National Newspaper Association
Protecting, Promoting and Enhancing Community Newspapers Since 1885
Chip Hutcheson
Chip Hutcheson is the retired publisher of The Times Leader in Princeton, Kentucky. He was NNA president in 2015. He currently serves as a content strategist for Kentucky Today, the online news website of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. chiphutcheson@yahoo.com
Overcome these obstacles to help the community and the newspaper's bottom line
Grave danger exists when newspapers navigate away from what has made them successful throughout this country’s history. A newspaper is in grave danger when it ...
A newspaper will always be significant if it has made a difference
... The challenge is how to keep the newspaper’s focus local by tapping into other resources.
A lesson every newspaper owner needs to understand
... In my mind, those “how tos” take second place to advice passed along years ago by a man who was remarkably successful in his profession — Paul “Bear” Bryant, legendary ...
Newspapers are vital for civic democracy — being the watchdog of local government, the safeguard for the public good and the treasury of memories that last a lifetime
There’s not a quick-and-easy solution to recovering from the demise of local news in a publication, but consider these observations.
Consider principles by Walter Williams
The creed maintains that “advertising, news and editorial columns alike should serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that ...
Making the most of the time you have
As we head into the busy holiday season, it seems to be the opportune time to examine how we use our time. Does our time usage reflect the most effective way to produce a newspaper?
Two options to increase circulation
That same conclusion could be reached by newspaper folks when considering how they can reverse the circulation decline that faces many newspapers across the land. It’s time to learn a different way.
Tips on what to do and what NOT to do
For independently owned papers, thinking ahead is crucial.
Plan these holiday promotions
Like that crossword, the obvious might not seem so obvious. Let’s consider some obvious projects that could be helpful to your bottom line during November and December.
Today, ad reps must be recruited
There’s no scarcity of ad ideas, but one facet of the advertising dynamic that could be the most overlooked involves personnel.
Avoid the 8 typical mistakes made in newspaper operations
There are many common sense aspects involved in a newspaper operation — yet there are times that written rules would come in handy because the obvious is being overlooked. Here are my top eight “do ...
Here are some ideas to increase your advertising dollars
It seems that many newspapers — particularly chain newspapers — are obsessed with cutting expenses. But I fall in the camp of those who insist “you cannot cut your way to prosperity.”
Digital presence is vital in meeting the high expectations of a community
A newspaper that wants to be relevant today must have a robust website and utilize rather than demonize social media.
Generate local content to supplement the work of your newsroom staff
While there are a number of good content resources available, nothing beats local content. Newsrooms don’t have to produce all their local content, and that’s where the “working smarter” ...
Finding new owners has transformed over the years
This month’s Pub Aux features articles on buying and selling newspapers. In recent years, other options have come into play — especially in rural communities.
Classifieds ... the good, the bad and increasing sales
When dealing with a classified ad customer, we’d encourage multiple insertions by giving a price break if the ad ran at least four times. Running 10 times got an even larger discount.
These foxes can escape your attention
What is the greatest obstacle in crafting a newspaper story that leaves you with no regrets? That question reminds me of a Biblical passage from Song of Solomon 2:15: “Catch us the foxes, the little ...
Fascinate your readers with language
I’ll never forget that first day of his etymology class my sophomore year. He introduced himself as a sexogenarian horologist, and proceeded to tell us to get our minds out of the gutter because ...
Remembering legacy columnists; if your newspaper wants to revive the tradition, here are a few tips ...
My journalism professors and mentors from half a century ago would be rolling over in their graves over the idea that newspapers should not contain regular, robust editorial pages.
Hard-hitting editorials remain in readers’ minds, provide critical means to hold public officials accountable
We agree with the thought voiced by South Dakota publisher Tim Waltner, who states the purpose of editorials — offer perspective, be bold, take a stand, have a call to action — and can be affirming ...
