By RON MATTHEWS
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The APSE Northwest Region meeting was billed as a day featuring something for everyone, regardless of job title or circulation size.

The Oct. 24 meeting in Seattle started with a frank panel discussion between four editors about the state of the newspaper business and the role sports departments play and ended with a presentation on improving high school sports coverage. In between were sessions on storytelling and gaining access in difficult stories; a preview of ASAP, the new offering from The Associated Press; and ways to ensure fun is part of your sports section.

The highlight of the day was a PowerPoint presentation by Palm Beach Post sports design leader Chris Rukan. "Bam! Designing with Impact" provided a how-to guide to editors and designers looking for ways to turn their sections up a notch! A couple of the session's highlights, from sportsdesigner.com:

• Brainstorm. Think of the crazy idea. How did he get Donald Trump on the cover (http://www.newspagedesigner.com/portfolios/
fullsize_view.php?PageID=102172) of his football section? "How? We asked. ... The photographer flew to New York, got two minutes with him and 28 frames. He (the Donald) knows what he wants."

• Have at least three ideas. Sometimes your best idea falls apart. "I got an elephant. We're good!"

• Little things sell the big idea. Don't use file photos all the time. Create unique page-toppers in special sections, control your typography, come up with small touches. He mentioned how in a baseball section he had page toppers with home-run calls as factoids.

• Don't rely on breaking news and PLAN for it. Start early on design ideas if you know a major trade is in the wind or a big game preview is coming up.

• Be good to the photogs. Believe it or not, Chris' staff doesn't use cutouts that much. "Clear the decks and play the hell out of (a great picture)."

Nearly 40 people took part in the program, popping in for programs that appealed to them. It was the region's first gathering since Jan. 2002. Plans are under way to have another region meeting in Portland in early spring.

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