News & Announcements

wna contest plaques

WNA Foundation announces changes for 2021 contest

The WNA Foundation contest committee has voted to make several changes ahead of the 2021 Better Newspaper Contest, including the elimination of three daily categories and one daily circulation division. 

masks in schools, covid

Poll results indicate support for masks in schools

Polco users and readers visiting WNA member websites from Aug. 19 to 31 were asked whether they supported mask requirements in schools. Out of 715 verified respondents, 61% said they believe masks should be required for all students, teachers and staff in schools this fall, while 27% said masks should be optional for all.

Poll questions are available through a WNA partnership with Polco aimed at helping newspapers better engage readers and access enhanced data and insights. WNA members who have signed up for an account can access their local version of the new question, as well as local poll results, on their dashboards. Those who have not signed up can do so here.

memorial pylon, memorial grove

Watch: Memorial Pylon virtual ceremony

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation on Friday honored 26 industry leaders during this year’s Memorial Pylon virtual ceremony.  Those unable to join us for the live premiere can watch a replay of the ceremony below or on our YouTube channel.

The video features photos and biographies of the inductees along with memories shared by family, friends and former colleagues. 

wausau daily herald

Gannett sells longtime home of Wausau Daily Herald

Gannett Co. Inc., parent company of the Wausau Daily Herald, has sold the newspaper's longtime home at 800 Scott St.

The Daily Herald offices had been located in the building since 1958. The newspaper will lease space in the building, which it reports was sold to Bauer's Mega Storage, a Wausau-area company. With the sale, Gannett no longer owns any of the buildings that for decades had housed its central Wisconsin newspapers.

hall of fame, susan shemanske, kent eymann, jean alexander, elliott maraniss

WNA seeking 2021 Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame nominations

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association is accepting nominations for the 2021 Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame class through Monday, Sept. 13. Inductees will be announced by Sept. 30, and recognized on Thursday, Nov. 18, at The Madison Club.

Nominations are open to anyone — living or deceased — who has contributed above and beyond the call of duty to the Wisconsin newspaper industry. This includes publishers, editors, reporters, photographers or any other newspaper personnel who’ve made significant contributions to the industry. It is expected that the individual should have dedicated at least 15 years to newspapering. However, length of service is not a major determinant.

Jim O'Rourke

O’Rourke Media Group, Modulist announce partnership

O'Rourke Media Group, which publishes several Wisconsin newspapers, has partnered with media services company Modulist, the companies announced Tuesday. Through the partnership, Modulist will handle the processing of obituaries, business announcements and personal milestones, as well as create an online portal through which readers, funeral homes and other businesses can quickly and easily submit listings.

O'Rourke Media Group, which launched in October 2018, publishes the (Hudson) Star-Observer, Ripon Commonwealth Press, and (Kiel) Tri-County News. It also recently acquired Unified Newspaper Group, which includes four suburban Madison weekly newspapers: the Fitchburg Star, The Oregon Observer, The Stoughton Courier Hub and The Verona Press.

Bennett to lead Newspaper Association Managers

Beth Bennett, executive director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, was elected president of Newspaper Association Managers today during the group’s 98th annual conference in Madison. Bennett has led the WNA since 2010 and previously served as the Illinois Press Association’s director of government relations. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Newspaper Association and is a past president of TEMPO Madison.

wisconsin watch staff, wcij grant

WCIJ, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service receive $1.4 million grant

The American Journalism Project has awarded a $1.4 million grant to the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service to be distributed over three years, WCIJ announced Friday.

The grant is intended to support the efforts by WCIJ and NNS to reshape local news in Milwaukee and across the state and will help them support additional staff positions. The two nonprofits have partnered since spring 2020 on the News414 project, which uses text messages, social media and other tools to provide important news to underserved audiences in the Milwaukee area.

Wisconsin Newspaper Association