Dedicated to improving journalism in Idaho
I want to thank members of the Idaho Press Club for trusting me with this position, and thank Betsy for her years of service and continued support.
As president, my priorities include increasing professional development opportunities for journalists across the state, fundraising, and continuing to fight for access to public records and transparent government.
Over the next few months, we are working to set up a professional … [Read more...]
Two-day training focused on techniques and best practices
Eric Westrom is this year’s winner of the Idaho Press Club’s Mid-Career scholarship. His article shares what he learned at the Director of Photography Creative Conference. It was a two-day training event that focused on multiple techniques and best practices for cinematographers, videographers, and production crew who film narrative stories and documentaries. The presenters ranged from the director of aerial photography for Top Gun Maverik to internationally … [Read more...]
Interviewed by Betsy Russell
Name: Steve Kiggins
Age: 48
Job: Editor, Times-News
Press Club position: Board member
Education/career path: I got my first professional byline at 16 years old, a sports gamer in my local twice-weekly newspaper, and I worked as a weekly sports editor through college. My first daily job was on an island in Alaska, where I made it (but just barely!) for a year and a half, … [Read more...]
New faces in your newsroom or communication department? Let everyone know. Send your Media Moves mail to:email@idahopressclub.org
IDAHO CAPITAL SUN
The Idaho Capital Sun welcomes Kyle Pfannenstiel as a full-time reporter covering health care and the Idaho Legislature, as well as other state agencies and capital city issues. He replaces Audrey Dutton, who has taken … [Read more...]
By Deanna Darr
It’s time to celebrate some of the best work of Idaho journalists in the last year. Join us on Saturday, April 29, for the Best of 2022 Annual Awards Banquet.
We’ll be gathering at the Boise Centre East in the heart of downtown Boise. We’ll be in the ballroom on the fourth floor of the Boise Centre beginning at 6 p.m. for a social hour featuring a no-host bar and a chance to catch up with colleagues. You can enter from the Boise Center East entrance just across the Grove from the main … [Read more...]
By Betsy Russell
Registration is open now for all three of our big events this month: A private, in-person, on-the-record Q-and-A in Boise with New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman for our members only on April 26, in conjunction with the Frank Church Institute; our top-notch Journalists Institute on Covering the Courts, which will be April 29 in Boise; and our gala annual awards banquet the evening of April 29 at the Boise Centre … [Read more...]
Idaho state Rep. Heather Scott held a Confederate flag for a photo and shared it online - her husband didn't want us to do the same
By Daniel Walters
This article is reprinted by permission from the Inlander, where it was first published March 16, 2023
Idaho state Rep. Heather Scott posted this copyrighted Inlander cover to criticize it./Illustration by Jeff Drew
It was March 27, 2022 — just after the end of … [Read more...]
James Dawson is a political reporter for Boise State Public Radio and former news director there, and is a member of the Idaho Press Club board. A University of Idaho graduate, he joined BSPR in 2018. He previously worked for Delaware Public Media and for Inland Northwest Broadcasting in Moscow.
Interviewed by Audrey Dutton
How do you wind down from covering the legislative session? (Tell us about your awesome … [Read more...]
New faces in your newsroom or communication department? Let everyone know. Send your Media Moves email@idahopressclub.org
IDAHO CAPITAL SUN, Boise
The Idaho Capital Sun welcomes back Mia Maldonado to a full-time reporting position. She'll cover the Idaho Legislature, statewide elections, LGBTQ+ issues and housing and growth issues. Maldonado was an intern through the Voces Internship of Idaho program with the Capital Sun in summer 2022 and later landed a … [Read more...]
By Betsy Russell
(Note: This column first appeared in the Idaho Press)
BOISE — It’s been quite a career.
I first decided I wanted to be a newspaper reporter when I was in the eighth grade, inspired by a fabulous junior high school journalism teacher. I edited both my junior high and high school newspapers, stirred up some controversy in the process, and started writing for my local … [Read more...]
Get your entries in!
Now is the time to enter your best work of the year in the Idaho Press Club’s “Best of 2022” annual awards contest. The deadline is fast approaching on Jan. 20. If you haven’t done this already, it’s time to review and enter your best work of the year; you deserve the recognition!
Our Contest Committee this year conducted an extensive review and update to our categories. You’ll find an array of changes, including new categories for Spanish-language media and more. All entries are submitted online … [Read more...]
The Idaho Press Club annually awards $1,500 scholarships to Idaho college journalism students, along with a $500 mid-career scholarship for any training or project that will improve the working press in Idaho. Both are endowed scholarships, named in honor of Don Watkins, the former press secretary to Idaho Gov. John Evans who mentored scores of Idaho reporters and who died in 1981. The deadline to apply for both the student and mid-career scholarships this year is Feb. 15.
Interested in applying? Or know a deserving journalism … [Read more...]
The national conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists will be in Boise this year, from April 19-23, and SEJ and The Uproot Project, a network for journalists of color who cover environmental issues as well as students and others aspiring to cover this beat, are partnering to offer diversity fellowships (worth up to $2500) to support attendance. The fellowships cover travel, lodging, the conference and a one-year SEJ membership, and are being offered to encourage journalists of color who have been historically underrepresented … [Read more...]
THE TIMES-NEWS, Twin Falls
Following 4 1/2 years as an editor at USA TODAY, where he led a national team of more than 20 editors and reporters, Steve Kiggins became the Times-News newsroom’s top editor on Nov. 14. He has won national, regional and state reporting awards over three decades in journalism, working mostly in Wyoming and Utah.
Jesse Gwin joined the Times-News on Oct. 31 as a sports reporter, covering primarily high school sports in the Magic Valley.
BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO
This past year … [Read more...]
The Idaho Press Club serves journalists across the state, helping newsrooms access public documents, challenge open meeting violations, and providing tools and training so reporters are confident navigating Idaho courtroom rules and legislative decorum. We are committed to protecting access to information and advocating for government transparency. We also celebrate excellence in journalism at our annual banquet and awards ceremony, and provide scholarships for students and mid-career journalists. You can find our latest news in the Idaho Press Club Communicator, including information on upcoming events and trainings. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out through the “Contact Us” tab.
Melissa Davlin, President
