Threats of violence: a media double standard?

Rob Roper of True North Reports says other members of the Vermont media are practicing a double standard on the subject of public figures who threaten violence.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.....

North Avenue News circulation now covers almost all of Burlington

Editor's note: In a time of decreased circulation for both paid and free newspapers due to the high cost of printing, declining advertising etc., it is encouraging to read of a paper with a steadily growing circulation. The submission below was printed on the front page of the Feb. 4 issue of the North Avenue News.

My wife Diane and I started the North Avenue News in 1992 (I think) after "That Paper" had ceased publication after many years of dedicated efforts by publishers such as Jean and Joe Popecki and Howard Stearns. My advertisers wanted access to readers in "South Colchester," and the family-oriented neighborhoods on the New North End received with gladness the new monthly TMC publication. A couple of years and two adoptions later, Diane and I realized that hmmm, one full time employee doing two newspapers, should be the other way around," we sold the North Avenue News to Anne Clark.
Several publishers later the paper landed with Cliff and Ellen Cooper. Cliff is a former Levi Strauss marketing exec who exudes community spirit and cheerfulness, Ellen a calm and capable "details" person. From Day One they clearly had "A Plan for the NAN." Congratulations to the Coopers for their  decade-plus of publication, and to the City of Burlington, which finally has a true community newspaper for the entire city. I used to muse about making this happen with other media entrepreneurs (remember, Shay?). Now it finally has.

Forty years ago, "That Paper" began in the City of Burlington. We know this because we just found one of the paperboys that made house to house deliveries way back then.

We, the Cooper Family, began our association with this monthly paper in June of 2000, printing the first issue of 12 pages, in July. The circulation at that time was 4,600 in just the New North End of this beautiful City (Wards 4 & 7). The first year we added the area down to the Boathouse, then we were asked to send this "goodnewspaper" into Ward 5 by Bill Keogh - City Councilor. The natural progression into Ward 6 soon followed as well as areas around Wards 2 & 3.

Back in 2009, we added all of Ward 1. The circulation was at 12,900 mailed into Burlington homes, like yours, and we drop 600 into area businesses - total of 13,500. 

We are now mailing into most every home in this beautiful City! About 15,500 of them by direct U.S. Postal Mail for the Feb. 4 issue. We could not have done this without the support of our advertisers & writers.

Former Freeps reporter named editor of Williston Observer, Charlotte Citizen

Williston Publishing and Promotions has hired Steven Frank as editor for the Williston Observer and The Charlotte Citizen. Frank worked for Life Publications in West Hartford, Conn. as a senior reporter and was its sports editor for six years. He also worked for the Burlington Free Press as a reporter and copy editor.

Frank succeeds Greg Duggan. The Observer is the longstanding weekly community newspaper for Williston and also has circulation in surrounding towns. It was published for many years as the Williston Whistle, the name given to it by founding publisher Ruth Painter. Paul and Marianne Apfelbaum are the current publishers.

Spaulding High, SMC "J" program grad is new editor at Milton Independent

vermontpressconnections asked Courtney Lamdin, the new editor at the Milton Independent, to describe the changes at Milton's longtime community newspaper. She is one of many graduates from media-related programs at schools like St. Michaels, Johnson State, and Lyndon State who are now working in the Vermont media. We received this notice from her today:

After working at The Milton Independent as the town’s only reporter for a little over a year, I was promoted to the post of editor after my editor, Lynn Delaney, retired after nearly 18 years at the paper. Lynn started the Independent with funding from Emerson Lynn, publisher and editor of the St. Albans Messenger, which is still the paper’s owner.

Although I’m still writing Milton news, my new position means I make editorial decisions about coverage and assign stories to our new reporter and page designer, Jackie Cain. She’ll mostly be covering the neighboring town of Georgia, where we just increased our circulation to every mailing address.

A little about my background: I grew up in Barre, graduating from Spaulding High School in 2005 as salutatorian of my class. I moved on to St. Michael’s College and graduated summa cum laude with top honors in my bachelor’s program, Journalism and Mass Communications. I was online and then executive editor of my college paper, The Defender. I also minored in gender studies and marketing.

As editor of The Independent, I don’t plan to make any drastic changes to our coverage. Lynn’s mantra was always, “We don’t have to get it first; we have to get it right.” That’s exactly what I want to stick to. Milton residents have appreciated our honest, reliable coverage of news that doesn’t get picked up by the bigger dailies. As a weekly, we have time to digest and analyze the news, and that’s something I’ll continue.

 One change that I mentioned earlier is our expansion into Georgia. Because I want to ensure that Georgia’s story is told, just like Milton’s is, I hope to add a Georgia section, complete with town and school directories, meeting schedules and other pertinent information. With Jackie now on board, I have the ability to assign her stories that I never had the time to cover on my own. I’ve already seen our crime and police coverage expand since she’s been at our paper.

I’m very happy to be at The Milton Independent and have found the community is welcoming to its local newspaper. Being editor of a publication was always my “dream job,” and I’m thankful that at 23 years old, I’ve been given the chance to attain that goal. I guess the only direction to go from here is forward.