Briefing Archives | Page 2 of 28 | Wisconsin Newspaper Association

WNA president Pat Reilly testifies in support of Senate Bill 117

Mar. 17, 2023

WNA President Pat Reilly on Thursday testified in support of legislation that would allow for the recovery of attorney fees and costs under the state's public records law when an authority voluntarily or unilaterally releases a contested record after an action has been filed in court.

Senate Bill 117, co-sponsored by Republicans Sen. Duey Stroebel and Rep. Todd Novak, rolls back a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision from 2022 that restricted the public’s ability to recover fees when suing for records.

Policy Forum identifies 5 keys to the next state budget

Mar. 15, 2023

As state lawmakers begin deliberations on Gov. Tony Evers’ proposal for the 2023-25 state budget, a record projected surplus of $8.8 billion hands them an historic opportunity to make generational progress on some of the state’s most pressing policy challenges.

In a new state budget brief released by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the statewide policy research organization identifies five keys it expects will be critical to the state’s future fiscal outlook, its economy, and the quality of life of its citizens.

‘Opees’ honor and chastise

Mar. 8, 2023

For the 17th consecutive year, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council has named its annual Openness in Government Awards, or Opees, in honor of national Sunshine Week, March 12-18. Five winners and one loser were selected from among an uncommonly large number of nominations.

Honorees include a group of residents concerned about the impact of a local park redevelopment, a school board member who blew the whistle on his colleagues for being too secretive, and a longtime city official who has made a habit of accessibility.

Center for Journalism Ethics to host ‘Ethics, Urgency & Climate Journalism’ on April 28

Mar. 6, 2023

The UW-Madison Center for Journalism Ethics will host its 14th annual conference on Friday, April 28, at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery in Madison. It is free, open to the public and made possible by generous sponsorships from craig newmark philanthropies and the Evjue Foundation. The WNA also is among the conference's participating sponsors.

"Ethics, Urgency & Climate Journalism" will bring together news media professionals, non-profit news leaders, media innovators, academics, climate change communicators, students and the public to address the ethical dimensions of covering climate change for our local, state, national and global communities.

Former Journal Sentinel reporter Dan Egan pens another book

Mar. 3, 2023

Dan Egan, a former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter, has released a new book, "The Devil's Element: Phosphorus and a World out of Balance," in which he sounds alarms on both the scarcity and overreliance of phosphorus.

In 2017, Egan released "The Death and Life of the Great Lakes," which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and was a Go Big Read book at UW-Madison.

O-W Enterprise purchased by thepaperboy.news group

Mar. 2, 2023

Last month, John McLoone's thepaperboy.news group of newspapers purchased the O-W Enterprise from NJL Media LLC and publisher Nathan J. LePage, on the heels of just having purchased The Sentinel & Rural News, which serves the same area, from Multi Media Channels in November.

LePage will remain with the newly formed Enterprise-Sentinel through the transition period and plans to step down this summer, after 17 years with the paper.

Milwaukee Press Club announces 2023 Sacred Cat and Headliners Awards

Mar. 1, 2023

The Milwaukee Press Club will honor its 2023 Headliners, Derek Mosley, director of Marquette University Law School’s Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education and George Stanley, former editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and regional editor of USA TODAY Network Wisconsin, on Friday, May 12, at The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.

During the event, the press club also will honor Anna Wolfe, an award-winning investigative reporter for Mississippi Today, as its 2023 Sacred Cat Award honoree, as well as winners of the 2022 Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism competition

12 students honored for highlighting importance of the First Amendment

Feb. 3, 2023

Twelve high school and middle school students have been recognized by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation for their submissions to the 2022 Wisconsin Civics Games Editorial Writing & Cartoon Contest.

Students from 22 schools across the state participated in this year’s contest. Members are encouraged to republish the winning entries, which received prizes totaling $3,150.

Wisconsin Civics Games registration deadline is Feb. 20

Jan. 20, 2023

The deadline to register for the 2023 Wisconsin Civics Games, which aims to promote civics education and encourage Wisconsin high school students to develop an interest in public service, is Feb. 20.

This year's regional competitions will be held virtually on Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14. The top-performing teams will advance to the state finals on Friday, May 12, at the State Capitol.

Deadline to enter WNAF high school, college newspaper contests is Feb. 6

Dec. 9, 2022

The deadline to enter the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation's High School and Collegiate Better Newspaper Contests is Monday, Feb. 6.

The contests recognize excellence in student journalism across the state and are open to all student journalists attending public or private schools in Wisconsin. All entries must have been published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022.