The Indiana Publisher

Page 2 June 11, 2015 Patent trolls: a potential problem for newspapers Apple announces News app features for iPhone, iPad T he new Apple News app will follow over a million topics and pull relevant stories based on a user's interests. The app's digital publish- ing format allows publishers to create uncluttered layouts, according to Apple. Nearly 20 publishers representing more than 50 titles are on board with the app, including Condé Nast, ESPN, The New York Times, Hearst, Time Inc., CNN, and Bloomberg, Apple announced. Available with iOS 9 this fall for iPhone and iPad, News stories can be shared or saved for later. News collects all the stories a user might want to read in one customized newsfeed called For You. Readers can see the publisher channels and topics they're following in Favorites. To discover new content, Explore makes sug- gestions based on what a user has already read. Publishers' content can include photos and galleries, audio, video, maps and rich interactions such as paral- lax and animation. When publishers create stories for News, content features cus- tom fonts and intuitive multi- touch gestures. The app automatically cus- tomizes the layout for each screen size. Publishers interested in signing up can visit www. icloud.com/newspublisher. Additional publishing tools will be available later this year. iOS 9 will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 4s and later, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2 and later, and iPad mini. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages. R ecently introduced legislation will help protect newspapers from patent trolls, according to the Newspaper Association of America. The Senate Judiciary Committee took action on the practice of patent trolling by introducing the Protecting American Talent and Entrepreneurship Act. The law would stop abu- sive patent litigation against newspapers and other busi- nesses and prevent bad actors from undermining the U.S. patent system, according to NAA. Patent trolls are patent holders who do not practice the copyrighted invention but seek to capitalize on the pat- ent's value. A patent troll seeks out ambiguously worded pat- ents being sold at auctions, often by bankrupt compa- nies attempting to liquidate assets. They then demand pay- ment of licensing fees or threaten infringement litiga- tion. Due to the high costs asso- ciated with abusive litigation, many companies chose to pay the troll to settle the suit, according to the NAA. In a recent case, a pat- ent plaintiff accused several companies, including news- papers, of infringing on its 1998 Digital Library System patent, the newspaper asso- ciation said. The troll accused the com- panies of infringing on the use of Internet streaming, including "cataloguing, orga- nizing, searching, rating, and provisioning of digital multi- media data." Patent trolls can use busi- ness-method patents, which can include ways to convert material for the Web, to tar- get newspaper publications expanding to digital plat- forms. Due to the vague nature of patents distributed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, trolls seek out com- monplace functionalities performed on a computer or the Internet, such as a search bar or online shopping cart, in order to capitalize on the digi- tal movement. The Newspaper Association of America, as part of the United Patent Reform coali- tion, supports provisions in the Protecting American Talent and Entrepreneurship Act that create risks for bad actors, curb abusive demand letters, and increase trans- parency. MEMBER NOTICES HSPA staff Steve Key, executive director and general counsel skey@hspa.com • (317) 624-4427 Karen T. Braeckel, HSPA Foundation director kbraeckel@hspa.com • (317) 624-4426 Pamela Lego, MAP advertising director plego@hspa.com • (812) 350-7711 Milissa Tuley, communications specialist mtuley@hspa.com • (317) 624-4430 Yvonne Yeadon, office manager yyeadon@hspa.com • (317) 624-4433 Shawn Goldsby, advertising coordinator sgoldsby@hspa.com • (317) 803-4772 The Indiana Publisher is published monthly by Hoosier State Press Association, 41 E. Washington St., Suite 301, Indianapolis, IN, 46204, (317) 803-4772. ISSN 0019-6711 USPS 058-730. Periodicals-class postage paid at Indianapolis, Ind., and at additional mailing office. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Indiana Publisher, 41 E. Washington St., Suite 301, Indianapolis, IN, 46204, (317) 803-4772, Fax (317) 624-4428 Website: www.hspa.com Subscriptions $25 per year. Ad rates furnished upon request. HSPA calendar June 18 Road Show for Reporters, Indianapolis July 31 Better Newspaper Contest deadline Sept. 17-18 Annual Conference, The Alexander Hotel in Indianapolis + Golf Outing, Coffin Golf Club Dec. 5 Newsroom Seminar, Indianapolis Marriott North HSPA Foundation Board of Directors HSPA Foundation Officers HSPA Foundation Board of Directors HSPA Board of Directors HSPA Officers President: Jon O'Bannon, The Corydon Democrat HSPA Board Members Robyn McCloskey, Pharos-Tribune (Logansport), Kokomo Tribune Chuck Wells, Home News Enterprises Chris White, The Times Media Co. Kim Wilson, South Bend Tribune Dailies Nondailies John Haley, Pulaski County Journal (Winamac) Don Hurd, Benton Review (Fowler) Greg Morris, IBJ Corp. President: Jack Pate, Evansville Courier & Press Vice President: Nancy Grossman, Leader Publishing Secretary: Michael J. Christman, Fort Wayne Newspapers Treasurer: Jeff Rogers, Home News Enterprises Curt Jacobs, The Madison Courier Barbara King, North Vernon Plain Dealer & Sun Patrick Lanman, Vevay Media Group Mayer Maloney, Hoosier Times Inc. Mark Miller, The News Banner (Bluffton) William "B.J." Riley, Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. John Rumbach, The Herald (Jasper) Director of audience develop- ment – The Herald Bulletin in Anderson, Indiana, seeks an energetic newspaper profes- sional proven in sales and man- agement to lead its audience development team. The Herald Bulletin is an award-winning sev- en-day newspaper with a circula- tion of 13,830 daily and 18,160 Sunday. The Herald Bulletin also publishes a weekly TMC, replica e-edition, local news website and various niche publications, including a quarterly magazine. Our director will lead the staff to grow readership and revenue in a competitive market. We expect someone who will design and implement marketing strategies that build home-delivery and single-copy sales. This person will manage all aspects of sub- scription fulfillment and renewal, promotional activities, distribution systems and circulation metrics. Candidates should have previous management experience in audi- ence development. In addition, candidates should have experi- ence with contractor relations and be familiar with the latest industry auditing rules and guide- lines. Email resume and letter to Publisher Beverly Joyce at bev- erly.joyce@heraldbulletin.com. Reporter – The Commercial Review, a daily newspaper in Portland, Indiana, is looking for a reporter. The journalist we hire will be assigned to the city gov- ernment beat while sharing the police/courts beat with another reporter. The job also includes photography, layout/design, col- umn writing, proofreading and feature writing. Send resume and three examples of your work to editor Ray Cooney at r.cooney@ thecr.com. Multimedia journalist – The Hendricks County Flyer is look- ing for a digital media visionary who can craft and execute an ever-changing social media strategy to engage our readers on a multitude of platforms. The successful candidate will work with the editor and news staff to maximize audience growth and community engagement. Must be well versed in news writing, journalistic standards, video editing, photography, blogging, various aspects of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). Must have the ability to work a flexible schedule. The Hendricks County Flyer is a 28,000-circulation newspaper in central Indiana. In addition to the newspaper, we publish quarterly magazines, a variety of niche publications and a web- site, www.flyergroup.com. We are the HSPA Foundation 2014 non-daily Blue Ribbon news- paper. Located just outside of Indianapolis, we're in one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. Send a cover letter and resume, along with any avail- able writing samples, to Editor Kathy Linton at Kathy.linton@ flyergroup.com. Please include "multimedia journalist" in the email subject line. Sports editor – KPC Media Group Inc. is accepting applica- tions for the position of sports editor at an award-winning, seven-day daily newspaper in northeast Indiana. The posi- tion involves working nights and weekends to cover local sporting events. The successful candidate will demonstrate skills in writing, photography and use of InDesign software to produce a newspaper sports section. Send a resume and samples of work to therron@ kpcmedia.com. Send member notices to mtuley@hspa.com. Postings will be listed as space permits in print and in full at www.hspa.com. Employees sought

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