enough about conflict of interest, let's see some APSE results!

Post of the year. And we would so kick ass in the under 7.

 

I respect the spirit behind that idea, I know you're coming from the right place. But APSE once had a freaking workshop on How To Win The Contest (I think it was in the 1990s), and to me that embodies all that's wrong with the contest and the contest mid-set. Graphic, check. Two-word stupid pun hed, check. Obligatory prep feature, check. Page 2 package, check.

The other thing I'd like to throw out there is as long as circulation keeps dropping everywhere, maybe the proper attitude is that the Triple Crown winners are just as clueless as everyone else, and we ought to look elsewhere for great ideas. Like within ourselves, instead of copying someone else.

 

Frank "The Contrarian." I don't always agree with you, but you're bitchin'. (That's a compliment, Frank).

 

The other side of that argument is that sometimes, someone else's ideas work and are worthy of copying.

 

Then our paper will pay our last dues to APSE this year. We're too small to go to any of the events, too small to compete realistically. In this case, the chicken just stepped on the egg.

 

I agree, Shot, in fact people could do worse than copy yours. I just think there's far too much of it. I used to really love buying an armload of out-of-town papers every week because even the big papers that sucked had some individuality and quirks. It's way too generic now. And we wonder why people aren't buying.

 

God, what a bunch of whiners on here. To listen to some of you, here is what would make you happy and everyone can then win an award:
Section category
1,000-5,000 circ papers in college towns
5,000-10,000 circ papers in college towns
10,000-15,000 circ papers in college towns
15,000-20,000 circ papers in college towns
20,000-25,000 circ papers in college towns
25,000-30,000 circ papers in college towns
and so and so on and son .....

1,000-5,000 circ papers in non-college towns
5,000-10,000 circ papers in non-college towns
10,000-15,000 circ papers in non-college towns
15,000-20,000 circ papers in non-college towns
20,000-25,000 circ papers in non-college towns
25,000-30,000 circ papers in non-college towns
and so on and so on and so ...
Not every paper can win awards (IF THEY ALL DID THEN WHAT MEANING WOULD THE AWARDS REALLY HAVE), and if you have a tiny staff because your paper's ownership is cheap, then, sorry to say, your paper is not worthy of an award - even if the staff is hard-working and talented.

 

Can't say much for the guy's delivery, but the message is pointedly clear.

 

Hey, if you disqualify folks because of cheap ownership and overworked staff, who's gonna be left?

 

This is fucking bullshit.

A year ago I was SE of a 3K circ daily with only one full-time writer who could not paginate, and I managed to get myself to the regional meeting, which was a couple of hundred miles away.

I currently work in a three-man shop with a circ of about 20K, and one of us just won a writing award. Last year, there was a paper with a circ of about 7K that won a writing award, too.

Quit bellyaching and make it a point to go out of your fucking way a little bit if attending an event is so damn important to you. And if you need to win an award to justify cutting a $50 check, or whatever it is, for an organization that actually SUPPORTS sports journalism, get better at what you do or get the hell out and shut up.

Jesus. The awards, like any others, are so subjective anyway. They're nice, but shouldn't be the reason why you do what you do - or the reason you decide whether to support a worthy organization.

 

APSE has its role. It advocates for all of us when there is an issue of access.

As far as the contest and convention, I think the main thing that comes out of each is inspiration. It's fun to see/read the winners, to glean ideas from what they did. Yes, the awards are subjective, but that does not mean they have no intrinsic value.

 

You're wrong, Wonderlic. Dead wrong, and let me tell you why.

APSE - or any other organization - doesn't have a divine right to dues. Period. Those dues, like any other business transaction, can be negotiated. If some paper doesn't want to pay them or wants to opt out because they feel like APSE doesn't give shit…not only is it OK, that's what they <i> should </i> do. That's how you protest something - by the silence of your bank account.

Whether APSE should or shouldn't have a lower circ category is pretty immaterial to that debate.

You can't just expect people to drive 200 fucking miles to a meeting. Maybe you will; yay for you. Others aren't keen on it. That's their play.

I'm not saying APSE has to change. Don't change; just be prepared to suffer the minor financial consequences of your decision.