Why we participate in contest – Greg Forbes, Hampton Chronicle/Mid-America Publishing
The Better Newspaper Awards for us are not just about the plaques and certificates we receive. They’re a reflection of our hard work from the year before and encouragement to continue to be a reliable, relatable community newspaper. These awards not only provide validation to our staff but show our readers that we are providing…
Read MoreContest Corner: Follow entry instructions, win Convention-on-us!
Each year, starting on the Monday following the contest entry deadline, INA staff members begin the process of checking all entries to confirm they are prepared correctly. Newspapers are contacted to resolve any questions prior to the entries being judged, to ensure that all entries are judged fairly and properly. INA newspapers submitted 3,335 entries…
Read MoreAccepting 2021 contest entries!
The Iowa Newspaper Association is excited to begin accepting entries for the 2021 Better Newspaper Contests. These contests, held annually, were developed to foster competition and quality among Iowa’s newspapers. To encourage participation, INA will again offer “coupons” for three free entries to newspapers who did not enter the 2020 contests. In addition, INA will…
Read MoreContest Corner: Selecting and organizing entries
Jeff Grant, editor of the Sheldon N’west Iowa REVIEW, has watched the newspaper garner plenty of accolades over the years—17 Newspaper of the Year awards over the past four decades to be exact—and was kind enough to share how his team works together to choose what the newspaper will enter: The first thing we do…
Read MoreContest season is here!
The time many INA members eagerly look forward to each year is almost here. Click here to view the Call for Entries for the 2021 Better Newspaper Contests. While we know the contests are exciting for many of you, we also realize the work and effort put into the process by INA members is…
Read MoreFOI Council prevails in suit against sheriff
The Polk County Sheriff’s Department has agreed to release records in the fatal shooting of a Wisconsin motorist by a sheriff’s deputy. The county also agreed, going forward, that it would routinely release such records whenever its officers are involved in incidents that kill or seriously injure people. The agreement is in response to a…
Read MoreIowa newspapers work together to deliver the news
This month, a derecho caused significant damage to newspapers across the state. Jennifer Williams, publisher of The Madrid Register-News shares her experience and gratitude for Harlan Newspapers in helping them print their community paper. When the derecho storm passed through Madrid on Monday, Aug. 10, at approximately 11 a.m., we knew that an entire tree…
Read MoreTell the stories behind the statistics
By Jim Pumarlo Everyday news reports are filled with statistics as COVID-19 continues to dominate headlines. The number of individuals who have tested positive and those who have died of the coronavirus. Patients hospitalized and those in ICU. Confirmed cases broken down by gender, ethnicity and county of residence. The tally of businesses that have…
Read MoreSenator Charles Grassley Supports Need for Small Business Expense Protection Act, S 3612
The following legislative alert was sent by the National Newspaper Association on July 15, 2020. Community newspapers that received the Paycheck Protection Program loans urgently need to have S. 3612 included in McConnell’s proposal. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, are leading the way to get their bill included. Senate Majority Leader Mitch…
Read MoreWhite and privileged
Julie Gammack, guest columnist This column is free to publish in your publication. A woman I’ve known for decades called last week and said, “I need to process something. It’s not easy to talk about.” Now, there’s a conversation starter. She was referring to discomfort she was feeling to the Black Lives Matter movement. She,…
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