Woody, Chloe need your two cents worth


Author Leigh Anne Florence with Woody, co-star with sister Chloe of the KPA Fall Chapter Series. What are the stories worth to your newspaper?

Literally.

We’re not talking about the typical “two cents worth” where you give you thoughts, ideas during a conversation.

Since 2001, the Lexington Herald-Leader with funding by Kentucky Utilities most of those years, and help from KPA, we have furnished at least one Chapter Series each year.

Most typically, in the last 13 or so years, the Fall Chapter Series has featured Kentucky’s most famous dachshunds — Woody and Chloe — with stories authored by their “mommy” Leigh Anne Florence and illustrations by the Herald-Leader’s Chris Ware.

It’s cost newspapers nothing, really, except the space, and many of those have sold advertising around the space or incorporated it into their funded Newspapers in Education programs.

Now comes word the funding is gone. KU dropped out three or so years ago so the brunt fell on the Herald-Leader and McClatchy with some help still from KPA.

At Friday’s Board meeting, Audience Development chair Richard Morgan and I will make a request that newspapers using the Fall Chapter Series in 2017 participate in the funding.

It won’t be that costly and the price can be made up by selling just one ad to be published around the 10-week series.

We’ll be asking the Board to authorize a two-cent per paid copy (single copies and subscriptions) for each newspaper using the series. Based on last year’s number of newspapers and total circulation, two cents will give us a slight cushion on the total cost.

So what cost is associated with the series, you ask? Paying Leigh Anne and Chris Ware for their time and talents.  It doesn’t just happen overnight or in a couple of days. Leigh Anne has to research the topic, write  a draft, perhaps a revised draft and then get some suggestions to Chris. Starting now, the story will be ready for the September release.

Think about the total: A 2,000 paid circulation newspaper would pay $40 total. A 5,000 paid circulation newspaper would pay $100. A 10,000 paid circulation newspaper would pay $200.

For all the interest in the Fall Chapter Series by your readers — it’s aimed at elementary kids but we have plenty of comments from grandmothers and grandfathers who enjoy reading the story and even read it to their grandkids.

It’s a small price to pay, something you haven’t had to do over the last 16 years.

We’ll let you know the outcome of the discussion and hope your two cents worth will let us continue the series that’s received at least one international award.

 

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