 |
| Phil Kaplan |
Phil Kaplan sees a challenge, and he’s up for it.
Kaplan, the deputy sports editor of the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel, was voted as the new first vice present of the APSE recently. He will assume his position on June 27 at the Pittsburgh national convention, which brings us to the challenge.
The trying times in our industry, specifically in this case the lack of travel costs for many newspapers, will limit the number of attendees at this year’s convention. Kaplan wants people to understand the important role of the APSE.
"There’s no question my main goals are to help APSE remain vital to its membership and find other ways to keep it growing," he said. "I believe APSE needs to look at every possible option to add new members, whether its reducing membership fees or reaching out to other journalism groups like we have in the past with ESPN, Yahoo and CBS Sports. The next group: bloggers, writers on team Web sites.
"Success will have to start on the region level. Communication to members, former members and potential members has to be done a regular basis. I have been a region chair for the last two years and before that a vice chair for two years. Some region chairs have done little to stimulate growth for APSE by failing to drive membership, hold meetings or even produce region newsletters."
And, more specifically, Kaplan thinks the APSE conventions may need changed.
"Do we really need to travel to a large city and spend four or five days in hotel rooms," he said. "It’s a huge cost for APSE. Newspapers are cutting back on travel, especially for conventions and forcing many who want to stay connected to APSE to pay their own way. It may be time to drop section judging, especially special sections."
Before leaving for Pittsburgh, Kaplan took part in a Q&A:
• • •
Q: Can you give us a Cliff’s Notes version of your background?
Kaplan: Graduated from SUNY Oswego with a communications degree with interest in broadcasting.
First media job was as an intern at local radio station at 17. I was a senior in high school but spent the year at a community college. Worked at radio station doing news and sports through college. After little luck finding radio job in South Florida after college and taking odd jobs like selling meat package deals to homeowners, returned to work at radio station and bartended in the summer. Had struck up a friendship with the sports writer of the twice-weekly Sullivan County Democrat. He was later promoted to editor and he was looking for a sports writer. He offered me $180 per week in 1984. I couldn’t believe they were going to pay me to write. I did more than that. It’s where I cut my teeth in journalism. I wrote the stories using a typewriter, took the pictures, edited press releases and pasted up the pages (no pagination). In short time I was promoted to sports editor (was able to hire another sportswriter), then managing editor and in two years at age 24 was the editor.
Took first job offered by daily. Hired in 1987 by The Daily Star in Oneonta, N.Y., as wire editor. Responsible also for layout and editing of the A section. Spent two years there and missed sports.
After backpacking in Greece and Turkey for a month, living with my parents in South Florida, not taking the final step to enlist in the Army, a botched interview with the FBI, turning down a job offer in Winter Haven working 2 a.m. to 10 a.m., I was rescued by Greg Haar of the Palm Beach Post in the fall of 1989. He hired me despite being over qualified as a part-time agate clerk. I was back where I truly belonged. I was trusted with some sports coverage of high school games and senior league baseball. A few months later I was hired as a page designer and copy editor at the Naples Daily News. After two months I was promoted to assistant sports editor after the position became open. Looking for a greater challenge after six years I was hired by the Knoxville News Sentinel in January of 1996 as a lead page designer and copy editor. I was promoted in the spring to deputy sports editor.
I guess that wasn’t Cliff’s Notes.
• • •
Q: With the business struggling – and attendance at APSE convention at an all-time low – what role do you think APSE still plays?
Kaplan: APSE will have to change just like the industry is changing. However, what APSE does now should not be forgotten.
Region meetings and the convention offer great opportunities for members to learn and network. I would say it’s the most important time in our careers for this to take place.
Sports departments and writers continue to be honored for their work.
APSE has a role in making sure diversity is not forgotten in newsrooms. That commitment is there with Sports Journalism Institute and partnership with Scripps Howard Foundation’s scholarships for Hampton interns at APSE members.
APSE continues to reach out to college students with student membership and scholarships to aspiring journalists.
• • •
Q: What are some of the changes you see on the horizon for the business?
Kaplan: Newspapers will continue to streamline staffs. It will be important for editors and writers to be more versatile when it comes to other platforms. If you have not started I would suggest learning how to use your content management system, video, link journalism and how social media can help drive traffic (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).
I see more newspapers going to a content sharing agreement with other newspapers to save money on people and travel.
• • •
Q: What are some of the bigger changes/improvements you folks have made in Knoxville?
Kaplan: We have really made the Web a priority. It’s starts with a text message, moves to a blurb on the web, followed by updates and later a full story for the Web and print. We treat govolsxtra.com like a 24/7 channel. The appetite for University of Tennessee news is tremendous and we provide lots of options for visitors to get involved in topics throughout the day with stories, blogs, polls, video, audio and photos.
It helps that sports controls the site along with the two others (prepxtra.com and knoxnews.com)."
• • •
Q: Any other thoughts?
Kaplan: Coming from a mid-size metro and a job title that includes the word deputy, I hope it inspires others in APSE to get involved. You don’t have to be a from a large daily and be in charge of a lot of people to have a role with APSE. If you have an idea, go for it. That’s what I have done with initiatives with Scripps Howard Foundation workshop and scholarships, setting up accounts on Facebook and Twitter.
I’ll credit Lynn Hoppes for allowing it to happen. He was open to my ideas and was there when I needed advice and support to get the job done."
