Volume 76, Number 1

January 2005 - Published by Kentucky Press Association/Kentucky Press Service

JanuaryNews & NotesJudges Needed forGPA, NPA contests

Looking for a contest to helpjudge? We have two of themlined up for you.

Thursday, February 17, KPAwill be judging the Georgia PressAssociation news and advertis-ing contests at the EmbassySuites in Lexington.

And on Friday, February 18,KPA will be judging the newsand advertising contests for theNebraska Press Association inLouisville at the Holiday InnSouth - Fern Valley Road.

Both judgings begin at 8:30a.m. (Eastern) with a continentalbreakfast and both require news-room and advertising staff mem-bers. If you want to participate inone or both of the contest judg-ings, please call Sue Cammack atKPA, 800-264-5721, or e-mail herat scammack@kypress.com.

Former political writerAl Cross to be roasted

Kentucky politicians willfinally get their chance to see onthe griddle the newspaper politi-cal writer they’ve learned to loveand to hate over the decades.

Al Cross, The Courier-Journal’s longtime politicalwriter and columnist, will beroasted on Monday, Feb. 28 inFrankfort. Cross left the newspa-per in August to become interimdirector of the Institute for RuralJournalism & Community Issuesat the University of Kentucky.

Directories available at conventionThe new edition of the

Kentucky Press AssociationYearbook and Directory will beavailable for you to pick up atthe 2005 Winter Conventionand Trade Show on Jan. 20-21 atthe Hyatt Regency inLouisville.

The photo featured on thisyear’s cover was made by BobDickerson, photographer withThe Kentucky Post inCovington. It depictsThoroughbreds on a BooneCounty farm in a snowstorm inearly 2004.

The directory isn’t the onlything you will take home withyou after attending the 2005convention. You will be able totake home new ideas and infor-mation shared by the numerous

industry experts scheduled toconduct sessions at the conven-tion on topics involving tech-nology, NIE programs, adver-tising, management, sales,readership and sports cover-age.

The convention kicks off at11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20when the trade show boothsopen.

The first session of the con-vention will be from 1 to 4 p.m.when Tim Harrower, author of“The Newspaper Designer’sHandbook,” will entertain andeducate the audience on thefiner points of creating reader-friendly, award-winning pages.Seating is limited for this ses-

See NEWS on Page 10

The cover of the 2005 KPA Directory was made byKentucky Post photographer Bob Dickerson.

Recycled newsprint rates are goodIt’s the prover-

bial chicken or theegg discussion.

I really hadn’tthought muchabout recyclednewsprint in thelast few years. Thestate didn’t seemto think it was much of an issue andI couldn’t find any legislators want-ing to hear about it.

The issue is not the use of recyclednewsprint. Kentucky newspapers, Ithink, have done a very commend-able job of using as much recyclednewsprint as possible in the lastdecade.

That’s when Kentucky’s landfillissues dominated much of the dis-cussion in the state legislature. It con-sumed a good portion of two or three

sessions as ourlawmakers triedto figure outmandatory col-lection, bottlebills, recyclingand how to keeplandfill spaceavailable into the

future.Newsprint and using recycled

newsprint were part of the equation.Paper, be it newsprint, office paper,cardboard or similar products, couldbe recycled, could be used to makemore of the same product or perhapsthere were new products that couldbe made once it was recycled.

The discussions were interesting.Some legislation was proposed thatnewspapers had to take back everycopy of every newspaper printed.

When that failed, another legislatorsaw a way for tobacco farmers tohave an alternative crop. Soybeans.“Soybean Sam,” as we came to knowthe late State Representative SamMcElroy, proposed that all news inkbe made from soybeans produced inKentucky. He was half serious, wellmaybe more than half serious, but hethought it would be a great alterna-tive crop for tobacco farmers.

More serious discussions came asother states developed mandatoryrecycled newsprint consumption.Early on, states were targeting cer-tain levels of aggregate tonnage.Some were shooting for an aggregate40 to 50 percent recycled newsprintby the year 2000.

Kentucky ran that flag up the

See RECYCLED on Page 5

See AVAILABLE on Page 3

On SecondThought

By David T.ThompsonKPA Executive Director

The Central Kentucky News-Journal in Campbellsville promotednews editor Becky Dial to editor.She was named news editor inMarch after former editor BethFoster accepted a general manager’sjob at a sister publication in Mt.

Vernon, Ind. She began her newspa-per career 18 years ago as a recep-tionist. Since that time she has han-dled proofreading, social writingand some bookkeeping before beingnamed staff writer in 1998. Sincebecoming news editor, Dial has

coordinated the inception of a TeenBoard and has continued to handle avariety of reporting and photogra-phy duties. She designs many of thefront and jump pages, coordinatesstory assignments for special sec-tions and the regular paper, andsupervises a staff of three full andfour part-time employees.

The Grant County News spon-sored its second annual Wild &Wooly Pet Photo Contest this fall.Participants were asked to donate $1per photo entry with all proceedsgoing to the Grant County AnimalShelter. The staff presented the ani-mal control officer a check for $300to go to the shelter.

The Kentucky Standard recentlyhired David Mann as areporter/photographer. He willcover a variety of topics for theBardstown newspaper includingcounty government, courts andBloomfield City Council. He beganhis journalism career at theUniversity of Louisville as a sportswriter for the school’s independentstudent newspaper, The LouisvilleCardinal. His first job out of collegewas as a staff writer for The News-Democrat in Carrollton.

Chris Phelps is the newest mem-ber of the Advance Yeoman staff. Hewill be serving as the sports reporterof the Lacenter paper. Phelps, 24, isoriginally from Fulton, Ind. andattended Ancilla College inPlymouth, Ind. He received a degreein computer networking. He is cur-rently attending Mid-ContinentCollege in Mayfield where he hasplayed baseball for two years. He isstudying social studies education.At Mid-Continent Phelps served asthe editor of the school’s newspaper,The Continent, for two years.

Kay Williams, a carrier for TheCourier-Journal, was recently askedto “come on down” for a recentepisode of The Price is Right. Shetaped the show in late August and itaired on Nov. 11.

The Commonwealth Journal inSomerset added a Health andFitness magazine to its niche prod-uct lineup in late November.Southern Kentucky Health &Fitness Journal will be published atthe end of each month, featuring thelatest news and views from the

expanding regional health care andfitness industry. The glossy maga-zine-style publication will be dis-tributed in the CommonwealthJournal the final Sunday of eachmonth. An additional 2,000 copieswill be available in free pickup racksstrategically located in high foot-traffic areas in Somerset and areadoctors’ offices and fitness facilities.The newspaper also redesigned itsSouthern Kentucky FamilyMagazine in December. Lisa Rowellwas also hired by the newspaper tobe lead layout and design coordina-tor for the newly createdCommonwealth Journal nicheproduct department.

Linda Dobson called an end toher 32-year career at the CentralKentucky News-Journal as circula-tion manager when she retired onNov. 19. She began her newspapercareer as a part-time insert collatorat the old Central Kentucky Newsand then was added to the full-timestaff as a receptionist.

Crystal Anderson was promotedto circulation manager at theCentral Kentucky News-Journalfollowing the retirement of LindaDobson. Anderson has been work-ing as a backup in circulation sinceher original hire in July. Originallyfrom Florida, Anderson is a gradu-ate of Campbellsville Universitywith a degree in sociology and the-ater. She worked at the university asa secretary in the development officeamong other secretarial-type jobswhile a student. She is an accom-plished photographer and hasworked as a correspondent photog-rapher for the CKNJ in the past.

The Journal-Enquirer in Graysonand The Olive Hill Times havelaunched a comprehensive Web siteJournal-Times On-Line Edition aspart of continuing efforts to bringthe best possible news product tothe people of Carter and surround-ing counties. The Web site atwww.journal-times.com can beupdated daily if needed to bringreaders more comprehensive infor-mation. The site also offers a com-munity calendar, public opinion, let-ters to the editor, weather, a Googlesearch, access to national news and

Page 2 - The Kentucky Press, January 2005

Kentucky people, papers in the news

The Kentucky PressThe Kentucky Press (Permit # 939) is pub-lished monthly by the Kentucky PressAssociation/Kentucky Press Service, Inc.Third Class postage is paid at Glasgow,KY. 42141. Subscription price is $8 peryear. Postmaster: Send change of addressto The Kentucky Press, 101 ConsumerLane, Frankfort, KY. 40601, (502) 223-8821.

OfficersKentucky Press Association

President - John Nelson, The AdvocateMessenger, Danville

President-Elect - Charlie Portmann,Franklin Favorite

Vice President – Glenn Gray, ManchesterEnterprise

Treasurer - Taylor Hayes, Kentucky New Era

Past President - Sharon Tuminski,Winchester Sun

Board of DirectorsDistrict 1 - Alice Rouse, Murray Ledgerand Times

District 2 - Jed Dillingham, DawsonSprings Progress

District 3 - Donn Wimmer, HancockClarion

District 4 - Charlie Portmann, FranklinFavorite

District 5 - Ron Filkins, KentuckyStandard

District 6 - Arthur B. Post, LouisvilleCourier-Journal

District 7 - Kelley Warnick, GallatinCounty News

District 8 - Ken Metz, Bath County NewsOutlook

District 9 - Loretta Tackett, PaintsvilleHerald

District 10 - Edmund Shelby, BeattyvilleEnterprise

District 11 - Glenn Gray, ManchesterEnterprise

District 12 - Donna Carman, CaseyCounty News

District 13 - Tom Caudill, LexingtonHerald-Leader

District 14 - Teresa Scenters, Berea Citizen

State At-LargeChris Poore, Kentucky KernelWillie Sawyers, Sentinel-EchoPatti Clark, Owenton News HeraldTaylor Hayes, Kentucky New Era

Division ChairmanNews Editorial Division - JohnShindlebower, Spencer Magnet

Advertising Division - Cheryl Magers,Central Kentucky News Journal

Circulation Division - Kriss Johnson,Lexington Herald-Leader

Associates Division - Cliff Feltham,Kentucky Utilities

Journalism Education RepresentativeLiz Hansen, Eastern Kentucky University

General Counsels - Jon Fleischaker,Ashley Pack, Dinsmore & Shohl

Kentucky Press Association StaffDavid T. Thompson, Executive DirectorBonnie Howard, ControllerTeresa Revlett, Director of SalesDavid Greer, Member Services DirectorDana Lear, News Bureau DirectorDavid Spencer, New Media DirectorBuffy Sams, Bookkeeping AssistantStephanie Conrad, Research/MarketingCoordinatorSue Cammack, Administrative AssistantRachel McCarty, Advertising AssistantHolly Willard, INAN Business ClerkTami Hensley, Tearsheet Clerk

Staff members, Officers and Directorsmay be reached by e-mail using the indi-vidual's first initial, full lastname@kypress.com. See PEOPLE on Page 12

The Kentucky Press,January 2005 - Page 3

KPA convention to embrace the futureWe are just

days away fromthe 2005 KPA con-vention on Jan. 20and 21 at theHyatt Regency ind o w n t o w nLouisville. Theconvention will be full of interestingactivities and workshops rangingfrom InDesign pagination trainingto a tour of The Courier-Journal’snew state-of-the-art, computer-con-trolled printing plant. But there’sone session in particular that’scaught my eye.

It’s the 90-minute session called“Embracing new technology in2005.” It will start at 1:45 p.m. onJan. 21. Jim Sterling and RogerFidler, two former newspapermen-turned-college-professors at the

University ofMissouri, will giveus a glimpse intothe future of news-paper technology.Sterling is a formerpublisher andpresident of the

Missouri Press Association whileFidler formerly served as corporatedirector of new media for KnightRidder and explored that company’snew media and electronic publish-ing opportunities.

Beyond that, we will just have towait and see – or wait and hear –about new media research the duo isconducting now at Missouri. Fidleris working on something he calls thedigital newsbook which combinesfeatures of print and the Internet. Itsounds like fascinating work.

I read recently about the daily inWilmington, Del., and its efforts toput news video on the paper’s website. In addition, the paper producesa couple of daily newscasts with ananchor and links them to its site.

With so many digital cameras –even those that are modestly priced– capable of generating several sec-onds of video, it appears the futureof newspaper Web sites could bemoving – albeit slowly – towardsome sort of combining of print andbroadcast news. At least that’s whatsome industry pundits are predict-ing. If you’ve read about researchinto so-called electronic ink, youknow that some are predicting aworld in the future where simplepaper will be capable of displayingmoving comics and maybe evencolor video.

If and when that occurs, the dis-tinction between print and broad-cast journalism will have been suffi-ciently blurred to forever change theway people think of journalism andnewspapers.

Unlike the gloom and doomcrowd, I think newspapers have aterrific future ahead of themalthough the newspaper of thefuture may not be the traditionalstatic product on conventionalpaper that we know and love today.

KHSJA UPDATE. At press time,the Kentucky High SchoolJournalism Association stood at 103members for the 2004-05 school year.That compares to 97 members lastyear. Thanks to all the manyKentucky newspapers that havesponsored local schools. I will havean update on sponsors next month.

Oh, ByThe Way

By David GreerKPA Member Services

Director

AG OpinionsThe Ledger Independent/Department of State Police

The Kentucky Attorney General’soffice was asked to decide whetherthe Department of State Police vio-lated the Open Records Act in deny-ing The Ledger Independent’s Oct.22 request for copies of audio andvideotapes made during the investi-gation of the Dec. 16, 2002 murdersof Ryan Matchison and AdamHarvey.

In her request, LedgerIndependent reporter Betty Coutantsaid that it had been more than ayear since all four of the accusedwere sentenced and the possibilityfor appeals is over. She said the com-monwealth’s attorney saw no reasonKentucky State Police should notrelease these tapes.

In response, Department of StatePolice Records Custodian DeborrahM. Arnold advised that the request-ed information is part of an investi-gation that is still open and deniedthe request on the basis of KRS61.878(1)(h). After receiving thedenial, The Ledger Independent ini-tiated the appeal with the AG’soffice reiterating the opinion of thecommonwealth’s attorney that itwas too late for an appeal and ques-tion how the case could be classified

as open when all four defendantsare in jail.

The Justice and Public SafetyCabinet Assistant General CounselRoger Wright amplified on theDepartment’s position stating thatthe commonwealth’s attorneyadvised him that there is a post-trialmotion to destroy evidence pendingas well as the possibility of collater-al attack on the judgments of convic-tion.

The commonwealth’s attorneyadvised the AG’s office that afteradvising the newspaper that he did-n’t see any reason why the statepolice shouldn’t turn over the tapes,he learned that one or more of thedefendants were considering filing amotion to overturn the convictionbased upon ineffective assistance ofcounsel and that the defendantshave three years to file such amotion.

On that basis, Wright assertedthat the reports are not currentlyreleasable pursuant to KRS61.878(1)(h) and KRS 17.150(2).

The AG’s office found that thearguments advanced by theDepartment of State Police are fullysupported by law and therefore itaffirms the Department’s denial ofthe request.

sion and it is open to newspaperpersonnel and students. A sepa-rate registration fee is required forthe seminar.

There will also be a tour of theCourier-Journal’s new state-of-the-art printing plant. A bus willbe available for the short tripfrom the hotel to the plant at 2p.m. Bus seating will be limited to30 people.

The first day of the conventionwill wrap with an opening recep-tion at 6 p.m.

A full day of activities beginsat 8 a.m. Friday when the tradeshow and the registration deskopen. Sessions begin at 9 a.m. SeePage 8 for a complete list of ses-sions and speakers.

Kevin Slimp, a syndicatedcolumnist and adjunct professorat the University of TennesseeCollege of Communications, willconduct a seminar from 9 a.m. to12 p.m. on InDesign, the softwarethat is quickly becoming a majorplayer in the pagination world.This session is also open to news-paper personnel and students.Seating will be limited for this

session and there is a separateregistration fee required.

The annual Changing of theGuard Lunch will be held at noonon Friday. John Nelson, 2004 KPAPresident and managing editor ofThe Advocate Messenger inDanville, will pass the gavel toCharlie Portmann, editor of TheFranklin Favorite, as he becomesthe 120th president of theKentucky Press Association.

The Freedom Sings perform-ers, who celebrate the FirstAmendment in song, are sched-uled to provide the luncheonentertainment.

At 6 p.m., after an afternoon ofsessions, the KPA Excellence inKentucky Newspapers ContestAwards Reception begins withthe highly anticipated contestbanquet following at 7 p.m.

The awards video presentationwill be shown after dinner andplaques and certificates alongwith a complete list of winnerscan be picked up immediately fol-lowing the banquet.

At 9:30, the KPA President’sReception is set to begin.

For more information on con-vention or to register to attend,contact Sue Cammack at 1-800-264-5721.

AVAILABLEContinued from page 1

Page 4 - The Kentucky Press, January 2005

Invasion of privacy basics in Kentucky LawBy Jon FleischakerKPA GeneralCounselDinsmore & Shohl

Everyone hasthe right to be leftalone. This has beenquoted as the basicintent behind the right of privacy inKentucky and elsewhere. Of course,the law of invasion of privacy is notquite so simple. Under Kentuckylaw, invasion of privacy actuallycovers four different kinds of law-suits. The good news is that liabilityfor each of them can be avoided byusing a handful of straightforwardcommon sense rules of thumb.

Four Kinds of Invasion ofPrivacy

Kentucky, like most states, rec-ognizes four separate invasion ofprivacy claims (also called torts).Although they all stem from theright to be let alone, they work invery different ways.

(1) The unreasonable intrusioninto the seclusion of another. Thisclaim can be compared to snoopingor spying. To qualify as this form ofinvasion of privacy, the intrusionmust be highly offensive and inten-tional and involve a person’s “zoneof privacy,” which is that sphere ofspace or subject matter in which areasonable person has an expecta-tion of privacy. Examples includesneaking into someone’s house orhotel room, reading someone’s mailor email without permission, andwiretapping. In recent years, thisclaim has often arisen in police“ride-alongs” during whichreporters accompanied police in theexecution of searches of a suspect’shome.

It is important to remember thatthis form of invasion of privacy is apure newsgathering claim and doesnot require the publication of any

private information. While the presshas a First Amendment right to gath-er news, it must do so lawfully.Important questions to ask underthis category are whether the infor-mation is gathered legally (e.g., wastrespassing, wiretapping, etc.involved?), and whether the “sphereof privacy” was breached (e.g., one’shome, hospital room, or privatemail), or whether the conduct orinformation is in the public sphere(e.g., was it gathered on the publicstreets or from publicly accessiblegovernment records?). The consentof the subject is always a defense tothis claim.

The U.S. Supreme Court has alsorecently held that the FirstAmendment protects the press fromliability for publishing informationthat may have been unlawfullyobtained by a third party withoutthe help or authorization of thepress. For example, a reporter whoparticipates in hacking someone’semail would be liable, while areporter who merely receives tran-scripts of a wiretapped telephonecall from an unknown informantwould be protected.

(2) The unauthorized use ofsomeone’s name or image. Thisform of invasion of privacy cansometimes be compared to trade-mark infringement. It involves usingsomeone’s name, photograph, orlikeness for profit or for some otherbenefit. The classic example is usinga celebrity’s photograph in an adver-tisement without permission. Thepress has also been held liable forthe use of slogans and other featuresspecific to an individual’s identityand for “giving away” performancesfor which performers charge admis-sion. It is as much a right of publici-ty as it is a right of privacy.

Critical questions to ask underthis tort are whether the name or

image would make a reasonable per-son believe the subject endorses aparticular product and whether thesubject has consented to the use ofhis or her name or image. Of course,names and images may always beused in connection with legitimatenews.

(3) Unreasonable publication ofprivate facts. This form of invasionof privacy is often asserted againstnewspapers and broadcast outletsbecause it generally requires publi-cation to the general public. It is likethe intrusion on seclusion tort butwith the added element of publica-tion. Examples of the kinds of pri-vate facts that fall under this tort aredetails of a person’s sex life, a per-son’s medical information, the con-tents of personal communications,and photographs taken in private. Itdoes not matter that such facts aretrue, except in circumstances wheresuch facts are legitimately newswor-thy.

Important points to keep inmind are that the facts must be bothhighly offensive and not legitimatelynewsworthy. For example, publish-ing a story about a police officer’ssex life would probably qualify as anunreasonably publication of privatefacts. However, where the policeofficer has been disciplined for aninappropriate sexual relationship inthe line of duty or has been sued forsex harassment, the details formingthe basis of those actions are news-worthy and may be published eventhough they are about the officer’ssex life.

(4) False Light. This form ofinvasion of privacy is very similar todefamation and is difficult to catego-rize. It involves portraying a personto the public in a way that impliesthings about the person that are nottrue and that are offensive to a rea-sonable person. Making up quotes,

embellishing actual events, andusing file photographs out of context(e.g., to illustrate a crime and cor-ruption story) are prime examples.By definition, truth is an absolutedefense to false light invasion of pri-vacy. Another defense, much like theactual malice defense to defamation,is that information concerning pub-lic figures or about issues of publicconcern was published with thegood-faith belief in its truth.

Privileges & DefensesThe press is usually protected

from liability for invasion of privacyif one of several privileges or defens-es apply. Generally, the publicationof information gathered from publicrecords or obtained in public meet-ings will not subject the press to lia-bility. Likewise, the publication ofinformation regarding issues of pub-lic concern is protected by the FirstAmendment, unless it is publishedwith the knowledge that it is false.

The best rule of thumb foravoiding liability for invasion of pri-vacy was summed up by the U.S.Supreme Court in the 1989 case ofFlorida Star v. B.J.F. In that case, thecourt held that the First Amendmentprotected a newspaper that pub-lished a rape victim’s name eventhough a Florida law prohibited thedisclosure of rape victims’ names.The Court held that damages forinvasion of privacy cannot beawarded against a party publishingtruthful information obtained bylawful means about a matter of pub-lic significance.

If you have any questions, orneed further information, pleasecontact your Hotline attorneys:

Jon L. Fleischaker: (502)540-2319R. Kenyon Meyer: (502)540-2325

Ashley C. Pack: (502)540-2385DINSMORE & SHOHL LLPSwitchboard: (502) 540-2300

Facsimile: (502) 585-2207

Looking for an employee?Check out www.kypress.com for the

latest resumes or to post available jobs at your newspaper.

The Kentucky Press, January 2005 - Page 5

pole, too. But with the help of someCanadian government officials com-ing to Frankfort, we were able to con-vince the legislature that mandatingcertain levels of recycled newsprintwould not be in the best interest.

Those Canadian officials, repre-senting several mills north of the bor-der, said that as more and more statesmandated higher levels, the millswould not be able to supply the man-dates. A few states could imposehigher levels and it would be work-able. If most, or all, states did so, themills couldn’t comply.

There was another argument fromsome U.S. mills.

And actually, it’s more of the truththan any other part.

If Kentucky mandates certain per-centages, then large newsprint cus-tomers will receive preference andsmaller plants won’t get any recyclednewsprint.

That was the issue we focused onwith the legislature. Newspapers willdo everything possible to use recy-cled newsprint. They editorializeabout the landfill situations and thatall Kentuckians should use as muchrecycled material as possible. Or atleast get involved in recycling proj-ects.

We pointed out that with man-dates, some printing plants would beable to demand higher percentagesof recycled fiber, while the smallerplants would be squeezed out andmost likely forced to use a lot of vir-gin newsprint.

In the end, Kentucky did not end

up with a mandate law. Instead, thelegislature only required publishersto fill annual reports with theNatural Resources andEnvironmental Protection Cabinet.The reports would show how muchnewsprint and recycled newsprintthe newspaper used in the previouscalendar year.

While that legislation passed, itreally wasn’t realistic. Individualpublishers have no idea how muchnewsprint their newspaper takeseach year. Their newspapers areshipped off to one of some 40 print-ing plants around the state and it’sthose plants, not the publishers, thathave the figures.

So while the law still reads “pub-lishers shall file,” we were able towork out a process with the state cab-inet that allows KPA to compile theinformation from the printing plantsand file one report on behalf of theindustry.

The first was filed in 1994 for cal-endar year 1993.

The legislation also required astate task force to be formed, theymeet regularly, to develop recyclingmethods and more products thatcould be made from recycling and toreport annually to a legislative sub-committee.

The task force was developed.KPA had a couple of slots on the taskforce and as required by law, it metperiodically for a couple of years. Tomy recollection, it’s not met since1996 and in fact, I’ve stopped submit-ting task force members names to thegovernor’s office because the cabinetdidn’t call meetings and other indus-tries didn’t make nominations.

Not requiring mandated levels of

recycled newsprint was, andremains, the best approach. I’m con-vinced of that regardless of what oth-ers might feel. I’d much rather have astructure where every plant can getgood levels of recycled fiber, than tothink that a few could mandateaggregate tonnage levels of 50 per-cent fiber, leaving a bulk of the plantsto rely on virgin newsprint.

The process has worked. Over thepast 10 years of reporting, Kentuckyprinting plants have seen use of recy-cled newsprint be as much as 98 per-cent of the newsprint used in a year.It’s fluctuated some, more of thatbased on issues at the mills, not thenewspapers’ interest or willingnessto use recycled newsprint.

Mills have had problems produc-ing recycled newsprint that is as con-sistent with its “runability” or“stretchability” as virgin newsprint.One of the things that we told thelegislature was that as long as recy-cled newsprint was affordable, andas long as it didn’t keep tearing orbreaking during press runs, the law-makers could count on newspapersdoing their share.

In the last couple of years, though,there have been issues with the “run-ability” and in a few cases, more vir-gin newsprint might be used.

And as the laws keep going, andas more and more people get intorecycling, testimony from the millsproves true. If I recall testimony cor-rectly from the mills, newsprint canonly be recycled four to five times.Each time it’s processed fornewsprint, recycled fibers lose theirstrength and length. So the fibers getshorter and shorter until they can’tbe used anymore.

Kentucky newspaper plants had astretch from 1994 until 2001 where 90percent or more of the newsprintconsumed contained some level ofrecycled fiber. It reached a high of98.2382 percent in 2001 and I contendthat was the highest level of recyclednewsprint used in the U.S. In otheryears, (1996 and 2000 being notable),the use was second or third highestin the nation.

We have fallen below 80 percentonly two of the last 10 years, once at76 percent and more recently, 2003, at66 percent. Both percentages areattributable to issues at the mills. Inone, a mill producing 100 recyclednewsprint was unable to producemuch at all and levels fell to muchlower percentages. And in the other,a mill produced recycled newsprintbut the quality became an issue whenthe newsprint didn’t meet the “run-ability” needs.

We’ve filed 11 annual reports in all(calendar year 1993 through calendaryear 2003). We’ll file 2004 later thisspring. But in those 11 reports, 86.31percent of the newsprint used hascontained some level of recycledfiber. Be it 10 percent or 25 percent, 50percent or 100 percent, I don’t see asthe issue.

I see it as newspapers saying we’lldo all we can. I see it as all newsprintplants, thus all 170 or so newspapersare able to say they use recyclednewsprint as the issue.

There might be some state officialswho feel differently but as I’ve writ-ten in most every cover letter withthe report, Kentucky newspapersshould be commended for maintain-ing high levels of recycled newsprintuse.

RECYCLEDContinued from page 1

ARK adds newspapers to its statewide programKentucky Press

Service hit anothermilestone with theaddition of 14weeklies and twodaily newspapersto the Ads reach-ing Kentucky(ARK) programfor 2005. That brings the number to atotal of 104 participating newspa-pers. There are 19 daily newspapersand 85 weekly newspapers takingpart for 2005.

The program is structured so thateach paper is paid 42¢ per column

inch per thousandcirculation. Thatmakes it fair foreveryone partici-pating.

This next yeartwo daily news-papers will comeon board - The

Kentucky Enquirer and TheKentucky Post, both based inCovington. On the weekly side, thesenewspapers have joined the ARKprogram: Beattyville Enterprise,Cave City Barren County Progress,Central City Times Argus, Edmonton

Metcalfe County Light, EdmontonNews Herald, Ft. Campbell Courier,Grayson Journal Enquirer, LondonSentinel Echo, ManchesterEnterprise, Morehead News,Munfordville Hart County NewsHerald, Salyersville Independent,Tompkinsville Monroe Co. Citizenand Whitley City McCreary CountyVoice.

With these additions, the total cir-culation of the ARK program is995,575. That’s real close to one mil-lion, folks. That will be one of ourgoals for the ARK program this year -we will strive to find another news-

paper or newspapers to add to thelist that will boost the circulation toover one million.

Since Stephanie Conrad took overthe program in June 2004, she hassold 59 ARK ads. That is an averageof 8.5 ads per month. This year wewould like for that average to go upto at least 10 ads per month.

For advertisers, the cost of adver-tising in this network is still a realbargain. For a 2 column by 2 inch adthe cost is $2,000. A 2x3 is $3,000 anda 2x4 is $4,000. Where else can youreach such a captive audience for thatkind of money?

AdvertisingPlus

By Teresa RevlettKPS Director of Sales

Reprinted from The Messenger inMadisonville with permission

By LORI HARRISONMessenger staff writer

Garth Gamblin has chronicledcourt trials and profiled ordinarycitizens in the pages of TheMessenger for more than twodecades – pecking out each story onthe keyboard using just his rightindex finger.

His left arm is drawn up fromcerebral palsy, which he’s had sincebirth, and his speech is garbled.

Yet, his stories flow gracefully.“I’ve always wanted to be a

writer,” Gamblin said, respondingto questions by typing out hisanswers. “I can’t imagine not beinga writer. I never expected to be areporter because of my communica-tion limitations. I had dreams of sit-ting in an ivory tower writing greatshort stories and the great Americannovel.

“I’m more shocked than anyonethat I ended up being a reporter,” hesaid.

Gamblin’s career in journalismwill came to a close Dec. 30 with hisretirement at age 65.

“Ten years ago, I was hell-bent onworking until I was 70,” he said. “Icould with my cerebral palsy, butsince arthritis set up housekeepingin my left knee, it takes more energyto get around. When I started in ’80,I walked to the courthouse everyday in all kinds of weather. A coupleof months ago, it took me 30 min-utes to walk the block from thecourthouse. I used to do it in fiveminutes.”

Gamblin also said he’s not writ-ing as many stories as in the past.

“Fifteen years ago, I owned thefront page two and three times aweek,” he said. “I can’t rememberthe last time I owned it.”

• • •Selling greeting cards door-to-

door was Gamblin’s first job. Helater owned and operated a maga-zine/book store in Earlington. Thisexperience taught him – and others– that he could work with the public.

He started writing for The

Messenger in November 1965, witha column called The Earl’s Beat …by The Earl of Earlington.

“It was mostly about life in asmall town, though at times thesmall town became the world,”Gamblin said. “Though I shudderwhen I think about some of thethings I wrote about – when I wasdrawing a blank, I’d open the dic-tionary, pick out a word and write acolumn about it – I actually won asecond place (Kentucky PressAssociation) award for those EarlBeats.”

A former staff member told himhe was the first Messenger writer towin a KPA award.

After a police shooting in 1970sparked a riot in Earlington, formerEditor Jim Walker asked him tocover the City Council there as a cor-respondent. He was paid by thestory.

• • •Gamblin was 35 years old before

he learned to drive.“Everybody told me I couldn’t,

and I believed them,” he said.While running the bookstore, he

would go to the adjoining barber-shop every evening after closingtime and have a beer or two beforegoing home. On a bulletin board inthe shop hung a notice listing a 1959Chevrolet station wagon that wasfor sale for $150.

A local businessman came in onenight “two shades to the wind,”Gamblin said. He saw the notice andasked if the car was any good. Thebarber said it was, and Gamblinadded that he’d buy it if he thoughthe could drive.

“He looked me in the eye andsaid, ‘I think you can drive and toprove it, I’m going to buy it foryou,’” Gamblin said. “The nextmorning, he brought a check to me.”

It took Gamblin a year to con-vince state officials to let him takehis driver’s test.

“The barber, a mailman, his deafson, a school custodian and myneighbor taught me to drive,” hesaid.

Talking to another visitor to theshop landed Gamblin in a story on

the front page of The Courier-Journal — and in a bit of hot water.The topic was girls basketball,which the General Assembly hadordered Kentucky high schools toimplement in fall 1974.

“The Earlington school was run-ning on a shoestring and had verylittle money to put into the pro-gram,” he said. “Earlington endedup drafting a teacher to coach theteam. …

The first-year team won onegame all year. In all fairness, it wasthe most enthusiastic team I hadever seen. Their spirit put the boys

to shame.”A Courier-Journal sports editor

came to his shop one afternoon,thumbed through a few magazines,then asked Gamblin his opinion ofthe girls team.

“Like an idiot, I said the firstthing that came to my mind –‘They’re not worth a dime,’”Gamblin said.

The following Sunday, he saw hiswords in the first paragraph of astory in the Louisville newspaper.

“He quoted me word for word,”Gamblin said. “The only time in my

Page 6 - The Kentucky Press, January 2005

Gamblin bids farewell to reporting career

Garth Gamblin didn’t let his cerebral palsy keep him from becoming a successfulreporter at The Messenger in Madisonville.e. His last day at the newspaper wasDec. 30.

See GAMBLIN on Page 11

The Kentucky Press, January 2005 - Page 7

Gannett Co. Inc. buys HomeTown newspapersGannett Co. Inc. has agreed to

acquire the assets of the owner ofHometown CommunicationsNetwork Inc., a community publish-ing company with newspapers, tele-phone directories, shoppers andniche publications in Kentucky,Ohio and Michigan.

Terms of the deal, which is sub-ject to regulatory review, were notdisclosed.

Hometown CommunicationsNetwork features one daily and 62weekly and twice-weekly communi-ty newspapers, with an aggregate,audited circulation greater than740,000. The network also includes24 community telephone directorieswith a total distribution of nearly1,500,000; one shopping guide; and18 other specialty and niche publica-tions. The company has a digitaloperation, with Web sites and Web-based services including design and

production, as well as commercialtypesetting and printing from fourplants.

The newspaper group includesthe recently launched Daily Pressand Argus in fast-growingLivingston County, Mich., and non-daily groups in the suburban areasnear Detroit, Cincinnati/NorthernKentucky and Lansing, Mich.

“HomeTown’s publications arean excellent fit with Gannett’s oper-ations in these growth areas ofMichigan, Ohio and Kentucky,” saidGary Watson, president of Gannett’sNewspaper Division. “We’re verypleased that company founderPhilip Power and his wife Kathleenlooked to Gannett when they decid-ed to retire. The Powers made verysmart decisions in the nearly 40years they owned and operatedHomeTown and we plan to continuein that tradition.”

“Gannett is one of the world’slargest newspaper companies, witha demonstrated track record of capa-ble professional management, greatfinancial stability and high commu-nity involvement I wanted the news-papers, telephone directories andother publications that I spent somuch of my career building to windup in good hands after I left. Ibelieve Gannett’s hands are the bestavailable,” said Philip Powers,HomeTown’s chairman.

HomeTown has approximately780 employees. Revenues areexpected to exceed $86 million in2004. Gannett Co. Inc. is a leadinginternational news and informationcompany that publishes 101 dailynewspapers in the USA, includingUSA Today, the nation’s largest-sell-ing daily newspaper. The companyalso owns more than 660 non-dailypublications in the United States

and USA Weekend, a weekly news-paper magazine.

The Community Press andRecorder newspapers: The BethelJournal, The Boone CountyRecorder, The Boone CommunityRecorder, The CampbellCommunity Recorder, TheCampbell County Recorder,Community Journal Clemont,Community Journal North Clemont,The Community Recorder,Community Press Mason &Deerfield, Delhi Press, Eastern HillsJournal, The Erlanger-Recorder, TheFort Thomas Recorder, The FlorenceRecorder, Forest Hills Journal,Indian Hill Journal, Hilltop Press,The Kenton Community Recorder,Loveland Herald, Milford-MiamiAdvertiser, Northeast SuburbanLife, Northwest Press, Price HillPress, Suburban Life, Tri-CountyPress and Western Hills Press.

Vienna, Va. – Marketers willincrease their spending on newspa-per advertising by about 4.1 percentin the coming year to $48.6 billion,according to the NewspaperAssociation of America’s 2005 fore-cast for the newspaper business.

James Conaghan, NAA vice pres-ident of research and businessanalysis, presented the forecast inearly December at the 32nd AnnualMedia Week Conference in NewYork.

Total ad spending in 2004 is pro-jected to be $46.7 billion, up 3.9 per-cent from 2003. (Newspaper adver-tising expenditures for the first ninemonths of 2004 totaled $33.0 billion,according to preliminary estimatesreleased last month by NAA.)

The three primary advertisingcategories are all expected to showgrowth for the second straight year,according to the NAA. Forecasts inad categories:

•National ad performance in2005 will show modest increases(about 5.0 percent) as the overall

economy expands. Conaghan fore-casts national ad spending in 2005 tobe $8.5 billion, up 5 percent from a2004 projection of $8.1 billion.

•The 2005 forecast for retailadvertising sales is $22.7 billion, up3.0 percent from the 2004 projectionof $22.0 billion. Consumers experi-encing an improving labor marketmay help bolster retail ad sales,Conaghan said.

•Classified ad spending couldreach $17.4 billion in 2005, up 5.2percent from the 2004 projection of$16.6 billion.

While advances in classified adspending in 2004 were supported bythe cyclical rebound in employmentadvertising and real estate ads, theclassified outlook in 2005 may fea-ture a different mix as a rising inter-est rate environment is factored intothe ad spending strategies of realestate and auto marketers. The NAAexpects continued performanceimprovement for employment as thelabor market strengthens, Conaghansaid.

NAA expects rise inad spending in 2005

Have an itemyou’d l ike

included in the People and

Papers section?

Send it to Dana Lear, KPANews Bureau Director, at

dlear@kypress.com.Deadline is the 20th of

each month.

Page 8 - The Kentucky Press, January 2005

2005 KPA Winter Convention AgendaThursday, January 208 a.m. Trade Show Set Up

10 a.m. KPA/KPS Board of DirectorsMeeting

11 a.m. Trade Show Opens

Noon KPA/KPS Board of DirectorsLuncheon

1-4 p.m. KPA News EditorialDivision/KPA College StudentSeminar/KHSJATim HarrowerAuthor of “The NewspaperDesigner’s Handbook,” TimHarrower is a nationally knowndesign expert. He has been anaward-winning editor, designer andcolumnist at such papers at theTimes-Union in Rochester, N.Y., andThe Oregonian in Portland.Claiming to run a dog and frogranch in Oregon, Tim is known forentertaining audiences with hiskeen wit while educating them onthe finer points of creating reader-friendly, award-winning pages. Forthe past 15 years, he has been con-sulting on redesigns and lecturingon journalism. His new book, “TheNewspaper Reporter’s Handbook,”will be published this year. Seatingwill be limited for this session.(Separate registration fee required.Seminar fee is not included in the$45 convention registration fee.)

2-3:30 p.m. Courier-Journal print-ing plant tourVisit one of North America’s moststate-of-the-art newspaper printingplants. Board a bus at 2 p.m. at theHyatt for the short trip to theCourier-Journal plant. See the com-puter-controlled presses that featurean automatic paper-roll loading sys-tem and produce remarkable colorphotos and ads. The new plant alsofeatures an impressive conveyorsystem. We will reboard the bus atthe plant at 3:15 p.m. for the returnto the Hyatt. Note: Bus seating willbe limited to 30.

6 p.m. Opening Reception – TradeShow Area

7:15 p.m. Opening Reception Ends –

Dinner On Your Own

Friday, January 218 a.m. Trade Show and RegistrationDesk Opens

8 a.m. KPA Business Meeting

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. KPA NewsEditorial Division/KPA AdDivision/KHSJAKevin SlimpTechnology guru Kevin Slimp, asyndicated columnist and adjunctprofessor at the University ofTennessee College ofCommunications, will conduct athree-hour training session onInDesign, the software that is quick-ly becoming a major player in thepagination world. Seating will belimited for this session. (Separateregistration fee required.Registration fee is not included inthe $45 convention registration fee.)

9 a.m. KPA Ad DivisionIncreasing classified revenue atyour paperSusan PryceA 24-year newspaper veteran, SusanPryce presents creative ways toincrease classified ad revenue. Shehas been an ad rep, ad manager,marketing director and associatepublisher. Susan has conducteddozens of training seminars for theAmerican Press Institute, NationalNewspaper Association, InlandPress and many state press associa-tions. This is a one-hour session.

9 a.m. Tools for better managingyour newspaperMike Anders and Debbie CrawfordAndersThis is a must-attend two-hour ses-sion for publishers and generalmanagers. Learn valuable tools youcan use to improve every aspect ofyour operation. Ad, circulation,marketing and plant managers, inaddition to editors and others willfind it very useful too. Mike andDebbie work primarily with small-market newspapers with issuesincluding ad sales, profitability, pro-ductivity, work processes, measure-ment systems, strategy and acquisi-tions. Mike is the former publisher

of The News-Enterprise inElizabethtown and Debbie hasextensive experience in newspaperand cable TV ad sales.

9 a.m. KPA News EditorialDivision/KPA College StudentSeminarGo figure – Math made easy forjournalistsMatt BaronSometimes journalists and math mixlike oil and water. But here is theperfect remedy for you and yourmath-challenged staff. Matt Baron, a20-year reporting veteran who nowcovers three communities for theChicago Tribune, champions whathe calls “numeracy” or mathemati-cal literacy for fellow journalists. Inthis one-hour session, Matt guidesjournalists in how to use numberseffectively and powerfully, as wellas how to detect those sources whouse statistics to cover up or put asneaky spin on the real story.

9 a.m. KPA Circulation DivisionThe ABC’s of NIE

Dana PlewkaDana Plewka joined the Denver Postas NIE manager in June 1999 at theheight of one of the last remainingnewspaper wars. A joint-operatingagreement between the The Postand the Rocky Mountain News inJanuary 2001 brought a truce and acombining of NIE staffs followed inApril 2001. Dana started the NIEprogram at the Fresno Bee in 1984and served there as educationalservices coordinator until her moveto Denver. Attend this 90-minutesession to learn how to pump up thevolume of your NIE program.

10 a.m. KPA Ad DivisionSelling ExcellenceBill McCartney Selling Excellence will increase yourlineage and put fun into every salescall. Sales people’s ability to consis-tently enjoy success, or merelyendure an epic struggle to scrapetogether enough linage to some-times meet their goals, hinges on afew basics. Some people seem to beborn with those skills, while mostspend years trying to figure themout. In our three-hour Selling

Excellence session, Bill McCartney,President of Aristo, will unpack fourskills that are guaranteed to increasesales and put fun into every salescall. Specifically, sales people willleave knowing how to: use the sixtypes of motivations that drive theiraccounts’ buying decisions, selectwords and phrases to clearly com-municate their ideas, close moresales and develop their customersrespect, and reach their personaland professional goals. This is a ses-sion you don’t want to miss!

10 a.m. KPA News EditorialDivisionThe Future of Tobacco and ItsCommunities: A Rural ReportingProjectAl CrossAl Cross, interim director of theInstitute for Rural Journalism andCommunity Issues, talks about aproject he plans to undertake withhis students at the University ofKentucky, those at partner schoolsin other tobacco states, and perhapsnewspapers in those states andKentucky – the future of tobaccoand tobacco communities in thewake of the buyout, and an exami-nation of whether tobacco-settle-ment funds are really developingthe agricultural economy in the waythat state policymakers intended. Alspent 16 years as the chief politicalwriter for The Courier-Journal priorto joining the Institute.

10:45 a.m. KPA CirculationDivision/KPA News EditorialDivisionAttracting more young readers Jim LenahanFor years, many newspapers havetalked about attracting youngerreaders. Now, The Courier-Journalhas done something about it bylaunching Velocity, a free weeklymagazine geared toward readers 25to 34 years old. Jim is the editor. Heand his staff have spent the pastyear building Velocity from theground up and figuring out whatattracts younger readers and whatdoesn’t. Velocity launched inDecember 2003 and is distributed at

See AGENDA on Page 11

more than 1,400 locations in a 13-county area.

11 a.m. KPA News EditorialDivision/KPA College StudentSeminarHave faith – covering religion inyour newspaperPaul PratherReadership surveys often tell usreaders want more coverage of reli-gion in their local paper. But papersdon’t always follow through. PaulPrather is a writer and rural ministerwho lives in Mount Sterling. He haswritten extensively about matters offaith and values for severalKentucky papers but is probablybest-known for his work at theLexington Herald-Leader from 1990to 1997 where he now serves as acontributing columnist. He also haswritten three books and was a final-ist for the national Cornell Prize forreligion writing. The gospel onreporting matters of faith, accordingto Paul, runs one hour.

11 a.m. KPA News EditorialDivisionCovering sports – making the bestof available resourcesA panel of sports editors and writersfrom around KentuckyRegardless of the size of a newspa-per’s sports department, readers’expectations will always be higher

than your available resources. Heara panel of sports editors and writersdiscuss how they get the most fromtheir staffs and other challengescommon to all papers and sportsstaffs – regardless of size. Panelistsinclude Larry Vaught, Advocate-Messenger, Danville; BobbyBrockman, Central Kentucky NewsJournal, Campbellsville; SusanRiddell, Frankfort State Journal; andHarry Bryan, The Courier-Journal.

Noon Changing of the GuardLunch – Featuring Freedom Sings2004 KPA President John Nelson,managing editor of the Advocate-Messenger in Danville, passes thegavel to Charlie Portmann, editor ofthe Franklin Favorite. The FreedomSings performers, who celebrate theFirst Amendment in song, will pro-vide entertainment. Sponsored byCNHI and KPA.

1:45 p.m. KPA Ad Division Maximizing your ad staff’s per-formanceBill McCartneyThis is the one-hour conclusion ofBill’s morning session.

1:45 p.m. KPA New MediaDivision/KPA Ad Division/KPANews Editorial DivisionEmbracing new technology in 2005Jim Sterling and Roger FidlerSpend 90 minutes with formernewspapermen-turned-professorsJim Sterling and Roger Fidler, fromthe University of Missouri, and have

a take a glimpse into the future ofnewspaper technology. Sterlingreturned to his alma mater in 2000 torestore the community newspaperand newspaper management pro-gram at MU. In the 30 years prior tothe move, he was publisher of fourweekly papers in southwestMissouri. He is a past president ofthe Missouri Press Association andnow serves on the NNA board.Fidler, a longtime newspaper veter-an, is spending the 2004-05 academ-ic year at the Missouri School ofJournalism where he expects tolaunch a digital newsbook edition ofthe Columbia Missourian. The digi-tal newsbook format, which hedeveloped, blends the familiar andcompelling features of print andWeb. Fidler served as the first corpo-rate director of new media forKnight Ridder and headed the com-pany’s Information DesignLaboratory, which he established in1992 to explore emerging online andelectronic publishing opportunitiesfor newspapers. You will not wantto miss this session highlightingnew media research being conduct-ed now at MU.

1:45 p.m. KPA Associates DivisionKentucky’s Literacy Challenges:Short and Long TermA panel of experts on education andliteracyDr. Tom Layzell, president, Councilon Postsecondary Education;Virginia G. Fox, secretary, KentuckyEducation Cabinet; and Sharon

Darling, president and founder,National Center For Family Literacy,located in Louisville, will discussways to win Kentucky’s ongoingbattle with literacy. This session willrun 75 minutes.

3 p.m. KPA Ad DivisionThe Dos and Don’ts of employ-ment adsKellie R. WatsonIncrease your understanding of theacceptable and unacceptable lan-guage for employment ads that runin your paper. Ad managers and adreps should not miss this 60-minutesession. Kellie R. Watson is execu-tive director of the Louisville MetroGovernment Human RelationsCommission. The agency is respon-sible for enforcement of anti-dis-crimination ordinances in employ-ment, housing, hate crimes and pub-lic accommodations.

3 p.m. Scholastic JournalismMeetingCollege journalism educators fromacross Kentucky will meet to discussissues of mutual interest.

6-7 p.m. KPA Excellence inKentucky Newspapers ContestAwards Reception

7-9:30 p.m. KPA Excellence inKentucky Newspapers ContestAwards banquet

9:30 p.m. KPA President’sReception.

The Kentucky Press, January 2005- Page 9

AGENDAContinued from page 8

Community newspapers have astake in open government and canplay a critical role in raising publicawareness that freedom of informa-tion is not just a Washington issue,National Newspaper AssociationPresident Mike Buffington, editor ofThe Jackson Herald in Jefferson, GA,said.

That is why NNA has endorsedSunshine Sunday and its weeklongobservance of issues surrounding thepublic’s right of access to govern-ment information, Buffington said.

He urged NNA communitiesweeklies and dailies to pay closeattention to the Sunshine events as a

national coalition of media organiza-tions prepares for a kickoff March 13,2005.

Buffington, a member of thenational steering committee leadingthe Sunshine events, said open gov-ernment is a bread and butter con-cern for local editors.

“The tension between public busi-ness and the urge for secrecy in gov-ernment is as old as our Republic,”Buffington said. “When the issuesarise in a home town, the local editorprobably has the keenest apprecia-tion for that tension. It is always ourjob to make sure open governmentremains a clear and consistent obliga-

tion of local officials. This nationalawareness campaign will help us inour work.”

During Sunshine Sunday weekparticipating daily and weekly news-papers, magazines, online sites, andradio and television broadcasterswill be provided material for featureeditorials, op-eds, editorial cartoons,and news and feature stories thatdrive public discussion about whyopen government is important toeveryone, not just to journalists.

NNA Executive Director BrianSteffens said NNA would provideinformation through the NNA website at www.nna.org as materials

become available.Buffington noted that the obser-

vance begins the week after NNA’s44th Annual Government AffairsConference in Washington, DC. TheConference will be March 9-12, 2005,at the Wyndham Washington Hotel.It will feature a Congressional recep-tion on Capitol Hill March 10, 2005.

“With journalists going to jail atalarming rates and the various newsecurity laws tightening access at alllevels, 2005 will be a year when free-dom of information and the FirstAmendment are going to be frontand center on NNA’s legislativeagenda,” he said.

NNA endorses Freedom of Information project

Page 10 - The Kentucky Press, January 2005

The event -- featuring roastersSen. Mitch McConnell, Al Smith ofComment on Kentucky andCourier-Journal editorial directorDavid Hawpe, among others -- issponsored by the Louisville andBluegrass chapters of the Society ofProfessional Journalists. Cross is amember of both chapters and for-merly served as national presidentof the society.

The event is being held at theGrand Ballroom of the Holiday InnCapital Plaza in downtownFrankfort. A cocktail receptionstarts at 6:30 p.m., followed by din-ner at 7:30. Tickets for the event are$60 for SPJ members and $75 fornon-members.

Sponsorship tables are currentlybeing sold for $750 for a table ofeight. All proceeds benefit journal-ism scholarship for college stu-dents.

Invitations will be mailed. If youwant an invitation, or if you or yourorganization wish to sponsor atable, please contact Chris Poynter,of The Courier-Journal, or JackBrammer, of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Poynter can be reached atcpoynter@courier-journal.com, or502-582-4475. Brammer can bereached at jbrammer@herald-leader.com or 859-231-1302.

General Assembly isunderway in 2005

The 2005 Kentucky GeneralAssembly convened on Tuesday,Jan. 4 and once again the KPA newsbureau will be offering coverage ofthe events.

Legislative stories will be filedon AccessKPA.com. To receive noti-fication that stories have been filedand to retrieve stories from the Website, apply for a user name andpassword by visiting the site.

Legislative roundup stories willbe filed weekly each Friday by 4p.m. and other stories, packagesand/or photos will be filed in addi-tion as key legislative initiativesmove through the chambers.

As always, the News Bureau’scoverage is on a first come, first-served basis. Keep in mind, the

News Bureau can fill such requestsas: complete stories, a quote fromyour legislator to add to a localstory or a photograph of your legis-lator in action.

The service is free of charge toyou as a KPA member. To make arequest, contact KPA News BureauDirector Dana Lear atdlear@kypress.com.

Interns, John Stith and TylerCampbell will be assisting Learwith coverage this year.

SPJ contest entries beingaccepted

Entries in the 2004 Sigma DeltaChi Awards of the Society ofProfessional Journalists are beingaccepted now through Feb. 7.

Entries must have been pub-lished during 2004. Each entry maybe submitted in only one categoryand contestants may enter as manycategories as desired. Editorials,comments and sidebars may beadded as supporting material.Original clips and tearsheets arepreferred, but duplicates will beaccepted. Up to four individualsmay be named on a team entry, oth-erwise the entry must be made inthe name of the staff of the publica-tion.

If mailing multiple entries in thesame package, clearly separate eachentry to prevent confusion. Place allentry fees in a separate envelopemarked “Entry Fees” and include alist of entries the fee covers.

You must include a typed orprinted entry form for each entryand include three copies of theentry form for each entry. There is a$60 per entry fee for SPJ membersand $100 per entry fee for non-members. Make checks payable toSociety of Professional Journalists.

A cover letter must also accom-panying all entries with the follow-ing information: a summary of thestory or stories; a discussion ofmajor findings and subsequentresults; a review of the process fol-lowed to get the story, includinginformation about the circum-stances that prompted the story, thelength of time taken to report, writeand edit and sources and referencesused; an account of the difficulty oruniqueness of effort in obtainingthe story.

Veteran journalists will judge the

material. All decisions are final.One award is issued in each catego-ry. An award may be withheld if thejudges decide no entry meritsrecognition.

Entries will be judged on read-ability, effectiveness of interpreta-tion, accuracy and completeness,enterprise, style, resourcefulness ofthe reporter in overcoming obsta-cles, interest and adherence to theSPJ Code of Ethics.

All entries must be postmarkedby Feb. 7.

2004 high school work-shop planned at MSU

The Department of Journalismand Mass Communications willhost its 32nd annual Journalismand Broadcasting Workshop forregional high schools Feb. 18,according to workshop director Dr.Bob McGaughey.

After registration and announce-ments from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m., stu-dents and their advisers will beable to pick from 25 programs overthe three sessions that end at 12:25p.m.

At 12:30 winners of the newspa-per competition will be announcedby Joe Hedges before the workshopends at 1 p.m.

In addition to McGaughey, par-ticipating JMC faculty and staff willbe Dr. John Dillion, Jeremy McKeel,Joe Hedges, Dr. Roger Haney, Dr.Debbie Owens, Dr. Ann Landini,Dr. Jeanne Scafella, OrvilleHerndon, Robin Orvino-Proulx,Gill Welsch and Dr. Allen White.

Representatives fro Josten’sPublishing and Taylor Publishingwill conduct three sessions on pro-ducing the high school yearbook.

Dana Lear of the Kentucky PressAssociation will conduct sessionson covering a beat and on commu-nity journalism.

The programs, designed to helphigh school media improve theirproducts, include sports writing,editorials and columns, newspaperdesign, ad sales and design, digitalcamera production, feature writing,pre-production of the TV newscast,public relations and promotingyour media, legal controls of themedia, mining story ideas andtours of the MURRAY STATENEWS and the TV studios.

There will be a special programfor teachers/advisers on assess-ment issues for journalism teachersin Kentucky.

Cost of the one-day event is $4per student with accompanyingadvisers free. The cost includesjuice and donuts during the regis-tration period.

Last year nine schools fromKentucky, Tennessee and Illinoisattended the workshop at MurrayState’s Curris Center.

Johnson to appear onJeopardy Jan. 18

Scott Johnson, husband of KPACirculation Division chair KrissJohnson, will be a contestant on theJanuary 18 Jeopardy show. Scottwas qualified as a contestant dur-ing preliminaries in Lexington andreceived the phone call soon there-after, inviting him to be a contest-ant.

Scott, a newscaster with WVLK-AM in Lexington, and Kriss flew toLos Angeles recently for the show'staping. Jeopardy restricts contest-ants from saying anything abouttheir appearance. Kriss will onlysay, "We had a great trip," withoutgiving any hints on how Scott did.

Nominations sought forNNA’s Ben FranklinAward

Each NNA member newspaperis invited to nominate a postalemployee who has done the most toimprove the partnership betweenthe Postal Service and communitynewspapers. Previous nomineeswho have not yet been recognizedmay be re-nominated.

Please describe the individual'scontributions. Nominees must befull time employees of the UnitedStates Postal Service. There is nonomination fee. Only one nomineeper newspaper, please.

Nomination forms must bereceived by Jan. 31, 2005. Forms canbe found at www.nna.org. Fax com-pleted information to (703) 534-5751, or mail it to BenjaminFranklin Award, NationalNewspaper Association, P.O. Box5737, Arlington, VA 22205.

NEWSContinued from page 2

The Kentucky Press, January 2005 - Page 11

life I needed for someone not tounderstand me, and he got it right.

“Needless to say, my name wasmud for a few months inEarlington,” he said. “What both-ered me then and still bothers me tothis day is that he never told mewho he was. I was writing for anewspaper at that time, and the firstthing I ever did was make it knownI am a reporter.”

• • •When a Messenger staff writer

position came open in 1980,Gamblin applied, but ExecutiveEditor Tom Clinton had alreadyfilled the opening.

A few months later, a femalereporter went on maternity leave.The newspaper needed a temporaryreporter for six weeks.

“I got to thinking about Garth,with some reservations – I wasn’tsure how that would work outbecause of his limits and I had somereservations about how he would bereceived – but we hired him any-way,” Clinton said.

“During his first week here, heproduced more copy than the rest ofthe staff combined,” he said.

When another writer left,Gamblin was quickly offered thefull-time position.

“The funny story is Garth said, ‘Iwish that woman would go aheadand have that baby so I couldleave,’” Clinton said. “I guess anyminute now she’s ready to pop.”

Gamblin’s method for conduct-ing interviews gets around his phys-ical limitations.

He types interview questions onthe computer. For telephone inter-views, another staff member willread the questions to the source.When Gamblin travels to an inter-view, he takes a copy of the ques-tions with him, and sometimes relieson a photographer for help.

He almost always uses a taperecorder.

“The first impulse most peoplehave upon meeting Garth is tostereotype him as being mentallychallenged,” Clinton said. “He’s not.He has physical challenges and herises to those challenges.

“He has a brilliant mind, some-times devious, I think,” he said.“I’ve never seen a story he wasafraid to go after or didn’t feel hecould do.”

Clinton believes Gamblin hasmore knowledge about the courtsystem and how to cover a trial thanany other reporter with whom he’sworked.

“I love trial reporting better thanany other beat,” Gamblin said.“There’s nothing like watching twogood lawyers work. Agriculture andfeature stories are at the top of mylist, too. Farmers never try to mis-lead you.”

However, he doesn’t enjoy cover-ing education.

“School boards use moreacronyms than any other governingbody,” he said. “They drive me upthe wall. To me, school boards arethe Protestants’ answer to purgato-ry.”

The farm beat was more to his lik-ing.

“He’s really done a marvelous jobin keeping the readers informed ofwhat’s going on in the farming com-munity,” said Hopkins CountyExtension Agent George Kelley.“He’s made sure we knew what wasgoing on in 4-H Camp. ... He’sexplained the importance of agricul-ture in the county and what it’smeant, not only to our economy, butto individual farmers and farm fam-ilies.”

Gamblin has received the Friendof Agriculture award from theHopkins County-MadisonvilleChamber of Commerce’sAgriculture Committee. The com-mittee also presented him with aspecial “Silver Sow” award one year,named after the agriculture report-ing award coveted by Les Nessmanon “WKRP in Cincinnati.”

Gamblin started writing hiscolumns with the dateline “Huh,USA,” about a dozen years ago.

“My first ‘Huh’ was motivatedby Fiscal Court’s attempt to pass anordinance banning what some peo-ple considered pornographic,” hesaid.

Gamblin won a first-place KPAaward – his first, but not his last –and The Messenger won its firstFreedom of Information award fromcoverage of the issue.

“Sooner or later, everybody onearth and in the heavens shows up

in the Huhian Bar and Grill,” hesaid.

• • •When the Hopkins Circuit grand

jury returned indictments recently, itissued a fake four-count indictmentagainst Gamblin — aka The Duke ofEarlington and Scoop.

“You’re not packing anyweapons, are you, Mr. Gamblin?”asked Victim’s Advocate CharlieWeatherford, who escorted himfrom his back row seat to the front ofthe courtroom.

Commonwealth’s AttorneyDavid Massamore said, “There’sthat dangerous cane.”

“You know, you have the right toremain silent,” Weatherford said.

Massamore rejoined, “He could-n’t be silent if he tried.”

The comical charges included“contempt of court in the extreme”for interrupting the dignity of thecourt by snoring during trials; “mur-der of the king’s English” by violat-ing the principles set forth byProfessor Webster during variousnews stories; “assault upon the citi-zens of Hopkins County” when hiscolumns about his efforts as themayor of Huh caused citizens tolaugh hilariously, endangering thewelfare of their sides; and “officialmisconduct” for conducting thebusiness of Huh after first attendingthe Huh Bar and Grill and imbibingor, alternatively, for conducting citybusiness without imbibing.

“So, Mr. Gamblin, how do youplead?” asked Hopkins CircuitJudge Charles Boteler.

Gamblin gave a one-wordanswer, “Guilty.”

And everyone applauded.On a more serious note, the grand

jury issued a special report honoringGamblin’s efforts and talents.

“For approximately 20 years,Garth has served as the eyes andears of the citizens of HopkinsCounty in covering various legalproceedings within our court sys-tem,” the report said. “Through theeyes of this one citizen, all citizenshave been represented in a diligentand professional manner. Withoutthe efforts of professionals such asGarth, the American justice systemwould be less effective.”

Massamore said it wasn’t hard tocome up with the charges.

“He’s been around here forever,”

he said. The commendation is “well-deserved. He’s a good man.”

Boteler said, “The press and thegovernment, naturally, are often inan adversarial relationship. I thinkit’s good to commend what he’sdone — and he’s done an excellentjob.... I think he has a good under-standing of the legal system.”

“He really hasn’t slept as much aswe joked,” Boteler said, with asmile.

And, the judge promised,Gamblin’s seat in the back of thecourtroom will be available to himanytime he wants.

• • •Gamblin, a devout Catholic,

served on the Owensboro Diocese’scommission to make churches moreaccessible to the handicapped. Hewas named Kentucky HandicappedEmployee of the Year in 1983. He’salso a yellow-dog Democrat, Clintonsaid.

But his dedication to his workmay be what stands out the most.

“As far as close friends, they’rehere,” Clinton said earlier thismonth. “This is his life. He’s been uphere three times this week, and he’son vacation.”

As for what Gamblin will do afterhis retirement, he said he doesn’thave a clue.

“I have a stack of books I boughtover the years and haven’t read,” hesaid. “I’m reading a biography onBenjamin Franklin. I recentlybought, ‘His Majesty GeorgeWashington.’

“I used to be more interested inmaking history than reading it,”Gamblin said. “Now, it’s the reverse.I’ll probably do some writing. I hopeso, anyway.”

Late afternoons in The Messengernewsroom, Gamblin traditionallyasks co-workers if they would like aCoke, then provides the money tobuy a round from the drinkmachines.

“Someone else is going to have tobuy Cokes in the afternoon,”Clinton said, with a smile.

“It won’t be quite the same,” hesaid. “It really won’t.

“We’ll get another reporter in,”Clinton said. “We’ll get it covered.But because he grew up here,because he’s worked here so long,because he’s covered courts so long,people turn to him for background.It’s not going to be the same.”

GamblinContinued from page 6

Page 12 - The Kentucky Press, January 2005

even an online poll. Jim Abernathy was named editor

of The Mayfield Messenger on Dec.1. He is a native of Hickman inFulton County and joined theMessenger in 1974 as a generalassignment reporter and photogra-pher. As editor he will oversee theday-to-day news coverage andassembly of the pre-press news por-tion of the newspaper. He is a 1967graduate of Fulton County HighSchool and a 1971 graduate ofMurray State University. Upongraduation from Murray he beganworking in Clinton for the lateKentucky Lt. Gov. and MSU Boardof Regents’ member Harry LeeWaterfield at Waterfield’s HickmanCounty Gazette weekly newspaperand continued working there whenthe newspaper was sold to the lateRalph Ed Graves, a former state rep-resentative and life-long newspaperman in Carlisle County. He movedto Mayfield in April 1974 to work onthe daily Messenger under the lateWendell Givens and the late RayEdwards.

Campbellsville University host-ed William Strode, a two-timePulitzer Prize winning photogra-pher, at the Little Auditorium onDec. 7. Strode’s company, HarmonyHouse Publishers of Louisville, isworking with CampbellsvilleUniversity producing a history bookand a photography book, both ofwhich will coincide with the univer-sity’s Centennial Celebration in2006-07. Strode has received some ofthe highest honors in his career as aphotojournalist; among them thetwo Pulitzers, of which he was a co-recipient, an Overseas Press ClubAward, Newspaper Photographer ofthe Year, Newspaper MagazinePicture Editor of the Year and TheWorld Press Award. His photo-graphic assignments for such publi-cations as Time, Life, Fortune, Geo,National Geographic, SportsIllustrated, Town and Country,Smithsonian, Stern, The New YorkTimes, and The Washington Posthave taken him worldwide. Hespent 17 years as magazine photog-rapher and assistant director of pho-tography at The Courier-Journaland Louisville Times.

A reunion for past Ohio CountyTimes-News employees will be held

from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9 inthe Rosine Room at the Days Innsouth of Beaver Dam. The invitationalso is extended to those employedby The Ohio County Times, theforerunner of The Times-News priorto the purchase of the Ohio CountyNews. The reunion will mark 40years of publication for the newspa-per.

Sherrie Hawn was recentlynamed advertising director of TheRichmond Register. She has spent12 years with the Register, mostrecently as senior account executive.

Cecil Foster was recently namedThe Richmond Register’s new cir-culation manager. Foster has alsoworked in circulation at theIndianapolis Star, ConnersvilleNews Examiner, in Fayette County,Ind., The Lexington Herald-Leaderand, most recently, the GeorgetownNews-Graphic.

Paul Gottbrath, night editor ofThe Kentucky Post and former edi-tor of The Springfield Sun, is one offive winners nationally of theWilliam R. Burleigh Award forDistinguished Community Service.The annual award, named forScripps Chairman William R.Burleigh, recognizes Scripps

Howard employees for outstandingvolunteer work in their communi-ties. Winners receive the Burleightrophy and the right to award a$5,000 check to the charity of theirchoice. Their names will also beadded to the Hall of Fame at theScripps Howard Corporate Offices.The award in Gottbrath’s name willbe split between two Covingtonorganizations, Northern KentuckyHarvest and Be Concerned. Harvestrecycles surplus food from grocerystores and restaurants to social serv-ice agencies across NorthernKentucky. Be Concerned provides asupplemental food program forabout 900 families in NorthernKentucky and also helps them withclothing, hygiene projects andhousewares. Gottbrath is on theboard of both organizations.

The Tribune-Courier welcomedKris Adams to its staff as reporter inearly December. She is a veteran ofthe U.S. Army and has worked formilitary newspapers at FortMcClellan, Ala, and Fort Campbell.Since completing her enlistment inNovember 2001, she has worked atthe Kentucky New Era inHopkinsville and the MurrayLedger & Times.

PeopleContinued from page 2