REGULAR MEMBERSHIP shall include establishments engaged in publishing a newspaper in the State of Illinois, or in states bordering Illinois, provided that such newspapers can verify a substantial circulation and commitment of resources in Illinois. All said newspapers must meet legal eligibility format, mechanical, content and publication requirements as defined in Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 715, paragraph 5 to be eligible for membership.
Sec. 5. When any notice is required by law or contract to be published in a newspaper (unless otherwise expressly provided in the contract), it shall be intended to be in a secular newspaper of general circulation, published in the city, town or county, or some newspaper specially authorized by law to publish legal notices, in the city, town, or county. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the contract, the term "newspaper" means a newspaper
(a) which consists of not less than 4 pages of printed matter and contains at least 130 square inches of printed matter per page; and
(b) which is printed through the use of one of the conventional and generally recognized printing processes such as letterpress, lithography or gravure; and
(c) which annually averages at least 25% news content per issue; or which annually averages at least 1,000 column inches of news content per issue, the term "news content" meaning for the purposes of this Act any printed matter other than advertising; and
(d) which publishes miscellaneous reading matter, legal or other announcements and notices, and news and information concerning current happenings and passing events of a political, social, religious, commercial, financial or legal nature, and advertisements or bulletins; and
(e) which has been continuously published at regular intervals of at least once each week with a minimum of 50 issues per year, for at least one year prior to the first publication of the notice; or which is a successor to a newspaper as herein defined with no interruption of publication of more than 30 days; or which is a merged or consolidated newspaper formed by the merger or consolidation of two or more newspapers, one of which has been continuously published at regular intervals of at least once each week with a minimum of 50 issues per year, for at least one year prior to the first publication of the notice. A newspaper shall be considered as continuously or regularly published although its publication has been suspended, where such suspension was caused by fire or an Act of God or by a labor dispute or by its owner, publisher, managing editor or other essential employee entering the active military service of the United States, if the newspaper was continuously or regularly published for at least one year prior to its suspension and if its publication is resumed at any time not later than 12 months after such fire or Act of God, or if its publication is resumed at any time within 12 months after the termination of the labor dispute, or if its publication is resumed at any time within 12 months after the termination of the war in connection with which such persons entered such military service.
When measuring to determine “news content” percentage, as defined in ILCS 715/5, the following shall not be included:
1. white space;
2. house ads;
3. headers; and
4. graphic filler.
In addition, all applicants must demonstrate, to the IPA Board of Directors satisfaction, a significant commitment to bona fide news content, including evidence of local news coverage.
Regular membership shall be restricted as follows:
1) No out-of-state newspaper member may hold a
seat on the Board of Directors;
2) No out-of state newspaper member may hold
office on the Board of Directors;
3) Out -of-state newspaper members are eligible to
enter the annual association sponsored contests, except
that they are not eligible for awards in the "General
Excellence" category or for the annual "Sweepstakes"
trophy competition.
Any regular member in good standing is eligible to hold office in the association.
Any regular member in good standing is entitled to one vote at the annual business meeting of the association.
PERSONAL MEMBERSHIP shall be open to individuals not employed by a member newspaper or by an organization which otherwise would qualify him/her for membership in another class. Personal members shall be entitled to limited privileges of the association as determined by the Board of Directors.
Personal members shall not be entitled to vote.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP may include any printing shop or specialized publications; or any firm, corporation or organization engaged in furnishing machinery, supplies or services to publishers, or commercial printing establishments, in the State or otherwise, interested in the promotion of the interests of the newspaper industry. Associate membership may be granted upon written application, to be accompanied by supporting literature which defines the nature of the applicant’s business, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
Associate members shall be entitled to receive member mailings, including the association’s official publications, and may attend the association’s conventions and seminars at member rates, but shall not vote.
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