The Green Valley News & Sun has gone Hollywood. Well, not quite, but members of the news staff are finding themselves in front of the camera a lot more often.

The paper has committed to twice-weekly brief broadcasts that cover sports, features and news. The broadcasts are under three minutes and hit on local headlines. Like a traditional news broadcast, they do not offer comprehensive information. Each broadcasts starts out with a few lines about the sponsor and ends with a reminder to read the paper and get more on the web site. 

The reporters have had no problem with the transition, though we continue to work out sound and lighting issues. We're using a small, personal video camera on a tripod (a must), do no editing. Uploading to the site is quick and relatively painless. The entire process takes about a half-hour. 

Reporters are learning to write in broadcast style, and have learned that not all information translates well on film (phone numbers and addresses, for example). Keep it short and simple, and push people to the online story is the way to go.

Half Moon Bay Review sportswriter Mark Foyer took first place for top breaking news photo with this shot from the 2010 Mavericks Surf Contest. The unexpected wave broke over the contest staging area, injuring several spectators.

The Half Moon Bay Review took home nine awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. The contest results, for work done in 2010, were announced during a luncheon Saturday at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles.

The newspaper competes in the weekly newspaper category for publications with circulations between 4,300 and 11,000.

The Review won five first place awards. They are, Breaking News Photo, Editorial Pages, Illustration or Graphic, Lifestyle Coverage, and Environmental or Agricultural Resource Reporting . The second-place awards were for Local News Coverage, Front Page, Layout and Design, and Photo Essay.

“The awards are no surprise to me,” said Half Moon Bay Review Managing Editor Clay Lambert. “We are blessed with multi-talented journalists who will do anything to get accurate, timely information to readers. I thank my lucky stars every day to have a news staff like the one at the Half Moon Bay Review.”

Debra Hershon

Half Moon Bay Review Publisher Debra Hershon is part of the planning committee responsible for the California Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2011 Press Summit.

Hershon is putting together the Women Executives Breakfast session on April 15. Hershon is a member of the CNPA’s executive committee.

The breakfast discussion will revolve around a pair of fundamental questions for all newspaper publishers: What do you do day in and day out to stay energized and ready to attack the task at hand, and how do you energize others, get them excited and spark their performance?

The breakfast is part of the larger annual meeting in Los Angeles. The Press Summit includes a range of speakers, a rundown of potential state legislation affecting the news business and the presentation of the state press organization’s yearly awards.

The breakfast is an informal gathering and always among the most popular components of the CNPA meetings.

“We’re hoping to get a dozen or so women together to discuss some of the things we all do to stay energized,” Hershon explained. “Of course, first on my list would be sleeping in, but the Women Executive Breakfast is slotted for 7:15 a.m. I can promise lots of coffee for this fun brainstorming session.”

Bill Cranford

Publisher J. Kennon has appointed Bill Cranford to serve as director of advertising and marketing for the St. Tammany News.

Cranford has more than 20 years in the newspaper industry. His first newspaper job was a sports photographer for his hometown weekly newspaper in Cheraw, S.C.

Most of his career has been spent as advertising director with The New York Times Company and The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C.

Cranford is married to Linda Ely from St. Petersburg, Fla., and they have three children, an 18-year-old son, Cooper, a 13-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever and a 2-year-old black and tan Bloodhound.

After consulting in the newspaper industry, Cranford is excited to be in St. Tammany Parish, working with local customers.

“There is nothing better than working with local small and medium sized merchants to grow their business” Cranford said.

“Local owners have put a lot of sweat equity into their business and helping them is so rewarding. I not only like working with local merchants, but I support local businesses in my shopping, everything from art to butterbeans,” he said.

Cranford has served on many boards and organizations, including the Newspaper Association of America, Southern Classified Managers Association, North Carolina/South Carolina Classified Managers, Executive Association of Greater Charleston, South Carolina Press Association, Lowcountry Tennis Association and Trident United Way.