Sunday, August 29, 2010
deepak krishnappa's opinion on local newspapers
LinkedIn Groups
Group: The National e-Governance Plan
Discussion: It is true that GoI aims to have to good, responsive and responsibile governance.
I agree with your wondeful idea of information disemination. See the potential of GoI spending. We should impress upon the government to engage your idea of local news digests for ensuring the intangible benefits interms of inclusive growth.
The government of India has planned an investment of up to Rs 40,000 crore over a period of 4 years to roll out all the planned 1,100 e-governance services by 2014.
"We estimate an investment between Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 crore over period of 4 years for rolling out all the planned e-governance services. This investment will cover the cost of all kinds of hardware and software that will be required for capacity building," said R Chandrashekhar, Secretary, Department of Information Technology, The Government of India.
Let us all try to bring the growth and development closer to rural India and the needy poor at thorugh this discussion arm.
Posted by Deepak Krishnappa
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Navodayam- rural journalism's example
A New Dawn in Rural Journalism- Navodayam”
Voice of the poor is always unheard and their issues are rarely represented. For the marginalized communities it is very important to make their voice heard. Navodayam, a community magazine managed by SHG women of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, seems to offer a right way of not only presenting the issues of poor and vulnerable communities but also an important path to empower the rural women.
In Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, grassroots journalism is gaining momentum. Navodayam (which means `new dawn` in Telugu) which was launched on August 15, 2001, in Chittoor district as a government initiative under District Poverty Initiatives Program to create awareness on development issues has now turned into a publication which is completely owned and managed by rural women themselves.
After implementing the DPIP project for some months in Chittoor district, during one of the DPMU review meetings, it was felt that the essence of the project activities should be taken to the communities on a regular basis to serve as a source of inspiration for the others to follow. It is at this stage that ‘Navodayam’ took birth, a newsletter started with the purpose of putting into action ‘Information for Empowerment’. The four major aims Navodayam has laid out for itself are – (a) to amplify the voice of the rural poor, (b) to put rural women in charge of news coverage, (c) to place information within the reach of the rural poor, and (d) to adapt journalism as a tool for empowerment of women. Though the project is totally sponsored by the government, the women involved with the newsletter have been able to retain their independence and there is no editorial interference from the government. What makes Navodayam distinct from other magazines is it is the first of its kind news letter that is completely managed by the poor, not much educated women.
Launched as a quarterly newsletter in Telugu with just eight pages, it has grown to a 24-page monthly on popular demand. Rural women, mostly Dalits, handle all the reporting, writing, editing, layout, artwork, photography and even circulation. More than 60 reporters have worked for the magazine so far and it currently has 10 staff reporters and 20 contributors. The magazine prints 20,000 copies and has a readership of more than 200,000 - much more than the state wide readership figures of some of the leading AP dailies. A system of annual subscription was then promoted and the Community Coordinators and Sanghamitras (village level activists of Indira Kranthi patham program) were instrumental in motivating the SHGs to pay the subscription. The reporters also facilitated annual subscription to the news magazine by the Line Departments and NGOs. The reporters approached all the line departments in the district and managed to secure advertisements for publication in the newsletter. The rates were earlier worked out by the team. The amount thus collected, contributed to the corpus.
A core committee had been formed from among the reporters to look into the technical aspects of publishing the newsletter, including financial management. The committee now manages the total budget of the newsletter. In order to make the magazine more sustainable the Zilla Samakhya (District level federation of SHGs) was called in for its services. As a result, a Navodayam Planning Committee was formed with 9 members. While 6 of them were the reporters, the remaining three were representatives of the Zilla Samakhya (ZS). The president of the ZS also acts as the editor of the Navodayam. Further, strengthening the professionalism of reporters is an important approach for the sustainability of the newsletter. The strategy, therefore, included networking with the regional newspapers which served as training ground. Further, the reporters were also given an opportunity to contribute to these newspapers, items specific to these rural communities. The tie-up grew stronger over time and the linkages are well established. The circulation boys of these newspapers also deliver the newsletters to the VOs every month, and at no cost.
Since the electronic media takes its own time to reach the village population, Navodayam has trained seven women in a 10 months period on video journalism and these women have made over 100 documentary films, providing video clips for major television networks. They made a video film on child marriage – rampant in some pockets – and showed this to the villagers. Women of self-help groups who have taken their children out of school to join in the bandwagon of child labour have been persuaded by the Navodayam women to bring the children back from their labour camps and put them back to school. The impact of the magazine is real and visible. Mainly circulated among the women, each reader of this monthly ensures that her husband and the rest of the family read it too. The reporters of Navodayam swing into action whenever they get news about any social evil and actually carry out some good work while reporting it.
Navodayam Community Magazine (Telugu) won the UNFPA Laadli Media Special Jury Award for the year 2009. Many initiatives using other media like radios and films etc., have sprung up with the inspiration from successful community magazines like Navodayam. Navodayam continues to be the voice of the poor.
Voice of the poor is always unheard and their issues are rarely represented. For the marginalized communities it is very important to make their voice heard. Navodayam, a community magazine managed by SHG women of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, seems to offer a right way of not only presenting the issues of poor and vulnerable communities but also an important path to empower the rural women.
In Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, grassroots journalism is gaining momentum. Navodayam (which means `new dawn` in Telugu) which was launched on August 15, 2001, in Chittoor district as a government initiative under District Poverty Initiatives Program to create awareness on development issues has now turned into a publication which is completely owned and managed by rural women themselves.
After implementing the DPIP project for some months in Chittoor district, during one of the DPMU review meetings, it was felt that the essence of the project activities should be taken to the communities on a regular basis to serve as a source of inspiration for the others to follow. It is at this stage that ‘Navodayam’ took birth, a newsletter started with the purpose of putting into action ‘Information for Empowerment’. The four major aims Navodayam has laid out for itself are – (a) to amplify the voice of the rural poor, (b) to put rural women in charge of news coverage, (c) to place information within the reach of the rural poor, and (d) to adapt journalism as a tool for empowerment of women. Though the project is totally sponsored by the government, the women involved with the newsletter have been able to retain their independence and there is no editorial interference from the government. What makes Navodayam distinct from other magazines is it is the first of its kind news letter that is completely managed by the poor, not much educated women.
Launched as a quarterly newsletter in Telugu with just eight pages, it has grown to a 24-page monthly on popular demand. Rural women, mostly Dalits, handle all the reporting, writing, editing, layout, artwork, photography and even circulation. More than 60 reporters have worked for the magazine so far and it currently has 10 staff reporters and 20 contributors. The magazine prints 20,000 copies and has a readership of more than 200,000 - much more than the state wide readership figures of some of the leading AP dailies. A system of annual subscription was then promoted and the Community Coordinators and Sanghamitras (village level activists of Indira Kranthi patham program) were instrumental in motivating the SHGs to pay the subscription. The reporters also facilitated annual subscription to the news magazine by the Line Departments and NGOs. The reporters approached all the line departments in the district and managed to secure advertisements for publication in the newsletter. The rates were earlier worked out by the team. The amount thus collected, contributed to the corpus.
A core committee had been formed from among the reporters to look into the technical aspects of publishing the newsletter, including financial management. The committee now manages the total budget of the newsletter. In order to make the magazine more sustainable the Zilla Samakhya (District level federation of SHGs) was called in for its services. As a result, a Navodayam Planning Committee was formed with 9 members. While 6 of them were the reporters, the remaining three were representatives of the Zilla Samakhya (ZS). The president of the ZS also acts as the editor of the Navodayam. Further, strengthening the professionalism of reporters is an important approach for the sustainability of the newsletter. The strategy, therefore, included networking with the regional newspapers which served as training ground. Further, the reporters were also given an opportunity to contribute to these newspapers, items specific to these rural communities. The tie-up grew stronger over time and the linkages are well established. The circulation boys of these newspapers also deliver the newsletters to the VOs every month, and at no cost.
Since the electronic media takes its own time to reach the village population, Navodayam has trained seven women in a 10 months period on video journalism and these women have made over 100 documentary films, providing video clips for major television networks. They made a video film on child marriage – rampant in some pockets – and showed this to the villagers. Women of self-help groups who have taken their children out of school to join in the bandwagon of child labour have been persuaded by the Navodayam women to bring the children back from their labour camps and put them back to school. The impact of the magazine is real and visible. Mainly circulated among the women, each reader of this monthly ensures that her husband and the rest of the family read it too. The reporters of Navodayam swing into action whenever they get news about any social evil and actually carry out some good work while reporting it.
Navodayam Community Magazine (Telugu) won the UNFPA Laadli Media Special Jury Award for the year 2009. Many initiatives using other media like radios and films etc., have sprung up with the inspiration from successful community magazines like Navodayam. Navodayam continues to be the voice of the poor.
Monday, June 21, 2010
PG Diploma in applied Journalism
PG DIPLOMA IN Applied Journalism and Media CommunicationThe 9.9 School of Convergence in partnership with Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication has developed a unique one-year programme for postgraduates interested in a media career, which combines coursework on journalism and the media with a professional media internship.
Key features:
•One year industry-integrated progamme combines classes and on-the-job training
•Focus on core skills (writing, thinking, creating) applicable to print, TV and online
•Allows you to build a professional portfolio while you complete your diploma
•Internationally-designed curriculum based on the best practices of
industry & the academy
Develop the skills and knowledge needed to be a leader in the media industry
The one-year programme begins with an intensive three-month session of foundational classes that prepare students for their future careers in the media. These classes, taught by international media professionals and academics, help students quickly develop the essential skills that media practitioners require. They also introduce the fundamental concepts needed to understand the media industry, its history, and its future. Out-of-class assignments and weekly excursions in and around Delhi supplement these studies.
Build a professional portfolio while you complete your diploma
Upon completion of the three-month term, students start interning with a media company, where they gain on-the-job professional training five days a week while they continue their formal education in classes held every Saturday. For the remaining three-month session of the programme, students can test out and apply the ideas and skills that they have learned in class to real-life situations, and at the same time, reflect upon their professional experiences with teachers, mentors and one another in the classroom.
By integrating the experiential learning that students receive in the internship with intensive coursework, this distinctive programme gives students the competitive edge they need in an era defined by rapidly changing information and communication technologies.
9.9 SoC has a network of established connections in diverse
fields of the media and entertainment industry:
• Magazine publishing
• Print journalism
• Television journalism
• Print journalism
• Documentary production
• Television and film management
• Advertising
• Marketing
• Development communication
http://www.schoolofconvergence.com/applied-journalism/index.html
Key features:
•One year industry-integrated progamme combines classes and on-the-job training
•Focus on core skills (writing, thinking, creating) applicable to print, TV and online
•Allows you to build a professional portfolio while you complete your diploma
•Internationally-designed curriculum based on the best practices of
industry & the academy
Develop the skills and knowledge needed to be a leader in the media industry
The one-year programme begins with an intensive three-month session of foundational classes that prepare students for their future careers in the media. These classes, taught by international media professionals and academics, help students quickly develop the essential skills that media practitioners require. They also introduce the fundamental concepts needed to understand the media industry, its history, and its future. Out-of-class assignments and weekly excursions in and around Delhi supplement these studies.
Build a professional portfolio while you complete your diploma
Upon completion of the three-month term, students start interning with a media company, where they gain on-the-job professional training five days a week while they continue their formal education in classes held every Saturday. For the remaining three-month session of the programme, students can test out and apply the ideas and skills that they have learned in class to real-life situations, and at the same time, reflect upon their professional experiences with teachers, mentors and one another in the classroom.
By integrating the experiential learning that students receive in the internship with intensive coursework, this distinctive programme gives students the competitive edge they need in an era defined by rapidly changing information and communication technologies.
9.9 SoC has a network of established connections in diverse
fields of the media and entertainment industry:
• Magazine publishing
• Print journalism
• Television journalism
• Print journalism
• Documentary production
• Television and film management
• Advertising
• Marketing
• Development communication
http://www.schoolofconvergence.com/applied-journalism/index.html
Sunday, June 20, 2010
How to Start Your Own Newspaper with only your home PC and little or no startup cash
How to Start Your Own Newspaper with only your home PC and little or no startup cash
Member
Once upon a time, it took loads of heavy, expensive equipment to publish newspapers. Now it's as easy as can be, utlizing your own PC and the printing services offered at most large daily newspapers. You can create your own weekly community newspaper OR specialty newspaper and boost your income while working from home. I DID IT!
.Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions.Things You'll Need:
•A Good Home PC and lots of drive.
•Average typing ability.
Step 1
Look at your community. What type of newspaper is needed? Is there a region, or a community that doesn't get great coverage in the local papers? Is there a growing tourist industry and the need for a specialty paper to target that area? There are tons of possibilities. Do some research. A good community paper that sticks to one area and group of people can become extremely well accepted.
Step 2
Using your computer and printer, create a dummy page/pages to be used to go out and pitch your new product to potential advertisers. You will need this advertising base (including some pre-sold ads) to fund your first print job. Go to businesses and sell advertising and even individuals who may want to utilize your classified ads. I will give resources at the end of the article which give you more detail on creating a dummy page and what program to use in your PC.
Step 3
Locate a local printer; usually it will be your local, large, daily newspaper. Ask them for a quote on your first issue. Have a general idea of how many pages. This is called WEB PRINTING (nothing to do with internet!) It is a type of printing which produces large, newspaper sized pages. You will also decide upon what size newspaper, whether tabloid or full size (broadsheet).
Step 4
Go out and find interesting people and places...write articles for your first issue. Feature stories about real life people and their hobbies or unique lives will always sell papers. Cover local sporting events, school functions, even put in kids birthday party news, etc. In the future, these 'homey' type papers will remain viable while larger national and international newspapers will continue to decline due to the internet. There is a certain respect that goes with being an editor of a newspaper, and you will find that doors will be open to you. People will come to you with stories they think should be written and local governmental decisions that need to be covered.
Step 5
Put together your first paper and have it printed. You will have to decide what type of delivery you're going to have, such as mail subscriptions and/or sales racks. Home delivery is still an option also. There are many other things to learn, which I direct you to under "resources" at the bottom of this page. But suffice it to say that you can do it! You don't have to have a degree in journalism, just a love of creating and writing. You can utilize friends and family to help sell advertising and you don't have to quit your job...at least in the beginning. It depends on how large you want to grow your paper.
Step 6
There are many benefits and much reward to this career. I have simplified the steps in order to stress that you can do it without start-up money if you already have a good computer and printer. Please see the resource at the bottom of this page to get started on the most exciting project of your life!
.
Read more: How to Start Your Own Newspaper with only your home PC and little or no startup cash | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4782240_home-pc-little-startup-cash.html#ixzz0rQKUWLoO
Member
Once upon a time, it took loads of heavy, expensive equipment to publish newspapers. Now it's as easy as can be, utlizing your own PC and the printing services offered at most large daily newspapers. You can create your own weekly community newspaper OR specialty newspaper and boost your income while working from home. I DID IT!
.Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions.Things You'll Need:
•A Good Home PC and lots of drive.
•Average typing ability.
Step 1
Look at your community. What type of newspaper is needed? Is there a region, or a community that doesn't get great coverage in the local papers? Is there a growing tourist industry and the need for a specialty paper to target that area? There are tons of possibilities. Do some research. A good community paper that sticks to one area and group of people can become extremely well accepted.
Step 2
Using your computer and printer, create a dummy page/pages to be used to go out and pitch your new product to potential advertisers. You will need this advertising base (including some pre-sold ads) to fund your first print job. Go to businesses and sell advertising and even individuals who may want to utilize your classified ads. I will give resources at the end of the article which give you more detail on creating a dummy page and what program to use in your PC.
Step 3
Locate a local printer; usually it will be your local, large, daily newspaper. Ask them for a quote on your first issue. Have a general idea of how many pages. This is called WEB PRINTING (nothing to do with internet!) It is a type of printing which produces large, newspaper sized pages. You will also decide upon what size newspaper, whether tabloid or full size (broadsheet).
Step 4
Go out and find interesting people and places...write articles for your first issue. Feature stories about real life people and their hobbies or unique lives will always sell papers. Cover local sporting events, school functions, even put in kids birthday party news, etc. In the future, these 'homey' type papers will remain viable while larger national and international newspapers will continue to decline due to the internet. There is a certain respect that goes with being an editor of a newspaper, and you will find that doors will be open to you. People will come to you with stories they think should be written and local governmental decisions that need to be covered.
Step 5
Put together your first paper and have it printed. You will have to decide what type of delivery you're going to have, such as mail subscriptions and/or sales racks. Home delivery is still an option also. There are many other things to learn, which I direct you to under "resources" at the bottom of this page. But suffice it to say that you can do it! You don't have to have a degree in journalism, just a love of creating and writing. You can utilize friends and family to help sell advertising and you don't have to quit your job...at least in the beginning. It depends on how large you want to grow your paper.
Step 6
There are many benefits and much reward to this career. I have simplified the steps in order to stress that you can do it without start-up money if you already have a good computer and printer. Please see the resource at the bottom of this page to get started on the most exciting project of your life!
.
Read more: How to Start Your Own Newspaper with only your home PC and little or no startup cash | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4782240_home-pc-little-startup-cash.html#ixzz0rQKUWLoO
How to Print
Newspaper Printing
Contributor
By Renae De Leon, eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (2 Ratings)
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Add to Favorites Print Share.I want to do this! What's This? ..
Newspaper printing can be done for fun or for business. To print your own newspaper you will need to get the right supplies for the project, think of a theme to focus the information in your newspaper on and you will need to determine what demographic will be reading your newspaper. If you are looking for a small business idea, or if you want to expand your current writing business, then consider adding newspaper printing to the mix.
.Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions.Things You'll Need:
•Newspaper (blank) Ink Design software Proofing paper Developing chemicals Photograph plates Computer-to-plate chemicals Computer-to-plate plates Computer-to-plate software
Step 1
Determine if you want to use a traditional printing press to print your newspaper or if you will use desktop publishing tools. This step will determine what supplies you will need to buy and what design and printing techniques you will use.
Step 2
If you will be using a traditional printing press publishing technique, you will need ink, dampening covers, blankets, shop tools and sponges, press-packing sheets and gauges, chemicals and cleaners for your equipment, antimarking nets, separators, sucker feet, ink knives, carpet sheets, spray adhesives, graphic art pens, layout sheets and blank newspaper rolls. If you will be using desktop publishing tools, you will need an inkjet printer, ink, paper and graphic design software.
Step 3
Write stories that reflect the focus of your paper. For example, if the focus is sports, then you will want to relate each of your stories to sports. You can write stories on local events, professional sports or advancements in sports technology. This is also the time when you will want to collect graphics to accompany your stories. If you will be using a printing press, you will need to create a photograph plate using a computer-to-plate system. With desktop publishing tools, you will want to scan your photographs or upload them to your computer.
Step 4
Desktop publishing software can be used to lay out both traditional printing-press-style newspapers and desktop publishing versions. When using this software, you will set up the basic components of your newspaper and then drag and drop stories and photographs where you want them. The second option is to use layout sheets. You will need to print out your stories and photographs, cut them out and paste them on the layout sheets in the formations you want. You will then use this layout sheet to set your type and arrange your photograph plates.
Step 5
Print your newspaper. For desktop publishing newspapers all you have to do is finalize your design and print your paper out. The printing-press technique is going to be much more complicated. First, you will use computer-to-plate software and printing supplies to create printing plates for your press. You will then insert these plates into your printing press, roll on the ink, position a test sheet under the plate and run through one cycle. If the lettering on the test sheets is crisp and readable, and the color balance is right, then you can insert your newspaper roll and print
.
Read more: Newspaper Printing | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4578515_newspaper-printing.html#ixzz0rQJu0bTK
Contributor
By Renae De Leon, eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (2 Ratings)
Email Facebook Twitter StumbleUpon
Add to Favorites Print Share.I want to do this! What's This? ..
Newspaper printing can be done for fun or for business. To print your own newspaper you will need to get the right supplies for the project, think of a theme to focus the information in your newspaper on and you will need to determine what demographic will be reading your newspaper. If you are looking for a small business idea, or if you want to expand your current writing business, then consider adding newspaper printing to the mix.
.Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions.Things You'll Need:
•Newspaper (blank) Ink Design software Proofing paper Developing chemicals Photograph plates Computer-to-plate chemicals Computer-to-plate plates Computer-to-plate software
Step 1
Determine if you want to use a traditional printing press to print your newspaper or if you will use desktop publishing tools. This step will determine what supplies you will need to buy and what design and printing techniques you will use.
Step 2
If you will be using a traditional printing press publishing technique, you will need ink, dampening covers, blankets, shop tools and sponges, press-packing sheets and gauges, chemicals and cleaners for your equipment, antimarking nets, separators, sucker feet, ink knives, carpet sheets, spray adhesives, graphic art pens, layout sheets and blank newspaper rolls. If you will be using desktop publishing tools, you will need an inkjet printer, ink, paper and graphic design software.
Step 3
Write stories that reflect the focus of your paper. For example, if the focus is sports, then you will want to relate each of your stories to sports. You can write stories on local events, professional sports or advancements in sports technology. This is also the time when you will want to collect graphics to accompany your stories. If you will be using a printing press, you will need to create a photograph plate using a computer-to-plate system. With desktop publishing tools, you will want to scan your photographs or upload them to your computer.
Step 4
Desktop publishing software can be used to lay out both traditional printing-press-style newspapers and desktop publishing versions. When using this software, you will set up the basic components of your newspaper and then drag and drop stories and photographs where you want them. The second option is to use layout sheets. You will need to print out your stories and photographs, cut them out and paste them on the layout sheets in the formations you want. You will then use this layout sheet to set your type and arrange your photograph plates.
Step 5
Print your newspaper. For desktop publishing newspapers all you have to do is finalize your design and print your paper out. The printing-press technique is going to be much more complicated. First, you will use computer-to-plate software and printing supplies to create printing plates for your press. You will then insert these plates into your printing press, roll on the ink, position a test sheet under the plate and run through one cycle. If the lettering on the test sheets is crisp and readable, and the color balance is right, then you can insert your newspaper roll and print
.
Read more: Newspaper Printing | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4578515_newspaper-printing.html#ixzz0rQJu0bTK
How to start a community newspaper
How To
How to Start a Community Newspaper
Contributor
By an eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (5 Ratings)
Email Facebook Twitter StumbleUpon
Add to Favorites Print Share.I want to do this! What's This? ..
Despite hundreds of Internet news sites and several 24-hour cable television news stations, National Public Radio (NPR) reports more than 20 million American still get a significant amount of news from small, community newspapers. While a person doesn't need a journalism degree to become a publisher, a passion for news and people are necessary for someone wanting to start a community newspaper. Read on to learn how to start a community newspaper.
.Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions.Step 1
Perform extensive market research. Find out about your potential readers and advertisers, your competition and the type of material they're producing. While news is news, how it's packaged can vary depending on a publication's audience. Besides that, the real flavor of a newspaper isn't just the news.
Step 2
Decide if you will publish online, offline or both. If offline, think about the format and distribution method of your paper. Will you use a tabloid layout or a journal sized paper and who will do the layout? If you're interested in doing an online newspaper, some basic html know-how and a software program providing you with the ability to size photographs will get you started.
Step 3
Put your financial ducks in a row. You'll need a solid business plan and accounting structure if you're going to start selling ads and paying staff members. It's always smart to hire a professional to handle your bookkeeping, payroll and taxes.
Step 4
Develop news and article sources by meeting with area businesses, government bodies, law enforcement agencies, schools, community leaders, volunteer organizations, non profit groups, youth groups, civic clubs and anyone else you know. Not only will you want to introduce yourself and your newspaper, you'll want to accumulate some photos and stories to get your first issue off to a great start.
Step 5
Learn how to price and sell advertising. This is probably the most crucial element of your endeavor. No matter how pleasant your layout, how well written your articles or how outstanding your photographs, advertising dollars will pay the bills and keep you in print or online.
Step 6
Count on putting the community first in the content of your community newspaper. Stories and photos about pets, fishing and hunting results, school news, sports teams, recipes from local cooks, gardening tips, church news, club news, wedding, engagement and birth announcements and a calendar of local events and meetings should take up most of your pages, with a few pertinent news stories getting first page placement.
Step 7
Think about how you can distribute your newspaper at the lowest cost possible. You could mail them to every household in your area or you could set up distribution points throughout your town.
.
Read more: How to Start a Community Newspaper | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2120013_start-community-newspaper.html#ixzz0rQJMr9Fx
How to Start a Community Newspaper
Contributor
By an eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (5 Ratings)
Email Facebook Twitter StumbleUpon
Add to Favorites Print Share.I want to do this! What's This? ..
Despite hundreds of Internet news sites and several 24-hour cable television news stations, National Public Radio (NPR) reports more than 20 million American still get a significant amount of news from small, community newspapers. While a person doesn't need a journalism degree to become a publisher, a passion for news and people are necessary for someone wanting to start a community newspaper. Read on to learn how to start a community newspaper.
.Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions.Step 1
Perform extensive market research. Find out about your potential readers and advertisers, your competition and the type of material they're producing. While news is news, how it's packaged can vary depending on a publication's audience. Besides that, the real flavor of a newspaper isn't just the news.
Step 2
Decide if you will publish online, offline or both. If offline, think about the format and distribution method of your paper. Will you use a tabloid layout or a journal sized paper and who will do the layout? If you're interested in doing an online newspaper, some basic html know-how and a software program providing you with the ability to size photographs will get you started.
Step 3
Put your financial ducks in a row. You'll need a solid business plan and accounting structure if you're going to start selling ads and paying staff members. It's always smart to hire a professional to handle your bookkeeping, payroll and taxes.
Step 4
Develop news and article sources by meeting with area businesses, government bodies, law enforcement agencies, schools, community leaders, volunteer organizations, non profit groups, youth groups, civic clubs and anyone else you know. Not only will you want to introduce yourself and your newspaper, you'll want to accumulate some photos and stories to get your first issue off to a great start.
Step 5
Learn how to price and sell advertising. This is probably the most crucial element of your endeavor. No matter how pleasant your layout, how well written your articles or how outstanding your photographs, advertising dollars will pay the bills and keep you in print or online.
Step 6
Count on putting the community first in the content of your community newspaper. Stories and photos about pets, fishing and hunting results, school news, sports teams, recipes from local cooks, gardening tips, church news, club news, wedding, engagement and birth announcements and a calendar of local events and meetings should take up most of your pages, with a few pertinent news stories getting first page placement.
Step 7
Think about how you can distribute your newspaper at the lowest cost possible. You could mail them to every household in your area or you could set up distribution points throughout your town.
.
Read more: How to Start a Community Newspaper | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2120013_start-community-newspaper.html#ixzz0rQJMr9Fx
How to start a community newspaper
How To
How to Start a Community Newspaper
Contributor
By an eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (5 Ratings)
Email Facebook Twitter StumbleUpon
Add to Favorites Print Share.I want to do this! What's This? ..
Despite hundreds of Internet news sites and several 24-hour cable television news stations, National Public Radio (NPR) reports more than 20 million American still get a significant amount of news from small, community newspapers. While a person doesn't need a journalism degree to become a publisher, a passion for news and people are necessary for someone wanting to start a community newspaper. Read on to learn how to start a community newspaper.
.Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions.Step 1
Perform extensive market research. Find out about your potential readers and advertisers, your competition and the type of material they're producing. While news is news, how it's packaged can vary depending on a publication's audience. Besides that, the real flavor of a newspaper isn't just the news.
Step 2
Decide if you will publish online, offline or both. If offline, think about the format and distribution method of your paper. Will you use a tabloid layout or a journal sized paper and who will do the layout? If you're interested in doing an online newspaper, some basic html know-how and a software program providing you with the ability to size photographs will get you started.
Step 3
Put your financial ducks in a row. You'll need a solid business plan and accounting structure if you're going to start selling ads and paying staff members. It's always smart to hire a professional to handle your bookkeeping, payroll and taxes.
Step 4
Develop news and article sources by meeting with area businesses, government bodies, law enforcement agencies, schools, community leaders, volunteer organizations, non profit groups, youth groups, civic clubs and anyone else you know. Not only will you want to introduce yourself and your newspaper, you'll want to accumulate some photos and stories to get your first issue off to a great start.
Step 5
Learn how to price and sell advertising. This is probably the most crucial element of your endeavor. No matter how pleasant your layout, how well written your articles or how outstanding your photographs, advertising dollars will pay the bills and keep you in print or online.
Step 6
Count on putting the community first in the content of your community newspaper. Stories and photos about pets, fishing and hunting results, school news, sports teams, recipes from local cooks, gardening tips, church news, club news, wedding, engagement and birth announcements and a calendar of local events and meetings should take up most of your pages, with a few pertinent news stories getting first page placement.
Step 7
Think about how you can distribute your newspaper at the lowest cost possible. You could mail them to every household in your area or you could set up distribution points throughout your town.
.
Read more: How to Start a Community Newspaper | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2120013_start-community-newspaper.html#ixzz0rQJMr9Fx
How to Start a Community Newspaper
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By an eHow Contributing Writer
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Despite hundreds of Internet news sites and several 24-hour cable television news stations, National Public Radio (NPR) reports more than 20 million American still get a significant amount of news from small, community newspapers. While a person doesn't need a journalism degree to become a publisher, a passion for news and people are necessary for someone wanting to start a community newspaper. Read on to learn how to start a community newspaper.
.Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions.Step 1
Perform extensive market research. Find out about your potential readers and advertisers, your competition and the type of material they're producing. While news is news, how it's packaged can vary depending on a publication's audience. Besides that, the real flavor of a newspaper isn't just the news.
Step 2
Decide if you will publish online, offline or both. If offline, think about the format and distribution method of your paper. Will you use a tabloid layout or a journal sized paper and who will do the layout? If you're interested in doing an online newspaper, some basic html know-how and a software program providing you with the ability to size photographs will get you started.
Step 3
Put your financial ducks in a row. You'll need a solid business plan and accounting structure if you're going to start selling ads and paying staff members. It's always smart to hire a professional to handle your bookkeeping, payroll and taxes.
Step 4
Develop news and article sources by meeting with area businesses, government bodies, law enforcement agencies, schools, community leaders, volunteer organizations, non profit groups, youth groups, civic clubs and anyone else you know. Not only will you want to introduce yourself and your newspaper, you'll want to accumulate some photos and stories to get your first issue off to a great start.
Step 5
Learn how to price and sell advertising. This is probably the most crucial element of your endeavor. No matter how pleasant your layout, how well written your articles or how outstanding your photographs, advertising dollars will pay the bills and keep you in print or online.
Step 6
Count on putting the community first in the content of your community newspaper. Stories and photos about pets, fishing and hunting results, school news, sports teams, recipes from local cooks, gardening tips, church news, club news, wedding, engagement and birth announcements and a calendar of local events and meetings should take up most of your pages, with a few pertinent news stories getting first page placement.
Step 7
Think about how you can distribute your newspaper at the lowest cost possible. You could mail them to every household in your area or you could set up distribution points throughout your town.
.
Read more: How to Start a Community Newspaper | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2120013_start-community-newspaper.html#ixzz0rQJMr9Fx
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