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FOR MORE THAN 120 YEARS, the California Newspaper Publishers Association has protected the mutual interests of the state's newspapers, from the smallest weekly to the largest metropolitan daily.

CNPA plays a vital role in California's newspaper industry, successfully influencing legislation in Sacramento, sponsoring an annual newspaper contest and summit, and promoting seminars on topics crucial to newspaper operations and viability. Here are some of the many services the association provides on behalf of its diverse body of members.

Membership
More than 700 member newspapers of all sizes have found that the benefits of CNPA membership can be one of their most valuable resources. Any daily, weekly or monthly California newspaper that has published news of general interest for at least one year may apply for membership.

Annual dues are billed quarterly and are determined by a newspaper's annual gross revenue. Campus newspapers, college or high school, may join CNPA. Dues are waived for campus newspapers.

Legislative activities
CNPA's governmental affairs staff, including two attorney-lobbyists, is the protector and advocate for the California newspaper industry at the Capitol.

The governmental affairs team, under the direction of CNPA's Governmental Affairs Committee and its Board of Directors, follows hundreds of pieces of legislation each year affecting every aspect of newspaper publishing. These concerns include advertising, environmental issues such as recycling and hazardous waste, employment relations issues, telecommunications, taxes and, of course, freedom of information and the First Amendment.

Keeping in mind the newspaper industry's role as a leader in environmental, health, safety and other workplace issues,
CNPA works to defeat onerous, business-killing regulations for its members. CNPA also works closely with the Legislature to
reform existing regulations that stifle creativity and productivity.

CNPA is the sole lobbying organization in the state that protects and enhances the public's right to know. The association has long been the primary advocate behind enactment of California laws that allow access to state and local government records and meetings.

Each year, CNPA defeats or materially amends bills that would restrict public access to state and local agencies and the courts, or would adversely affect the First Amendment rights of the press.

CNPA governmental affairs staff keeps members abreast of breaking issues through its Legislative Bulletin, which is published weekly while the Legislature is in session. The staff tracks issues with FOI Watch, a periodic compilation of freedom of information news items.

Legal affairs
CNPA's legal HelpLine informs key personnel at member newspapers on such topics as access to public meetings and records, school access, publisher liability for certain types of advertising, libel and workplace issues. Many members say the money the HelpLine saves them in legal costs is alone worth the cost of CNPA membership. Staff also leads low-cost and no-cost legal workshops that focus on libel, privacy, the California Public Records Act and the Ralph M. Brown Act. For more: Call the HelpLine at (916) 288-6013.

Advertising programs 
CNPA has several advertising programs that bring incremental revenues to participating member newspapers:

* California Banner Ad Network is an online network of 145 participating newspaper websites with ads that run in three sizes: Leaderboard, Medium Rectangle and Wide Skyscraper. Newspapers are paid per thousand impressions. Newspapers also have an opportunity to earn 15 percent in commissions by selling ads into the network.

* The new California Quarter-Page Ad Network will provide participating newspapers with contracted quarter-page rates for publishing ads. Newspapers also have an opportunity to earn commissions by selling into the network.

* CNPA Advertising Services places any type of advertising campaign in any newspaper nationwide, from national and retail to
co-op and Internet. CNPA Advertising Services can process any type or category of advertising offered by the newspaper industry nationwide: ROP, preprints, Internet, poly bags, comic spadeas, Post-It notes and more. The one-stop placement and billing service is available to advertisers at no cost. Agencies and advertisers that use multiple newspapers, either regionally or nationally, benefit from this service. Also, the National Preprint Network competes with alternate delivery methods.

National Preprint Network
Major accounts use the National Preprint Network as their vehicle for total-market coverage and target marketing. NPN is on track to place more than 100 million advertising circulars this calendar year. NPN gives clients access to paid subscribers in the top designated market areas, leveraging the benefits of the higher readership and efficiencies of newspaper advertising. This is all plus business to the newspaper industry in these markets. With one phone call, advertisers are ensured one contact, one rate and one invoice for their buy.

Press Release Service
The California Press Release Service distributes press releases electronically to 500 CNPA newspaper editors. Members receive a $25 discount.

Bulletin and Website Advertising
Vendors and suppliers to the newspaper trade who place ads in the CNPA Bulletin and on the CNPA website are exposing their messages to CNPA's members for a very low price. The weekly Bulletin reaches key executives in CNPA's nearly 800-newspaper membership.

CNPA Foundation
The CNPA Foundation is a nonprofit corporation organized in October 1993 to raise funds through tax-deductible contributions for  educational purposes relating to the publishing and information dissemination business.

The CNPA Foundation serves California's newspaper readers by supporting and financially assisting the state's high schools and colleges to teach quality journalism that is also responsive to changing technology and consumer preferences. This goal is accomplished by providing financial assistance to college students seeking careers in journalism, advertising or marketing, and to campus newspapers that desperately need new production equipment.

The Foundation also supports educational services including Newspaper in Education programs and training programs related to the California newspaper business.

Donations to the CNPA Foundation are entirely tax-deductible through Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

Better Newspapers Contest
The annual Better Newspapers Contest recognizes newsroom excellence among CNPA's daily, weekly and monthly member newspapers. Entrants compete within their circulation division among 29 different categories. Campus categories include two-year colleges, four-year universities and high schools, all of which each compete in General Excellence divisions.

More than 420 awards are issued annually to winners at the CNPA annual press summit. The contest is considered one of the nation's largest, drawing some 2,700 entries each year.

Meetings, Press Summits
CNPA's quarterly board meetings, open to all members, are held three times a year and during the annual meeting each Spring. Quarterly meetings enable members to meet professionally and socially to exchange ideas.

The annual CNPA Press Summit is open to CNPA members, their spouses and staffs. The annual meeting brings together hundreds of newspaper staff from across the state to examine the most pressing issues facing the industry. Programming includes a Welcome Luncheon with keynote speaker, Better Newspapers Contest Awards Luncheon, social events, and industry experts who tackle a variety of issues through speeches and panel discussions. The annual meetings alternate between Northern and Southern California.

A Winter Governmental Affairs Day returns to Sacramento on Feb. 1, 2012. Along with programming featuring lawmakers and legislative officers, G.A. Day provides opportunities for publishers and their key personnel to meet with local legislators at the Capitol. 

Employment services
CNPA's online Classified Job Bulletin contains help wanted, job seeker and equipment-for-sale opportunities available among members.

CNPA maintains a file of people seeking positions with member newspapers. Members can request resumes on file for particular
positions. For a fee, job seekers may place ads on the Job Bulletin website.

CNPA Directory
The CNPA Directory, a comprehensive guide to California newspapers, lists all newspaper members by city, county and newspaper group. Included are listings of affiliated organizations, Allied and Associate members, and press associations.

Periodicals
The weekly CNPA Bulletin contains state and national industry news and information about CNPA programs.

CNPA's governmental affairs staff produces the Legislative Bulletin, which covers legislative activities and reports on bills of interest to members.

California Publisher, CNPA's tabloid newspaper, contains member news, features, opinion pieces, coverage of California newspaper events and CNPA activities, and informative columns. California Publisher accepts classified and display advertising.

Handbooks
CNPA handbooks aid members in obtaining information and in complying with the law. The Right to Know is an easy-to-understand
guide outlining journalists' rights to access public information. It covers open meetings, public records, access to courts, photographers' rights, confidentiality and the Shield Law.

The Ad Book and Fair Housing Law Advertising Training Manual are easy-to-follow handbooks designed to help members train
staff and advertisers on the importance of complying with the law.