers, a program of the International Bible Society based in Colorado Springs.

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Journal Register investor offers $25 million infusion
Battered U.S. newspaper Journal Register Co. may have found a savior to help it stave off default.

Ancora Capital is willing to invest at least $25 million to shore up the struggling newspaper publisher in return for a significant ownership stake, the company disclosed in a filing with U.S. securities regulators on Wednesday, May 14.

That would help the company avoid defaulting on its debt and risking bankruptcy.

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From the Legal Hotline:

Use this link to visit the PNA Legal Department's archive of "From the Legal Hotline" columns.  

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Foundation Golf Outing
June 18
Hershey Country Club
Hershey, Pa.
This tournament is a fun and unique way to support the work and mission of the PNA Foundation. It’s one of
the Foundation’s biggest annual fundraisers, ensuring that we can continue to offer you training programs, student resources and much more!

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Foundation Update: Times are tough but training is still top-quality
Despite a time of lower budgets and limited resources, the PNA Foundation realizes that continuing to offer high-quality, affordable training will help you confront today's industry challenges. Coming up is a training session on multimedia journalism and also one devoted to carving a niche for the small market newspaper, along with many others.

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Newspaper Carrier of the Year
Deadline to enter: July 18
It's time to recognize our newspaper carriers through the Newspaper Carrier of the Year program. This popular statewide contest has helped newspapers recognize exemplary newspaper carriers and emphasize the positive points of the carrier distribution system. Contest materials have been mailed, and you can also download them online:

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Benjamin Franklin Award for Excellence
Deadline for nominations: June 9
The Benjamin Franklin Award for Excellence recognizes an individual who has performed an outstanding service or accomplishment to his/her newspaper, to the newspaper industry in general, to his/her local community or to the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association that reflected positively on the newspaper industry in Pennsylvania. Nominate someone today!

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Lifetime Achievement Award
Deadline for nominations: June 9
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has performed an outstanding service and accomplishment spanning a career in journalism. The nominee must (1) be a present or former publisher or senior manager of a Pennsylvania newspaper and (2) have spent a significant part of his or her career working in Pennsylvania. Nominate someone today!

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Classroom election guide available to PNA members
The PNA Foundation and the state Newspapers in Education (NIE) Committee are proud to provide schools with a quality classroom guide to the election. The Let's Take a Vote 2008 kit is an all-encompassing kit that is ideal for several different grade levels. Teachers can choose from a variety of themes and different modules that can enhance the election experience for kids.

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June 12: PNA On the Road - York
PNA is coming to your city, and carving a niche for your small market newspaper is the name of the game. Speakers will cover various topics, including legal issues, branding your small market newspaper, advertising techniques for the small market newspaper and localizing your Web site. All this for only $15!

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June 17: Everyday Multimedia Journalism (beginner level) - Harrisburg
Join Robb Montgomery for a beginner's class on how to use free or low-cost Web services to enhance your paper's online reporting and multimedia efforts.

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June 25-26: AP Newstrain - Harrisburg
Frontline editors, bone up on editing and managing the news online. We'll cover news video production, audio slideshow production, ethics and values, and how to set priorities when times are tight.

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As markets emerge, newspapers find growth
While gloom haunts the newspaper industry in the United States and Europe, business could hardly be better in much of the developing world.

New newspapers - some backed by governments, others by business moguls and international conglomerates - are springing up from Rwanda to Tajikistan, attracting readers and advertising dollars. In many of these markets, increasing literacy rates dovetail with growing disposable income to create millions of new daily readers. Some Western media companies are forging partnerships and trying their hand at start-up companies as well.

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Newspaper survival tactics: Context and substance
Newspapers and the substantive journalism that has long been their hallmark are fighting for survival – and they might just be able to help each other. Newspapers can reinforce their own value online by reinventing and delivering more of the contextual analysis and in-depth reporting that’s all too scarce in the slapdash interactive marketplace.

It is a race against newspapers’ plummeting subscription and advertising dollars, and consumers’ diminished expectations for pithy information. There are no quick fixes.

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Advertising during a recession can be good business
Robert Wilson, an award-winning motivational speaker and marketing consultant, offers his take on why to advertise during a recession. He explains that whether in good times or bad, advertising creates immediate sales, gets business from existing customers and also brings in new customers and prospects. In the long run, this will create positive brand association. Read on for Wilson's entire analysis.

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