Jamaica Gleaner - Jamaica's Oldest Newspaper

Launched on September 13, 1834 by real-life brothers Jacob and Joshua de Cordova, the Jamaica Gleaner is the oldest operating newspaper in Jamaica and the whole of Caribbean. Jamaica Gleaner was originally named as "The Gleaner and Weekly Compendium of News." It started as a morning broadsheet that was being published six times in one week. The Company behind The Gleaner, also called with the same name, published a Sunday paper called "Sunday Gleaner" and an evening tabloid paper known as "The Star." International copies of The Gleaners were published in countries like Canada, the United States, and United Kingdom.

The newspaper was first published during a critical period in Jamaica. During that time, the period of slavery was about to end. The Newspaper grew in sales when the owners decided to use advertisement sheets to advertise goods that are being sold. The first copy of The Gleaner featured a mission statement from the editors promising its readers to "please, amuse and to inform while holding domestic life sacred no attacks on private lives would be made."

After three months of its first publication, the name of the newspaper was changed to "The Gleaner: A Weekly Family Newspaper devoted to Literature, Morality, the Arts and Sciences and Amusements." After two years, in 1836, The Gleaner added four more pages and started to be published six times a week, except on Sundays. The advertisement sheets were being distributed freely and the newspaper's subscribers receive their copies as early as six in the morning.

In 1897, The Gleaner was converted to a public company. At present, The Gleaner remains the leading newspaper in Jamaica, employing 500 people, and with offices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Montego Bay, and Kingston.

Tips For Writing a Newspaper Article - Things to Do to Make Your News Copies More Interesting

1. Learn from expert journalists. You'll most likely to succeed in this field if you follow the footsteps of those people who are now excelling in this endeavor. Find ways on how you can get a hold of them and ask for tips and writing techniques. If they're offering writing seminars and training programs, make sure that you take advantage of them. It is through these that you'll be able to increase your knowledge in this endeavor.

2. Write only those stories that are newsworthy. This is crucial to make your news copies more interesting. Do your research and explore those stories that your readers would love to know about. As much as possible, stick with those that are very controversial or those that have direct impact to the lives of your target audience.

3. Use the inverted pyramid technique. People who are reading newspapers are usually pressed for time so, don't save the most important information for last. Instead, present all the things that they need to know on your first paragraph. These people must understand you chosen story even if they don't have the time or the patience to read your succeeding paragraphs.

4. Keep it simple. Write your news articles to inform and not to impress. Avoid showcasing your wide-range of vocabulary and do not use high fallutin words as these can confuse and annoy your readers. Stick with words that your audience are very familiar with.

5. Offer complete information. Do not leave any stone unturned when doing your research. It's very important that you give your readers all the angles of the story that you're covering so you can effectively inform them.

Newspaper Article - Tips For Writing a Newspaper Article

Below are some useful and effective tips to use when writing a newspaper article:

1. Get straight to the point. There is no room for fillers or beating around the bush when writing newspaper articles. As your audience are usually pressed for time and as your publishers would want to save as much space as possible, you need to make your articles short and concise.

2. Make it informative. Missing just a single important data is unforgivable when writing articles for newspapers. As such, it's very important that you list down all the information that you have gathered and make sure that you include them in your content.

3. Keep it short. Look at the information that you have in hand. Are they all needed by your readers? If not, you don't have any reason to include them on your articles. To save space, ensure that you only deliver those data that your readers will find interesting or useful to their lives.

4. Use quotes. Quotes can make your articles not only credible but interesting as well. Interview key people that are involved in the story that you are writing about and get their views or opinions. Insert the quotes without revising them.

5. Verify your data. It's unacceptable to submit your articles to your editors without verifying the data that you have included in your content. You don't want libel suit and you don't want to ruin your credibility, right? So, make time to verify every piece of information you write about and ensure that they are all based on facts.

Newspaper Advertising Inserts Prove Cost Effective

One of the most cost-effective methods for promoting your business is through the use of newspaper advertising inserts, also known as pre-prints, presorts or free-standing inserts (FSIs). The main feature for this advertising vehicle is the free-standing nature. Usually, this advertising medium is pre-printed and then inserted into the body of the newspaper. Since they are free-standing these inserts will drop into the reader's lap alerting the reader of the business message at hand. They provide a type of instant messaging that will attract at least a cursory perusal that, if your product and or services are something necessary in the reader's daily life, will lead them to read on.

Many varying types of retail outlets employ the use of pre-printed inserts that announce new arrivals, discounts, seasonal offerings or weekly specials. Everyone is familiar with the weekly supermarket insert that shoppers consult for coupons or other announcements that, sometimes, are time sensitive. That's why supermarket inserts are usually placed in a Wednesday newspaper announcing special offers and pricing available during the high-traffic weekend shopping.

"Single Page or Multi-Coloured Pull-Out?"

Some newspaper advertising inserts are as simple as a computer-produced, copied 8 X 11.5 on plain white paper up to a many page, multicoloured pull-out describing a wide array of products and services. Although a small, black and white ad contained in what is called the ROP, run of press, which means printed on a newspaper page, use of an FSI allows you to take advantage of the circulation and stand out from the traditional page ads.

Furthermore, using inserts allows you to apply different characteristics that will make your message stand-out in addition to its free-standing nature. When creating an insert, you can allow for outlandish eye-catching designs employing colour, different type fonts, images and other illustrative shapes. Cleverly designed inserts can include either single or multiple "calls to action." Through design, you can create a message that stands out and is above and beyond anything that your competitors might present.

"Inserts Can Cost 4 or 5 Times Less Than Direct Mail..."

Through newspaper insertion, your advertising can be distributed at probably four to five times less cost than traditional direct mail advertising. These cost savings can help the educated advertiser create either repetitive presentations or more complex individual messages that can attract more traffic to your website and or retail location.

More traffic translates to greater revenue opportunities. If you truly have what a consumer is looking for, effective insert advertising will bring prospects in and it'll be your job to convert them into loyal customers.

And, just like the consumer who knows that they'll find their favourite supermarket circular in every Wednesday addition, repeated use of insert advertising does go a long way toward providing credibility for you and your business. Everyone wants to associate with a winner and, psychologically speaking, a repeat presence in your local newspaper tends to act like a "third-party" reference that produces what marketing experts refer to as TOMA or Top of Mind Advertising.

"Get Into The Heads Of The Readers..."

Eye-catching, cleverly designed, stand-out-from-the-crowd business messages when repeated will become part of the recipient's inner consciousness. We tend to remember a lot even though we may not know from where the message originated.

Become an informed advertising consumer by educating yourself with help from the experts at AdSense-On-Demand [http://www.adsense-on-demand.co.uk]. You'll be better prepared when selecting your newspaper insert advertising campaign.

Journalism - Five Easy Rules For Successful Newspaper Writing

Writing for newspapers is different than writing for magazines, blogs, and websites. Rules governing journalism writing keep the interest of the reader as they navigate through a story. The rules, however, are simple to follow.

Here are five basic rules that can lay the foundation for your journalism success:

1) Create an attention-grabbing lead. The lead helps the reader determine if he is going to stick with the article. Making it boring will have the reader searching for more somewhere else. A good way is to start with a question. The reader might want to keep reading to get to the answer.

2) Get to the point. Now that you have the reader's attention, keep it. Travelers usually take the shortest and fastest way to their destination. Newspaper readers want the same thing. Try to write sentences in the smallest amount of words possible. The longer the sentences, the more likely you will extinguish the reader's interest. Keep pounding them with hard-hitting sentences, and they will take the reader all the way to the end of the article. Leave the "colorful" writing to magazines.

3) Avoid unnecessary words. Example: If you write "the ambulance took him to a nearby hospital," cut out the word nearby. Is the ambulance going to take him to the furthest hospital? Probably not. Let's just assume the reader knows this. Remember, the less amount of words used, the better.

4) Let the newsmakers tell the story. Use quotes whenever someone says something memorable or contains technical expertise that the reader knows didn't come from your mind. It adds credibility to the story, and also saves your reputation if controversial statements are made. You didn't say it, they did!

5) End with a bang. Just like you started the story with an attention grabbing lead, you should bring the story around full circle. Doing so will make the reader feeling like they got their fill with the article. If you started the story with a question, maybe you can reveal the answer.

Even though writing for newspapers requires learning certain rules, it is easy to write interesting stories that will launch your successful newspaper writing career.

Herbert W Armstrong and Worldwide Church of God Mentioned in Israeli Newspaper

You could say I have a God-given love for the Jews and the nation of Israel (Isaiah 62:6-7). That sacred bond has been strengthened over the years by the fact that I've been blessed to have lived all over Israel, getting to know its land and people quite well.

Apart from 5 months as a kibbutz volunteer at Ramat Yohanan near Haifa, I've also served as a kibbutz volunteer at Sdot Yam on the Mediterranean, next to Caesarea, the site of my first ulpan (intensive Hebrew course), and where Israel's heroine, Hannah Senesh, was from; Regavim, near Zichron Yaakov, where I continued my Hebrew lessons amid its rolling green hills; Reshafim, near Bet She'an, with Mt. Gilboa practically in our backyard, and Jordan's mountains in lovely view out front; Adamit, on Lebanon's border, high up on a mountain, from where on clear days you can see all the way to Haifa's Mt. Carmel; Shoval, a rose in the Negev desert, just north of Be'er Sheva; Dan, way up in the northernmost part of Israel, in between Syria and Lebanon, next to the majestic snow-covered Mt. Hermon, where I was living when "Operation Desert Storm" blew in; and Ha'On, with its campground and ostrich farm on the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee, across from Tiberias; and last but not least, my beloved Jerusalem, next to my favorite spot on earth: the Temple Mount.

It was during my sojourn at Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan, while looking for the home of the widow Simcha Gombo, a Worldwide Church of God member and mother of Michal (who was deaf) - both of whom I had briefly met during the 1980 Church of God celebration of the biblical Festival of Tabernacles in Jerusalem - that I met Ilan Itzhayek on the street and asked directions, as related in Israel Work History (Worldwide Church of God).

Ilan Itzhayek wrote the following full page article in Hebrew that appeared in Hed HaKiryot, a newspaper in Northern Israel, just West of the Sea of Galilee, November 19, 1982. Please note that David Hoover is the name I was born with before I legally changed it to David Ben-Ariel, and forgive the imperfect translation of the Hebrew into English in this attempt to preserve a part of the Church of God history in the Promised Land (and honor Ilan Itzhayek for helping to make it).

The Drug Addict Who Discovered God and the Kibbutz

by Ilan Itzhayek

His name is David Allen Hoover - he's 22 years old and was born in Toledo, Ohio, USA.

David, and other members of the Church he belongs to arrived in Israel last month as visitors in Jerusalem, but David stayed behind as a volunteer at Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan. He doesn't mind any of the work they give him to do - whether it's in the fields, in the factory or in the chicken incubators - he has ideals.

David belongs to a very special Church called the Worldwide Church of God - they call themselves the true Christians and consider the conventional Christians pagan. They believe in the Torah of Moses and observe Sabbath, as well as all the annual holy days mentioned in the Torah. They believe Jesus Christ is the Messenger of God. The Church has 100,000 brethren all over the world. A common belief they have is that they have been chosen by God to join the community of believers. Their leader is Herbert Armstrong, 91, whom they admire and consider that he's come in the spirit of Elijah.

David talks quite excitedly about his Church. He's very patient and ready to explain his convictions to you again if you haven't understood them. His answers are filled with verses from the Bible and the New Testament - verses that he knows by heart. He calls himself "chosen" because in his Church there isn't those "religious and not religious" - there's only the chosen. If you don't agree the Church doesn't want you - which means that God hasn't called you.

Scar in the Heart

David hasn't always been in the Church. He was raised on a farm in Ohio that belongs to his father's family. His parents were divorced when he was 11 years old. A year later his alcoholic father died at the early age of 36. "All I remember about my father," David says with a sort of bitter smile, "is that he was drunk and always messing up the house and arguing with my mom. He was always arguing with her. I was really young then so I really didn't even get to know him. I almost can't remember how he looks."

It was a drastic change - his parents divorced, the move from the farm to the city, a new school and then his father's death that deeply affected him.

Soon, with all of his being, David began to search for a way to help him with his hurt. That's when someone mentioned to him how you feel "high" when you do drugs. So he began to really look for drugs. He tried to find out who used them and where they hung out. Shortly after trying pills, pot and hash, he began to buy them regularly.

"When I was 15 years old I stopped taking them by the mouth and started snorting them" - quickly adding ' "it's far more potent that way and it affects you more quickly...money to buy drugs with wasn't a problem for me. It wasn't hard to get. The man my mom had remarried wasn't rich, but he definitely wasn't poor. The allowances I got I used to buy drugs with instead of clothes or other things. My sister and I kept it secret that we were getting high and so our parents kept giving us good allowances."

It seems like David will never forget a Jethro Tull rock concert that he attended. "I had snorted some drugs, smoked a lot of pot and hash and was drinking beer until I was really high." He remembers, "I felt really strange. All I remember is being sat down by some friends and the chair began to fall backwards...3 days later I woke up in the intensive care unit of the hospital with a heart monitor attached to me. I was in serious condition and it had been getting worse but the doctors worked hard to save me." "Later there was a special agreement between me and my parents," David grins. "I was promised that if I quit taking drugs they'd allow me to let my hair grow long. I promised and I didn't keep it. My hair grew down to my waist."

Wanderings and its Moral

A different stage began in David's life: wandering through different churches. He was in and out of many churches during his search for the true morals and values. He considered the members of traditional Christianity as hypocrites. Those churches had failed to fulfill him.

After failing to find what he was searching for, David came in contact with Hinduism - the Hare Krishnas. He was attracted by its exotic appeal, the incense and vegetarian members of that cult. During a special Krishna festival in Philadelphia, he met a famous leader in their movement who wanted him to become his personal aide and travel all over. David decided not to join because he didn't want to be separated from his family. "I believed in Hare Krishna," David says assured, "I loved the religion because it was physically and spiritually attractive and I was devoted to it. I engaged in their ceremonies, singing and dancing, chanting their mantras and going into a group trance. But even though I knew their religion didn't accept drugs, I still used them, though they were unaware of it. I was around 17 when I began to shoot up drugs."

After awhile David began to seriously question his involvement with the Krishnas. He feared he had been wrong, had been misled in going to the guru. His amount and use of drugs began to dramatically increase, going to the bars every night of the week, getting high and drunk, began to take its toll on his body. By then it seems he had lost any spiritual strength he had.

"God Help Me"

"I really began to think about God," he says. "Suddenly I began to think about him seriously and wondered if I had been deceived or enlightened in Krishna. I begged God to lead me into all the truth. I had prayed about it many times and then one of the greatest miracles in my life happened" - he explains while getting down on his knees to show how he had been praying. "All I remember is that I was purposely praying to the God of the Bible and really hoped that somehow He would answer my prayer. Then it was like a hot brand was put upon my forehead. Two words were forcibly impressed upon my mind: "FORSAKE HINDUISM!" Then I actually wondered whether it was my subconscious that gave me those words. I turned to my Bible that was beside me and, unintentionally, opened it up to Psalms 115:4-8 - David's holding his Bible and reading it out loud: "Their idols are silver and gold; the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not; They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like them; so is every one that trusts in them." "After that I didn't need any further proof to know that it had truly been from God. That same day I burned all my Hindu books, beads, posters...".

"Dirty needles"

The drugs caused David's condition to continually deteriorate. Everyone told him that he was destroying himself. He knew himself that he was going to die, but he wasn't able to help himself.

"All that horrible time" - David says with a shaky voice - "I really wanted to be free. I didn't want to be addicted to drugs. But I also felt that there wasn't anything in this world worth living for. I didn't have any power but I still tried to get off drugs. I ended up throwing away my needles, hoping to stop, but later I'd turn around and go back and take them out and use them." Even though his needles had been in the garbage, dirty and broken, he said he still used them up to a dozen times, even though you're only supposed to use them once! "I was taking the needles in my frustration and would bash them against the wall so that I couldn't use them, but later I'd attempt to until it hurt me and I was bleeding. That's when I realized that I was addicted." David says, thinking out loud: "All I knew was that only GOD could help me, not man!"

David experienced "almost sure death" another time, besides the rock concert, when he was 18, and was in his bedroom mainlining some drugs. His mother was home at the time but was unaware of what was happening to her son. "Suddenly everything seemed strange to me" - David says trying to remember - "the music started sounding really weird...Later I woke up in the hospital and a doctor informed me that I had damaged my liver and that it was a miracle that I still had a brain and could think clearly."

Goodbye and Good Riddance

"Those were my times of wandering in the wilderness. God delivered me and took me out of Egypt into His light" - David says reflecting on his past. "The inner struggle between good and evil wearied me after awhile. I had been asking God what I was supposed to do. I asked for power because I didn't have any strength and none of the churches I encountered had the power necessary to deliver me from drugs. At the time I opened up my Bible unintentionally to Isaiah 45. The first verse that caught my eye was verse 2: "I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron...". That verse succeeded to do for David what he, of himself, had been unable to do for years.

"No more drugs!" David said and that is how he finally managed to be free from drugs. "Now I felt ready to begin to listen to God. Sometimes you have to first live in darkness before you can appreciate the light. I knew I wanted to live God's ways of life so I said good-riddance to drugs and to my old friends and bad influences - to all of that I said goodbye and good riddance!"

"Drugs are a Lie"

Shortly afterwards, David discovered the Worldwide Church of God through their Plain Truth magazine. The ideas in it seemed so logical to him and not like all the others he had known.

Soon David was one of its excited believers. After a whole year of observing Sabbath and all the holy days of Israel, he was baptized as a brother into the Church.

One of the Worldwide Church of God beliefs is that there will be a politico-military mess that will take place by next year. In their opinion, Germany, and maybe even Italy, will attempt to conquer the world. That attempt will ignite a world war that will take two thirds of the world's population, but that afterwards there will begin a true peace for planet Earth. The members of the Worldwide Church of God will be among those that survive and they believe that eventually their beliefs will be accepted by all the Earth.

The doctrines of the Church are all biblically based. Besides the above-mentioned prophecy there is another one that states the world leaders will sit in Jerusalem and that Israel will become a "Light to all nations." The whole world will have one government.

David is writing a book, from his biblical research, about the two prophets who will prepare the way for the days to come. David is also contemplating about writing an autobiography. He already knows what he would call it - Wanderings! He's convinced that he has a lot of experience to give to others, and he's very interested in warning those who might consider abusing drugs. "Drugs are a lie" - he says - "and it would be a lot better if people would learn form the experience of others. Today I'm alive, very alive - and I feel I have a lot to live for!"

Online Classified Apartment Ads Vs Newspaper Classified Ads For Your Apartment

When I started posting online classified apartment ads, I remember having high vacancy and numerous vacant rental units. I just remember wanting to get rid of the vacant apartments to reduce my vacancy.

I thought of all types of advertising, but the only problem was that I didn't have enough time and money to carry out traditional newspaper classifieds properly.

My money was tight and I was operating on a small budget. Traditional classified advertising wasn't an option and I couldn't afford much more than a for rent yard sign.

I was pondering how to advertise my available apartments on a shoe string budget. It didn't make sense to pay all of that money on newspaper classified ads with nothing to show for it.

Through my search, I discovered an excellent way to get around my lack of advertising dollars. The plan was to place free classified ads online with free classified ad sites.

Some of these online classified apartment ad sites even let you upload photos of my rental property and unit. So I began to place my classified rental ads online at these sites.

Some of my associates and friends would even advertise their rental units and gain as a result. The newspaper isn't effective in advertising and generating quality leads.

Online classifieds are far superior the newspaper classifieds in my opinion. The audience that is attracted to the online classified ads dwarfs traditional newspaper classifieds.

Renters could view my rental ad across the country or across the world. Many landlords and real estate investors ignore this free and cost effective way to advertise their rentals.

I think if something is free, especially online classified apartment ads, it should be at least investigated, because many good free things do not really exist these days. The internet and online classified ads provides this potential to enter the world of classified ads as never before.

The Online Newspaper: Information Highway

The world is changing so rapidly that all the things I grew up with are slowly disappearing. Vcrs, Tapes, My Hairline, and now even the traditional newspaper. I can still remember a time, when people waited on the newspaper in the morning. It was delivered by some unlucky guy who had to wake up at 4 in the morning, to get it ready for the public. In that newspaper, election results were discovered, sports scores were unveiled and executions were confirmed. Yes, the paper has been a true friend to a lot of people. Now the internet has taken a beautiful invention and made it even better.

The power of the web is so incredible and influential. The newspaper was given legs by different groups and it has ran off into the millennium. Now every opinion has been given a digital platform, to plead it's case to the world. This democracy has given freedom to the deranged thoughts of a couple of individuals, but for the most part it's been a great combination. All types of groups have been able to air their concerns, whether it be love, religion, war or politics, no opinion is turned away. Companies like 21 Blackstreet, Bossip, and Black Box have been given a format to present all of their products and services. Online Newspapers, or at least good ones, have kept up with all of the news in a timely manner. They are always up to date and keep readers informed. The Online Newspaper is the heartbeat of a new generation.

Do People Still Read the Newspaper - Whether Newspaper Advertising Is Still Effective

With the rise of the Internet comes a decline in almost all in print publications. Not many years ago I could go to the book store and pick out several short story magazines at my leisure to read. Now, if I want good fiction I'm more inclined to look up an online magazine than one in print. Simply finding a hard copy of a magazine these days can be a challenge. So what does this mean for newspapers?

Finding news online is an easy task. I routinely look up Yahoo news to get up to date information as well as reading the newspaper. The Internet provides a convenient way for people to easily acquire information at any time, so why not focus more on online news than in print?

Perhaps twenty or more years down the line this will be even truer, but to throw in the towel for our friend the tangible newspaper would be rather silly. While it may seem like everyone in this country has ready access to the Internet, there are still many who either don't, or choose not to. Furthermore, the Internet is something people can't always carry along with them. While wireless has given Internet access to a greater range of places, it still can't possibly compete with the versatility of a newspaper.

But what does all of this mean to marketing? Many companies are going to be tempted to shift more of their attention to online advertising than in print, but this would be a mistake. Color printing is not a thing of the past. People still like to have something they can hold in their hands, and, more importantly, something they can carry with them.

When you see that banner over a website, you have interest, and you think you'd like to try that out, what can you do? Go right at that moment to learn more? What if you don't have time? Write the information down or print it out, perhaps? But what a hassle that can be having to write everything down. A colorfully printed ad in a newspaper can be torn out, placed in your pocket, and carried with you. That right there is a convenience the Internet cannot readily give a person.

But beyond the convenience, newspapers are still a staple of our society, as are newspaper advertisements. Many people use these kinds of ads to see when the next sale is coming out, perhaps only looking through the newspaper at all to find this information. People know it's there, and unlike the Internet, which is a massive network of various websites, a newspaper is straightforward and easy to find. A person doesn't need to do lengthy searches to learn what they want to.

There has been a switch into Internet advertising, and it does have its advantages, but to say color printing and newspaper advertising is a dead form of marketing would be disregarding a large part of our population. We'll see what enough years do to newspapers, but for now, it seems a little too early to think about putting this particular media in the ground.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Commercial Color Printing

How You Can Take Advantage Of Newspaper Classified Advertising

Newspaper classified advertising has a potential to be one of the best kinds of marketing for you and your business. If used correctly, it can help you with reaching a wide array of people while presenting you with a number of options. However, there is a right and wrong way to go about using this type of advertising.

The first step to taking advantage of newspaper classified advertising is putting together a well developed advertising campaign plan. This includes what newspapers you might want to advertise in, what kinds of content you would like to include, and how much of a budget you are working with. To begin with the plan, you will probably want to gather classified advertising information and select the newspaper.

From there you can continue the planning process of how to target the right audience. You should know that at first it is best to use other classified advertising methods on top of newspaper classified advertising. You never want to rely on one advertising method unless you have had success with it before.

But for your advertisement, you have to try to clearly define all of the advantages that you want your consumer to incur in a short amount of space. This is where it is extremely important that you are creative and capable of saying a lot in as few of words as possible.

Sometimes the way to go in a newspaper is to send out a blind ad. What this entails is you enticing a consumer to find out more of the benefits you have to offer by following a web site link or phone call. Even then it is vital that you give them a reason to follow for more. Remember, there are hundreds of other ads that you have to compete with to grab the attention of the readers.

This fact alone can make or break your newspaper classified advertising campaign. It is absolutely essential that your ads stand out from the rest of the ads. You must put together a unique and enticing ad campaign that still delivers the main points. Sometimes you can get by with a unique ad that does not deliver much information; similar to a blind ad. But for the most part you want to include some benefits within your ad.

This can be extremely beneficial to your business if you know how to use it right. This means putting together enticing ads that stand out from the rest and still deliver the message you want to get across. Take a look at some ads in the paper and see what stands out to you. This can help you put together an ad campaign that is sure to benefit you and your business.

Best Ideas For a Good Business - Newspaper Home Delivery is a Great Way to Earn Money

Are you in the market for a new job? The best ideas for a good business are the ones where you provide a service people need. Choose something tried and true that you know is not going away, something people are going to continue to need.

One of the best ideas for a good business to get into is being a delivery person for newspapers. This business is as old as the hills, as long as there have been papers, they have needed someone to sell them or deliver them. How many kids do you know that started their retail careers delivering newspapers?

Sure the Internet gives people a lot of news, but not everyone is computer literate. And even among those who are, there are still people who just like having the morning and the evening papers delivered. This is one of the best ideas for a good business, because you have control of it. If you are delivering in a neighborhood that has fifteen homes and you are dropping off three papers do something about it get them involved. Make them want to get the paper too. Offer to leave then a free paper for a week and then if they decide they want to take the service, you can start charging on the second week of delivery.

Of course to get the largest benefit from any of the best ideas for a good business, you will need to do the best job you can do. You have to deliver at the same time of the day and you have to deliver every day that the paper is printed.

How to Write News Articles for Your Local Newspaper - Four Things Freelancers Must Know

Knowing how to write a news article is one thing. How to benefit financially from that knowledge is another.

For editors, a freelance journalist can be an irritant and a savior all at once. They can be bothersome when repeatedly proposing story ideas at busy deadline times but they can also rescue a news desk that may be short of staff on any particular day.

The key to freelance journalism is to keep plugging away with quality work so that the editor will always have time for you.

To get a foot in the door of your local newspaper, a freelancer should know four things - the news, the editors, the newsmakers and the follow-ups.

Spend some time thinking about these four important facets and how you may write your articles before you even start to submit work to any publication.

1. Know the news - it may sound obvious, but you'd be amazed at the number of freelancers who have no knowledge of local issues but believe the quality of their writing gives them first right to premium column space. It doesn't matter how well you write, if your article is irrelevant to the publication's agenda, it has little chance of getting used. Take time to read the paper. Go through the issues and gain an understanding of its editorial stance and what it cares about, not what you think is important.

2. The editors - these people are the gatekeepers of your articles and they could drop your stories at a whim. You should know them, their names, positions in the company, demeanor and how they feel about certain issues, which can give you an idea on how to slant your articles for a better chance of getting published.

3. The newsmakers - it is crucial that you know who makes the news and who doesn't. Go through newspapers in your area and identify which people are the ones who are quoted and to what issues they are often sought out for. Once you know that, go through the phone directory and get their contact numbers. Your ultimate aim is to get to know these people voice-to-voice, face-to-face on a professional, and even personal, level.

4. The follow-ups - this is probably the most important knowledge you can have because this is what will brand you as a journalist. And, significantly, this is not something you can read up on but it is what you generate from your own head. If an issue crops up, arm yourself with the knowledge required from the first three points and then work on a possible follow-up story. Remember, the in-house reporters will probably be doing the same thing, so you should try to think of a different angle. This will prevent you from stepping on toes and also raise your standing in the eyes of editors.

Once you have all this in your head, call or email the editor and tell him or her your story idea. If it is topical, fresh and relevant to what the paper had in its latest issue, and it takes the story further, there is a good chance it will be used.

If so, you have your foot in the door. This does not only apply to newspapers. There are magazines and online news outlets that can also be targeted. Follow these four rules and kick-start your freelance journalism career.

Newspaper Inserts - Distributing Your Flyers

Newspaper inserts are a cost-effective and guaranteed way to have your flyers delivered directly into the homes of your potential customers. Advertising with full color flyers is a time-tested and proven method of marketing that can generate immediate sales and help your company with branding.

What is a newspaper insert?

A newspaper insert is simply a flyer that is distributed into homes or news stands via the newspaper. Once your flyer is placed into it becomes a "newspaper insert" which is also commonly referred to as a preprint, P&D, and/or Free Standing Insert (FSI).

Do you have an effective newspaper insert?

Before you even think about inserting your flyer into the newspaper you will want to make sure you have a great design. Here are a few things to consider when designing a newspaper insert for your small business.

Do you have attractive graphics and an overall high quality flyer?
Do you have a "call to action" such as a sale, promotion, or special event?
Have you included (easy to find) contact information?
Does your flyer stand out from the competition?
Do you have a way to track results such as a coupon or phone line?
Have you had a professional designer create or review your flyer?

You should answer yes to all of these questions before sending out your flyer.

What are the benefits of newspaper inserts?

More cost effective than direct mail, shared mail, radio, and television.
Guaranteed delivery into thousands of homes.
Targeted by zip code and demographics.
Generate instant responses and sales.
Time-tested method of marketing that yield great results.
Lends credibility to your business and build your brand.
Newspapers are a trusted source of information in your community.

Newspaper inserts typically remain in homes for 2-3 days after delivery
....and the list could go on!

Don't throw away your small business advertising dollars. They are a smart, safe, and cost-effective way to launch a successful advertising campaign within your community.

Copyright © 2007 Taradel, LLC. All rights reserved.

Free Newspaper Advertising - Bad Times For Them, Good Times For You

It's no secret that newspapers have fallen on hard times with the advent of the internet but they aren't dead yet and if you can get free newspaper advertising with just a little effort you're going to do your business a favor. Industry estimates say that 57% of the population still read a paper daily and the number goes up for the Sunday edition so there is still an audience out there that you can reach.

Large papers are hurting but the smaller community pages are hurting even more. Advertising revenues are down and the cost of publication, including the content, is up. If you can help them out by providing timely relevant content, odds are you can get that content published and get some free promotion at the same time.

For example if you run an auto repair shop and your local paper runs an article on the high cost of gasoline, you can prepare an article on tips to get better mileage. Remember this is a news story not an advertisement. You can talk about the importance of properly inflated tires, not carrying unnecessary weight in the trunk and the fuel efficiency that comes with an engine that is properly tuned.

Depending on the paper's policies, you'll be able to add something simple like "this article submitted by ABC Auto Care located at 123 Main St., Elm City" at either the top or the bottom of the article. Check with the paper first to determine what format they favor and what their policy is on submissions.

By providing helpful information on a topic that the paper decided was important enough to run in the first place, you're helping them out with content and your getting an excellent opportunity for free newspaper advertising. This is a simple, cost free way to promote yourself and get the community talking about your business.

Foreclosure Listings in the Newspaper - Better Than Online?

One thing that many would-be real estate investors ask is why they should pay for foreclosure listings when they can get them for free in the newspaper. If you think about it, of course, you are not really getting your local foreclosure notices free of charge since in most areas you must pay a subscription for the newspaper. Perhaps it seems like they are free because you were already subscribing to the paper before you started thinking about investing in real estate, but the truth is that it costs you something.

Everyone seems to want to get something for nothing, which makes absolutely no sense in the case of real estate investing. You have enough money to buy a house as an investment but you can't fork out a weekly or monthly subscription fee for an online foreclosure listing service? Don't think of it as an expense. It is an investment in your real estate business that will result in higher profits by providing access to better listings than you will find in your local newspaper.

Perhaps you are wondering why online foreclosure listings are better. These listings usually contain more information than what you will get from the paper. They save you time by giving you the complete address and usually include a picture so you can at least have an idea of what the house looks like. This type of information is not normally included in the legal notices that are published in newspapers.

The exact wording of the legal notices varies from one part of the country to another, but in many areas you will read a description such as "the northwest corner of the northeast corner of the township of Smithton." Where on earth is that? The property address may or may not be included in the publication. Even if the owner's address is required to be published, it may not be the same as the property address.

The biggest problem with newspaper foreclosure listings, however, is the fact that each newspaper publishes only a handful of foreclosure notices. If you want to get all of them, you would have to subscribe to every local newspaper in the country. Even if you are only interested in those foreclosures that are in your local area, it is likely that you would need to subscribe to several newspapers to be sure that you have the entire area covered. It is cheaper and easier to pay for a subscription to an online foreclosure listing service.

Free MLM Advertising - How to Advertise Your Opportunity in Local Newspaper For Free

You will require tremendous amount of brainstorming sessions to do effective free MLM advertising. However, brainstorming sessions can be eased with the help of proper use of planning and accordingly implementing those useful strategies. Experts usually suggest of doing free network marketing advertising in a simple and intelligent manner.

Next, publishing press releases in local newspaper is very simple and easy. Moreover, local newspapers desperately look out for articles that deal in great achievements in favor of local residents.

Therefore, for any individual, who wants to publish his or her personal articles, local newspaper is the best option, especially, when the newspaper is small and presents the articles in a viable way.

Before starting, you need to remember that the editor of the local newspapers is always on the hunt for news's that will prove beneficial for his/her subscribers in some way or the other.

Moreover, the news to be published on the papers needs to be of utmost importance. Nevertheless, try focusing on the importance and attractiveness of the news as to how useful and fresh the news needs to be.

In addition, the particular news writer has to write news's that can be related to present news events that will attract the present market for free network marketing advertising. Next, the content needs to comprise of gifts and other valuable offers that will attract the readers towards the MLM advertising.

Accordingly, the news that will be published needs to work in complete accordance with the readers of that paper. The publisher has to try keeping the matter precise yet meaningful explaining everything about free MLM lead generation. Moreover, the articles have to be neat and concise. There needs to be double spacing in every article to make it look more attractive. Most importantly, each article needs to wind up at around 400-450 words to avoid readers falling asleep.

One more strategy that can be used is by including a photograph and e-mail the entire package of the local news. If the article happens to be a real eye-catcher, then probably that individual might be called in for an interview by the local publisher and this will help in escalating the fame of that individual in the world of MLM.

Thus by following the above-mentioned strategies, you can surely create a good mark in the field of free MLM advertising for a long-term.

News Blogs Vs The Newspaper

Grapevine has it that the paper boy may soon be out of business with the emergence of news blogs on the internet. Conventionally, most home owners, especially those belonging to the older generation are used to reading the daily newspaper in print in order to stay updated with current global news. However, this trend is experiencing a change where the newer generation now looks to the internet when it comes to staying updated with the latest happenings around the world.

This shifting trend poses a threat to many of the conventional print newspapers. So much so that many of them have initiated the move to go online. Many newspaper companies have experienced a drop in their sales due to this new emerging trend. However, the danger for news agencies is far from over because they are being rivaled by another creation of the web that comes in  the form of news blogs.

These are basically online websites that deliver round the clock updated breaking news from around the world. These news aggregation websites do not only give you the daily news as quoted from other news sources  but they also give you the opportunity to watch original news programs covering your favorite niches. Many of these blogs feature separate sections, writers, videos and original programs on politics, business, sports, entertainment, biz and tech and much more. In essence a news blog is everything that a newspaper could ever wish to be.

There is no denying the fact that news blogs offer the news seeker a much more enhanced experience. At the same time however it has had a significant impact on journalism. This is because readers are given the opportunity to comment and give feedback on anything they read, see or hear on these blogs thus keeping the journalists in check. Unlike conventional media where it is difficult to identify a twisted agenda, with news blogs intentions are always kept in check.  

When examined in detailed this phenomenon comes across as a very important and vital development of our century. In an era where the media is being blamed for promoting vested agendas, news blogs deliver impartial breaking news and headlines from around the world in an unbiased, unprejudiced and informative manner.

The newspaper in print can never even dream to match the value that news blogs have to offer. This is why you will find them to be increasing in terms of popularity all over the world whereas the sales and popularity of the conventional printed paper seem to be dwindling fast.

Format For Writing a Newspaper Article - How You Should Write Your News Articles

Writing news articles is a very rewarding task. Aside from the fact that you'll be able to inform the masses, you'll also have the power to influence public opinion. In addition, you can also make decent money in this endeavor if your articles are really, really good.

Here's the structure you need to follow when writing your news articles:

1. Kick-start your news articles by using a very powerful, eye-catching headline. What they say is true; your headline is the most important element of your news article. As this is what will draw your readers in, ensure that it's very enticing and moving. Tell your audience what's in it for them and the gist of your content using as few powerful words as possible.

2. Lead paragraph. News article are written using the inverted pyramid technique. This is because your audience are eager to know the most essential information. So, tell them everything that they need to know on your lead paragraph. Tell them what happened, give them a list of all the persons involved, tell them when and where it happened, and how. Your readers must get a very clear picture of your chosen story by simply reading this paragraph.

3. Article body. Use your succeeding paragraphs to offer your readers with supporting details. Present them based on their importance to your main topic. The most important ones should come first. You can also insert quotes or images that are closely related to your chosen story. If you're doing a follow-up story, make sure that you also offer additional or background information.

Newspaper Classifieds Are Old News

Using newspaper classifieds to advertise a product or service has far more disadvantages than advantages. The fact is that most people these days are using the Internet to research purchases and desired services at a far greater rate, than looking in the newspaper classifieds for these same items. The Internet gives you many different analytical tools to research and design your ad campaign, something which you can not do with the same ease using newspaper classifieds. Here I will explain some of the main advantages and disadvantages of using newspaper classified ads, as well as make recommendations for replacing this method.

One of the main advantages to newspaper classifieds is that it can be easier to target a specific geographic area, since newspapers are typically delivered to a large amount of people in a specific region. The other advantage is that you have flexibility to choose where your ad appears in the newspaper. This can help because you have the ability to strategically place your ad in a way that catches a readers eye. However when you use the Internet, you have a lot of optimization work to do in order to strategically place the ad to be displayed in a specific region.

The biggest disadvantage you face with newspaper classifieds is the cost. Placing ads in newspaper classifieds is expensive. You are charged a fairly expensive fee for a space in the newspaper. On top of that, newspaper classifieds offer no analytics. What this means is that you have no way to know if your ad is effective aside from sales. You don't know who is actually looking at your ad either. Another disadvantage to newspaper classifieds is the fact that your ad is placed in the same location as your competition. It's not a very efficient advertising technique due to this. With traditional advertising methods like the newspaper classifieds, you are faced with the fact that you must send your ad to a lot of people, and the majority of these people have no desire to purchase your product or service.

The Internet, however, steps in nicely and turns these disadvantages into advantages. There are a lot of advertising techniques using the web that are free. Since the advertising is free, you don't have to worry about the time frame in which your ad is available. You can post your ad on the Internet, and leave it there permanently or for as long as it is relevant. You can also post as many ads as you want, targeting as many different niches. Using the Internet, you have a vast array of research tools available to you. With these tools, you can research what people are looking for and what the competition is for the keywords you have chosen. When you have the proper tools to research, you can design and strategically plan your advertising campaign.

Newspapers, in general, are slowly becoming obsolete as more and more readers choose to read their news online. Likewise, newspaper classified advertising is decreasing as more and more marketers are turning towards advertising on the Internet instead. The Internet continues to grow in size and offers the greatest flexibility. The Internet offers a global audience, thus allowing your free advertising to allow you to profit immensely. Before you place your next ad, take a look at what the Internet has to offer in terms of marketing and advertising, and weigh your cost analysis between the two marketing methods.

Be Aware of the Negative Influence of Newspaper and Media News

Newspapers are in business to sell news and media news is driven by ratings. Bad news sells five times faster better than good news which is why they don't publish "good news" newspapers.

My first sales job was with a newspaper advertising department and it was while I was there that I learned the only kind of news that sells is bad news. If a newspaper was set-up to publish only good news, it would rapidly go broke. It seems the public at large, has a morbid fascination with other people's problems and tragedies. I was 30 years of age when I learned this and since then over the past 50 years I have never bought a newspaper for that very reason. Similarly if you stop to analyze the content of the incessant stream of news that is bombarding your mind all day and every day from the television newscasts, you will find at least 90% of it is bad news. Imagine the impact of all this bad news on the public psyche over time. Is it any wonder that there is a worldwide increase in depression, anxiety and stress. The reality is you can get through life successfully without subscribing to the practice of avidly following local and world events just to stay up-to-date.

If there is something of importance that will affect your life, it will be

"in the air" and someone in your environment will be only too glad to tell you about it, without you having to go looking it.

This approach has two benefits,

!) It frees up the time for you to pursue more positive actions in your life.

2) It makes other people feel rewarded when they are able to tell you the bad news.

Let me remind you of just some of the things you could be doing instead of spending more time than necessary watching and reading the news.

You could read a good book.

You could do some exercise.

You could go help a needy friend or some other community activity.

You could enrich your mind with further education.

Any of these alternative activities will keep your body and mind in better condition than if you simply spend the time watching the news more than you need.