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The Weekly Newsletter for MNA Members.       
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October 28, 2021 - Issue 43
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BOOOOOOOOOOO!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from the MNA Staff!
 

Minnesotans Read their Local Newspaper

The results of a recent statewide newspaper readership and marketing survey commissioned by MNA are in and they are impressive. More results will be available soon.
 
MNA commissioned Coda Ventures to conduct the survey of 600 adults between September 24 and October 12. The survey was fielded online and respondents were screened by zip code to ensure an accurate representation of urban and rural communities.  Additional quotas were set for age and gender to match the demographic composition of the population.  The data were weighted and projected to the most recent ESRI census estimates. The survey has a margin of error of plus/minus 4%.
 
86% percent of Minnesota adults (3.9 MILLION consumers) have read a local newspaper either in print or online in the last 30 days. That is an impressive number and reinforces and amplifies what we know to be true - Minnesotans value and read their local newspaper.
 
Among the other findings:
·    78% of Minnesota newspaper readers are under the age of 65
·    Local newspapers are relied upon more than any other media for information about local government
·    80% of Minnesota adults report that “Newspaper advertising is important”
·    Almost 8 out of 10 newspaper readers vote in local elections
 
 
A representative from Coda Ventures will be leading a session during the MNA convention so that you can learn more about the impressive results from this in-depth statewide survey and to show you how you can use the information to increase advertising sales.
 
 
 

Secretary of State Filing for Legal Newspaper
 

Legal newspapers are officially designated publications in which citizens and governmental units advertise notices required by law. 
 
One of the requirements for a qualified newspaper is a newspaper must submit to the secretary of state by December 31 a filing containing the newspaper's name, address of its known office of issue, telephone number, and a statement that it has complied with all of the requirements of  the statute for a qualified newspaper: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/business-liens/start-a-business/legal-newspapers/?searchTerm=legal%20newspaper%20filing 
 
The application to apply for legal newspaper status can be found on the MN Secretary of State’s website: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/media/1391/legalnewspaperapplication.pdf .
This filing must be accompanied by a fee of $25. The secretary of state shall make available for public inspection a list of newspapers that have filed. Acceptance of a filing does not constitute a guarantee by the state that any other qualification has been met. 

Review the full chapter pertaining to qualified newspapers here: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/331A

 

Statewide Advertising Networks

Revenue for Your Newspaper.
Revenue for Your Association.
Cash Bonuses for YOU!

Updated Network Sales Collateral is available in the Member's Only section of the MNA website. You'll find all of the details you need to include Statewide Display, Classified and Digital advertising programs into the media mix of your local advertisers, providing them with expanded reach of their marketing message.  

The Sales Resource Guide is your comprehensive A to Z source for selling network advertising.

Please direct additional questions about network advertising opportunities to either Randy at 612-278-0225 / randy@mna.org or Dan at 612-278-0223 / dan@mna.org
 

Don’t Let Shortcuts Thwart Quality Content
 
By Jim Pumarlo
 
Many newsrooms, already strained by lean staffs, have seen resources exacerbated by the economic toll of the coronavirus. Circumstances have prompted editors and reporters to take shortcuts in gathering and publishing the everyday churn of news.
 
Some of the practices have merit and can make for an easier read.
 
Question-and answer profiles: A few paragraphs introduce the significance of an individual, followed by a Q&A. The reporter poses the questions, the newsmaker provides written responses, and the story often is ready to go with minimal editing.

Read more. (PDF)
 







 
MNA Nominating Committee Seeks Board Nominations by Friday, November 5th
 

Chris Knight, Mesabi Tribune, Hibbing, is chair of the MNA Nominating Committee.  If you are interested in serving on the MNA board of directors, or if you would like to nominate a candidate to serve on the MNA board of directors, please submit the following information by Friday, November 5, to: cknight@mesabitribune.com

Name of Nominee:
Newspaper Name:
Newspaper City:
Nominated by:
Your Newspaper Name:
 

MNA Board of Directors must: (1) be an Active member of MNA; or (2) be financially interested, directly or indirectly, and actively engaged in the Minnesota newspaper business of an Active member of the MNA; or (3) occupy an executive or management position with, and be actively engaged in, the Minnesota newspaper business of an Active member of MNA., and serve with the approval of the newspaper’s owner. 
 
October Advertising Network Honor Roll

Seven newspapers placed 2×2 ads, six newspapers placed MCAN ads, and one newspaper placed MINN ads in the month of October.

2×2
Swift County Monitor, Benson – 1
Crookston Times - 1
Herald Journal Publishing, Howard Lake – 2
Kerkhoven Banner – 1
Morris Stevens Co. Times - 1
Richards Publishing – 1
Post-Bulletin, Rochester – 1


MCAN
Crookston Times - 1
Grant County Herald, Elbow Lake – 1
Herald Journal – 1
Jackson County Pilot - 1
Kerkhoven Banner – 1
Westbrook Sentinel - 1

MINN
Herald Journal Publishing, Howard Lake – 1
 

Congratulations to the following salespeople who received a bonus for selling an ad into the networks in October!
 
Ted Almen
Anne Cafferty
Barb Erickson
Brooke Kern
Dick Richards
Lisa Schnell
Chris Schultz

 
 
WANT TO BE A MORE EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL WRITER?
 
Gary Gilson, Star Tribune columnist on the craft of clear writing, is offering single-session writing workshops on Zoom. Not a dry English-composition class; instead, an engaging, conversational, and entertaining exploration of effective ways to write clear, concise and compelling copy.
 
Testimonials on the website — www.writebetterwithgary.com — convey the flavor of the workshops and the lasting value they have provided past participants.
 
Register at the PayPal button on the website. Choose a date from the menu — either a Thursday evening or a Saturday morning three-hour session, with breaks along the way.
 
Once you sign up you will receive the Zoom link and a pdf packet of session material.
 







 
SAVE 

THE

DATE!


The MNA convention is BAAACK!
We are so excited to see you again!!


2022 Minnesota Newspaper Association

155th Annual Convention

January 27-28, 2022

LOCATION
Marriott Minneapolis Northwest
Brooklyn Park MN

 
Send your speaker and session ideas to: Lisa@mna.org

Full Color 2022 Press Passes Now Available


MNA is pleased to offer full color Press ID Cards for members again in 2022. The customized ID cards feature the card holder’s photo and signature, as well as the newspaper’s name and phone number. The press card is driver’s license-sized and printed in full color on durable plastic so it will last all year without tearing or bending, like MNA’s traditional paper cards. ID cards for each publisher and staff member can be ordered for only $5 each.
Cards can be ordered and paid for online via a secure server.

To complete your order, visit:
http://mna.org/members-only/press-id-cards/

MNA will send all cards for a newspaper directly to the publisher in order to avoid non-authorized persons from ordering and receiving ID cards. If you have any questions, please contact member@mna.org.

 


10/28 – Advertising Quick Clicks


Build Rapport In Sales With These 6 Steps
(Courtesy of Sales Fuel)

How to Become a Sales Rep [+Tips for First-Time Selling]
(Courtesy of Hub Spot)

Salespeople Should Look to Collaborate, Not Inform
(Courtesy of Partners in Excellence)

5 Tips to Improve Your Negotiation Skills
(Courtesy of John Spence)

Make Customers Think During Sales Negotiations
(Courtesy of Engage Selling)


For a comprehensive archive of Advertising Quick Clicks along with an expansive collection of relevant advertising sales resources, please visit The Sales Cycle on the MNA website.

If there are specific advertising, prospecting, presentation or negotiation related topics you'd like to see included in this sales resource section, please contact Dan at dan@mna.org

 



2021 Online Media Campus Webinars Are FREE to MNA Members
 
Online Media Campus webinars are FREE to MNA members. Members can access free registration to all webinars and training sessions.

There are currently 165 webinars in the archive that can be downloaded at any time. In addition, employees of MNA member newspapers may register for new webinars in 2021 free of charge with an access code unique to MNA. To register for a webinar members may obtain the access code by contacting MNA at member@mna.org.
 

Check Out These Available Virtual Training Sessions!





Seeing the Whole Community

Communities, readers and audiences want to see themselves reflected in your local news coverage. Not just through words and stories, but also through the visuals, photos, art and designs in your various print and digital products. Doing so requires you to look, listen and learn.

This session will help editors and reporters visually cover their whole community. Topics include visual inclusion, intention and diversity as well as making tough visual calls.


Presenter: Val Hoeppner, Media Consultant
(Register by November 8.)

Webinar
Thursday, November 11
1:00 - 2:00 PM

Register here.


(MNA members can register for free, email member@mna.org to request the access code.)
 


Reviving Newspapers in Digital News Deserts
 

The digital landscape is analogous to the Great Plains of 19th century middle America.

If you try to build a farm (website) without a clear path to the railroad (Google/Facebook), then there is no practical way of developing a sustainable town (digital business).

 

In this webinar, Our Hometown CEO, Matt Larson, will present the steps needed to forge and maintain digital channels to the major Internet platforms, where the newspaper’s audience has already assembled.  Learn how to:

  • Help Google index your site
  • Get headlines to appear in Google News
  • Direct traffic from Facebook to your website
  • Keep readers engaged on the website longer
Presenter: Matt Larson of Our Hometown
(Register by November 15.)

Webinar
Thursday, November 18
1:00 - 2:00 PM

Register here.


(MNA members can register for free, email member@mna.org to request the access code.)
 








Memorial Contributions


The Minnesota News Media Institute (MNI) strives to provide educational programs and training for our members. This is accomplished through generous donations from our friends and members. If you are interested in donating in memory of a colleague or loved one; cherish their memory by a donation to MNI in his/her name. Please contact the MNA office for more information.
 
If you have relevant news to share, please email member@mna.org

 
 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

*****Please check your listings and let MNA (member@mna.org) know if they have been filled.)


Community Editor
Cover the news and events that matter as a community editor. This full-time position at the News & Times, located in the west metro and based in Waconia, More..

Senior Editor
Industry-leading national business publication Franchise Times is hiring a full-time senior editor at its Minneapolis headquarters. Salary range: $60,000-$70,000 More...

Editor
Opportunity for an editor in the heart of lake country. The Aitkin Independent Age is a subscriber-based newspaper that plays a critical role in the community. More..

Reporter
The Jordan Independent, a subsidiary of MediaNews Group, is seeking a Reporter to join the team! MediaNews Group offers news reporting and third party advertising..More..

Editor
The Sun and Country Messenger is seeking an editor to lead our newspaper. Our two newspapers, located on the beautiful and scenic St. Croix River, serve the communities of Osceola, Wis. and Scandia and Marine on..More...

Reporter
We are looking for a reporter at the Cannon Falls (Minnesota) Beacon who is passionate about telling stories that matter to our community -- someone who is fair, accurate and ethical. More...

Newspaper Editor
Seeking full-time editor for small newspaper group near metro area.
Duties include responsibility for all local coverage – meetings, features, events..More..

Editor
Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? Do you enjoy a different experience every day? We have an opening for an editor at the Union-Times in Princeton. More...

General Assignment Reporter
The McLeod County Chronicle in Glencoe, Minnesota, is seeking a full-time general assignment reporter. The successful candidate will be involved in a wide range of duties, More...

Managing Editor
Community journalism is still alive and well in Monroe County Wisconsin! Our long-time managing editor is retiring from our twice-weekly family-owned publication, the prime media source... More

Sports Reporter
The Marshall Independent is seeking a sports reporter. Page design experience a plus. Must be willing to work nights and weekends. Coverage includes prep and college. More...

Page Designer
The Marshall Independent is seeking a page designer who isn’t afraid to get creative. Requirements include excellent editing and headline writing skills with experience in InDesign and... More

Newsroom Editor
The Detroit Lakes Tribune and Perham Focus is looking for its next rising star: an editor to lead and develop a team of reporters in a digital-first newsroom. More...

Sports Reporter
Join an Award Winning Team! Echo Press in Alexandria, Minnesota is looking for a full-time reporter to produce engaging sports and news content for our print newspapers and digital sites... More

Managing Editor
An award-winning weekly newspaper is seeking an Editor/Writer for a community newspaper located in the beautiful central Minnesota lakes area in Otter Tail/Becker counties. More...

Community Editor / Reporter
Great opportunity at a lakes-central newspaper. This full-time position at the Mille Lacs Messenger, which covers the Mille Lacs lake area, involves coverage of business, breaking news,  More...

Sports Editor
Full-time sports editor sought for Herald Journal newspaper group to be part of two-person team covering all sports for several schools in readership area of 3 weekly newspapers. More..

General Assignment Reporter
APG Media of Southern Minnesota is looking for two general assignment reporters — one in Northfield and one in Owatonna.. More..

Ag & Rural Reporter with Editor Possibilities
Star Publications has a full-time ag reporter position available in central Minnesota. The primary duties of this individual will be writing agriculture stories and.. More..

Sports Reporter
The Rock County Star Herald in Luverne, Minnesota is looking for the right person to navigate the fast-paced world of community sports reporting. More..

Community Reporter
We promoted from within, so the Montevideo-American News/montenews.com, a weekly newspaper in western Minnesota that is part of the USA TODAY NETWORK,  More....

News Assistant
Herald Journal Publishing is seeking a full-time or part-time News Assistant for ongoing news gathering and weekly newspaper production duties. This position includes preparing newspaper items for print .. More..

Staff Writer
Press Publications in White Bear Lake is seeking a regional staff writer to join its award-winning team. As a regional staff writer, you will be responsible for coordinating editorial content and layout..More...

Reporter
The Sentinel of Fairmont, MN, a daily morning newspaper in south-central Minnesota, seeks a FULL-TIME REPORTER.  Excellent opportunity for recent college grads or reporters at weeklies..More..

Editor / Sports Writer
Award-winning weekly newspaper is seeking Editor/Sports writer. Editor is retiring after 30+ years.  Beautiful community in west central Minnesota. More..

Editor
Do you enjoy.....Being Involved in your Community ~ Being ‘in the know' - Speaking with others ~ Conducting Interviews - Conveying Information to a large audience - Writing ~ Photography...More..

Circulation Marketing Manager
Join the MN APG team as our Circulation Marketing Manager focused a growing our audiences across multiple communities. More...

Entry Level Graphic Designer
Do you have a knack for layout design? Want to be more involved in your community? Consider a job with Press Publications! We are a local community newspaper group in the north metro, More..

Distribution District Manager - $1,000 Sign-on Bonus
Adams Publishing Group, a leading media company serving local communities across the United States, is seeking a Distribution District Manager to join its team in Elk River, MN. More...


 



FOR SALE/WANTED


Weekly Newspaper for Sale
The Standard-Gazette & Messenger, located an hour and a half south and west of the Twin Cities is currently for sale. This newspaper covers two school districts and four small towns in three counties. More...

 
The Southwest Journal 
A bi-weekly serving 32,000 residents of Southwest Minneapolis is currently for sale. The asking price is $330k.

If interested, please contact Peggy DeMuse at Sunbelt pdemuse@sunbeltmidwest.com or 651-288-1627
 

Access to the MNA Member Classifieds Page is free to MNA members. To submit an ad, please click the “Submit a Job Posting” or “Submit a For Sale/Wanted Posting” buttons on the Member Classifieds page. MNA members are also encouraged to post ads for available internships (submit as a Job Posting). The charge for non-members is $25 per week, payable by check or credit card. For more details, contact MNA: member@mna.org or 612-332-8844.


NOTE: Once jobs are filled or postings expire, please ask MNA to remove your post from the Member Classifieds by sending an e-mail to member@mna.org.
 

Members Only!

To log into the "Members Only" section of the MNA website, please use the following information:

Username: Member
Password: Newspaper
2021-2022 MNA Board of Directors

Justin Lessman
President, Jackson County Pilot

Chad Koenen 
1st Vice Pres., Citizen's Advocate, Henning

Crystal Miller  
2nd Vice Pres.,
Albert Lea Tribune

Diann Drew  
3rd Vice Pres.,  Alexandria Echo Press

Mark Weber 
Director, APG Media, Eden Prairie

Tara Brandl
Director, Tracy Area Headlight Herald

Lisa Schwarz
Director, St. Cloud Times

Kelly Boldan
Treasurer, West Central Tribune, Willmar

Chris Knight  
Immediate Past President, APG Media, Virginia

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot."

- Mark Twain
Seeing the Whole Community
Webinar
Thursday, November 11
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Register here.

Reviving Newspapers in Digital News Deserts
Webinar
Thursday, November 18
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Register here.

2022 MNA 155th Annual Convention
Marriott Minneapolis Northwest
January 27-28, 2022

 
MNA/MNI Event Calendar
MNA Member Classifieds
This Week's Network Ads
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