MINNESOTA NEWS MEDIA INSTITUTE

2012 Annual Report

Table of Contents
History................................................................................3 Message from the Executive Director..............................4 Board of Directors and Staff.............................................5 2012 Training Programs....................................................6 Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program....9 Pohlad Internship Program.............................................12 Financial Statement.........................................................14 Donors..............................................................................15

Our Mission

he Minnesota News Media Institute is apartnership of the more than 345 members of the Minnesota Newspaper Association, working and making a difference for the future of Minnesotas news media by providing training to all newspaper and news media professionals, scholarship and internship opportunities to students, and public forums for the general public to discuss media-related issues.

MNI Annual Report printing donated by:

Cover Photo by Lake Country Echo, Pequot Lakes Back Cover Photo by The Free Press, Mankato Many of the photos featured in this report were winners in the 20112012 Better Newspaper Contest.

St. Cloud Times

Our History

MNI took over the training and education missions from the Minnesota Newspaper Foundation which now focuses solely on the Newspaper Museum at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and the Minnesota News Council which disbanded in 2011. MNI continues to grow into its role providing Minnesota media professionals with an ever-increasing variety of training programs including in-person and online trainings, the Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program, and training at the 2012 Minnesota Newspaper Association Convention. In addition, dozens of high school students gained real-world experience interning at MNA newspapers through the Pohlad Internship Program. Building on our successes in 2011 & 2012 the future looks even more promising.

he Minnesota News Media Institute (MNI) is the 501(c)(3) training arm of the Minnesota Newspaper Association. Founded in 2010, MNI provides training to all newspaper and news media professionals in Minnesota, provides internship opportunities to students at member newspapers and produces public forums for the general public to discuss media-related issues.

Excelsior/Shorewood/Chanhassen Sun Sailor

Message from the Executive Director

he Minnesota News Media Institute is building momentum and fulfilling its mission of making a difference for the future of Minnesotas news media by providing training and education to news media professionals. One of the most gratifying parts of working for an association is making a difference to those you serve, which is exactly what MNI is doing.

MNI strives to offer meaningful training opportunities, in person and via webinar, covering a full range of topics relevant to news enterprises. More than 100 individuals from member newspapers attended MNI training sessions around the state in 2012. News media professionals who engaged in opportunities offered through MNI give high praise to the programming quality and value. The Editors & Publishers Community Leadership program is just one of the outstanding programs offered by MNI. The community leadership program provides hands-on training to editor-publisher teams in developing their community leadership and vision skills. A graduate from the 2012 program recently wrote, thank you again for allowing me to participate in the E & P program. Im realizing every day since, that I learned so much about how to be an editor/publisher, and just how vitally important the role of the newspaper is in a small community. The Editors & Publishers Community Leadership program is funded through a generous grant from the Blandin Foundation. The 2012 cohort marked the eighth year of the program. Thanks to another generous grant from the Pohlad Family Foundation, MNI provided funding for 68 high school interns. MNI works to place high-school aged interns at member newspapers across the state. Nearly 600 high school students have taken advantage of this opportunity during the eight years the internship program has existed. Several students have gone on to careers in journalism and related fields as a result of the program. If you havent had the opportunity to support the Institute, please consider joining us in 2013. Your support through program participation, and financial contributions, make the Institutes work possible. We are excited and proud of our accomplishments at MNI and value your support as we position news enterprises to flourish in the future.

Lisa Hills, Executive Director

MNI Board of Directors

Michael Jacobson, Paynesville Press Chair Rollin Bergman, Page 1 Publications, East Grand Forks Vice-Chair Tony Carideo, The Carideo Group Treasurer Kevin Anderson, Mille Lacs Messenger, Isle Jason Brown, Long Prairie Leader Joni Harms, Daily Globe, Worthington Fundraising Chair Pete Mohs, Lake Country Echo, Pequot Lakes Jim Pumarlo, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Scott Schmeltzer, Albert Lea Tribune Chris Schultz, Herald Journal, Howard Lake Marge Winkelman, ECM Publishers, Coon Rapids

Staff
Lisa HillsExecutive Director Debbie EvansAccounting Manager David KaplanBusiness Development Manager Sarah BauerProgram Director Web: www.mna.org Phone: 612-332-8844 Email: member@mna.org
Kenyon Leader

2012 Training Programs

o you have an idea for a future training program or have specific training needs at your news organization? Let us know! MNI always aims to provide relevant and up-to-date training to MNA members and news media professionals throughout the state. MNI can provide customized training programs for any department at your newspaper, or develop largegroup training programs, based on your specific needs. If you have a programming idea or request, reach out to MNA Program Director Sarah Bauer by email (sarah@mna.org) or phone (612-278-0250).

2012 MNA Daily Newspaper Meeting Covering the Presidential Election Creating Web Ads That Sell Digital Monetization Digital Publishing and Online Ad Liability Dont Sell, Ask Questions Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program Elements of Outstanding Election Coverage Extending Ad Campaigns Faster Photo Processing How to Pursue Investigative Projects How to Use Pinterest to Drive Readers Investigative Story Ideas Managing Your Changing Workload MAXimize Postage Savings Mobile Sales Series Newspaper Version 2.0 Online Promotions: New Revenue Online Sales: Weve Got Butter! Paywalls Kill Web Advertising? Postal Imb Transition Print Quality Problems Russell Viers: Work Smarter, Not Harder, With Creative Suite Skills for New Ad Reps Skills for New Reporters Smartphones, Smart Journalism Social Media Collaborative Ultimate Money-Making Ads

Albert Lea Tribune

2012 Training ProgramsParticipating Newspapers

Aitkin Independent Age Albert Lea Tribune Annandale Advocate Askov American Austin Daily Herald Balaton Press Tribune Barnesville Record-Review Bemidji Pioneer Brainerd Dispatch Blooming Prairie Times Browerville Blade Byron Review Caledonia Argus Cambridge Star Cannon Falls Beacon Citizens Advocate, Henning Clara City Herald Country Messenger, Scandia Crookston Daily Times Daily Globe, Worthington Daily Journal, Fergus Falls Detroit Lakes Newspapers Dodge Center Star Herald Duluth Budgeteer News Duluth News Tribune Echo Press, Alexandria ECM - Sun Media Group Ely Echo Faribault County Register, Blue Earth Farmington Independent/ Rosemount Town Pages Forum of Fargo-Moorhead Grand Rapids Herald-Review Grant County Herald, Elbow Lake Hastings Star Gazette Hendricks Pioneer Herald Journal Publishing, Howard Lake Hermantown Star Hutchinson Leader Independent News Herald, Clarissa Kanabec County Times, Mora Lake Benton Valley Journal Lake Country Echo, Pequot Lakes Lakes Area Review, New London/Spicer Leader Record, Gonvick Litchfield Independent Review Long Prairie Leader Mahnomen Pioneer Maple Lake Messenger Marshall Independent Middle River Honker Mille Lacs Messenger, Isle Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Minnesota Trails Morgan Messenger Morris Sun Tribune Morrison County Record, Little Falls Newsleaders of Sartell and St. Joseph News-Record, Harmony Osakis Review Owatonna Peoples Press Park Rapids Enterprise Parkers Prairie Independent Paynesville Press Pelican Rapids Press Pine City Pioneer Pope County Tribune, Glenwood Portage News, Floodwood Proctor Journal Renville County Register, Olivia Republican Eagle, Red Wing Rivertown Newspaper Group Senior Perspective, Glenwood Sentinel Publications, Westbrook Southwest Newspapers, Shakopee St. Cloud Times Standard Gazette, Fairfax Staples World Star News, Elk River Starbuck Times The Journal, International Falls The Journal, New Ulm ThreeSixty Journalism Tracy Headlight Herald Tri County News, Heron Lake Tri-County News, Kimball Tri-County Record, Rushford Verndale Sun Voyageur Press, McGregor Wadena Pioneer Journal Warren Sheaf Publishing West Central Tribune, Willmar Woodbury Bulletin

2012 Training Programs

St. Cloud Times

The Minnesota News Media Institutes annual dailies meeting gives senior managers the chance to visit another media company and community in the state. Having a chance to tour the host newspapers facilities and meet the staff is informative. The dailies meeting sessions provide plenty of ideas for product improvements in news, advertising, marketing and circulation. Best part is having time to network and share ideas with the men and women who are leaders in Minnesota media companies. Mark Anfinsons legal update is another highlight. I always return from the meetings with insights that can be passed along to our staffers. John Bodette, executive editor Times Media and St. Cloud Times

2012 Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program

Participants Blooming Prairie Times Cannon Falls Beacon Country Messenger, Scandia Maple Lake Messenger Staples World Sun Thisweek/Dakota County Tribune Tracy Headlight-Herald

2012 Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program

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Central to the Community Leadership Program is the notion that you give power to that which you give attention. Each year it prompts vigorous re-thinking about the stories, angles, issues and initiatives that truly deserve community focus and action. The editors and publishers of the 2012 program were a case in point. They resolved to prioritize to address the big picture and not just report, but mobilize action. Thoughts quickly turned to action. Citizens were surveyed for priority issues, a forum was initiated for regular community conversations, a mining controversy was facilitated, business development initiatives were empowered, a campaign was launched to connect seniors with needed community service roles and a comprehensive school and community calendar was created. The same has been true for program alumni spanning eight years and 80 news organizations. They have stepped up to leadership roles and are having a powerful impact on the vitality of Minnesota communities. Mirja P. Hanson, MBA, Ed.D. Instructor Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program

2012 Editors & Publishers Community Leadership Program

No. 36

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2012

OUR 136th YEAR

THURSDAY April 5, 2012

The E & P Leadership Training Program has really shaped how I view myself as the editor of the newspaper. Before the program I was content to do things a certain way, because thats how weve always done it. After the program, I came to realize just how much of an impact a community newspaper can have on the discourse and dialog related to specific topics, and Ive tried to steer the paper in that direction. Weve started taking more of a proactive role in disseminating information, rather than letting that information flow to us. Ive heard comments both good and bad regarding how weve attacked certain issues, and weve lost subscribers because of it. My time spent with in the E & P Leadership Program has assured me that weve taken the proper path. Mike Dalton, editor Cannon Falls Beacon

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Pohlad Internship Program

he Pohlad Internship Program, funded for MNA members since 2005, is designed to provide a wage subsidy to newspapers that hire high school-aged interns over the course of the summer and aims to create meaningful employment experiences for youth in their communities. This special opportunity is available exclusively to MNA member newspapers and is funded generously by the Pohlad Family Foundation. MNA member newspapers have hired more than 600 interns over the past eight years thanks to this program; many interns have gone on to seek degrees and find careers in journalism, advertising and related fields. If you would like to participate in the Pohlad Family Foundation Summer Youth Employment Program, reach out to MNA Program Director Sarah Bauer by email (sarah@mna.org) or phone (612-278-0250).

Participating Newspapers
Aitkin Independent Age Albert Lea Tribune Annandale Advocate Askov American Austin Daily Herald Balaton Press Tribune Barnesville Record-Review Blooming Prairie Times Browerville Blade Byron Review Caledonia Argus Citizens Advocate, Henning Country Messenger, Scandia Crookston Daily Times Daily Globe, Worthington Detroit Lakes Newspapers Dodge Center Star Herald Duluth Budgeteer News Echo Press, Alexandria Farmington Independent/ Rosemount Town Pages Grand Rapids Herald-Review Hastings Star Gazette Hermantown Star Independent News Herald, Clarissa Lake Country Echo, Pequot Lakes Leader Record, Gonvick Mahnomen Pioneer Maple Lake Messenger Marshall Independent Middle River Honker Mille Lacs Messenger, Isle Morgan Messenger News-Record, Harmony Osakis Review Park Rapids Enterprise Paynesville Press Pelican Rapids Press Portage News, Floodwood Proctor Journal Republican Eagle, Red Wing Senior Perspective, Glenwood Standard Gazette, Fairfax Star News, Elk River The Daily Journal, Fergus Falls The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead Parkers Prairie Independent ThreeSixty Journalism Tracy Headlight Herald Tri County News, Heron Lake Tri-County News, Kimball Tri-County Record, Rushford Verndale Sun Voyageur Press, McGregor West Central Tribune, Willmar Woodbury Bulletin

St. Cloud Times

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Pohlad Internship Program

When I picked up on the journalism thing midway through my sophomore year in high school, it never occurred to me that this would be a possible career path, let alone a job I would hold in the near future. I had this immature reverence for glossy journalists like Fareed Zakaria and Joe Klein, thinking that by sheer talent alone, I too would someday end up featured in the likes of Time magazine or the Huffington Post. The Fergus Falls Daily Journal snatched that vision away and put me back down on planet Earth. If I want to be anywhere near as brilliant as the political commentators at any of the major news corporations, I would have to put in real effort and work. The Daily Journal gave me this opportunity, while remaining realistic about what I was bringing to the table. My first job taking photos in 2011 was a good way for me to slowly get to know the ropes. Even more importantly, it helped me know the culture and way of life here in Fergus Falls. This job cemented the importance of the little things, and the idea that you have to start somewhere to get to where you want to go. I was over the moon when I came back this summer and was told that I would be writing more. The amount I wrote and the experience of writing under a deadline will definitely be beneficial for me when I apply to college this year and for all the other kinds of writing I have to do in the future. Whether it was checking for AP style errors or figuring out a good hook for my fifth festival story, my time at the Daily Journal was not a waste. The experience Ive gained here is more than anything Ive done in high school. I hope the Daily Journal can continue giving people like me the opportunity to work as an intern. Kat Hyslop 2012 Pohlad Intern

Albany Enterprise

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Financial Statement
Revenue Contributions $45,973 Blandin Grant (Editors and Publishers Community Leadership Program) 84,000 Pohlad Internship Grant 63,331 Convention 10,630 Sponsorship 1,200 Training Registration 3,660 Minnesota Newspaper Foundation & Minnesota News Council Endowment Transfers 12,844 In-Kind Revenue 2,000 Interest/Dividend 13,433 Investment Gain/(Loss) 25,405 Total Revenue 262,476 Expenses Pohlad Internships $57,558 E&P Expenses 28,670 Administrative 49,401 Professional Services 6,930 Training 3,191 Convention 5,064 Total Expenses 150,814 Change in net assets 111,662 Net assets, beginning 593,683 Net assets, ending $705,345

Cottonwood County Citizen, Windom

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Donors
Founders Circle
Founders Circle members pledge $2,500 per year for four years ($10,000 total) to support the trainings and resources provided to all MNA members by the Minnesota News Media Institute Forum Communications Co.

Pages Program

Legacy Club

Legacy Club members pledge $500 per year for three years ($1,500 total) to support the trainings and resources provided to all MNA members by the Minnesota News Media Institute Linda & Kurt Falkman Lisa Hills & Rick Fiman Mike Jacobson Paynesville Press Peter & Lynne Jacobson Mille Lacs Messenger, Isle Anne OFlynn Grant County Herald, Elbow Lake Page 1 Publications, East Grand Forks Donald Q. & Nancy Smith

The Minnesota News Media Institute Pages Program asks participants to contribute the net proceeds of one page of advertising at the general rate once per year. Balaton Press Tribune Delano Herald Journal Enterprise Dispatch, Cokato The Exponent, East Grand Forks Grant County Herald, Elbow Lake Herald Journal, Howard Lake Hutchinson Leader Isanti-Chisago County Star, Cambridge Kanabec County Times, Mora Lake Country Echo, Pequot Lakes Lake Crystal Tribune Litchfield Independent Review Long Prairie Leader Mille Lacs Messenger, Isle News-Enterprise, West Concord Pine City Pioneer Proctor Journal Sentinel Tribune, Westbrook Staples World

All Other Contributions

MNI Donors

The following individuals and organizations donated to the Minnesota News Media Institute in 2012 Contributions more than $40,000 Blandin Foundation Carl and Eloise Pohlad Family Foundation

There are many ways to contribute to MNI. Contact David Kaplan (david@mna.org or 612-278-0235) to learn more.

Kevin Anderson AT&T Wireless Rollin Bergman Jason Brown Tony Carideo Linda & Kurt Falkman in memory of Lois Suel Wann Lisa Hills & Rick Fiman in memory of Lois Suel Wann Forum Communications Printing Jody Hanson Wendy Harden, SDK Joni Harms Herald Journal, Howard Lake Chuck Hunt Mike Jacobson Peter & Lynne Jacobson in memory of John Finnegan Peter & Lynne Jacobson in memory of Lois Suel Wann Charles Johnson Matt McMillan Pete Mohs Dick Norlander Bill Ramige St. Cloud Times Scott Schmeltzer Chris Schultz Donald Q. Smith Donald Q. & Nancy Smith in memory of John Finnegan Donald Q. & Nancy Smith in memory of Lois Suel Wann Mike & Jan Parta in memory of Lois Suel Wann Verizon Wireless Janis Wann in memory of John Finnegan Chuck & Janis Wann in memory of John Finnegan Wade Weber Tom West Windsor Financial Group Dennis Winskowski

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