New top managers appointed at Tribune-Democrat
Publisher Chris Voccio announced Sept. 10 that the paper has appointed new managers to three departments at The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat.

Charles "Chip" Minemyer returns to the Tribune-Democrat as editor after spending six years at the (State College) Centre Daily Times.

Marcia Martsolf-Miller, joined the staff as its new advertising director, and Keith West has been named circulation director.
 
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Pittsburgh Tribune-Review appoints assistant general manager
Walter C. Heskett has been appointed assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Among his many sales and publishing positions, Heskett served the Hagadone Corporation as vice president/circulation.

Uniontown editor Buzz Store dies 
Walter "Buzz" Store, who worked for the Herald-Standard for 60 years, died Sept. 13, 2004, at 82.

Store first worked for the paper as a carrier and joined the newsroom staff as a reporter in 1940. Forty-seven years later, he retired from full-time work, but continued his column until 2001 -- another 13 years. He also wrote two books on local history and served for 28 years on the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority.

"He was a true newspaperman in my book. ...He cared so much about the newspaper, his community and his family that enough could never be said about his contributions," Herald Standard Publisher Val Laub said.

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Rose DeWolf, reporter with ties to several Pennsylvania papers, dies at 70
Rose DeWolf, a reporter and columnist for 48 years, died Sept. 12, 2004.

DeWolf was most recently a reporter with the Philadelphia Daily News. Through her career, she worked for The (Doylestown) Intelligencer, Philadelphia magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Bulletin and the (Camden, N.J.) Courier-Post. She wrote five books, appeared on TV news programs and served as a newspaper guild leader at the Daily News.

"Rose was all heart. She put all of that heart into every column and every story she ever wrote," said Zack Stalberg, Daily News editor. "She worked for other newspapers, but I'd like to think that the Daily News was the best match for her relentless optimism and her boundless decency."

Alternative newspaper publisher will share insights at PNA Convention
What can you learn from an alternative newspaper publisher that will improve your general circulation newspapers? Find out by attending this Thursday morning session at PNA's Annual Convention, Oct. 27-29 in Pittsburgh.

Catherine Nelson, associate publisher of a successful alternative weekly, Shepherd Express in Milwaukee. In addition, she has done extensive research on newspaper readership and assisted companies with the creation of alternative papers. Considered an industry guru on alternative papers, Nelson will share suggestions guaranteed to make your newspaper more vibrant and appealing to readers. Nelson's session is slated for Thursday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. 

Use the link below to check out all the speakers, sessions and events that make up this year's convention.

Mark your calendar for the PNA Annual Membership meeting
Pennsylvania Newspaper Association will hold its annual General Membership Meeting and breakfast Thursday Oct. 28 at 8 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel in Pittsburgh during the Association's 80th Annual Convention.

The purpose of this meeting is to elect officers, review budget and finances, and act on resolutions proposed by members of the Association. The officers of PNA encourage all members to attend this meeting.

2005 Newspaper in Education poster available
The 2005 Newspaper in Education Week poster is now available from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. 

The new poster "Set Sail with Newspapers" promotes multi-cultural literacy. Featuring a ship with newspaper printed sails, the poster is bordered by flags from various countries around the world.

[CLICK FOR THE POSTER ORDER FORM]

From the Hotline: Is it unlawful for the school board to act on issues other than those advertised when conducting a special meeting?
PNA Media Law Counsel Teri Henning explains how the Sunshine Act and state School Code apply to school board meetings.

Just who was involved in the deaths of more than 300 people at a Russian school?
If your answer is terrorists, you may have found a news source unafraid of using the word. It seems plenty of news stories found other words: insurgents, attackers, guerillas, radicals and yes, even "activists."  

Should journalists use euphemisms like these, or is it objective to call these people terrorists?

Use the link below to read a column from Daniel Pipes of the New York Sun on the subject. This link, which will take you off the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association's site, is provided to encourage editors and reporters to think about the use of euphemisms, not as a value judgment. 

Lewis and Clark NIE supplement available at discount pricing for PNA members
The National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Exhibition will open at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, in November. 

Missouri Press Association has made its 16-page special newspaper supplement based on the exhibit, Lewis & Clark: Exploring Another America, available to newspapers nationwide. Lewis & Clark: Exploring Another America was created in partnership with the exhibit organizers, the Missouri Historical Society. It uses objects and artifacts collected for this 200th commemoration to tell a story of discovery and diversity. The back cover of the supplement is non-essential to accommodate sponsorship advertising. 

MPA also created a 12-page companion teacher guide that connects the past to the present through newspaper activities. 

MPA is offering a 25 percent discount to all Pennsylvania newspapers on these materials when three or more newspapers from Pennsylvania purchase the supplement. For printed samples, please contact Dawn Kitchell, MPAs NIE Director, at Kitchell@yhti.net, (636) 932-4301. For pricing and sample pages, visit the MPA web site at www.mopress.com and link to the NIE pages.

Free material ready for your use during  National Newspaper Week, Oct. 3-9, 2004
Materials are now available online for your newspapers' use for National Newspaper Week, Oct. 3-9, 2004. Download materials through the Kentucky Press Association web site.

National Newspaper Week is sponsored by Newspaper Association Managers. The site has lots of materials available for your use, including a list of 10 ways to celebrate National Newspaper Week in your community. 

The Bucks County Courier Times developed a week of activities for teachers during National Newspaper Week, which PNA covered in Press. Click here to view the back issue of Press with the article describing the program, which may give you some ideas for this year.

Tribune lowers Newsday circulation figures by 100,000
Tribune Publishing on Sept. 10 again lowered circulation figures for its Newsday and Hoy newspapers, saying Newsday's daily circulation had been misstated by as many as 100,000 copies. The company also said it would take an additional charge of up to $60 million to resolve the errors. 

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Conduit agrees to settlement in libel suit
Former Rep. Gary Condit settled his libel lawsuit against three tabloid newspapers over articles connecting him to the disappearance and death of federal intern Chandra Levy — the case that led to his political demise. 

Lawyers for both sides confirmed the Aug. 18 deal but declined to discuss any details, saying they were confidential. 

"My client is satisfied with the settlement," Condit attorney L. Lin Wood told The Modesto Bee. The deal was also confirmed by Katharine Cloud, an attorney for American Media Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla., which publishes the National Enquirer, Star and Globe. 

Condit, a Democrat who spent more than 16 years in Congress, claimed in his $209 million suit that the newspapers ruined his reputation and career with articles about an alleged affair with Levy. The suit, filed last December, cited stories with headlines like "Missing Intern was Pregnant! Her Final Showdown with Congressman!" and "Condit Did It: Secrets of Chandra's Last Hours Revealed." 

Belo sends refund checks to advertisers, company officers say it will build trust
Belo Corp. has begun distributing 19,000 checks totaling $23 million to compensate advertisers at The Dallas Morning News for inflating circulation figures.  

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Journalists awarded $1,000 in damages as Justice Department admits fault in Scalia taping incident
The government has conceded that the U.S. Marshals Service violated federal law when a marshal ordered reporters with the Associated Press and the Hattiesburg American to erase their recordings of a speech by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. 

The Justice Department said the reporters and their employers are each entitled to $1,000 in damages and reasonable attorneys' fees, which had been sought by the media organizations. The concessions were contained in court papers filed Friday in response to a lawsuit by the news organizations. 

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Chicago guild votes to authorize strike
Members of the union that represents reporters, photographers and other newsroom staff at the Chicago Sun-Times voted Sept. 13 to authorize a strike if union employees do not receive a fair contract offer, the union said. 

The Chicago Newspaper Guild _ which represents about 180 Sun-Times employees _ voted 89-2 for the strike authorization, the union said in a statement. Some members missed the vote because it was called on short notice, committee member Bob Mutter said. 

Sun-Times managing editor John Barron declined to comment. 

The guild's three-year contract expires Sept. 30, and negotiations for a new contract began about a month ago, the union said. 

New York Times reaches agreement with production employees that includes job cuts
The New York Times has reached an agreement with its pressmen's union that will cut the amount of staffing at presses by nearly half over the next several years, the newspaper announced Sept. 13. 

The reductions will come in two phases, a 37 percent cut this year and another cut of 9 percent in 2010, company spokeswoman Catherine Mathis said. The agreement also limits wage increases over the life of the contract, which runs through 2017, to an annual average of 2.3 percent. 

The agreement also provides for bonuses for the pressmen coinciding with the cuts, as well as greater company contributions toward health care. The company will also offer incentives for voluntary departures. 

Statements of ownership must be filed Oct. 1
The publisher of each Periodicals publication, including foreign publications accepted at Periodicals rates, must file Form 3526 by Oct. 1.

The information provided on Form 3526 allows the Postal Service to determine whether the publication meets the standards of Periodicals mailing privileges. 

The required information also must appear in an issue of the publication whose primary mailed distribution is produced: 

1. No later than October 10 for publications issued more frequently than weekly. 
2. No later than October 31 for publications issued weekly or less frequently, but more frequently than monthly, or; 
3. For all other publications, in the first issue whose primary mailed distribution is produced after Oct. 1.

Freedom Forum appoints two executives
Freedom Forum Chairman and CEO Charles L. Overby announced the appointment of two new executive directors. 

Gene Policinski was named executive director of the First Amendment Center and Robbie Morganfield was named executive director of the Diversity Institute at Vanderbilt University. 

"Gene and Robbie have vast experience and will take their programs to new levels," Overby said. "The First Amendment Center and the Diversity Institute are changing attitudes and lives."

Policinski has been acting director of the First Amendment Center since April, when former executive director Ken Paulson was named editor of USA TODAY, and had been deputy director of the center since 2000. 

Morganfield has directed operations of the Diversity Institute since June, when former executive director Wanda Lloyd became editor of the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser. He has been training editor/instructor at the institute since it opened in 2002.