2020 was a year full of events that no one could have predicted. The Alliance for Audited Media asked leaders from across different media associations — including Dean Ridings of America's Newspapers — to share their thoughts on what the future holds, including how COVID-19 will continue to impact businesses, what we should look forward to in 2021 and what word businesses should use for guidance in the new year. more

A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said she invited The Spokesman-Review editor as her guest at the inauguration so someone local could witness the historic event. more

Adding Second Street to Upland’s product portfolio will provide Upland’s customers the power to build promotions and email campaigns that grow revenue, customer databases and consumer engagement. more

Camille Olson of Seyfarth Shaw encourages newspapers to take a fresh look at the specific duties of their reporters and photographers, in light of new guidance from the Department of Labor that allows small town and local journalists to qualify for the creative professional exemption to federal overtime rules and be paid a salary, as opposed to hourly wage. more

Under the "I Support" campaign, newspapers published by Voice Media Group are generating important revenue by asking readers to contribute to the cause, either by making recurring annual or monthly contributions or making one-time donations. more

Yesterday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal introduced "7@7," a weekday, multiplatform video news program that's designed with busy audiences in mind. more

While tourism brands spent much of 2020 sharing messages like “now is not the time to travel” and “we’ll see you once it’s safe,” other industries began thriving during the pandemic. The industries Lineup Systems explores in this article are likely here to stay, because our personal and professional lives have been permanently altered by the public health crisis. This means media organizations must learn how to create offerings that appeal to these brands to drive digital advertising revenue over the long term. more

AP photographer Nick Ut, who retired in 2017 after a 51-year career with The Associated Press, received the National Medal of Arts Jan. 13 at the White House. He is the first journalist to receive the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. more

Kevin Warren has been named publisher of The Natchez (Mississippi) Democrat, Natchez the Magazine, Brookhaven Daily Leader, Brookhaven Magazine, the Prentiss Headlight and related digital and print products. more

The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Award recognizes outstanding news coverage that promotes transparent, accountable government. Applications are due by Feb. 26 and there is no fee to enter. more

Jim Gouvellis, the former executive editor of the Sun Newspapers in Sarasota and Charlotte counties, has been named publisher of the Clermont News Leader in Lake County. more

There have been multiple reports that there may be protests or violent encounters at state capitols this weekend and next week.  Your top priority should be keeping your news staff safe throughout the coverage. Poynter has issued a good set of guidelines, which it published during protests and riots over the summer. Here are the guidelines provided by Al Tompkins with Poynter. more

A trio of Gannett publications tucked into North Carolina’s Piedmont area – The Times-News in Burlington, The Courier-Tribune in Asheboro and The Dispatch in Lexington — recently underwent some leadership changes.  more

In RJI Fellow Melba Newsome’s (a North Carolina editor) latest post, she talks about the importance of tracking the sourcing and how it can help keep newsrooms accountable. Without tracking, it becomes easy to not do it. She shares examples of what a few newsroom partners she’s working with are doing. more

Alan Davis will be retiring at the end of the week after five and a half years in charge of The Daily Tribune News (Cartersville, Georgia) and Chatsworth Times. Group Publisher Jack McNeely will oversee the operations at The Daily Tribune News and its other publications. more

Granite Publications has acquired the assets of three Texas weekly newspaper operations: The Fort Stockton Pioneer, the Madisonville Meteor and the Sealy News. more

John Bridges has announced plans to retire in March from the Austin American-Statesman, and the news organization named a respected industry leader to succeed him. Bridges will leave the Statesman after 32 years; he currently serves as executive editor. more

Seyfarth Shaw's team of industry-leading employment attorneys has developed Seyfarth's State COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Map, which provides links on state vaccination plans, including executive summaries, full vaccine plans where available, and other updates and sources. more

Ray Rivera is leaving his position as managing editor for The Seattle Times to move to Oklahoma City to become executive editor of The Oklahoman. He also will serve as regional editor for the USA TODAY Network’s Sunbelt region, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico. more

The Jan. 31 deadline for the $25,000 Collier Prize for State Government Accountability is fast approaching! The prize will honor the best in statehouse reporting during 2020. more