Pressroom Director, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Advocate is the largest daily newspaper in Louisiana, and publishes editions in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and the Lafayette area. The Baton Rouge universal desk has become a mini-design hub for our growing state operations. We are seeking someone who specializes in Pressroom Operations.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented and a proven leader. Someone know to perform without breaking a sweat as deadline looms.

The Pressroom Director is responsible for staffing and leading a production department of pre-press, pressroom and production maintenance crews that produces a quality Advocate edition and commercial jobs by deadline each day that makes both the customer and advertiser happy. The Pressroom Director is also responsible for ensuring that the pressroom equipment is operating correcting, that adequate supplies are available to do the job effectively and also for ordering supplies such as newsprint, ink and plates.

Please contact - 

Rachel Murray, PHR, SHRM-CP

Human Resource Director

rmurray@theadvocate.com

Tel: (225) 388-0173

www.theadvocate.com

Cell: (337) 412-2421

Today in Labor History October 14th

Samuel Gompers

New York City cigar makers struck against pay cuts and repressive factory rules during October. The strike ended in January 1878 with the pay cuts and repressive rules intact. Samuel Gompers, the strike leader, was blacklisted and unable to find work for four months. – 1877

NYC cigar makers on strike, founding congress of the Internation Working People's Association occurred and more.CLICK TO TWEET

The two-day founding congress of the International Working People’s Association (IWPA) occurred in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania marking the beginning of the anarchist-trade union movement in the US. The congress endorsed “propaganda by the deed”, which included assassinations. In attendance were two of the future Haymarket Martyrs, August Spies and Albert R. Parsons. – 1883

The Seafarers International Union (SIU) was founded as an American Federation of Labor (AFL) alternative to what was the Congress of Industrial Organization’s (CIO) National Maritime Union. SIU was an umbrella organization of 12 autonomous unions of mariners, fishermen and boatmen working on U.S.-flagged vessels. – 1938

Formal construction began on this date on what was expected to be a five-year, $3.9 billion replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge on the Hudson River. It was estimated that the project would employ 8,000 building trades workers over the span of the job. – 2013

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Mid America launches initiative to generate more from waste

Mid America Paper Recycling (MAPR), an independent broker, processor and exporter of recovered paper in the central United States, is launching an initiative focused on tracking and increasing the value of the recycling waste streams generated by large commercial printers and paperboard converters, according to the company. 

According to Mid America executives, the manufacturing operations of a typical paper or containerboard plant can generate thousands of tons of pre-consumer, high-grade recyclable paper, production trim waste and paperboard waste annually, which in turn, can generate significant revenues for the company.  

“The newspaper industry is one example that ships numerous tons of product each year,” said Paul Pirkle, president of Illinois-based Mid America Paper Recycling. “We work closely with these operators and all companies that recycle waste paper to create a continuous improvement process that helps them identify where waste is generated, establish key collection procedures, and set objectives that will continually improve their waste stream’s revenue contribution to the business.”

The first step in the process is MAPR’s new, free Waste Audit Survey, which takes only 10 minutes for customers to fill out online, according to the company.

News and Tech

Saturday Morning in the Blogosphere

In celebration of newspapers - The County

News desert spreading across Georgia, the South - AJC

Requiem for a newspaper…and an industry? - Journal Tribune

Henrico Citizen newspapers no longer on racks in Kroger - WTVR

More Americans Are Getting Their News From Social Media - Forbes

Schneps Media takes control of amNewYork, lays off 9 - New York Post

Hedge Fund-Owned Newspaper Group Outsources Design Abroad - Intercept

Times may change, but the need to support a free press has not - Black Hills Pioneer

SJ-R Reporters Rally, Warn Of Cuts In Face Of Newspaper Company Merger - NPR

What can researchers find among the 32 million URLs Facebook just released - Poynter

Small Printing Company Makes Big Technology Investment With Textured Spot UV - PI

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Toledo Blade to use SCS/Track

After implementing Layout-8000 and SCS/ClassPag in 2018, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette selected SCS/Track to bolster its production environment and replace its legacy system, according to Software Consulting Services (SCS).

The Post-Gazette, owned by Toledo-based media company Block Communications (BCI), went live with SCS/Track in July of 2019. 

Meantime, the BCI-owned Toledo Blade, an SCS customer for more than two decades, has decided to join its sister paper in moving forward with SCS/Track. The Blade is projected to go live with SCS/Track in the next few weeks.

SCS offers a line of publishing-related applications, including Layout-8000. More than 300 sites producing over 2,000 publications in 10 countries use SCS mission-critical software, the company says. SCS is privately held by Richard and Martha Cichelli.

News and Tech

Today in Labor History October 12th

The Battle of Virden Memorial

The First Industrial Congress of the US (first US national labor congress) met in New York City. – 1845

Today is Miners Day commemorating the seven miners killed in the Virden Riot, 14 miners killed by scabs, 2000 close down dress manufacturing in LA.CLICK TO TWEET

Also known as “Miners Day,” October 12 commemorates the seven miners killed in the “Virden Riot” of October 1898, when miners got in a shootout with mine guards attempting to bring in strikebreakers. The riot came in response to the mine owners refusal to accept the 8-hour day, offer raises, abolish the company store and recognize the United Mine Workers. Six security guards were also killed and 35 others wounded.  – 1898

Fourteen miners were killed and 22 were wounded by scab herders at Pana, Illinois. – 1902

2,000 workers demanding union recognition closed down dress manufacturing, Los Angeles. – 1933

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Swedish printer taps DCOS for retrofit

For almost two decades, Boras Tidning Tryckeri (BTT) has been a cornerstone in Bold Printing Group, one of the largest printing groups in Nordic countries. The printshop in Viared (west of Boras) was established in 2002 following a joint venture between media groups Bold Printing and Gota Media. 

Gota Media is also the owner of the local newspaper Boras Tidning, who used to operate its own printshop in downtown Boras prior the joint venture. 

Gota Media decided to buy Bold Printing out of BTT and regain ownership of the printing plant. The deal will be concluded before the end of the year.

With the new owner in place, BTT decided to put their plans into action and DCOS was awarded the contract to become the automation partner for the press automation.

A KBA Colora press at the site, installed in 2002, is unique in its design. It consists of three four-high printing towers, one five-high and one folder. The five-high was not part of the original press order, but at the time the press was manufactured in Wurzburg, BTT secured another print contract requiring 80 pages and needed one additional web, the result was extending one four-high to a five-high. 

The press automation was a mix of KBA on-press automation and EAE´s section controller, control desks, planning and reporting. The drive system is a Bosch Rexroth SYNAX system. In 2012 BTT placed the order with DCOS to equip the press with its closed-loop inspection system, which included the replacement of the EAE ink-preset system.

“We have been very pleased with the original systems from KBA, EAE and Bosch Rexroth but for us this was an opportunity to unify our automations systems into one hardware and software platform,” says Mans Kallqvist, production and technical manager at BTT.

News and Tech

Friday Morning in the Blogosphere

Tiger Oak Media Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy - Folio

Which podcasts have truly shaped the medium? - Nieman Lab

Times-Union Reporters Speak Out About Staff Cut Concerns - WJCT

CNN public editor: What actually is CNN? - Columbia Journalism Review

How A.G. Sulzberger Is Leading the New York Times Into the Future - Time

The Economist’s ‘Reader-First’ Circulation Model Driving Growth - WAN-IFRA

The Fresno Bee will no longer be publishing the Saturday edition of its paper - BJ

Splinter's Parent Company Tells Staffers Not To Write About Site's Demise - Huffpost

The Washington Post releases ‘Launcher,’ a new section dedicated to video gaming - WaPo

Column: I left the L.A. Times in an era of change in the U.S. What am I returning to? - LA Times

Chicago Tribune begins magazine delivery with Doorfront Direct

The Chicago Tribune has launched local delivery of national monthly magazines in a partnership with magazine and catalog delivery network Doorfront Direct.

As an affiliate of Doorfront Direct, the Chicago Tribune is delivering magazines to local readers with their home-delivery carrier force, the same independent contractors who deliver the daily newspaper.

“Magazine delivery is a good fit for the Chicago distribution operation as it adds more volume to our network,” said Ron Buss, director of distribution for the Chicago Tribune.

Chicago is the 49th market to join Doorfront Direct, which through its affiliates delivers more than 1.2 million magazines across the country each month, the company says.

Doorfront Direct is a partnership of Gannett Publishing Services, Quad and ACI Last Mile Network.

News and Tech

Today in Labor History October 11th

The Miners’ National Association was founded in Youngstown, Ohio, with the goal of uniting all miners, regardless of skill or ethnicity, echoing the Knights of Labor and presaging the Industrial Workers of the World.  – 1873

Nearly 1,500 plantation workers went on strike at Olaa Sugar, on Hawaii’s Big Island. – 1948

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Utah Media Group renews partnership with Express KCS

Utah Media Group, publishers of titles including Deseret News and Salt Lake City Tribune, has renewed its content production agreement with Express KCS. The companies have been working together for almost a decade, according to Express KCS. 

With the extended contract, Express KCS will continue to provide ad production services across print and digital channels to Utah’s biggest publishing group. The ad production workflow will be managed by Express KCS’ proprietary, cloud-based system, Mediaferry. Both companies also agreed to introduce new services and solutions in the future depending on the business requirements.

“We are delighted by the confidence Utah Media Group has shown in us. We look forward to delivering unmatched quality and scalability backed by our state-of-the-art technology solution MediaFerry,” said Robert Berkeley, CEO of Express KCS.

News and Tech

LA VERNE GENERAL PLAN with Mayor Don Kendrick.

Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere

Skid Row Los Angeles 

Newspaper carriers deliver more than news - News-Times

1,000 copies of student newspaper disappear - Washington Examiner

Changing Consumer Attitudes Towards Paper and Print - Printing Impressions

Some Daily Print Circulations Down 20 Percent as Audience Figures Revealed - HTFP

In battle with digital giants, looking for a 'safe harbor' in Congress - America's Newspapers

Facebook’s Settlement With Video Advertisers Should Worry News Publishers - News Media

Acting CBP Commissioner: Harassment Of Journalists By Agents is ‘Unacceptable’ - Huffpost

Local newspapers are suffering, but still produce the most significant journalism - WS chronicle

Reporters Without Borders launches public call to determine trustworthy news outlets - Journalism

Colombia’s chief of intelligence resigns after fact-checkers reveal use of misleading photos - Poynter

PRINT 19’s Red Hot Technology award winners

The Association for Print Technologies (APTech) announced the seven winners of its RED HOT Technologies Vanguard Awards on the eve of its PRINT 19 event (October 3–5, McCormick Place, Chicago).

All seven winners, chosen by a juried panel of industry professionals, were selected from 41 products and solutions exhibited at the show and based on their merits as game-changers in the industry. Six entrants received Breakthrough Awards, recognizing products that build on existing technology to significantly advance its use, and one entrant was selected for the Pioneer Award, given to a product that is the first of its kind or entirely new to the industry.

The RED HOT Technology Vanguard Award Breakthrough winners are BlueCrest for Clarity Optimizer, CapStone Technologies for AutoViri Software, EFI for EFI Fiery FreeForm Create, Koenig & Bauer for AR DataGlass Remote Support system, Koenig & Bauer for Rapida LiveApp and Xerox Corporation for Xerox Adaptive CMYK Plus Technology for the C60/C70 Printer. The RED HOT Vanguard Award Pioneer winner was Xerox Corporation for Xerox Baltoro HF Inkjet Press.

News and Tech

Today in Labor History October 10th

20,000 cotton pickers in southern California’s San Joaquin Valley went on strike six days earlier over wages, working conditions, and union recognition.CLICK TO TWEETStriking workers who had assembled at their union’s office in Pixley, California to hear an organizer speak were shot at by growers who drove up in their pickup trucks. Within minutes, two workers were dead and eight injured.  Eight growers were indicted, but all were acquitted of murder. – 1933

-Blogger’s note – From what I’ve read, John Steinbeck used the shooting at Pixley as a part of his book, In Dubious Battle (a personal favorite of which I have a first edition) The book itself deals with a fruit strike.

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Merged association America’s Newspapers launched

America’s Newspapers—the association formed from the merger of the Inland Press Association and Southern Newspaper Publishers Association — was ceremonially launched Oct. 6 at its inaugural annual meeting in Chicago.

America’s Newspapers unites two of the oldest press associations to form one of the industry’s largest advocates for newspapers and the many benefits to their communities, civil life, freedom of expression and democracy, according to the group. “Newspaper journalism provides a voice for the voiceless, challenges elected officials, shines a light on government, calls for change when change is needed, and exposes corruption and injustice,” said Chris Reen, the president and publisher of The Gazette in Colorado Springs, who will serve as the first president of America’s Newspapers.

America’s Newspapers has adopted a mission of redoubling the commitments of its legacy associations to explain, defend and advance the vital role of newspapers in democracy and civil life.

Along with its new name and logo, America’s Newspapers launched the website newspapers.org, and social media outreach on Facebook, LinkedIn and @NewspaperOrg on Twitter.

A search for a CEO for America’s Newspapers is nearing completion, the group said. Tom Slaughter, who had been Inland executive director, and Edward VanHorn, who had served as SNPA executive director, will stay on at America’s Newspapers through a transition period.

All current members of SNPA and Inland will become members of the new association.

News and Tech

How to Make a Paper Bag with Newspaper – Paper Bag Making Tutorial

This video is all about how to make paper bags using newspaper sheets, this is a full tutorial video and after watching it you will be able to make a paper bag very easily.

Booth space filling up for All in Print China

Exhibitor registration for All in Print China 2020 (AIP) is going strong, according to organizers. Since the online registration opened in April 2019, 65 percent of the booth space has been booked, occupying 753,000 square feet, organizers say.

Jointly organized by Messe Dusseldorf (Shanghai) Co., the Printing Technology Association of China and the China Academy of Printing Technology, the event will be held from October 12­–16, 2020, at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC). Messe Dusseldorf (Shanghai) is a subsidiary of Messe Dusseldorf in Germany, best known as the organizer of drupa, the international trade fair for printing technologies.

According to the latest data, the most booked thematic pavilion at AIP 2020 is the “Packaging Printing” section. According to statistics, the global packaging and printing industry market in 2017 was $851 billion and it is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2021.

Due to the rapid growth of China's economy and the continuous expansion of downstream demand, the growth rate of China's package printing market is much higher than the global industry average.

All in Print China 2020 will feature the innovative technologies and products of leading package printing machinery suppliers, including electrostatic, inkjet and digital printing, according to organizers.

News and Tech

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

Los Angeles City Hall

Steve Hayes and Jonah Goldberg to launch The Dispatch - Axios

Is Anyone Going to Get Rich Off of Email Newsletters? - The Atlantic

Supermarkets bag newspapers at the checkout counter - Yahoo Finance

After More Than 150 Years, Sentinel Printing Is Slated to Close Its Doors - PI

China Masters Political Propaganda for the Instagram Age - The New York Times

Want to interview cartel hit men or human smugglers? - San Diego Union-Tribune

Analysts See $-0.02 EPS for Tribune Publishing Company (TPCO) - Finance Recorder

St. Paul suburbs look on sadly as yet another weekly newspaper shuts down - City Pages

Stavanger Aftenblad’s Comment Campaign Goes Viral in Effort to Reduce Churn - INMA

All the news that’s fit to steal: What happened to the Radford University student paper? - WaPo

News Media Alliance condemns Google’s move in France

Google has announced that it will stop displaying previews of news articles under the newly adopted European Union Copyright Directive in France, unless a publisher waives its right to compensation.

Article 15 of the EU Copyright Directive, also known as the “Publishers’ Right,” empowers news publishers to protect their content online — including “snippets” and summaries — by asking for compensation from online platforms for use of their content, according to the News Media Alliance. France is the first EU member state to pass legislation implementing Article 15.

Virginia-based News Media Alliance released a statement condemning Google’s announcement.

“We stand strong with our global partners — including French Culture Minister Franck Riester — in asserting that this position is contrary to both the law and the interests of news consumers,” the statement said.

News and Tech

Today in Labor History October 9th

Morris Hillquit

Mary Heaton Vorse was born on this date in New York. Vorse was a labor journalist who wrote eyewitness accounts of many of the significant labor battles of her day. She also wrote the novel, “Strike!” which was made into a film in 2007. – 1874

United Hebrew Trades was organized in New York by shirtmaker Morris Hillquit and others. Hillquit would later become the leader of the Socialist Party. – 1888

A lettuce strike occurred in Salinas, California. Fearing communists, authorities removed the red flags that had appeared throughout town, only to find out later that they were part of a traffic check being done by the state highway division. – 1936

Retail stock brokerage Smith Barney reached a tentative sexual harassment settlement with a group of female employees.CLICK TO TWEETThe suit charged, among other things, that branch managers asked female workers to remove their tops in exchange for money and one office featured a “boom boom room” where women workers were encouraged to “entertain clients”. The settlement was never finalized: a U.S. District Court Judge refused to approve the deal because it failed to adequately redress the plaintiff’s grievances. – 1997

3,300 sanitation workers working for private haulers in Chicago won a 9-day strike featuring a 28 percent wage increase over 5 years. – 2003

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HP, Baboyian win Gegenheimer awards

During a private event at the PRINT 19 show in Chicago, the Association for Print Technologies (APTech) announced the recipients of the 2019 Harold W. Gegenheimer Awards.

Named for the former association president and Baldwin Technology company chairman emeritus, the two Gegenheimer awards recognize an individual and a company that demonstrate enduring commitments to the benefit of the print industry.

This year’s recipients are HP and Malkon “Mal” Baboyian, Canon Oce (retired).

Founded in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, HP has come to be known as one of the foremost leaders in tech. HP has been a long-time supporter of APTech with several people serving on its board.  

Mal Baboyian has served on various committees and as a member of the board for APTech for more than a decade, serving as chairman from 2015 to 2017.

His tireless commitment over his 30+ year tenure to building the production printing systems business at Canon Oce and his participation in the betterment of the print industry has made a profound positive impact that truly deserves being recognized, according to APTech.

APTech also announced the selection of its 2020 board the PRINT 19 event.

News and Tech

Today in Labor History October 8th

The Great Chicago Fire began. It would burn through the early morning hours of October 10.CLICK TO TWEETThe fire injured 30 of the city’s 185 firefighters, claimed the lives of hundreds of people, left nearly a third of the city homeless, and destroyed almost 20,000 buildings. Mary Harris “Mother” Jones lost her home and her shop, setting the scene for the start of her career as “The most dangerous Woman in America”– 1871

A General Strike was called to demand the release of Tom Mooney and amnesty for all political prisoners.  Mooney was a labor organizer who was falsely convicted of the fatal Preparedness Day bombing. He was not released until 1939. – 1919

The Upholsterers’ International Union of North America merged with the United Steelworkers of America. – 1985

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DCX, IFRA expos to kick off in Berlin

Final preparations are being made in hall 21 of the Messe Berlin exhibition center, which will become the meeting place for publishers and content specialists worldwide on Oct. 8­–9. The 49th IFRA World Publishing Expo, together with the DCX Digital Content Expo, will offer a program on of digital content and publishing, with concrete solutions and innovative ideas, according to organizers.

IFRA World Publishing Expo offers an opportunity to explore all aspects of newspaper production. The DCX Digital Content Expo is dedicated to the digital side of publishing and content strategy.

Four stages are set out for visitors to highlight the latest trends, organizers say. The Conference Stage will provide numerous examples of best practice from users for users as well as keynote lectures on current topics in publishing. The Content Services & Content Marketing Stage will focus on content specialists from companies and agencies and provide tips for managing the content deluge in the digital age. Exhibitors on the DCX Stage will show proven solutions and future-oriented pilot projects, organizers say. Start-ups will have their own exhibition area with a separate stage on which they can convince visitors of their solutions.

Besides presenting products and services, exhibitors will use the industry events as a platform for exchanging information and for networking, organizers say.

Organizer WAN-IFRA is the World Association of Newspapers and News Media.

News and Tech

Newspapers that never arrive – obstructing print media distribution