Taking some steps forward for openness

July 10, 2018 by

By Melissa Davlin The Idaho media has plenty to celebrate as new laws go into effect on July 1 -- both for what the 2018 Legislature passed, and what it didn’t. Each session, the Idaho Press Club’s First Amendment Committee, which advocates for public records access and open meetings, works with lobbyists and lawmakers on bills that promoted government transparency, and against proposals that go against that spirit of openness. Here are some highlights from the 2018 session:

Filed Under: Summer 2018

President’s column: Idaho, where local news is going strong

July 10, 2018 by

By Betsy Z. Russell After nearly 27 years with The Spokesman-Review – a fine newspaper – I never thought I’d switch at this point in my career. But then the Idaho Press came along. In May, I started as the new Boise bureau chief for the Idaho Press and Adams Publishing Group, a family-owned company that in addition to the longstanding Canyon County daily (formerly the Idaho Press-Tribune), also owns the Post Register in Idaho Falls, the Idaho State Journal in Pocatello, and several other smaller papers throughout southern … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Summer 2018

The American Redoubt Series by the Sandpoint Reader

July 10, 2018 by

Note: Ben Olson, publisher of the Sandpoint Reader, won an Idaho Press Club Don Watkins Mid-Career Scholarship of $500 to aid in this project. You, too, can apply for the mid-career scholarship, which is available for any Idaho Press Club member to use for any training or project that will benefit the working press in Idaho. The deadline to apply each year is Feb. 15; there's more information at our website, www.idahopressclub.org. By Ben Olson Every January, the alternative weekly Sandpoint … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Summer 2018

Meet Your IPC: Rhonda Prast

July 10, 2018 by

Rhonda Prast is the executive editor of the Idaho Statesman and a board member of the Idaho Press Club. Born in Indiana, she grew up in Phoenix.  She did not consider a career in journalism until midway through college, switching from an advertising design major to photojournalism. She has worked for seven news organizations across the country in her career.  She developed iPad apps as a Magazine faculty professor at the Missouri School of Journalism and led a team to create a sports app at the Kansas City Star.  She answered 10 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Summer 2018

MEDIA MOVES

July 10, 2018 by

BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO Gemma Gaudette, on-air host of Idaho Matters on Boise State Public Radio, comes on board from the University of Idaho. Richard Copeland, senior producer of Idaho Matters on Boise State Public Radio, joins the staff from WITF, a public media organization in central Pennsylvania. Summer interns are Will Reid of Yale University and Blake Simony of Boise State. EAST IDAHO NEWS Rett Nelson has been promoted to an editor/reporter. The publication also recently learned that EastIdahoNews.com has won a National … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Summer 2018