You now have 100 more good reasons to enter the OGE Photo Contest every month – a $100 cash award to each of the monthly winners! That's right. OGE will give the winners of the daily and weekly photos of the month $100 each. And the annual sweepstakes winner in each category will receive $250. This is the same amount ONG presents winners of the column and editorial contest each month and for sweepstakes. What are you waiting for? Enter your photo, column or editorial for the chance to win $100 – and for the recognition you deserve.
See complete contest rules at www.okpress.com/contests--awards.

Nine journalists will be honored April 9 during the 40th annual induction ceremonies of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. The 2010 inductees are Gean B. Atkinson, Oklahoma City journalist; Mike Boettcher, CNN correspondent; Ray Dyer and Sean Dyer, co-publishers of the El Reno Tribune; Susan Boling Ellerbach, managing editor of the Tulsa World; Melba Lovelace, columnist for The Oklahoman; Andy Rieger, managing editor of The Norman Transcript; Bill Sherman, religion writer for the Tulsa World; and Jack Stone, retired executive editor of The Anadarko Daily News. The program will include the dedication of a new exhibition hall in the University of Central Oklahoma's Nigh University Center and a 40th anniversary address by Boettcher, who currently teaches at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at OU.

» Click here for more information about the inductees and luncheon tickets

Photos from last week’s Mid-Winter Convention are available to view online at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/okpress/sets/ 
They are organized into sets according to day and event, such as Thursday, Saturday, Friday Awards, Friday Bloopers and Friday general (sessions, other).

If you would like to request an image file in jpeg format, please e-mail news@okpress.com with the photo number (for example: “Midwinter0342”)
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We hope you enjoy them!

Congratulations to all the winners in the 2009 OPA Better Newspaper Contest. If your newspaper placed first through fourth in the contest, you can proudly display the 2009 Award Winning Logo in your newspaper. If your newspaper won the Sequoyah Award, you may display the 2009 Sequoyah Winner Logo throughout the year. Also available for your use is a "Congratulations" ad. The ad is available in various sizes.

Click here to view all the winners. 

THE 2010 OKLAHOMA NEWSPAPER DIRECTORY IS NOW AVAILABLE - in spreadsheet format! Built in Microsoft® Excel, the Oklahoma Newspaper Directory is a better way to keep in touch with Oklahoma newspapers. The spreadsheet allows you to customize the list for your specific needs, instantly look up the contact information for hundreds of Oklahoma newspapers or print mailing labels.

Fields include: Publication Name; City; County; Phone Number; Fax Number; Address (street and post office box); E-mail; Website; Owner; Day(s) of Publication; Names of Key Personnel (Publisher / Gen. Mgr.; Editor; Adv. Dir.)

ORDER ONLINE or download an order form today!

If you’re looking for some new ideas to help your newspaper thrive in the information age, don’t miss the 2010 OPA Mid-Winter Convention. This year’s three-day event, Feb. 4-6, will be held at the Sheraton and Reed Center in Midwest City and feature sessions to help your newspaper succeed both in print and online.
»  Review the convention program and register online

“Will Rogers: Childhood Adventures with an Oklahoma Legend” is an eight-chapter serial story now available to OPA members for publication.  Download chapters, press release and promotional ads

Pages for Tomorrow is a new program implemented by the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation that will allow the foundation to continue offering educational training and materials. OPA members are asked to donate a quarter-page space for the foundation’s use once per quarter in 2010. ONF will turn that space over to Oklahoma Press Service to sell as a one-time special for advertisers who are not currently publishing in newspapers and are not running for political office or involved in political campaigns.
“This is a win-win solution for our newspapers, for ONF, for OPS and for the new clients this will attract,” said Wayne Trotter, publisher of The Countywide & Sun and ONF trustee.
» Sign up to participate!

This month's issue of The Oklahoma Publisher showed the top 10 expenditures of the gubernatorial candidates. NEXT QUARTERLY REPORTS ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 1, 2010.
View complete expenditure reports by following these directions:.
1. Go to www.ok.gov/ethics/public/candidate.php
2. Type in the name of a candidate.
3. Under "Full Committee Name" select the campaign you're interested in and click.
4. To view the "Contribution and Expenditure Report," click on the "Report Type" list and select "C-1R".
5. Hit "Search".
6. Click on the period you want to view (reports are done quarterly).
7. For Expenditures, look for Item No. 14 and click on "See Attached Schedule E"

Happy Holidays to you and yours this year.  May 2010 be the best year ever!

This year we created an electronic Christmas card featuring the OPA staff.  Here it is!