The Indiana Publisher

April 2020 IP

Hoosier State Press Association - The Indiana Publisher

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Ruth Witmer Hoosier State Press Association Readers are working from home. Events are canceled and businesses are closed. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the day-to-day landscape for the time being — including the media landscape. Newspapers throughout the state have been working to respond to the needs of their readers and of advertisers who have no events to promote and curtailed services. The initiatives are as varied as the papers across Indiana: The News and Tribune (Jeffersonville) launched a Good Deeds are Noticed plan where advertisers who assisted community members were offered a free 1/2-page ad. The Indianapolis Business Journal is producing a weekly podcast discussing coronavirus issues. Editors and publishers have been sharing their ideas at https://www.hspa.com/ covid-19/. Interaction with readers and advertisers is always a relationship that needs to be developed. But the shutdown resulting from Gov. Eric Holcomb's stay-at-home order has taken that challenge to a new level. "I've been doing this for about 32 years and this is a new one for me," said Michael Johnson, regional editor at Kankakee Valley Publisher The Indiana Volume 85, Issue 4 • April 2020 Published on second Thursday monthly The world has turned upside down in dealing with COVID-19. While primarily working from home, the Hoosier State Press Association continues its efforts to serve our 160+ member newspapers. Executive Director and General Counsel Steve Key logged 92 calls and emails seeking advice or asking questions in March. That surpassed the total for January and February combined. "Initially there were a flurry of calls concerned with the looming executive order shutting down the state and whether newspapers would be designated as an essential service," Key said. "Then the calls were dominated by questions concerning the lack of transparency by hospitals and county health departments as to HSPA continues services during COVID-19 pandemic Executive Director and General Counsel Steve Key logged 92 calls and emails seeking advice or asking questions in March. That surpassed the total for January and February combined. See COVID-19, page 3 See Engage, page 12 Indiana newspapers find creative ways to engage with readers, advertisers during coronavirus stay-at-home order 2020 advertising, newsroom events to be rescheduled The Herald Journal (Monticello) is hosting a photo contest for parents and children. The Times of Northwest Indiana invited readers to send in selfies sporting the face masks they're wearing. The Herald Times (Bloomington) is offering free ads and Whitewater Publications is spotlighting readers in Community Shout-Outs. The Indianapolis Recorder is sponsoring a series of virtual town hall meetings to discuss COVID-19 issues.

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