QCNA CONNECTORwww.qcna.org The Official Publication of the Quebec Community Newspapers Association June 2012

What’s InsideED Report ................................................................. Page 2QCNA Happenings ................................................... Page 3 Industry News ........................................................... Page 4Steve Bonspiel CAJ Winner ...................................... Page 5

Some Awards Photos ......................................................... Page 6Ed Henninger - Play to Your Strengths ............................. Page 7John Foust - Along Came A Spider ................................... Page 8

Congratulations to all the QCNA award winners!

QCNA members and guests celebrated the best of the best at the 32nd annual awards gala held on Friday, May 18, 2012, on board the AML cruise boat, Le Cavalier Maxim, at the Old Port of Montreal.

Congratulations to all the QCNA member newspaper winners. You did a magnificent job in reporting what was important in your communities in 2011! We look forward to another amazing awards competition in 2013. See you next spring!

Click here to view the list of winners, great photos, the awards book and lots more. And go to Page 6 for some awards gala photos.

Leona Mozes PhotoFrom left to right - Sasha Deer, Brittany LeBorgne, and Kayla Cross of The Eastern Door are seen above enjoying the panoramic view on Board the AML cruise boat, ‘Le Cavalier Maxim’ at QCNA’s awards gala held on Friday, May 18, 2012, at the Old Port of Montreal.

2 June 2012 QCNA Connector

The EDReportby Richard TardifExecutive Director

A Gala To Remember

This marks the 32nd QCNA Better Newspaper Competition Awards Gala and Banquet, and

we handed out 36 awards for best overall newspapers, best writers and photographers as well as awards for outstanding sales, editorial excellence and an award for lifelong commitment.

This year, nominees made up some familiar and some new names. As we know, a community newspaper serves and helps build the local community by providing news and information, supporting a quality of life, forging community bonds.

We have heard this before, but what does this mean?

The answer, as always, comes from the people we serve: our local readers and advertisers. It can be said that behind every newspaper is a community: the people who live and breathe and work to make their community a better place to live. We as community newspapers play prominent roles in that noble endeavour.

Our papers disseminate information and interpret events, play pivotal roles in preserving unity and understanding.

The Suburban’s Anthony Bonaparte’s health account of a 42-year-old father shedding 100 pounds not only for his own health but for his children is a touching community story, one that relates to many and is an incentive for others.

Low Down to Hull & Back News reporter Lucy Scholey discovered, or uncovered, a local rock hound unearthing chunks of rocks and reconditioning them into jewelry and

other uses. Her use of imagery and one simple simile put us right in the story.

Andy Sher from The Chronicle captures the emotional pain and suffering of a house fire through the lens of his camera, a great example of spot news. Thrill seekers got their kicks on the Fireball coaster at the Shawville Fair. Thanks to Equity photographer Danielle Sachs, who forced readers to twist their necks to view the picture,

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In December 2010, Mark Hodess enteredThe Suburban’s Énergie Cardio weight-losschallenge — a contest that invited readersto tell us why they should win an intensiveeight-week Kilo Cardio training programvalued at $1,700.

The then 42-year-old father of three wasin poor physical shape, weighing in at closeto 300 lbs, and sent a touching letter thatsaid his own father passed away when in hisearly 50s. “He missed out on a lot of my lifeand his grandchildren’s lives and I want tomake sure that I’m around for them and toenjoy their children and their lives,” saidHodess at the time.

Needless to say, he was one of the 12lucky winners. The Côte St. Luc residentthen worked out three nights a week withhis Energie Cardio personal trainer andtwice more on his own. His programincluded a combination of cardio exercises,weight training and a healthier diet.

It led to a loss of 30 lbs in the first six

weeks.Fast-forward one year later and Hodess

has upped that total to an astounding 100lbs — one third of his initial body weight.His new motto: Living a dream. “Goingfrom close to 300 lbs to what I weigh nowand from a size 48 to a size 34 pair of jeans,that is living a dream.”

The loss took some work. Last March, atthe end of his initial eight-week session, theowner of Money for Clutter, a residentialfurniture liquidating company, signed onfor an entire year, hitting the gym threetimes a week. During the first three monthsHodess had the help of a personal trainerand says he couldn’t have done it withouther. “Énergie Cardio was crucial to my suc-cess,” says Hodess.

“The difference between joining a gymwith a trainer and joining without one youcan’t even compare.”

As for what he ate: “I don’t diet — that’smy number one rule — and I don’t countcalories. What I do is I watch my portionsand choose much healthier foods,” saysHodess, adding that the key is not deprivingoneself. “If I want something I’m going tohave it, but in a smaller size and less often.If you deprive yourself too much of your

favourites you’ll be miserable. And I knowwhat that’s like.”

Losing that much weight also meant pur-chasing a whole new wardrobe — over andover again. “I’m on my third set of newclothes now and I can’t keep up,” saysHodess.

“Even my shoes were too wide since I lostweight in my feet.”

By September 2010 Hodess hit the 70-lbmark and, coinciding with his 43rd birth-day, Énergie Cardio NDG owner DarleneFraraccio threw a party. “I’ll never forget it,”says Hodess. “Darlene took out a 70-lbweight, made me lift it and promise to nevergain that weight back again. That stuckwith me.”

Last Saturday, during a five-day openhouse, his hitting the 100-lb mark wasappropriately celebrated in the place whereit all started — with a healthy cake, ofcourse. “He once told me that he had a crav-ing for ice cream so I had a kosher frozenyogurt cake made for him,” says Fraraccio,adding with a laugh. “But he’s worked hardenough that even if he has a few more calo-ries it doesn’t matter.”

Fraraccio is proud of what Hodess hasaccomplished and remembers when they

first met, he said he was too big to fit on aswing to play with his kids. No more. “Hesent me a message one day that said; ‘Forthe first time since my children were bornI’ve been able to sit on a swing with them.’It’s been communication like that over thepast year that brought us close. It helpedhim and he’s helping us as well by spreadingthe word. He’s just fantastic.”

And his children mean a lot to Hodess,considering what he felt when he lost hisown father. “That’s what motivates meeveryday — my sons. I did it for my healthand to be around for them.”

At a recent hockey game with his boys,five-year-old Jared saw an Energie Cardioadvertisement and pointed it out with pride.“It was more important to him than whatwas going on at the game,” says Hodess.

“And when nine-year-old Joshua camehome after three weeks at summer camp,the first question he asked was how muchweight I had lost. I was blown away.”

The Suburban’s Énergie Cardio weightloss challenge resumes in January 2012,with a call for contestants taking placetoward the end of this year. Keep your eyespeeled on The Suburban for more details.

anthony@thesuburban.com n

Mark Hodess is living his dreamFEATURES Back Page Letters or comments? Email anthony@thesuburban.com.

Last year’s Suburban-Energie Cardio contest winner now 100 lbs lighter

Anthony Bonaparte

Énergie Cardio NDG owner Darlene Fraraccio, Mark Hodess, Michel Ladouceur, and manager Jessica Fournier. On the way to losing 100 lbs, Hodess had to purchase a whole new wardrobe— over and over again. “I’m on my third set of new clothes now and I can’t keep up,” he says.

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Rock hound leaves no road turnunstoned in search of gems

By Lucy Scholey

Among the construction ma-chines and felled trees for the Hwy 5 extension project is a treasure trove for one Wakefi eld rock hound.

Domenic Olivieri holds up a chunk of the white rock from the fi rst highway blast near Cross Loop Road two years ago.

“Looks like a boring rock,” he says. Then he places it under a black light and the specimen glows a neon blue colour. “Isn’t that just wild?”

This fascination is partly why Olivieri is as rare as the rocks he collects.

He builds lasers, creates jewelry, guides geological tours,

teaches part time as a lab tech-nician at Ottawa University and is an engineer by trade. While these pursuits don’t seem to in-terconnect, Olivieri makes them work.

He researches new laser technology, but to fund his work, he started Crystal Ray Technol-ogy. For fi ve years, Olivieri’s company has been providing geological tours across Canada and selling jewelry at Alpen-gruss Restaurant in Wakefi eld from crystals collected on these tours.

Basically, the “layer cake of crystals” that Olivieri uses to build lasers are also the focus of his guided tours and jewelry.

Speaking in one breath, Ol-

ivieri describes the rare crys-tals, the natural phosphorous that makes them glow – like the chunk from the highway blast – and their potential for creating new lasers.

That chunk of “unknown crystals” from the highway could be a real fi nd for laser technology, Olivieri speculates.

It’s also the perfect specimen for one of his jewelry pieces.

Nestled in his own cave in the basement of his River Road home, Olivieri takes the rocks, slices them like salami in a dia-mond cutter and shapes and smoothes them in a series of sanding machines.

He sprays a small piece of rock with a water bottle and

it glistens under the overhead lamp in his basement.

He can hardly stay on one rock, picking up the banded iron, with its layers of red, and moving to the glittering red mica. Each rock has a purpose – whether it’s jewelry, countertops or lasers – and depth.

An inukshuk on his front lawn best tells their stories. Each rock comes from a differ-ent region in Canada. The cross-country sculpture is ever-grow-ing, with Olivieri adding a new piece each time he comes home from a geo-tour.

Labrador, Thunder Bay, New Brunswick and northern Que-bec are among the places he’s taken his groups.

“We’ve driven off the map,” he says.

Stephen Souliere, a Wake-fi eld friend, has toured with Ol-ivieri for the past 12 years.

“Just knowing Domenic

over the years, he’s at a differ-ent level,” Souliere says, adding that while each tour is spent in the woods, “it’s like sitting in a university class. You learn so much.”

Robert Radziwilowicz is completing his doctorate in op-tical networks – the technology behind your cable or DSL Inter-net – at the University of Otta-wa. Since 2004, he’s worked with Olivieri in the lab and says his skills are unmatched. Olivieri’s ability to match engineering and geology is especially rare.

“Both departments don’t re-ally interrelate,” Radziwilowicz says. “He managed to fi nd the common denominator between those two fi elds.”

For more information on Ol-ivieri’s guided tours, visit www.crystalray.ca.

In the meantime, you can likely fi nd him scouting out the Hwy 5 treasure trove.

Triple feature brings down curtain on kids’ lm campBy James Farr

The call – “I’m not a reporter, I’m an investigative journalist!” – might sound like a Low Down reporter’s plea for respect.

Its source, however, is the tagline for “Best Practices,” one of the three fi lms produced by young movie-makers at Robert and Brenda Rooney’s Summer Film Camp. All three will be screened Aug. 25 at the Wake-fi eld United Church. The cur-

tain goes up at 7 p.m.The Rooneys’ fi lm camp ran

for three separate weeks be-tween July 4 and Aug. 12 this year, and it was tailored to suit three different age groups: 11-13-year-olds, 12-14-year-olds, and 14-and-up.

For each week, budding fi lm-makers created stories, wrote scripts, scored and recorded music, and shot footage for fi lms that engaged “various dis-cussions of issues and values

around the village,” according to Robert Rooney.

As Rooney said, “Communi-ty interest and their (campers’) interest informs the content.”

Filmgoers on the 25th will be treated to “Fakefi eld” and “The Secret of the Source,” along with the aforementioned “Best Practices.” The fi lms are 10-20 minutes in length and there’s no admission charge.

“Fakefi eld” depicts two vil-lages existing in parallel uni-

verses: Wakefi eld, the fairly benign town of our reality, and Fakefi eld, a gray dystopia ter-rorized by an evil wizard.

“The Secret of the Source” is a bilingual fi lm in which a spring that holds the key to eter-nal life is discovered. A scientist with a dying mother struggles to understand its secrets while time-travelers from the future journey to the spring to exploit its power.

“Best Practices” deals with

an intrepid Low Down “inves-tigative journalist” who can’t seem to get a break until a seem-ingly mild lead uncovers a cor-porate conspiracy that goes all the way to the top.

“They were determined to make a courtroom drama,” said Rooney.

It’s been confi rmed that Gatineau MNA Stephanie Val-lee and La Peche Mayor Robert Bussiere will attend the gala on Aug. 25.

Domenic Olivieri, founder of Crysal Ray Technologies, holds up his handmade crystal jewelry. An engineer by trade, the geology a cionado crafts the gems from rocks he collects on his geo-tours. Lucy Scholey photo

Labrador, Thunder Bay and New Brunswick are among the destinations in Olivieri’s geo-tours. He has compiled collected crystals in this ever-growing inukshuk outside. Lucy Scholey photo

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No one was hurt in an early morning fire in Kirkland that left a home destroyed at 119 Meridian Street.“It seems the woman who owns the house was up before the fire started, making coffee,” said neighbour Andy Sher.

“She started a fire in the fireplace and the next thing she knew, her house was burning.” The woman was treated in hospital for shock.

It took firefighters two hours to bring the 5 a.m. blaze under control. The two-storey cottage con-structed in the mid-1970s suffered extensive damage.

“The garage was destroyed. There was a car in there,” said Sher. “I think that’s what woke my dogs up - there was an explosion in the gas tank.”

Montreal fire department spokesperson Louise Desrosiers said the fire is not considered suspicious and for now, it’s believed that the blaze originated in the garage, or possibly the wall between the garage and the fireplace.

The cause has not been determined.

Fire roars through Kirkland homeMeridian Street house destroyed last week

Photos courtesy Andy Sher

These are just some examples of the level of commitment QCNA reporters and editors have for events in their communities.

From our graphic designers, our sales people, our managers, our bookkeepers and those greeting each customer with a smile, to our advertisers across this large province, is it any wonder we continue to have an exceptional place in the hearts of Quebec?

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Friday, May 18, 2012

Better Newspapers CoMpetitioN 32Nd aNNual awards

QueBeC CoMMuNity Newspapers assoCiatioN

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QCNA

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she kept the readers focused on the front page.

QCNA Connector June 2012 3

QCNA happenings

Leona Mozes PhotoAs determined at the Annual General Meeting held on May 18, 2012, QCNA’s Board of Directors (left to right) for the balance of the two-year term May 2011 - May 2013 includes Director, Michael Sochaczevski (The Suburban); Secretary-Treasurer, George Bakoyannis (The Laval News); Director - Observer, Lily Ryan (The West Quebec Post); Director, Heather Dickson (The Equity); Vice President, Marc Lalonde (The Chronicle); Director, Nikki Mantell (The Low Down to Hull & Back News); President, Steve Bonspiel (The Eastern Door); Director, Will Nicholls (The Nation); and Director, Fred Ryan (Bulletin d’Aylmer).

QCNA Members Celebrated Their Award Wins On Board AML Cruise BoatFollowing QCNA’s Annual General Meeting that was held on Friday, May 18, 2012, on board the AML cruise boat, Le Cavalier Maxim, 100-plus guests came together to celebrate members’ award wins. CBC broadcaster Lauren McCallum did an amazing job emceeing the event. QCNA’s Executive Director, Richard Tardif, handed out the awards certificates and plaques to the top three finalists in 36 awards categories along with the annual favorite ‘blooper’ turkey award that was won by The Low Down to Hull & Back News – again!Jack Burger, Publisher of Main Street, picked up the prestigious Lindsay Crysler Award; Trevor Greenway, journalist with The Low Down to Hull & Back News garnered the Paul-Dumont Frenette Award; Danielle Sachs, photographer with The Equity, took home the Outstanding Photojournalism Award; and Gabrielle Bertrand, Sales Consultant with the Pontiac Journal du Pontiac won the Joan Durnin Outstanding Salesperson Award. Best Overall Newspaper went to The Suburban.In case you missed the annual awards gala, you can go to www.qcna.org and click on the links to the awards book and photos of the event. See more photos on Page 6.

The Suburban Wins LMA Awards & MoreThe Suburban won first place at CCNA’s recent awards competition for Best Coverage of the Arts, and won awards in the following categories from the Local Media Association (LMA) (formerly known as Suburban Newspapers of America - SNA): Best Opinion Column, Best News Photo, Best Continuing Coverage, and Best Arts & Entertainment Criticism & Commentary.Lynn Krejberg, one of The Suburban newspaper’s truest assets, recently celebrated her 30th anniversary with this newspaper.

The Eastern Door a CCNA & CAJ Winner The Eastern Door took home a third place win in CCNA’s recent awards competition for Best Editorial Page. And, congratulations to Steve Bonspiel, Publisher of The Eastern Door for winning

the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) Award in the community newspaper category for his article, ‘Tobacco Giant Busted.’See the full story on this prestigious award win on Page 5.

Carmen Marie Fabio Wins Plumes d’or Des Folios 2011 AwardCongratulations to Carmen Marie Fabio for her Plumes d’or des Folios 2011 award win for her Westmount Examiner article, ‘Blue on Greene’ in the economic reporting category.Carmen began her journalism career after graduating from Concordia University in 2010, and soon after began working for The Chronicle. Carmen also collected two awards at the QCNA awards gala, one for headline writing and one for best sports story.

Two Provisional New Members Added to QCNA RosterTwo new provisional members were added to QCNA’s roster at QCNA’s May 18 Annual General Meeting. A warm welcome is extended to the Desi Times, a bilingual Indian weekly newspaper serving readers in the metropolitan Montreal area. And a warm ‘welcome back’ goes out to The Senior Times, a monthly newspaper serving seniors in the greater Montreal area.

More news ...QCNA board members Heather Dickson and George Bakoyannis, along with QCNA Executive Director Richard Tardif attended

the Canadian Community Newspaper Association (CCNA) annual conference in Toronto from April 25-28. Richard also attended the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) conference and seminars in Toronto from April 28-30.QCNA Executive Director Richard Tardif along with colleagues from l’Association de la presse francophone (APF) and ARC du Canada - Alliance des radios communautaires, were in Ottawa on May 7, speaking before the Senate Committee providing QCNA observations on the committee’s study on the use of the Internet, new media and social media, and respect for Canadians’ language rights. QCNA Executive Director Richard Tardif attended the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) meetings and AGM on June 15-16 in Montreal, Quebec.

Main Street’s Jack Burger Passes AwayIt is with profound sadness that the QCNA informs its members of the untimely passing of Main Street founder Jack Burger. Jack passed away peacefully on Tuesday evening, May 29, 2012, in Montreal following a courageous battle with cancer. He was 58 years old.Jack recently received the prestigious Lindsay Crysler Award for outstanding dedication to Journalism.Our condolences go to Jack’s wife, Sue, a great friend to us all, and to his son, Gregory. A celebration of Jack’s life will be scheduled in the near future.

4 June 2012 QCNA Connector

Industry HighlightsFree Newspaper Canada Webinar – June 26 Noon - 1 p.m. EDT‘Newspapers: A Recipe for Success’Suzanne Raitt, VP of Marketing & Innovation from Newspapers Canada, will share an inspiring presentation created to highlight the power and effectiveness of newspapers as well as their sites, mobile and tablet offerings. This year’s presentation demonstrates ‘what’s cooking’ in the medium for 2012. Research and examples from Canada and around the world have been sourced to provide a delicious sampling. Topics include:• Set table: Newspaper readership strong and growing• Staple: Print newspapers• Finger food: Mobile (a good pairing)• Eye candy: tablet (quick facts to chew on)• Have your cake and eat it too: Newspaper sites• Pie in the sky: What the future holds.Click here to register.For more information on Newspapers Canada’s webinars click here.

TC Media and Quebecor Media Withdraw from Hebdos QuébecIt was recently announced that, given the major changes that have impacted the local weekly press in recent years, TC Media and Quebecor Media have made the joint decision to withdraw from Hebdos Québec in order to secure the continuity of the Association and uphold the interests of independent newspapers. This decision was unanimously approved at a meeting of the Board of Directors on April 12. “The withdrawal of the two major press groups will allow Hebdos

Québec to refocus its mission on services adapted to the independent press, whose needs often differ from those of major players,” said Chair of the Board of Directors, Angèle Marcoux-Prévost.For more information click here.

ISWNE 2012 Conference Bellingham, WashingtonJune 27 – July 1, 2012Each summer, the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE) holds a conference that is intended to provide an intellectually broadening experience for editors. Discussions include matters of importance anywhere in the world, with speakers who are experts in their fields. There is also a lot of critical give-and-take as members critique each other’s editorial pages. The 2012 conference will take place in Bellingham, Washington from June 27 – July 1, 2012. And their 2013 conference will be held in Calgary, Alberta. Click on ISWNE for more information.

APF Annual ConferenceL’Association de la presse francophone (APF) will be holding its annual conference and awards ceremony in Stanhope, PEI, July 5 – 7, 2012. Stanhope is 15 minutes from Charlottetown.

Industry Ad Campaign available for use by newspapers

Newspapers Canada has a print and online advertising campaign available for your newspaper’s use. Newspapers Canada recently advertised in media trade publications

including Marketing, Strategy, Media in Canada, and Infopresse in both their print and e-newsletter publications. The same campaign is now available for newspapers to use in their publications. The goal of the campaign is to highlight that newspaper readership is very strong in a positive and upbeat way to potential advertisers. The campaign currently has the Newspapers Canada logo on it. Newspapers are welcome to add their own logo to these executions as well.For more information click here.

NewsTrain Workshop – September 13 – 14, 2012 - TorontoNewspapers Canada and Metroland Media Group are teaming up with Associated Press Media Editors (APME) to bring the renowned NewsTrain training series to Toronto this September. NewsTrain features two full days of educational workshops for managers and editors by some of the best journalism practitioners in North America – all for just $50 per person (plus HST). The topics covered will include video and social media as well as newsroom management issues.Be sure to reserve your spot now as this popular event is sure to fill up fast. Watch the Newspapers Canada website in the coming weeks for more details, including agendas and speakers.NewsTrain will take place at the Toronto Star Press Centre in Vaughn on September 13 - 14, 2012. To sign up and for more information, click here to visit the NewsTrain registration site.

QCNA Connector June 2012 5

Kahnawake based publisher snags second CAJ award

Honour and recognition from peers humbles the best of us, which is why Eastern

Door publisher Steve Bonspiel was silent, at least for a few moments. The gifted wordsmith managed to muster a grateful thank you after learning that a panel of his peers had awarded him a Community Reporting award.

“I didn’t expect to win,” he said, with his Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) award in hand. “I had not prepared a speech, nor thought I would need to make one.”

He did win, his second CAJ Community Reporting award in as many years, and it was for his complete and in-depth investigative reporting of the 2011 story “Tobacco giant busted,” detailing the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission bust of Rainbow Tobacco products, cigarettes manufactured in Kahnawake under federal licensing.

Bonspiel, who is the publisher and editor of the Kahnawake based newspaper, The Eastern Door, along with more than 185 journalists had gathered atop the Royal York Hotel in Toronto for the 2011 Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) award gala in April. Maybe Bonspiel was silent being honoured, but the words written of the seizure proved to have the most impact.

The story goes, on January 5, Rainbow’s expansion to Native communities in Ontario and to extend the Native cigarette market in the West, was doused by Alberta government agents from the Commission, escorted by the RCMP, after an early morning raid of a Quonset on the Buffalo reserve seized 14 million cigarettes.

The bust hit the national newswire by early afternoon.

“I knew the case would take some time to write and when the story broke, which happened to be four hours before deadline, I realized the amount of work ahead of me,” said Bonspiel after the award ceremony, who chose to run a “breaking news” story in light of his deadline, and get down to the due diligent work of investigation for the larger story that would run in his next issue.

The decision proved to be the right one. Bonspiel ran into a wall of resistance when trying to contact the RCMP and the Commission. Eventually, persistence paid off.

“This story shows how fragile our rights are. Even with an agreement with Canada to manufacture and sell cigarettes, Rainbow Tobacco is still on shaky ground when it comes to selling in provinces other than Quebec,” said Bonspiel, days later back at work at The Eastern Door.

“This is a Native rights case that I predict won’t get a chance to be made an example of at the Supreme Court level because it would usurp provincial authority and would open the doors for what should already be a protected right to trade in Canada or the U.S.”

Bonspiel won his first CAJ award for his 2010 reporting of the well-publicized and controversial Mohawk Council of Kahnawake “eviction notices” to non-natives living in the community.

Steve Bonspiel, Publisher and Editor of The Eastern Door

by Richard TardifExecutive Director, QCNA

6 June 2012 QCNA Connector

Some Awards Gala PhotosTaken on Board the AML cruise boat ‘Le Cavalier Maxim,’ Friday, May 18, 2012

Photos Leona Mozes

QCNA Connector June 2012 7

by Ed Henninger

WANT A FREE evaluation of your newspaper’s design? Just contact Ed:

edh@henningerconsulting.com 803-327-3322

IF THIS COLUMN has been helpful, you may be interested in Ed’s books: Henninger on

Design and 101 Henninger Helpful Hints. With the help of Ed’s books, you’ll immediately have

a better idea how to design for your readers. Find out more about Henninger on Design and

101 Henninger Helpful Hints by visiting Ed’s web site: www.henningerconsulting.com <http://www.henningerconsulting.com>

ED HENNINGER is an independent newspaper consultant and the Director of

Henninger Consulting. Offering comprehensive newspaper design services including redesigns,

workshops, staff training and evaluations. E-mail: edh@henningerconsulting.com.

On the web: henningerconsulting.com <http://www.henningerconsulting.com> .

Phone: 803-327-3322.

Some newspapers are “photo papers.”

Others excel at typography. Still others use graphics very well. Do you know which you are? And...

if you do...do you use those skills to make your paper more appealing to readers?

If you have a star photographer on your staff, it’s to your benefit to create more photo packages and more photo pages to showcase her skills. Give her more opportunities—and give your readers more compelling packages as a result.

Better yet, get her involved in your weekly (or daily) and long-term planning sessions. (You do have regular planning sessions, don’t you?) With her visual skills, she’s bound to offer more ideas for you to attract readers

Let’s assume otherwise: You don’t have that super photographer—but you do have a page designer who can take good (not great) photos and package them will with your stories to create pages that capture your readers’ attention.

So be it! If that’s the case, then have that designer help guide your newspaper’s destiny with strong input in every issue—and even stronger input in long-term editorial planning. He can help point the way by suggesting story ideas and photographic approaches that will bring increased attention to your every issue. OK, so you have neither. No star

Play to your strengths

If photos are your strength, play your photos—big!

photographer, no super designer. But you do have writers. And they may be the key to your winning more readers. If, that is, you encourage good writing. No, we’re not talking about the inverted pyramid and the county sewer board meeting. But we are talking about those writers who can fashion gripping and memorable stories about your community and your readers.

I recall one newspaper I reviewed many years ago. Terrible design. But that paper had more than 95 percent penetration in its community. One of the reasons: its obituaries told the life stories of people in that town. These weren’t obits—they were true tales of

how those people lived. And loved. And were loved. And those stories were, well ... memorable.

The publisher of that newspaper asked me: “Why do I need to redesign? We are the story of our community!” Why, indeed?

His point was well made...and well taken.

And my point is this: Every newspaper has a star ... a light that can glow for all readers to see.

That light may be a photographer. Perhaps a designer. Maybe a writer. Or maybe even a clerk who does your accounts and can make gorgeous charts with Excel.

What ever your light is, don’t hide it under a basket.

QCNA Connector June 2012 8

QCNA STAFFRICHARD TARDIF, Executive Director

CAROLYN KITZANUK, Administrative AssistantMARNIE OWSTON, Advertising Coordinator & Bookkeeper

Mission StatementThe Quebec Community Newspapers Association is

dedicated to the professional and economic development of English community newspapersand their enterprises serving minority communities in Quebec.

Quebec Community Newspapers Association400 Grand Boulevard, Suite 5

Ile Perrot, QC J7V 4X2Tel. 514-453-6300 Fax 514-453-6330

Email: info@qcna.qc.ca Website: www.qcna.org

QCNA acknowledges the support of The Department of Canadian Heritage

by John FoustRaleigh, NC

© 2012 by John Foust. All rights reserved.

John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper

advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training videos to save time and get quick results from in-

house training. Email for info: jfoust@mindspring.com

Some years ago, I met with a foreign car dealer to learn about his advertising. In the showroom,

there was a beautiful red sports car – a new model that had just arrived that week. When I commented on the car, the dealer said, “Yeah, and we didn’t even find a Black Widow spider in this one.”

Say what? “When these cars are shipped from

Europe, they usually pick up spiders along the way,” he explained. “Just about every car we’ve gotten lately has had a spider under the hood. But our customers don’t have to worry about that. We always find ‘em when we clean up the cars.”

Aw shucks! For a minute there, I thought we had a great headline: “Free spider with every car.”

As discussed here before, relevancy is a key factor in the creation of effective advertising. Although that car dealer might have been joking, something tells me that “free spider” is not the right offer.

Let’s take a look at three types of offers. Being familiar with these choices will provide you with a good range of promotional tools for your advertisers.

1. Special Pricing. In many product categories, this is the most common

Along came a spideroffer in today’s tight economy. In fact, many consumers will not make a favorable buying decision unless there is a discount.

It makes perfect sense: Media outlets want advertisers, advertisers want customers and customers want bargains. The most radical example is Groupon, where the average discount is an eye-popping 56 percent. And of course, direct mail packages – a more traditional newspaper competitor – consist primarily of discount coupons.

Newspaper advertisers can easily jump on the special pricing train. Examples include multiple-purchase offers, trade-in programs, early bird incentives, rebates and coupons.

2. Giveaways. Everyone likes to get free stuff. Someone in my family recently extended a magazine subscription – long before its expiration date – because the publisher offered a free booklet for renewing now. The offer was right on target. The health-related booklet was a natural tie-in with the health-related magazine.

The key is relevance. When consumers see a giveaway as meaningful and desirable, there is likely to be a strong response rate.

Ideas include free product samples,

free trial periods, bonus products, free demonstrations, no-cost installation, free delivery and free introductory consultations.

3. Special Events. Many people enjoy being part of a special occasion, especially when it gives them a chance to share the experience with like-minded consumers. Think of the high energy that Black Friday creates in the retail world. And consider the luncheons and seminars that are sponsored by financial advisors.

There are plenty of possibilities. For example, you could use “turn back the clock pricing” to celebrate a business anniversary. You could arrange a celebrity appearance, like bookstores frequently do with authors. Or you could plan an open house, a grand opening or a product roll-out party.

It’s all a matter of making the right offer.To the right audience. At the right time.