EDITORS SHARE LESSONS FROM TIME OUT FOR DIVERSITY
Newsrooms around the nation participated in APME's annual Time-Out for Diversity and Accuracy program. The yearly program focuses on examining issues of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religious preference and physical ability.

Programs were varied, but widely innovative. Editors at six newspapers shared details on their training and awareness efforts, which you can read at APME.com.

Here's just a sampling:

— The Minneapolis Star Tribune presented an "Immigration 101" class for staffers and met with local Islamic leaders, setting the stage for more training in that area.

— Efforts at the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester followed up on its 2005 APME Credibility Roundtable, which included sessions with minority communities. The paper implemented a monthly series called "Who We Are," which highlights local minority communities; and hosted a "reunion" of participants from last year's roundtable to get their input on how coverage had changed over the past year.

— Staff at the Times-Dispatch in Richmond attended a luncheon to watch and discuss the FX network show, "Black.White," in which black and white families disguised themselves and switched places for an extended time.

— The News Journal in Wilmington hosted two community meetings on coverage of Muslims and immigration. The second session was prompted by the success of the first.

— The Times in Shreveport produced a two-part series on how the assimilation of a small but growing immigrant population is affecting the community.

— The Diversity Outreach Committee at the Press & Sun Bulletin in Binghamton, N.Y., used its monthly meetings with community members to discuss immigration. A key message was to be careful about focusing immigration coverage only on Latinos.

WORLD CUP SOUNDING BOARD
The AP's Sounding Board asked sports departments for feedback on coverage of the World Cup.

Twelve newspapers responded to the question, and respondents said that although the United States was eliminated early, they gave the monthlong tournament good space.

Dave Minthorn, manager of AP News Administration, wrote, "Editors said feedback from their audiences varied, though was mostly low key. One panelist saw a definite 'hunger' by readers for Cup coverage. Another said his paper 'had been criticized for a lack of soccer coverage in the past. Not so here.' Others described reader reaction as 'modest' or "almost none, which is good. They would certainly complain if they were displeased."

Visit the Sounding Board page at APME.com for detailed responses from the 12 newspapers as well as an archive for responses to the previous 42 Sounding Board questions.

SUBMIT YOUR GREAT IDEAS
The search for contributions to the 2006 APME Great Ideas booklet is under way. By contributing, you will gain exposure for your staff's best work, while helping other editors.

Each year, Lance Johnson, executive editor of The Day in New London, Conn., puts together the Great Ideas booklet, a collection of more than 200 cutting-edge content strategies from newspapers in the United States and Canada. Contributions from Europe have been received this year.

The best ideas will be included in a full-color booklet and showcased at the 2006 APME conference, Oct. 25-28, in New Orleans.

Content categories include community news, improving readership, diversity in coverage, features, global understanding, niche publications, online (must expand on print content), projects, presentation and design, reader involvement in print and online, young readers and newsroom management.

For each submission, please describe your Great Idea in no more than 300 words. More than one idea can be submitted. Please include your paper's name, contact editor, title, phone number and e-mail address.

E-mail ideas and electronic page images to:

Lance Johnson
Executive Editor
The Day
47 Eugene O'Neill Dr.
New London, CT 06320