News & Announcements

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Equity to be focus of Center for Journalism Ethics’ annual conference

Feb. 25, 2022

The Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will host its 13th annual journalism ethics conference at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery on Friday, April 29, in Madison. The conference is free, open to the public and made possible by generous sponsorships from Craig Newmark Philanthropies and the Evjue Foundation.

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association, which is also a conference sponsor, will send out a link to the virtual conference to WNA members on the day of the event.

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NNA announces virtual fellowship program on March 15

Feb. 25, 2022

The National Newspaper Association Foundation this week announced that this year's News Fellows program will go virtual.

The fellowship will focus on climate change and be held on March 15. There were seven open spots as of Tuesday, which will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested students or those wishing to nominate a Wisconsin college student for the fellowship should contact Lisa McGraw, public affairs manager for the Michigan Press Association, at lisa@michiganpress.org.

anthony shadid, shadid award, journalism ethics

Center for Journalism Ethics announces 2022 Shadid Award finalists

Feb. 18, 2022

Four entries have been selected as finalists for the 2022 Anthony Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics, UW-Madison's Center for Journalism Ethics announced this week. The winner will receive a $1,000 prize and be invited to accept the award and discuss their reporting at an awards ceremony in New York on May 17.

The Shadid Award, now in its 13th year, recognizes ethical decisions in reporting stories in any medium, including print, broadcast and digital, by journalists working for established news organizations or publishing individually. The award focuses on current journalism and does not include books, documentaries or other long-term projects.

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UW Varsity Band Concert tickets now on sale

Feb. 17, 2022

Tickets for the University of Wisconsin’s annual Varsity Band Spring Concert are now on sale. This year’s concert is the band’s first since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will feature two shows, each beginning at 7:30 p.m., on Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23, at the Kohl Center on the UW-Madison campus.

Concert highlights this year will include “Bohemian Wait for It,” “Country Classics,” “The Music of Panic at the Disco,” and classic UW favorites like “Space Badgers,” “If You Want to Be a Badger” and the signature Badger Band finale. All proceeds from the event benefit the band.

WNA, Rebuild Local News testify on behalf of advertising tax credit bill

Jan. 21, 2022

Members of the Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Ways and Means heard testimony on Wednesday in support of a bill that would provide small businesses with a tax credit to advertise in local media.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association were Mike Hollihan, Multi Media Channels, Richard Lee, Inter-County Cooperative Publishing Association, WNA President Gregg Walker, The Lakeland Times (Minocqua) and WNA executive director Beth Bennett. Representatives of Wisconsin-based media were joined in supporting the measure by the Rebuild Local News Coalition.

WNAF Better Newspaper Contest

Volunteers needed to judge Arkansas advertising contest

Jan. 21, 2022

As part of our 2022 contest judging partnership, the Arkansas Press Association needs at least 10 volunteers from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association to judge its advertising contest next month. The deadline to sign up is Friday, Feb. 4. All judging will be done online and is scheduled to begin Monday, Feb. 7, with a deadline of Friday, Feb. 18.

If you have any questions, email WNA Membership & Programming Specialist Jordan Schelling at jordan.schelling@wnanews.com.

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Advertising tax credit bill to be heard by Assembly committee

Jan. 14, 2022

In advance of a public hearing Wednesday for the WNA's advertising tax credit bill, publishers are strongly encouraged to call members of the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means and request they support the passage of Assembly Bill 762. The bill aims to give financial relief to news organizations and small businesses by providing a 50% tax credit to advertise in local media. 

The hearing is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in Room 225 Northwest of the state Capitol. Industry representatives testifying on behalf of the bill for the WNA include Richard Lee, Inter-County Cooperative Publishing Association, Mike Hollihan, Multi Media Channels, WNA President Gregg Walker, The (Minocqua) Lakeland Times, and WNA executive director Beth Bennett.

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Gannett to eliminate Saturday print editions for 9 Wisconsin papers

Jan. 14, 2022

In response to response to "continued rapid shifts toward digital news consumption," Gannett is eliminating the Saturday print editions for many of its newspapers effective March 12, the company announced Thursday. 

The change will not impact the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel or The (Fond du Lac) Reporter, which had ceased Saturday publication previously. Saturday papers will remain available as e-editions for The (Appleton) Post Crescent, Green Bay Press-Gazette, (Manitowoc) Herald Times Reporter, Oshkosh Northwestern, The Sheboygan Press and Wausau Daily Herald. For three central Wisconsin newspapers — the Marshfield News-Herald, Stevens Point Journal and (Wisconsin Rapids) Daily Tribune — the issues will be replaced by Sunday editions. 

Nominations sought for 2022 Opee Awards

Jan. 14, 2022

The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, a nonprofit group that works to protect access to public meetings and records, is now accepting nominations for its annual Openness in Government Awards, or Opees.

Nominations and supporting documentation should be submitted by Wednesday, Feb. 2, to FOIC president Bill Lueders at blueders@gmail.com. The winners will be selected by a Council committee, as in past years. The Council reserves the right to issue special awards or to not give an award in a particular category.