Morning Call to close two offices, trim newsroom by 25%
The (Allentown) Morning Call will close two bureaus and consolidate its Northampton County offices, eliminate three daily editions and cut nearly a quarter of its newsroom positions as the newspaper tries to remake itself in a bruising economy.

''In this environment, we had to make some really tough trade-offs,'' Timothy R. Kennedy, publisher, president and chief executive officer, said in an interview Monday, July 21, after announcing the plan in a memorandum to employees.

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Observer-Reporter celebrates 200th anniversary with photo exhibit
The Washington Observer-Reporter is kicking off its 200th anniversary with a photo exhibit featuring photos from the paper's history.

Its official bicentennial celebration will be marked on Aug. 15 by the publication of the first of four consecutive special sections commemorating the founding of The Reporter on Aug. 15, 1808. The Observer and The Reporter were separate papers until they were combined in 1967.

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Journalists learn multimedia skills at Keystone workshop
In mid-July, the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association and Penn State's College of Communications held the inaugural Keystone Multimedia Workshop, a hands-on educational event. Attendees included a cross section of Pennsylvania journalists, half professionals and half students, all of which were there because they are on the front lines of an evolving news industry that's placing increasing value on journalists with multiple reporting skills.

The shocking news: Nnewspaper photos just aren't the best way to tell stories any more. Storytellers have better tools now, and part of keeping newspapers healthy is learning how to use those tools.

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Judge: Mental health hearing must be public
When Meghan Lippiatt was found not guilty of killing her two young sons by reason of insanity, she became a free woman in Lancaster County.

As a result, Lancaster County Court Judge James Cullen concluded, a hearing about whether Lippiatt, 34, of Mount Joy, should be ordered to continue mental health treatment will be open to the public.

The Lancaster New Era, through its attorney, George Werner, sought access to Lippiatt’s court records when the prothonotary’s office refused to open Lippiatt's file for review.

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Foundation Update: More town hall meetings on the horizon
What started out as an experiment in town hall meetings has now become a fixture in the PNA Foundation's agenda. With fantastic attendance at our Coudersport and McKeesport town hall meetings and two more meetings scheduled, these events are a great opportunity to show how newspapers are an essential part of every community.

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From the Legal Hotline:
Are fire departments considered “agencies” for purposes of the Sunshine Act and Right to Know Law?

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

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Test your knowledge of online sales IQ
Do you know your pop-ups from your pop-unders? Spend a few minutes on a fun and informative pop quiz that will test your web IQ. PNA’s on-staff Interactive Account Executive Matthew Caylor, has developed a multiple choice quiz for newspaper staffers to take to test your level of online savviness. Take the quiz:

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Classroom election materials now available
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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LAST CHANCE!
Newspaper of the Year Contest
Deadline to enter: July 28
Get your paper's outstanding work recognized! This annual contest is designed to give your newspaper the opportunity to showcase the efforts of your entire staff. Plus, every entry receives written comments from the judges. Critiques are a valuable tool for improving your product, an essential goal in retaining readers and securing new readership. Enter today -- what do you have to lose?

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Reader Initiative Award
Deadline to enter: Aug. 15
This award honors Pennsylvania newspapers that accept the challenge and create a community of readers through innovative initiatives. First awarded in 2006, the Readership Initiative Award was developed by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association (PNA) Foundation's Youth and New Readership Committee.

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Attention editors: Online mock election - 'Let Students Voice Their Choice'
"Let Students Voice Their Choice" is an excellent opportunity for PNA member newspapers to help teachers educate their students about democracy through a practical application of the election process online. Editors, learn more about what this project can do for your newspapers.

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Aug. 7: Online Streetfighter Workshop - Pittsburgh
Mike Blinder, online sales guru for newspapers and media companies worldwide, will give you tips for proven multimedia pricing and packaging strategies. Ad reps, you won't want to miss this learning opportunity for maximizing online advertising revenue.

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Aug. 18-22: New Reporters Boot Camp - Harrisburg
Calling all editorials staffers and staffers-to-be! Enlist for basic training from seasoned journalists and industry experts.

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Sept. 2: Prayer, Politics, Pretzels: Covering Faith in PA - Harrisburg
Calling all reporters, editors and producers who want to learn how to better report on the faith factor. Topics will include religion and politics, religion and popular culture and developing the local story that includes the big picture.

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Sept. 10-12: Fall Circulation Training - Harrisburg
If you're a district sales manager, regional zone supervisor, marketing and promotion manager or circulation manager, this is training designed especially for you. Veteran circulation directors and managers will show you how to improve your performance and give you new perspectives on the circulation profession.

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Sept. 25: PNA On the Road - Wilkes-Barre
Learn everything you ever wanted to know about revenue generation in tough times -- all for only $15!

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Oct. 6: Private Companies: Reporting, Research & Multimedia Coverage - Harrisburg
Need to spruce up your skills on writing effectively about private companies and their financials? Could your multimedia storytelling use some work as well? Also catch a special national research report on private and minority business coverage.

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Oct. 30-31, Nov. 7, 14, 21: Executive Training Network - Harrisburg
Calling all managers! Learn from experienced Pennsylvania newspaper executives, with sessions covering: Executive Decision Making, Changing Media Environment, Leadership, Marketing, Strategic Alliances and Financial Strategies.

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Can local Web ads save newspapers?
It has been a rough time for the newspaper industry in the US, with a series of layoffs against a backdrop of falling revenues. Consumers still read newspapers, but the rise of online news and opinion sites and blogs has given them additional reading choices.

One fresh indicator that print newspaper readers are shifting to news sites comes from the Readership Institute. Although two-thirds of Internet users surveyed in July 2008 said they still used print newspapers about as much as they did before they started visiting news sites, more than one-quarter said they were reading print less as a result, and that figure has grown during the past 5 years.

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Internet advertising revenue grows 18% in first quarter
Internet advertising across the U.S. saw its second-best quarter earlier in the year, with revenues hitting $5.8 billion.

That's an 18.2 percent increase from the first quarter of 2007, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, a New York City-based trade group that's tracked Internet advertising since 1996.

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U.S. newspaper editors still optimistic, survey says
Despite declines in revenue and repeated staff reductions, most American newspaper editors remain optimistic that their publications will regain their footing by shifting news to online editions and by employing innovations like video and computer-assisted reporting, a study has found.

More than half of the 259 editors surveyed rated the overall quality of their papers as better now compared with three years ago, with a majority saying the quality of writing and the depth of reporting had improved, according to "The Changing Newsroom."

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Young newspaper journalists could flee because of slow pace of change
As the layoffs and buyouts pile up in U.S. the newspaper industry, and Romenesko becomes a daily wake, there is one other troubling problem: Young journalists are less willing to stay at newspapers because the papers are so slow to change their culture.

Newspapers have a history as top-down organizations where senior management huddles in conference rooms to decide what everyone else will do. Innovative ideas usually die on the vine or in bureaucratic red tape. And that’s frustrating for young folks who want to be change agents at newspapers and make a difference.

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