News & Announcements | Wisconsin Newspaper Association

Help pass the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act

Jul. 21, 2022

The next two weeks are crucial for getting the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA)— a bipartisan bill that would allow news publishers to collectively negotiate with Facebook and Google for fair compensation for the use of their content — over the finish line. The bill is going to markup in the House the last two weeks in July, and we are asking you to help us with a BIG push to get support from as many members of Congress as possible.

Nelson Media Company purchases The Denmark News

Jul. 15, 2022

Nelson Media Company has purchased The Denmark News, the newspaper has announced. The sale was effective as of July 1. NMC was founded two years ago by Chris Nelson, a 2003 graduate of Denmark High School. It is headquartered in St. Ansgar, Iowa, and includes properties in Wisconsin, Iowa and Arizona.

The Denmark News began as a joint venture between local businessmen Ryan Radue and Mark Hansen, who decided to start the newspaper soon after the former Denmark Press ceased publication in 2008.

WNA seeking nominations for Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame

Jul. 13, 2022

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association is accepting nominations for the 2022 Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame class through Monday, Aug. 15.

Nominations are open to anyone — living or deceased — who has contributed above and beyond the call of duty to the Wisconsin newspaper 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.

The Monroe Times, EagleHerald named 2021 Newspapers of the Year

Jun. 24, 2022

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation honored the work of newspapers across the state during the WNA Foundation Better Newspaper Contest Awards Banquet on Friday, June 24, at The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club in downtown Madison, Wis.

Recipients of 2021 Newspaper of the Year Awards were Publisher Todd Colling and the EagleHerald, Marinette, (Daily Division) and Publisher John Ingebritsen and The Monroe Times (Weekly Division).

What’s happened to nuts and bolts of public safety reporting?

Jun. 14, 2022

Crime and public safety are garnering more headlines across the country. Law enforcement and racial disparities in the criminal justice system are under increasing scrutiny. Newspapers play a key role in examining the dynamics in their own communities.

Members pay tribute to industry leaders during 2022 WNA Trees Retreat

Jun. 11, 2022

Members of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, family and friends gathered Thursday and Friday in Eagle River, Wis., to pay tribute to industry leaders during the 2022 WNA Trees Retreat and Memorial Pylon Ceremony. It's the first time the event has been held in-person since 2019, and inductees who were honored virtually in 2020 and 2021 were also memorialized.

In addition to being enshrined on granite pylons at the WNA Memorial Grove on the Trees For Tomorrow campus in Eagle River, this year's honorees also have been added to the WNA's virtual pylon.

National journalism summit examines nonprofit models for newspapers

Jun. 10, 2022

A nonprofit business model is an increasingly attractive alternative for newspapers that have seen their profit margins fall and those with an interest in accessing grants and tax-deductible contributions. The potential of the nonprofit model for rural papers was the topic of programming last week during the National Summit on Journalism in Rural America.

The summit was presented by the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues and the College of Communication and Information at the University of Kentucky. Summit sessions can be viewed on YouTube.

ISWNE registration deadline is June 15

Jun. 10, 2022

The annual conference of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors — planned for July 20-23 at the University of Kentucky — will have programs on localizing national politics becoming, dealing with the challenges of social media, new business models for weeklies, the government's role in the news business, university help for community newspapers, shared interests between newspapers and libraries, and the hallmark of the conference: critiques of member editorials and editorial pages.

Registration fees start at $300 and include lodging. The deadline to signup is Wednesday, June 15. Questions? Email al.cross@uky.edu.

WNA Trees Retreat, Pylon Ceremony set for June 9-10

Jun. 3, 2022

Friday, June 3, is the last day to register for this year’s WNA Trees Retreat next week in Eagle River.

During the retreat, we'll remember Pylon honorees from 2020, 2021 and 2022. Come a day early and join us for the annual golf outing and traditional steak fry in the WNA Press Forest.

Photographer Thomas Walter Dorman dies at 70

May. 28, 2022

Thomas Walter Dorman, a former newspaper reporter, sportswriter and photographer, died on Sunday, May 15, 2022. He was 70. He died doing what he loved and "was out photographing the full lunar eclipse when his coronary heart stopped," according to his obituary.

He discovered his love of photography through working in community newspapers and never went anywhere without a camera. Dorman considered himself a "street photographer," taking pictures of everyday people and events.