By Don Williamson

Karen Walker, director of advertising for retail territory for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, wanted to be a news anchor and "lucked into the field."

Cristina Garcia-Thomas, publisher of CNI Newspapers in New Berlin, Wis., applied to work for professional sports teams before discovering how much better a newspaper advertising job paid.

"If I say I work for a newspaper, people ask me if I write."

Karen Walker
director of advertising for retail territory
Atlanta Journal Constitution

Mike Kellogg, publisher of the News-Press in Stillwater, Okla., started selling ads at the Navaho Times in Window Rock, Ariz., only after noticing that nobody else was doing it.

Having risen through the ranks of advertising, these three leaders have a winning newspaper presence about them and an even brighter future ahead. But when it comes to people of color, in this department, they are the exceptions.

Despite ongoing efforts to create more diversity in the top levels of newspaper management, far too few advertising departments have an existing pool of potential candidates who would add to that diversity -- especially at top supervisory levels.

A recent study by the Readership Institute at the Media Management Center at Northwestern University found less than 20 percent of advertising department employees to be non-white, and at the supervisory level, the average dipped to four percent. One of the roads most traveled by would-be publishers does not seem to attract a diverse employee pool.

What can be done? The leaders interviewed acknowledge their haphazard entries into the field and know that only a more strategic recruiting plan will work. They say newspapers must target students and young workers like major companies in other fields do, making advertising look like the entity-stirring department that it really is. And publishers continue to stress an industry need for the same enthusiasm for business-side diversity that has been shown for editorial.

"The newspaper industry made it a matter of paramount importance to create diversity in the newsroom," says Sue Clark-Johnson, chairman and CEO of Phoenix Newspapers Inc. "We need that same determination to reflect our communities in all ways in every aspect of the organization. We need the will and the determination to do it."

For many, such words are encouraging to hear from an industry leader. But as more newspapers reach out to their communities on the business side through local events and partnering, it is apparent that they must extend that to recruitment. Newspapers tend to do a poor job informing the public about career opportunities outside of the newsroom.

"When I graduated from college in 1983, I wanted to be a TV news anchor," says Karen Walker. "I couldn't find a job and finally took a position as an advertising intern at the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal to get some experience."

She was hired as retail advertising manager at the Niagara Gazette in Niagara Falls, N.Y., before becoming advertising director at The Daily Journal in Vineland, N.J. Stints at Gannett corporate office and the Austin American-Statesmen preceded her move to Atlanta.

"It turned into a 19-year love affair. I lucked into the field, and it's an excellent field to be in," says Walker. She enjoys building relationships with customers. "You have to be able to put together products to meet customer needs and to interact with them."

"Key leaders need to put in their budget that they are going to attend different events outside their normal events or conferences."

Cristina Garcia-Thomas
publisher
CNI Newspapers

But, she says, there is still "far to go in terms of people of color on the advertising side. Inroads have been made, and key people are in publishers' positions. But in order to feed the pipeline and improve those numbers, you have to have qualified replacements. More outreach is needed."

Garcia-Thomas agrees. "Key leaders need to put in their budget that they are going to attend different events outside their normal events or conferences -- for example NAMME or NABJ, types of associations that would help them to be networked into a group of diverse professionals so that they would network the way they do in other associations." The 'Revenue Engine'

Sergio Salinas speaks adamantly about the need for newspapers to go after diverse talent. The director of advertising at the Daily Oklahoman in Oklahoma City, he began his career in circulation and made the switch to advertising in an effort to learn all facets of the business.

"There are not enough people of color in newspaper advertising, and newspapers need to be very proactive in going after people of color. Now they don't make it very attractive coming through the door," says Salinas, a veteran of many dailies including USA Today and The Dallas Morning News. "It's inherent on media companies to develop incentives to attract people. If you want them, you have to go get them."

Salinas credits his time in advertising for developing his business acumen, strategic vision and understanding of how to grow revenue. He also gets to see how his decisions impact the bottom line. He views his current position as a major stepping stone.

"I absolutely see this as a path to becoming a publisher given my experience and the right set of circumstances," says Salinas. "The ad director is one of the highest profile positions at any newspaper. That person oversees a lot of revenue responsibility. That person leads the revenue engine."

Speaking of engines, Kelly Torrez is the automotive sales representative at The Coloradoan in Fort Collins. She looks around her department and sees just one other person of color.

"[Newspapers] need to go to colleges and talk about careers in advertising," she says.

Torrez has been in advertising for 24 years and comes from an advertising background. Her father was in newspaper advertising and now still works with the New Mexico Press Association. She thinks advertising has enhanced her ability to work with people.

"I personally get to know people and do things with people outside of the building," says Torrez. "You can take time to have lunch with them, sit down and discuss their situations and be a part of their success, because it is also a part of your success. It's fun to watch someone succeed because of help you gave them."

"It's inherent on media companies to develop incentives to attract people. If you want them, you have to go get them."

Sergio Salinas
director of advertising
Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) Short on Outreach

Mark Sensanbaugher, Atlanta Journal Constitution sales manager for the counties in the northwest quadrant surrounding Atlanta, believes that the advertising department is a prime breeding ground for senior managers.

"We do budgets, estimations and sales project figures. We deal with a lot of numbers and have to do a business plan every year," says Sensanbaugher. "We call publications products and have to do detailed analyses of how the product performed, how it is performing and how trends indicate it may perform in the future."

The reports and business plans are not tasks that Sensanbaugher planned on when he began selling advertising part-time for his college newspaper at the University of Florida.

"In management, there's a lot of administrative work and besides being a good sales person, you also have to have strong administrative skills," he says. "When you want to move up, they take a look at all of that."

He also notes the need for greater diversity and thinks the industry is not actively seeking out diverse talent.

"My son recently graduated from college and was recruited by a number of companies. I don't believe any of them were media companies," says Sensanbaugher. "I don't know if we're being as aggressive as a Procter & Gamble or a Microsoft or a Target, but we should be."

Michelle Covington, classified call center manager for the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press, looks around her department and sees few people of color. "At times there are sincere efforts to reach out, but when money is short, outreach is often the first thing to go."

"My son recently graduated from college and was recruited by a number of companies. I don't believe any of them were media companies."

Mark Sensanbaugher
sales manager
Atlanta Journal Constitution Path to Publisher

Mike Kellogg once held the position of ad director, but for the past six years has been publisher of the News-Press in Stillwater, Okla.

"I started at the Navaho Times in Window Rock, Ariz., after I got my degree in journalism. But there was no one to sell ads. I needed work, and it paid more money than writing," says Kellogg." I enjoyed working that side, and it took off from there."

Kellogg talks openly about the importance of advertising in the overall success of the paper.

"Planning is ongoing, but in the end, ringing the cash register is what it is all about. Newspapers have to pay bills the same way the businesses do that you're calling on," says Kellogg. "I saw different perspectives other than the editorial side. If I call on a customer and do something wrong, I felt it my pocket.

"Readers and advertisers are the same person. You want to build long-time relationships and be aware of quality and how something is displayed and marketed," says Kellogg.

He acknowledges the industry's shortcomings in pushing business-side opportunities, but says, "If I was going to take any path to senior management, it would have to be advertising. There is such a demand on revenue, if you're fortunate to achieve your sales goals, you will be noticed."

Michael Jung, director of national advertising for the San Jose Mercury News and the Contra Costa Times, agrees. He says that the skills gained in advertising are compatible with advancing to highest levels of newspaper management.

"The preparation helps you to understand business, the economic side of returning a profit, and the constituents of the newspaper. That includes not only advertisers, but the value of readers and customers.

"It also helps you connect with the community and interact with the chamber of commerce, businesses, community groups and organizations," says Jung. "Being a part of the fabric of the community is an important part of being a publisher."

Jung emphasizes that it is important to be able to make connections between what the customer is asking for and what your publication can deliver.

"By listening and asking questions, you're able to develop solutions," he says.

From the inside, newspaper advertising can literally land someone on the yellow brick road. But from the outside, it can seem as anonymous as a small town in Kansas.

"If I say I'm in advertising, people ask me if I work for an agency," Karen Walker at the Journal Constitution says. "If I say I work for a newspaper, people ask me if I write. There's so little knowledge about what we do. More exposure is needed, and nontraditional contacts need to be made to bring about needed changes."

Such exposure and changes will require new strategies on the part of newspapers. But if their commitment to see more diversity at the top of their mastheads is a real one, then they will follow the advice of these leaders and make recruitment and promotion of people of color in advertising a high priority.

Award-winning journalist Don Williamson is a senior writer for People & Product. He can be reached at donw222@aol.com.

The Making of a Publisher

In looking at the advertising department this issue, we often came across the idea that a senior advertising position is a good stepping stone to the publisher's chair. But what else do industry leaders look for in potential publishers? We asked Sue Clark-Johnson, chairman and CEO of Phoenix Newspapers Inc., who was the recipient of the 2002 Distinguished Diversity Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Association of Minority Media Executives.

She has built a well-deserved reputation as a mentor who has helped to develop the careers of a diverse group of publishers, including Orage Quarles III, president and publisher of The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., Christine Chin, president and publisher of The Bellingham (Wash.) Herald and Don Flores, editor and executive vice president of the El Paso Times and former publisher of the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

"The first thing I look for is people who have potential -- man, woman, minority, it doesn't matter. I have to identify potential and a passion for the business and a passion to want to succeed for themselves and for the newspaper or company to succeed.

"When I see people like that, I try to move them into positions appropriate for further development in a variety of areas. You may move someone from circulation to advertising so they will be cross-trained. In some cases, we make them assistants to publishers and have them shadow publishers and become readily exposed to a variety of circumstances a publisher must deal with every day.

"Other times we give them test-case assignments. There are a variety of methods employed on an individual basis based on an individual's growth needs and what is needed to enhance the organization."

She acknowledges the importance of business-side experience, but thinks it is something that can be acquired.

"I came from news side. It all gets back to inquisitiveness and the ability to learn and grasp. All of that is important. People from news side may not have the business background, but they know how to ask questions. That's a good beginning, but it's only a beginning. It requires the ability to grasp the significance of a variety of different disciplines, even if you don't understand the details of the discipline. If you ask questions, step back and look at what makes sense. It's attainable. Common sense is a big part of it."