By Betsy Russell

The Idaho Press Club’s “Best of 2022” annual awards contest will open for entries on Dec. 15. It’s time to review and enter your best work of the year; you deserve the recognition!

This year, our Contest Committee has 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. The deadline to enter the contest is Jan. 20. All entries are submitted online at www.idahopressclub.org.

Go on there now, check out the categories and divisions, and be sure to enter this year.

Entry fees are the same as they were last year, and as usual, there’s a substantial discount for Idaho Press Club members, whether you’re a regular or student member. Either way, it makes sense to just join. You’ll come out ahead, and you’ll support all our efforts!

Among those efforts: Our First Amendment Committee is hard at work on public records issues and legislative matters. Our Training Committee organized an excellent fall conference, with sessions on the “right to be forgotten” and news coverage; covering extremism in Idaho; and best practices for covering Latino affairs in Idaho.

On Jan. 5, we will be hosting the Idaho Press Club Legislative Preview, starting at 8:30 a.m. with coffee. Gov. Brad Little will speak on the record and take questions from reporters starting at 9 a.m.; a panel of legislative leaders at 10 a.m. This event will take place at the Capitol, exact meeting room TBA, and will be livestreamed at idahoptv.org/insession.

Our Banquet Committee is preparing for our annual gala awards banquet, which is set for April 29, 2023 at the Boise Centre. It’ll be fun to gather in person and celebrate good journalism in Idaho.

During the week before the big event, we’re partnering with the Frank Church Institute at Boise State University to bring New York Times political reporter Maggie Haberman to Boise, and we’ll have a special event with her just for our members; stay tuned for details. And the weekend of the banquet, we’re planning to host our 4^th Journalists Institute on Covering the Courts, in cooperation with the University of Idaho College of Law and Attorneys for Civic Education. Stay tuned for details and don’t miss this excellent professional development opportunity.

Some of you may have heard that I am retiring Jan. 1. I will still continue to do some part-time work for the Idaho Press, though I will be taking the winter off; and I’ll continue to serve as president of the Press Club until my term ends April 29. I welcome our next generation of Press Club leaders!

Betsy Russell is the Boise bureau chief and state capitol reporter for the Idaho Press and Adams Publishing Co., and is the president of the Idaho Press Club.

By Melissa Davlin

This year, like debate organizers across the country, we at the Idaho Debates found ourselves with empty time slots in our schedule as a handful of incumbent candidates declined to participate, including some who had never before turned down our invitations. That has led to some soul searching at Idaho Public Television, as we look to how we can improve our chances of hosting successful congressional debates in 2024.

This year wasn’t all bad. A lot of people focused on the debates we didn’t get, but we put on a total of seven insightful, educational debates in 2022. In addition, almost every Republican and Democratic candidate in the primary and general elections agreed to debate; in some cases, those who wanted to debate faced candidates who either didn’t respond to our invitation to participate, or didn’t qualify. In the general election cycle, Idaho Reports offered interviews to those candidates whose opponents denied them a chance to debate.

And we maintain that debates fill an important role in voter education. Even if many voters have made up their minds on top-of-the-ticket races, our debates showcase candidates in lower profile races, such as controller or secretary of state. Debates also show how candidates react when challenged in high-stress situations, and require long-serving politicians to stand up for their records.

But we recognize that as long as high-profile incumbents are turning down our invitations, we aren’t fulfilling our mission to bring educational programming to the voters of Idaho. 

Again, this isn’t unique to Idaho. Candidates turning down debates is a trend we’ve seen nationwide. Still, we have started issuing invitations to campaigns, former candidates, our partners, and others to sit down and tell us what we could be doing better with the debate process. That goes for our partners in the Idaho Press Club as well. 

That doesn’t mean we’re able, or willing, to adopt every suggestion. And we have to stay within FEC laws. That means no “debates” with just one candidate if another candidate declines. But we are open to suggestions and discussion. Do we take debates on the road and host them in front of audiences across the state? Should we move to a town hall style? Broaden our partnerships? Shorten or lengthen the debates?

We have already made moves on some ideas. This year, we provided Spanish captioning for our general election debates, and we plan to offer both ASL interpretation and Spanish audio interpretation for the 2024 debate cycle. We hope that this chance to reach a broader audience of Idaho voters will be a good incentive for future candidates.

But our work isn’t done. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please reach out at melissa.davlin@idahoptv.org. 

Melissa Davlin is vice president of the Idaho Press Club, and is the host and lead producer of Idaho Reports on Idaho Public Television. She also moderates the Idaho Debates. The Idaho Debates are a partnership between Idaho Public Television, the Idaho Press Club, Boise State University’s School of Public Service, University of Idaho’s McClure Center, Idaho State University’s Political Science Department, and the League of Women Voters Education Fund. 

Dubbed the “Best Small Library in America” in 2017, the Boundary County Public Library, Bonners Ferry, became a hotbed of contention in 2021 after four employees raised numerous allegations of mismanagement, malfeasance and potentially criminal violations.

The first indication of the upheaval about to erupt came with an announcement March 13, 2021, by the library district board of the retirement of the library director, Craig Anderson, effective April 1, and the interim appointment of his predecessor, retired director Sandy Ashworth, then 80, as an unpaid consultant with a mandate to “identify problems and provide solutions in the library’s management.”

On April 15, the library board declared an emergency, never defining its nature but saying it involved serious safety issues, and announced a two week library closure. In response to my inquiry, Ashworth said the library was going into “dry dock” to address safety issues not acceptable in a public building, describing those issues as clutter and security issues. The closure would last around three months.

Having gotten nowhere in their attempts to bring their concerns and allegations to the library board for resolution, librarian Dana Boiler and her husband, Jeff, an attorney, sat down with me for a lengthy interview, which resulted in the article, “Allegations against library far reaching,” published April 25, 2021, the first time the concerns were made public.

On May 5, in response, the library board announced it had entered into an agreement that day with the Lewiston law firm Clement, Brown & McNichols to conduct an independent investigation of the complaints “to determine if a violation of law and/or policy has occurred.”

On July 6, the board held a special meeting to accept the firm’s investigative report, and I submitted a written public records request for its release.

On July 22, Ashworth was appointed interim library director and the following day she gave notice of administrative leave with pay to the four whistleblowers, including Dana Boiler. On July 29, she sent me a letter denying my records request, citing Idaho Code § 74-104(1) and Idaho Code § 74-106(1). I submitted an administrative appeal August 17, 2021. While I did receive a certified receipt of delivery, I never received a response.

My intent at the time had been to seek out the assistance of the Idaho Press Club to challenge the denial, but before I knew it, the deadline to file had passed, and I gave up hope of informing the public of why the library had been closed, what the issues were and what was being done to resolve them. But the window opened again when, on May 19, 2022, the whistleblowers filed a tort claim with the library district, and with a new director in place, the board and its attorneys responded to my new public records request with a copy of the 33-page report, redacted to the point of uselessness. But I could read the footer on each page, “personnel,” and the main reason the library board’s attorneys were claiming in withholding the public record.

Had they responded along the lines, “sorry, you missed your chance,” that would have been the end of it, but the effrontery of the response I received proved more than I could bear, and this time, I was watching the clock.

There was a lot more going on with the library and I covered several more stories: Two separate recall petitions to unseat the library board both failed. Accusations against new director Kimber Glidden of bringing “woke” ideas to our fine library and fears of pornography on the kids’ bookshelves and drag queens telling stories brought so much distraction Glidden resigned after just nine months. ICRMP pulled the district’s liability coverage, threatening to force closure, only relenting with a special three-month policy to see if the board has the wherewithal to correct the problems that led to so much distress and dissension.

I contacted the Idaho Press Club and it wasn’t long before I was in touch with Scott McIntosh, opinion editor of the Idaho Statesman, chair of the Press Club’s First Amendment Committee, and soon thereafter with Idaho Press Club President Betsy Russell. Both heard my story and agreed to help, and both had my back from early on. We agreed that printing “personnel” at the bottom of each page of a public record does not an exemption make, and both Scott and Betsy agreed to help.

They contacted the law firm of Smith and Malek, Coeur d’Alene, and we were soon working with attorney Kirk Houston, who carried us through to the successful but somewhat surprising conclusion, pro bono, and getting it done short of the courtroom.

On August 9, 2022, Houston wrote a letter to the district, and we worked together until October 7, 2022, when I was able to publish “Library releases June 2021 investigation report,” having at last received a copy tolerably redacted. And it was a surprise.

As expected, the lax management style of director Anderson took part of the blame for the issues raised, but a small part: The report laid most of the blame at the feet of the whistleblowers, particularly Dana Boiler.

“What the hell?!” one reader wrote in response. “They got terrible advice from counsel on this one. They should have released that the minute it came in! Think of how much grief might have been saved.”

Mike Weland has reported news in Boundary County since 1991, and currently publishes the online-only 9b.news from his home in Bonners Ferry.

By Joan Cartan-Hansen

Have a great idea for a story and no funds to get it to print or on the air? Need money for professional training?  Apply for the Idaho Press Club’s Don Watkins Mid-Career Scholarship.

The Mid-Career Scholarship awards $500 for any Idaho Press Club member to use for any training or project that will improve the working press in Idaho. The only catch: You must share what you learn with Press Club members through a discussion at a conference or an article in an upcoming edition of the Communicator. Any Press Club member is eligible for this scholarship.

To apply, send your resume and a proposal for how you would spend the money to us via e-mail to email@idahopressclub.org. Applications are due February 15 of each year. The winner will be announced as part of the Press Club’s annual awards program in April.

The Idaho Press Club offers scholarships for college students too. Graduates of Idaho high schools who have completed at least one year of college and wish to pursue a career in journalism or communications are eligible for the Don Watkins Memorial Scholarship of up to $1,500. Full-time students majoring in journalism or working for a college or professional media outlet are also eligible to apply.

If interested, submit a one-page resume; a 500-word essay explaining your interest in a journalism or communications career; samples of your journalistic work, whether published or unpublished; and a copy of your transcripts, including GPA, through the most recent fall term. Applications may be submitted electronically via email to email@idahopressclub.org. If you have video files, please upload them to YouTube or a similar site and send the link.  The deadline is also February 15th.

For more information about either scholarship, call IPC Executive Director Martha Borchers at (208) 389-2879, or contact her by e-mail at email@idahopressclub.org.

Joan Cartan-Hansen is a producer, reporter, writer and host at Idaho Public Television, and is a board member of the Idaho Press Club who also chairs our Scholarship Committee.

East Idaho investigative reporter Devin Bodkin left Idaho Education News after seven years to become a communication director at the Idaho National Laboratory. Idaho Education News replaced Bodkin with Darren Svan, a former Wyoming news editor who has been teaching English on the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana State University. Svan started his Idaho investigative reporting job the first week of December. 

THE IDAHO PRESS

Betsy Russell will retire Jan. 1 after a news career spanning four decades, including the past five years as the Boise bureau chief and state capitol reporter for the Idaho Press and Adams Publishing. Prior to joining the Press, she worked for 27 years for The Spokesman-Review, and for five years before that for the Idaho Statesman, along with earlier work for several California newspapers. The Idaho Press will host a retirement party for her in January; details are to come.

Idaho Press news editor Laura Guido will cover the upcoming legislative session and take over the Eye on Boise blog from Russell. Guido has been news editor for the Idaho Press since September of 2021; she previously worked as a reporter and editor for the Woodinville Weekly, the Whidbey News-Times, and the Columbia Basin Herald, and covered the Washington Legislature. Guido will be promoted to assistant managing editor/Boise bureau chief.

Moving in to fill Guido’s role as Idaho Press news editor will be Madison Guernsey. A graduate of the University of Oregon, Guernsey has been with the Idaho Press since May 2021 as the newspaper’s digital editor. Prior to that he spent five years as sports editor at the Idaho State Journal in Pocatello.

Emily White joined the Idaho Press in August as a general assignment reporter, based in Nampa. She graduated from Utah State University in May with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English.

LEWISTON TRIBUNE

Longtime Lewiston Tribune political and Statehouse reporter William L. “Bill” Spence is retiring at the end of the year.

IDAHO STATESMAN

Mia Maldonado joined the Idaho Statesman as a breaking news reporter. She previously interned at the Idaho Capital Sun. Growth and development reporter Paul Schwedelson left the Idaho Statesman to cover real estate for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

KTVB-TV Boise

After 8 years, sports reporter Will Hall left KTVB and is now covering sports with our sister station, KARE, in Minneapolis.

Brady Frederick joined KTVB as a sports reporter in July of 2022. Prior to moving to Boise, Brady spent two years as the sports director for KLEW-TV in Lewiston.

Reporter Tristan Lewis left the news industry for a position on the communications team at College of Western Idaho.

Jude Binkley graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State and joined the KTVB team as a general assignment reporter.

After graduating from UC Davis, Katey Patrick joined the team as the assignment editor.

Digital producer Ryan Hatten left Idaho for a new opportunity in Chicago.

Tracy Bringhurst came from the Boise Weekly where she was head staff writer and social media manager. She’s just joined our team as a digital media producer.

Newscast editor James Hollinger left KTVB. Madisun Grindell was promoted from production assistant to newscast editor.

Bridger Cowan was promoted from Wake Up Idaho newscast editor to marketing producer.

Chief photographer Zoran Tesic is leaving Idaho for the same position at a station in Nebraska.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Longtime Associated Press newsman Keith Ridler has retired after nearly two decades covering breaking news, the environment and politics in the Boise bureau. Ridler joined the company in 2005, and he quickly earned a reputation for his swift and steady coverage of some of the West’s biggest news issues, including wolves, wildfires and nuclear waste. When a group of armed extremists took over a federal wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon in January of 2016, AP sent Ridler to the scene, where he camped out in his truck to be close to the action. Ridler turned his attention to the Idaho Statehouse in 2018, where his deep understanding of Idaho’s land use issues informed his coverage of elections and legislative maneuvering.

Here’s his tweet announcing his retirement: “After 17 years with the Associated Press, the last four covering #idpol, I’m calling it a career today. I’m grateful I got to work at the AP, and grateful now for the expanded opportunity to travel with loved ones, fly fish, bike, hike and write some long-form stories.”

BOISE WEEKLY

Kate Jacobson, Boise State political science and journalism student and reporter for the Arbiter, will intern at Boise Weekly for the spring semester, covering the Idaho Legislature as well as news, arts and entertainment. Tracy Bringhurst, formerly head staff writer at Boise Weekly, has taken a position as digital editor at KTVB.

 PUBLIC RELATIONS

Scott Graf will join the State Department of Education as Communications Director. Scott has spent the last six years as the Public Information Officer and Director of Constituent Affairs at the Idaho Attorney General’s Office. Before his service in Idaho state government, he spent more than 15 years in news radio.

By Betsy Russell

Check out the “Media Moves” section of this newsletter – there are a lot! Lots of Idaho journalists are moving around as our industry finally once again begins to show some signs of life, after the huge financial gut-punch most or all of our employers took due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As you’ll see in Orion Donovan-Smith’s interesting article in this issue, reprinted from The Spokesman-Review, the news industry has been suffering big-time for a while. That we’re all still here, pushing hard to keep people informed, is a credit to all of our persistence (it’s what reporters are known for, right?), and a whole lot of perseverance. Also, our idealism. We all know why we do what we do; the role of the free press in our nation is as critical now as it’s ever been.

So it was great to finally be able to have an in-person gala awards banquet this spring, which saw strong attendance and a big array of Idaho journalists honored for their excellent work in a challenging year. Full contest results are at idahopressclub.org. Congrats to all the winners, and to all Idaho journalists for all the good work you do!

The banquet also gave us a chance to celebrate our scholarship winners, both for our longstanding Don Watkins Memorial Scholarship for an Idaho student, which went to Andrea Teres-Martinez of Boise State, and Don Watkins Mid-Career Scholarship for professional development for a mid-career journalist, which went to Kelcie Moseley-Morris of the Idaho Capital Sun; and our new Voces Internship of Idaho, which helps young Latino Idahoans get professional paid experience to kickstart their journalism careers. The first two interns this summer are University of Idaho students Mia Maldonado and Hugo Luna.

That same weekend, we saw excellent turnout for our third Journalists’ Institute on Covering the Courts, which we held in cooperation with Attorneys for Civic Education and the University of Idaho College of Law. Most of the attendees hadn’t been to previous versions of the institute; it was top-notch (see article in this edition of the Communicator).

Thanks to all of you for all you do!

Betsy Z. Russell is the Boise bureau chief for the Idaho Press, and is the president of the Idaho Press Club.

Twenty-eight journalists from across Idaho attended Idaho’s third Journalists’ Institute on Covering the Courts in April. The Idaho Press Club, Attorneys for Civic Education and the University of Idaho College of Law teamed up to hold the institute. Previous institutes were held in 2018 and 2019.

The day-long program, titled “Without Fear or Favor: Reporting on the Rule of Law and the Work of an Independent, Impartial Judiciary,” included information on journalists’ access to court proceedings, a discussion on prosecutorial discretion and the role and importance of jury instructions. Idaho journalists who cover the courts, or who supervise reporters who cover them, were all invited. Presenters included judges from the United States District Court for the District of Idaho and the Idaho State Supreme Court, faculty from the University of Idaho College of Law, and Idaho journalists.

“The Institute this year again focused on journalists’ vital role in civic education and emphasized the importance of an independent, impartial judiciary,” said Katie Ball, associate professor at the UI College of Law. “Presentations and the workshop session helped illustrate how to consider the rule of law when reporting on court decisions. We appreciate the federal court providing funding for the program and the contributions from Steve Kenyon, (Clerk for the U.S. District of Idaho) who helped plan the program and organized panel discussions, and Judges Debora Grasham (Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Idaho) and Raymond Patricco, (Chief Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Idaho) who … presented at the program.”

Don Burnett, professor emeritus of law at UI, “was again a moving force behind this year’s program,” said Ball. Burnett spoke on a topic close to his heart, the role of an independent, impartial judiciary in America’s constitutional republic. In his updated 2014 essay on the subject, he notes the value of the media in educating the public on the justice system: “News stories – whether in print or electronic form – profoundly shape public perceptions of the justice system. Journalists have long shared in spirit the judiciary’s goals of independence and impartiality,” his essay notes, the updated version specifically lauding the Idaho institutes’ emphasis on the rule of law and upon the importance of an independent, impartial judiciary.

Agenda topics included how journalists can access court operations proceedings and court records, media coverage of judicial decisions, perspectives on prosecutorial discretion, and jury instructions and media-court relations. 

“Reporting on legal matters is vitally important,” Judge Patricco, who spoke during opening remarks, noted. “Journalists provide transparency regarding the legal process, and transparency is the key to the legitimacy of the legal process. It is what separates our legal system from that of other countries and what makes our system the most fair and highly-functioning in the world. But that reporting must be accurate for the goals of transparency and legitimacy to be achieved and accuracy requires access. On this score, our clerk of court, Steve Kenyon, and the other federal judges in Idaho, are committed to providing journalists with the access needed to do their job well.” 

Judge Patricco said the journalist institutes help the courts by opening dialogue between judges, lawyers and journalists. “They help bridge the ‘legalese and procedure gap,’ he said. “Judges and lawyers try to explain legal concepts in plain English so that journalists can better understand how the courts operate and report accurately. Accurate reporting is the goal for which we all strive. For the judges, the institutes are a reminder of the importance of the openness of the proceedings, and how that openness fosters legitimacy of the legal system.”

Prior to her confirmation as a magistrate judge in 2022, Judge Grasham was a long-time Idaho Press Club board member and planner for the previous institutes, and a former member of the Ninth Circuit’s Public Information and Community Outreach Committee. She noted the value of interacting with court officers. “I know the journalists who did attend commented they really appreciated the ‘up close and personal’ time with the judges – an opportunity they rarely get,” she said. “These kinds of interactions help demystify the courts, judges and our processes, and eventually lead to a better understanding of what we all do.”

This was the first institute Judge Grasham participated in. “I was on the panel addressing the challenges that judges and journalists face in communicating the rule of law content of judicial decisions,” she said. “I thought it was an important topic and one which was of great interest to the participants. We provided several examples of judicial decisions and how they were inaccurately reported – oftentimes by something as simple as a misleading headline. We discussed how this happens, what impact the misleading headline could have, and ways to avoid the same mistakes in the future. It was a very cooperative, hands-on session. Overall, I continue to be impressed with our court’s commitment to transparency and working with journalists to understand the important work of our courts.”

William Cracraft is communications specialist for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9^th Circuit. This article is adapted from one he first published on the 9^th Circuit’s website on June 17, 2022.

By Orion Donovan-Smith, The Spokesman-Review

Jun. 12—WASHINGTON — America’s local news outlets are in crisis and in search of a new business model, forced to cut staff or close altogether amid rising costs and falling revenue. But two proposals backed by Northwest lawmakers in Congress may offer a solution.

The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, introduced in 2021 by Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat, and GOP Rep. Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside, would use tax credits to let news outlets hire more journalists and help subscribers and advertisers pay for their services. Those measures could offer a temporary lifeline while another bill, the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, would let news publishers negotiate to get fair compensation for the content they create.

As news and advertising has moved from the printed page to the webpage, tech giants Google and Facebook have reaped the benefits, scooping up ad revenue while squeezing the news outlets that create the content on which those online platforms rely. According to the News Media Alliance, an association that represents about 2,000 outlets, as much as 70% of digital ad revenue goes to Google and Facebook — and their respective parent companies, Alphabet and Meta.

Local U.S. newspapers have been hit especially hard since the financial crisis that began 15 years ago, losing some 40,000 newsroom jobs — a staggering 57% — between 2008 and 2020, according to the Pew Research Center. Online-only news outlets have only partially filled the gap, adding about 10,000 jobs during that period.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem, with rising publication costs and declining ad revenues despite a surge in demand for up-to-date information about the virus and its local impacts. About 1,800 papers have closed since 2004, according to research from the University of North Carolina, with more than 100 local newsrooms shuttered since the pandemic began.

The decline of local news has a range of negative effects on U.S. society, numerous studies have found: Fewer people vote, and those who do vote base their decisions on highly polarized national issues rather than local issues that directly affect their lives. Less oversight begets more corruption and wasteful spending of tax dollars, while elected officials are less accountable to their voters.

While the national media landscape has grown increasingly polarized in recent years, a poll conducted in late 2021 by Gallup and the Knight Foundation found Americans trust local news more than national news, with 44% saying they trust local outlets and just 27% saying they trust national ones.

Yet Americans have been largely unaware of the crisis, with 71% telling the Pew Research Center in 2018 they believed their local press was doing well financially despite just 14% saying they had paid for local news in the past year.

Danielle Coffey, executive vice president and general counsel at the News Media Alliance, said the most fundamental problem facing the news industry is the way Facebook and Google have siphoned ad revenue with little recourse for news outlets. Over the past decade, she said, online audiences have grown tenfold, yet revenue has fallen by half.

“Obviously, if you’re providing content that people are consuming at exponentially increasing rates, yet the revenue isn’t returning to the creator, there’s a problem,” Coffey said.

“Users stay within their walled gardens,” she added, referring to online platforms, “to consume our content and the platforms reap the benefits and the value of our content without returning the fair market value of that content to the content creators, like they do with other industries, such as music and movies.”

The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, first introduced in 2019 and reintroduced last year, is modeled on a pioneering 2021 law in Australia that forces Google and Facebook to negotiate deals to compensate Australian news outlets for the stories shared on the platforms. A May report by the former chief of the Australian agency that regulates competition found the law had already facilitated annual payments of more than 200 million Australian dollars — equivalent to about $144 million.

The bill has wide bipartisan support in Congress, where “Big Tech” companies like Meta and Alphabet have been the targets of criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike. The Senate bill was introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and John Kennedy, R-La., while the House counterpart is backed by lawmakers across the political spectrum from Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, to Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

Coffey said she expects the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold a markup in the coming weeks to amend the bill before advancing it to the Senate floor. It’s unclear when the bill could get a final vote in the full Senate, and tech companies have hired an army of lobbyists to try to shape the final legislation, but its bipartisan support in both chambers suggests the bill has a good chance of becoming law.

Meanwhile, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, spearheaded by Cantwell and Newhouse, would offer a temporary boost to flagging news outlets while they negotiate deals with the tech giants.

The bill includes three tax credits: One would let taxpayers deduct up to $250 each year spent on subscriptions; another would let companies write off up to $5,000 in advertising costs in the first year and $2,500 in the four subsequent years; and a third credit would let news outlets deduct part of a journalist’s salary to the tune of $25,000 in the first year and $15,000 in the next four years.

“I think all three provisions of the Local Journalism Sustainability Act would benefit papers, especially in the rural areas of the West,” said Kenton Bird, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Idaho.

Bird, who worked for 15 years as a reporter and editor in North Idaho, said the advertising tax credit could help reverse a “self-perpetuating decline” whereby local businesses can’t afford to promote themselves and in turn lose business while depriving news outlets of an important revenue source.

“One of the consequences of the decline in the local news industry is that there’s simply less bread-and-butter coverage of government, of taxes, of public affairs, of law enforcement and the courts,” he said. “And so if there’s a tax benefit to the companies, I think maybe we could reverse that trend.”

Despite the bill’s bipartisan support, it appears unlikely to pass as a standalone bill. In 2021, Democrats added one of its three parts — the payroll tax credit — to the all-in-one tax and spending bill dubbed the Build Back Better Act. That legislation died amid universal GOP opposition and concerns from moderate Democrats, including Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

But Manchin, a cosponsor of the original bill, is in talks with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York that could yield a scaled-back version of the so-called reconciliation package that could pass with only Democratic votes. Coffey said including the payroll tax credit for news outlets in that potential legislation seems to be the most viable route to its passage.

“We know that local journalism, and competition of voices, is so important,” Cantwell said in an interview in Spokane in April, adding that she sees the tax credits as a continuation of what Congress had done with assistance to businesses during the pandemic.

“We think it’s important to continue for the next couple of years,” she said. “We don’t think we’ve figured everything out as it relates to the transformation that’s gone on in the online world.”

In a statement, Newhouse said he continues to support the Local Journalism Sustainability Act but opposes the broader legislation Democrats are aiming to use as a vehicle to pass it.

“Local journalism is important, and that is clearly reflected in the broad bipartisan support this bill has and the 72 Members who have already signed on,” he said. “I will continue to work with my colleagues to find a comprehensive solution, but if the Majority was serious about moving this bill forward, Speaker Pelosi would bring it to the floor immediately.”

Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have limited time to move legislation before this session of Congress wraps up at the end of this year, so they will have to choose their priorities. Coffey said the urgency of the local news crisis demands lawmakers make both pieces of legislation a top priority.

“Quality local news coverage in communities across our country, that’s what’s at stake,” Coffey said. “And in the pandemic we saw how valuable that information could be to a local community, because it’s about health, it’s about schools, it’s about businesses. It’s about information to ensure a functional democracy that newspapers have always provided historically, for hundreds of years.”

Orion Donovan-Smith’s reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community.

___

(c)2022 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.)

Visit The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) at www.spokesman.com

Lisa Chavez is one of the newest members of the Idaho Press Club board.  She is the Director of Content at KTVB.  She oversees the news department and all news platforms.

Interviewed by Joan Cartan-Hansen

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Powell, Wyoming.

Why did you go to Boise State University?

I initially wanted to focus on documentary shooting and producing. Boise is so beautiful and a professor, Dr. Lutze, took so much care in showing me around and introducing me to other professors and students. It was a no-brainer after the visit. I’d say it was the right choice, I got my foot in the door at KTVB after Paul Boehlke called my advisor looking for a recent grad who would be good for their morning news editor opening. I met my husband in a video production class as well.

Why did you want to go into journalism?

After starting at KTVB, the news bug bit. I knew immediately it was exactly where I wanted to be. How can you not love a job where you learn something new every day and get to share it with others?

What was your first job in journalism? Why there and how did it go?

I started as the newscast editor for Idaho at Sunrise working the overnight shift. I wanted to shoot and edit stories. After about 9 months, I got the opportunity and was promoted to photojournalist.

Share a story about an assignment early in your career that made an impact on you.

Goodness, that’s a hard one. I got to do fun features, serve as local pool camera for a presidential visit, fly with Steve Appleton (literally, he taught me to do a barrel roll), and travel for Boise State coverage. The Olympic Torch came through Boise as part of the Special Olympics. It was huge live coverage across the Treasure Valley.

You’ve worked lots of different jobs at KTVB.  What was that like?

I have! Newscast editor, photojournalist, assignment editor, managing editor, digital content manager, and director of content. Always growing, learning, coaching, empowering, and informing has kept each of my 21 years at KTVB a new challenge.

What was it like meeting Brian Williams at the National Murrow Awards?

Brief! I was humbled and honored to be in New York representing the work of our team and only had a photo taken with him. Visiting NBC and meeting some of the team was a treat for sure.

Who is your journalistic hero?

I’ve always deeply admired Dee Sarton for her for intelligence, huge heart, and way of asking tough questions in her kind but firm way. I learned quite a bit from working with her over the years. She’s a true gem personally and professionally!

Of what professional accomplishment are you most proud?

News is stressful with constant deadlines and pressure to always get it right. Producing six hours of news takes hundreds of working pieces, as well as teamwork, communication, and collaboration. One thing going awry can quickly spiral a live broadcast so we have each other’s backs to pull it off for each show. I’m proud of the incredible way we all come together, especially when covering big, breaking news events together. I’m proud of the work culture we’ve built. I love my job and the people I’ve been blessed to work with now and over the years.

What do you do for fun?

We enjoy traveling, particularly road trips through Yellowstone to our family cabin in the Beartooth Mountains (where there is NO cell service) and finding new experiences for our boys, whether it be a new cuisine or city to explore. 

How do you balance family life and work?

It can be really rough, particularly when the boys were little. Fortunately, multitasking has always been a strong quality of mine. You have to have focused time for each. We have guaranteed family time by having dinner together every night. My husband is an excellent cook and, fortunately for me, loves to do it! Oh, and yoga. That’s gotten me through some really stressful periods.

Your husband is a brewer.  Do you like beer?  What kinds?

He is, and he’s SO talented! I’m very proud of all his accomplishments at Sockeye and then starting Boise Brewing. I enjoy a tasty, cold one occasionally. There are so many good ones for all kinds of moods, and he always has a new recipe to check out. His chocolate stout or Snowboarder Porter are delightful during the winter. Admittedly, I’m more of a wine gal than beer drinker.

Why did you join the Idaho Press Club?

What we do as journalists is critically important.  It must be protected and celebrated. Supporting local news by serving on the board representing Idaho’s largest media organization has long been a goal of mine. 

What do you hope to accomplish on the Idaho Press Club board?

Well, I’m just getting started so initially learning the challenges we face collectively, how we can support local journalists and better serve the under-served communities in Idaho.

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us?

My very first job after graduating from Boise State was in master control at Idaho Public Television. I only lasted a few months. Not surprising? Another fact, I’m distantly related to Buffalo Bill Cody.

Joan Cartan-Hansen is a producer/reporter/writer/host with Idaho Public Television and the treasurer of the Idaho Press Club.

TIMES-NEWS, Twin Falls

Business reporter Hannah Ashton is leaving to become a science writer for Oregon State University.
 
IDAHO PRESS, Nampa/Boise

Crime and courts reporter Alexandra Duggan left for a position at KTVB. The Idaho Press is now recruiting for the position; see our full job listing on the Idaho Press Club website under “Jobs.”

Haadiya Tariq is a summer intern at the Idaho Press; a University of Idaho student, she also is the incoming editor of the UI Argonaut.

Laura Guido has been promoted to city editor, and Sydney Kidd is has been promoted from copy editor to reporter/copy editor. Cheryl Whitsitt, former news director of the Springfield News-Leader in Springfield, Missouri, is a new night copy editor.

IDAHO STATESMAN, Boise

Joni Auden Land left the Idaho Statesman for a job at Oregon Public Broadcasting in Bend. Ian Max Stevenson was promoted to City of Boise/Climate Change reporter.

Andrea Teres-Martinez (Boise State) and Catherine Odom (Northwestern) joined the Statesman as summer news reporter interns. Tanushri Sundar also will be with the Statesman this summer as a science reporting fellow through the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

KBOI/CBS2 TV Boise

Multi-media journalist Angela Kerndl has joined the station, from KIMA in Yakima. Also new is Luke Randle, who arrives from Maryland.

Nate Larsen is leaving CBS2 to work at ABC4 in Salt Lake City. Kristen McPeek left to work at KUTV in Salt Lake City; and Deni Hawkins left CBS2 to pursue opportunities outside the industry. 

KTVB NEWSCHANNEL 7, Boise

Justin Corr has returned to KTVB after 6 ½ years away, as an anchor for Wake Up Idaho. He had left for an anchor position in Missouri then came back home to the Gem State and worked in communications and for the Boise Mayor.

Damian Greenberg came from KBOI-TV as KTVB’s new Marketing Director. Jessica Mullins was promoted from the KTVB digital director/Tegna regional digital director to talent acquisition partner for Tegna. Dan Ryder was promoted from the content discovery editor to the digital content manager.

Ryan Hatten, a graduate of Eastern Washington University, Zack Armstrong, a graduate of Washington State University, and Krystal Mullins, a graduate from the University of Idaho, have all joined the team for their first journalism job as digital content producers.

Katie Terhune left the industry for an opportunity at Micron. Alex Duggan came to KTVB from The Idaho Press as a digital content producer focused on investigative and crime/courts reporting. Kim Devine was promoted from KFMB in San Diego where she produced the 11 p.m. newscast to become KTVB’s executive producer.

Tyson White, formerly our chief photographer, left the business for a short time and has returned to the team as a newscast producer. Sierra Pesnell graduated from the University of Idaho and joined the Wake Up Idaho team as a producer. Emma Adams, a Boise State University graduate, will be coming on board as a newscast producer.

Melissa Mione left KTVB for a position at Bilbao & Co. She was most recently a newscast producer and also worked as a production assistant. Abby Urbanek previously produced Wake Up Idaho and is now the Communications Manager at the Idaho Conservation League. Katija Stjepovic is leaving the Boise market for Salt Lake City.

Will Hall is leaving the industry to move closer to family in Minnesota. Abby Davis graduated from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University and is joining the KTVB team as reporter/MSJ (multi-skilled journalist).

James Hollinger joined the team as a newscast editor. Paul Boehlke returned as a special projects/investigative photojournalist after a brief stint at the Idaho Farm Bureau.

IDAHO EDUCATION NEWS

Carly Flandro is a new reporter at EdNews; she comes straight from the classroom. For the past eight years she has taught English at Century High School in Pocatello. She also previously worked as a reporter for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, and holds a master’s degree in English from Idaho State University and a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and Spanish from the University of Montana.

Recent College of Idaho graduate Sadie Dittenber also is a new reporter at EdNews. She’ll cover Idaho’s K-12 politics and policy, replacing Blake Jones, who left in May to work for Politico in Sacramento.

IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION

Bruce Reichert, host, executive producer and writer for Outdoor Idaho for more than 35 years, has retired. Reichert was a schoolteacher and bartender in Idaho City before he joined the program, initially as a volunteer. Outdoor Idaho went on to win multiple awards and become an Idaho institution and one of the most celebrated television series in the West.