Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers newsroom buyouts
On Oct. 21 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offered a voluntary severance package to some newsroom employees. This is part of an overall cost-cutting plan for the paper. According to R.J. Hufnagel, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, the company wants to cut at least 18 full-time positions from the newsroom.

"Due to the challenging economic environment, the Post-Gazette is undertaking a range of cost-cutting measures, including some targeted staff reductions across various parts of the building and involving both union and nonunion employees," said Chris Chamberlain, general manager of the newspaper.

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Pocono Business Journal wins Bizzy Award
Pocono Business Journal has been named "Best New Business" at the recent Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce/George Roberts Productions 2008 Bizzy Awards. The Bizzys recognize the top businesses in northeastern Pennsylvania.

“I am pleased and proud to accept this award. Everyone at PBJ strives to provide accurate and informative content to the business community. Getting this award gives us a hint that we’re headed in the right direction,” says Marynell K. Strunk, publisher and editor-in-chief at Pocono Business Journal.

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Derrick Publishing buys SCS editorial system
Derrick Publishing Co., publisher of The Derrick in Oil City, has purchased the Scoop editorial system from Software Consulting Services LLC. The newspaper company was already an SCS customer, using SCS AdMAX for retail and classified advertising, SCS/ClassPag for classified pagination and SCS Layout-8000 for display ad dummying. Now the 16-seat Scoop system will replace The Derrick's homegrown editorial system.

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Foundation Update: Help with Scholastic & Collegiate Keystone winners publication
You may have noticed that for the past two years we've published a special publication showcasing the Scholastic & Collegiate Keystone Press Award winners. PNA members have expressed their appreciation of this publication, as it gives you a good idea of the outstanding work being produced by students in Pennsylvania. We'd like to continue producing this compilation of winners, but this year we're looking for sponsors to cover the printing of the publication.

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From the Legal Hotline:
Q: Can a bank advertise a promotion that says “open an account and win a chance to receive $500”?

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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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Membership notice: Send in your data verification forms
The deadline for completing data verification forms is quickly approaching! If you’ve already filled out your company’s form, thanks! If you are the president, publisher or general manager of a newspaper; college adviser; or the main contact of an affiliate member, and you haven’t received the e-mail containing your data verification link, please contact Abigail Ketchum at abigailk@pa-news.org or (717) 703-3067.

Your news here!
Here at PNA we are changing the way we present news to you. What better way to do that than by asking you to share your news with us? We encourage all of you to send press releases and articles about your organization so that we can publish them for your fellow PNA members to see. Please send news items to coreyb@pa-news.org.

Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors Annual Conference
Nov. 13-16, Raleigh, N.C.
For the first time, Capitolbeat (Association of Capitol Reports and Editors) is making its annual conference available to everyone. Citizen journalists, policy wonks, lawmakers, students and any other interested parties who want to know more about how state government works are welcome to attend. For details:

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Oct. 30: Close the Sale: Making the Most Money Online - via webinar
Our sales coaches will show you the best methods for expanding your online banners, video and e-mail for maximum new revenue generation.

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Oct. 31: API's Newspaper Next "2.0" - Philadelphia
The one-day program, titled “Making the Leap Beyond `Newspaper Companies,’” sets out that pragmatic vision: what newspaper companies can become in the next five years, along with the tools and processes to get there. BONUS: As a PNA member, you're eligible for a 10 percent tuition discount! Just type in "PNA" in the promotional code box near the end of the online registration form.

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Nov. 6: What is Your Web Site Worth? - via webinar
Maximize and maintain your site's value! Is your Web site worth more than your newspaper? If not, it may be in a few years.

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Nov. 13: PNA On the Road - King of Prussia
Learn everything you ever wanted to know about revenue generation in tough times -- all for only $15!

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Nov. 13: Journalistic Ethics in a Digital World - Hackensack, N.J.
With the rapid move to online journalism, how do we keep up with the fast pace and still remain true to our ethics? Steve Buttry, editor of The Gazette and Gazetteonline in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will help navigate these unchartered waters.

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Nov. 14: Judges/Journalists Workshop - Pittsburgh
This free workshop brings Pa. Judges and journalists together to discuss the media/judiciary relationship. This workshop is part of a joint undertaking of the PNA and the AOPC.

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The advantage of advertising in a down market
By now we already know that in a floundering economy, advertising often gets cut from marketing budgets. So you may be wondering, what should I do now? Before you make any drastic decisions, The New York Times has some tips to guide you during this questionable time.

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Google, Yahoo growth curbed as ad cuts spread to Web
Even Google and Yahoo can't ignore the slowing economy any longer. Now many advertisers' budget cuts are extending to Internet promotions. According to Collins Stewart Plc, this economy could cost the online advertising industry $6.7 billion in sales through 2010.

"Growth is coming down,'' said Aggarwal, one of at least eight analysts trimming their share-price estimates on Google this month. "The weakness is happening in search and display advertising and everywhere.''

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NAA: Online visitors up 15.7% in Q3
Next week's Audit Bureau of Circulations' semi-annual report will show more drops in paid circulation. No surprise there.

On the flip side, the Newspaper Association of America reported that the latest online numbers should be comforting. The number of unique visitors to newspaper Web sites hit another record high in Q3, up 15.7% to 68.3 million compared to the same period a year ago.

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AP launches mobile news network app for BlackBerry smart phones
If you have a Blackberry and are a news consumer, you're in luck. The Associated Press just launched a new Mobile News Network application for BlackBerry smart phones. With the Mobile News Network, you have anytime access to international, national and local news content from about 1,000 media sources. For a free download, visit: bb.apnews.com.

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