MNA 150th — Whiteout Campaign

 

“Minnesota Newspaper Week” is August 13-19, 2017

What would happen if the front page of your newspaper contained no news? What would the community do? Would they miss it? What would people in town talk about? How would they react?

More than 200 newspapers across the State of Minnesota will publish no news on their front pages during the week of August 13-19. This “Whiteout” is taking place during Minnesota Newspaper Week, part of the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s yearlong celebration of its 150th Anniversary. The Whiteout reminds Minnesotans of the important role that newspapers play, writing the first draft of history and telling the stories of their communities.

“In many communities across the State of Minnesota, the newspaper is the main source of local news,” said MNA Executive Director Lisa Hills. “Newspaper journalists across the state attend city council and school board meetings, they cover town festivals and local sports teams, and they arrive on the scene to document history during natural disasters and other community challenges. We know newspapers play an important role.”

Today, 25 daily and 295 non-daily newspapers, from Worthington to Warroad, Bird Island to Baudette, Elbow Lake to Ely and every community in between, belong to the Minnesota Newspaper Association.

“Minnesota Newspaper Week is a statewide initiative that reminds individuals of the importance of a free press,” reads Governor Mark Dayton’s proclamation. “Freedom of the Press promotes a well-informed constituency, improves public policy, increases responsiveness and accountability, and enhances public confidence in governmental institutions.”

To sign up to participate in the Whiteout, visit: http://bit.ly/WhiteOutReg

Sample Whiteout Layouts

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MNA members can design their front page however they choose! The Warroad Pioneer, White Bear Press and Sun Newspapers have provided examples that you can follow as a template or use for inspiration. Click on the images above to download a PDF file of the front and inside pages.

MNA has a variety of house ads promoting newspapers for use both in print on digital media. You can also create your own house ad for Minnesota Newspaper Week.

MNA produced a video that you can share on your website and social media accounts celebrating the newspaper industry in Minnesota and its 150th Anniversary.

Whiteout Resources

These items are available for publication or to spark inspiration for your own original work.

Click here to view and download house ads for print and social media

Guest Columns (click to download Word document)

Editorial Cartoon by Dave Granlund (click image to download)

 

Governor Dayton’s Minnesota Newspaper Week Proclamation (click image to download)

MNA 150th Anniversary Video

Listen to newspaper industry professionals and friends talk about the importance of newspapers and of MNA. Interviews took place at MNA’s 2017 Convention in January. Show this short video to customers, legislators, friends and community leaders at your Newspaper Week event! To view video directly on YouTube, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl5XouEPscU

MNA Logos
Click on the image to download the file.

 

 

Social Media Icons

Facebook Header – 820 x 340 px (click to download full size)

Square – 1000 x 1000 px (click to download full size)Whiteout revenue ideas:

  • Ask local public bodies to sponsor the whiteout
  • Use the blank front page as a subscription drive
  • Sell a signature page of nontraditional advertisers
  • Sell a front-page banner ad (see Warroad and White Bear Press examples)

Whiteout content ideas:

  • Ask readers to submit statements about why they read the newspaper (see this Warroad example)
  • Ask local community leaders or elected officials to write a guest column
  • Cross-promote the published Minnesota Newspaper Week material on your website and social media

If have an idea, logo or column you would like to share with other MNA members, send it to lisa@mna.org.

Participating Newspapers Include:

Adrian – Nobles County Review
Aitkin Independent Age
Albany Enterprise
Albert Lea Tribune
Alden Advance
Alexandria Echo Press
Anoka County Union Herald
Apple Valley – Sun ThisWeek
Arlington Enterprise
Ashby Dalton Post
Askov American
Austin Daily Herald
Battle Lake Review
Baudette – Northern Light Region
Belgrade – The Observer
Bemidji – The Bemidji Pioneer
Benson – Swift County Monitor-News
Blaine Spring Lake Park Life
Blooming Prairie – Steele County Times
Blooming Prairie Leader
Bloomington Sun Current
Blue Earth-Faribault County Register
Brainerd Dispatch
Brooklyn Center / Brooklyn Park Sun Post
Browerville Blade
Burnsville / Eagan – Sun Thisweek
Byron Review
Caledonia Argus
Cambridge – Isanti County News
Cambridge – Isanti-Chisago County Star
Canby News
Cannon Falls Beacon
Cass Lake Times
Chatfield News
Chisholm Tribune-Press
Chokio Review
Circle Pines – Quad Community Press
Clara City Herald
Clarissa – Independent News Herald
Clinton – The Northern Star
Cloquet – Pine Journal
Cokato – Dassel-Cokato Enterprise Dispatch
Columbia Heights / Fridley Sun Focus
Comfrey Times
Cottage Grove – South Washington Co. Bulletin
Cottonwood Tri-County News
Crosby-Ironton Courier, Inc.
Crystal / Robbinsdale / New Hope / Golden Valley Sun Post
Deer River – Western Itasca Review
Delano Herald Journal
Detroit Lakes Tribune
Dodge Center Star Herald
Duluth News Tribune
East Grand Forks – The Exponent
Eden Prairie Sun Current
Eden Valley Watkins Voice
Edgerton Enterprise
Edina Sun Current
Elbow Lake / Herman /Hoffman – Grant County Herald
Elk River – Star News
Elysian Enterprise
Erskine Echo
Excelsior / Shorewood Sun Sailor
Fargo / Moorhead – The Forum
Faribault Daily News
Farmington / Rosemount – Dakota County Tribune
Farmington / Rosemount Independent Town Pages
Fergus Falls Daily Journal
Fertile Journal
Floodwood Forum
Forest Lake Lowdown
Forest Lake Times
Fosston – The Thirteen Towns
Fulda Free Press
Glencoe – The McLeod County Chronicle
Glenwood – Pope County Tribune
Gonvick – The Leader-Record
Grand Forks Herald
Grand Rapids Herald Review
Granite Falls / Clarkfield – Advocate Tribune
Greenbush – The Tribune
Grygla Eagle
Hallock – Kittson County Enterprise
Hanska Herald
Hastings Star Gazette
Hendricks Pioneer
Henning – Citizen’s Advocate
Hermantown Star
Heron Lake – The Tri County News
Hibbing Daily Tribune
Hills Crescent
Hinckley News
Hopkins / Minnetonka Sun Sailor
Howard Lake – Herald Journal
Hugo – The Citizen
Hutchinson Leader
Isle – Mille Lacs Messenger
Jackson County Pilot
Karlstad – North Star News
Kasson – Dodge County Independent
Kenyon Leader
Kimball – Tri-County News
Lake Benton Valley Journal
Lake Crystal Tribune
Lakefield Standard
Lakeville – Sun ThisWeek
Lamberton News
Le Sueur News Herald
LeCenter Leader
LeRoy / Adams – Mower County Independent
Lindstrom – Chisago County Press
Litchfield Independent Review
Little Falls – Morrison County Record
Long Lake – The Pioneer
Long Prairie Leader
Lonsdale News-Review
Luverne – Rock County Star Herald
Madelia Times-Messenger
Mankato – The Free Press
Maple Lake Messenger
McIntosh Times
Meadow Area Shopper
Melrose Beacon
Middle River Honker
Minneota Mascot
Minnesota Lake Tribune
Mizpah – The Keeper Chronicles
Montevideo American-News
Montgomery Messenger
Monticello Times
Moose Lake Star Gazette
Mora – Kanabec County Times
Morris – Stevens County Times
Mound – The Laker
Mounds View / New Brighton Sun Focus
Mountain Lake – Observer/Advocate
Nevis – Northwoods Press
New Prague Times
New York Mills Dispatch
North Branch – ECM Post Review
Northfield News
Norwood Young America Times
Oklee Herald
Osakis Review
Osseo Maple Grove / Champlin Dayton Press
Outing / Crosslake – Northland Press
Owatonna People’s Press
Park Rapids Enterprise
Parkers Prairie Independent
Paynesville – The Paynesville Press
Pelican Rapids Press
Pequot Lakes – Pineandlakes Echo Journal
Perham Focus
Pine City Pioneer
Pipestone County Star
Preston – Fillmore County Journal
Preston – Fillmore County News Leader
Princeton / Milaca – Union-Times
Proctor Journal
Raymond / Prinsburg – The News
Red Lake Falls – The Gazette
Red Wing Republican Eagle
Redwood Falls – Redwood Gazette
Renville County Register
Richfield Sun Current
Rochester – Post-Bulletin
Rushford – Tri-County Record
Sandstone – Pine County Courier
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader
Sauk Centre Herald
Scandia – Country Messenger
Sebeka Menahga Review Messenger
Shoreview Press
Slayton – Murray County News
Slayton – Murray County Wheel-Herald
Sleepy Eye Herald-Dispatch
Spring Grove Herald
Spring Valley Tribune
St. Cloud Times
St. Croix Valley Lowdown
St. James Plaindealer
St. Joseph Newsleader
St. Louis Park Sun Sailor
St. Michael / Rockford Crow River News
St. Peter Herald
Staples World
Starbuck Times
Stephen Messenger
Stewartville STAR
Stillwater Gazette
Thief River Falls Times
Twin Valley Times
Two Harbors – Lake County News-Chronicle
Tyler Tribute
Vadnais Heights Press
Verndale Sun
Virginia – Mesabi Daily News
Wabasso Standard
Waconia Patriot
Wadena Pioneer Journal
Walker Pilot-Independent
Warren Sheaf
Waseca County News
Watertown – Carver County News
Waterville – Lake Region Life
Wayzata / Orono / Plymouth / Long Lake Sun Sailor
Westbrook Sentinel/Tribune
Wheaton Gazette
White Bear Lake – White Bear Press
Willmar – West Central Tribune
Windom – Cottonwood County Citizen
Winthrop News
Woodbury Bulletin
Worthington – The Globe

To join the Whiteout, visit: http://bit.ly/WhiteOutReg