Morning Call redesigns its pages
Following last week's cuts in its newsroom, The (Allentown) Morning Call's redesign debuted on Monday, July 28.

The Visual Editors group offers a first look at the changes. The updated version features new columns as well as bolder color and slightly more elegant fonts. Take a side-by-side glance at the old versus the new Morning Call.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

Journal Register enters into forbearance; plans to restructure
The Journal Register Co., which was trading over the counter as low as 3 cents, has entered into a forbearance agreement with JP Morgan Chase Bank, the company announced July 25. Under the terms, Journal Register will not have to pay interest on its debt from the period of July 24 through Oct. 31. Interest during this period will still accrue.

Journal Register retained Conway, Del Genio, Gries & Co. (CDG) to provide financial services. Robert Conway, a principle with CDG, has been appointed chief restructuring officer at Journal Register.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

To see or not to see: New era in public records access
An East Stroudsburg native and former local reporter will play a key role in implementing Pennsylvania's most sweeping reform to government records access in 50 years.

Terry Mutchler was named by Gov. Ed Rendell as the first executive director of the Office of Open Records. The office was created as part of the new open records law approved this year by the state Legislature. Most law provisions take effect in January 2009.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

Newhouse News Service to close
Newhouse News Service, a supplemental wire service founded in 1961, will close on Nov. 7, after the election.

"The decision to close followed the direction of our clients, the editors of our papers," said Linda Fibich, editor and Washington bureau chief. "They felt they could not afford to pay for a central Washington bureau at a time when they were steering all available resources to local coverage back at home."

[CLICK FOR MORE]

Foundation Update: Recapping Williamsport town hall meeting
Approximately 160 people packed the town hall meeting in Williamsport this week to hear about the recent boom in natural gas exploration happening in the region. This was a perfect example of how newspapers are at the center of community dialogue.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

From the Legal Hotline:
Is the police chief's contract a public record? Can a municipality discuss the police chief in executive session?

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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

[HOTLINE ARCHIVE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

Sept. 15-17: Innovative Design - Harrisburg
Learn to innovate on deadline using scalable design strategies. This hands-on session will encompass elements and principles of design, what makes a strong cover and new ways to provide readers with an engaging visual experience.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

Sept. 18-19: Video Journalism - Harrisburg
Are you itching to produce compelling Web video journalism? Join us for a hands-on session chock full of
shooting and editing sequences, conducting interviews and much more!

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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!

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

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.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

Milestone: Yahoo drives 100 million-plus visits to newspapers
Yahoo has driven more than 100 million visits to its newspaper partners, the consortium announced July 30.

Under the content-distribution portion of the alliance, more than 775 newspapers provide news headlines to Yahoo for placement across the Internet giant's many channels like Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Finance. The links take readers directly to the newspaper site.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

Rough June for newspapers portends bleak future
Regional and national newspaper publishers, already staggering with a drop in ad revenue more severe than the industry has seen since the Great Depression, say the second half of 2008 may be even worse.

Three publishers -- McClatchy Co., Lee Enterprises Inc. and E.W. Scripps Co. -- reported Thursday, July 24, that their profits had fallen by nearly half in the second quarter compared to last year.

[CLICK FOR MORE]

A means for publishers to put a newspaper in your pocket
The thud of the morning newspaper landing on front porches may one day be replaced with the beep of downloads onto a cellphone.

Verve Wireless believes it can save the dying local newspaper by making it mobile. It offers publishers the technology to create Web sites for cellphones. The company, based in Encinitas, Calif., already provides mobile versions of 4,000 newspapers from 140 publishers, including Freedom Communications, the McClatchy Company and The New York Times Company’s Regional Media Group. The Associated Press, its biggest customer, is betting that Verve has the solution to the nagging problem of dwindling print readership. It led a $3 million round of financing in Verve, a rare investment for the news organization.

[CLICK FOR MORE]