With a righteous faith in journalism, Phil Haslanger used the power of his role as a newsroom leader to fight for the community in which he lived. In the process, helped earn the state recognition as a leader in opinion journalism.
At a time when too many newsrooms remained rigidly white and male, Haslanger was a tireless advocate for social and racial justice, often empowering women and people of color.
As editorial page editor of The Capital Times, he made the newspaper the only daily in Wisconsin — and one of just a few in the country — to endorse the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s “Rainbow Coalition” candidacy in the 1988 presidential race. He also mentored numerous young journalists throughout his career, sending them to investigate housing discrimination, political corruption and environmental catastrophes.
Haslanger maintained The Cap Times’ fierce independence and unapologetic progressivism, earning national recognition in the field. After joining the board of the National Conference of Editorial Writers, he helped bring the group’s convention to Madison and served as president in 2002. He also was president of the Religion News Service from 2016 to 2017.
Although he retired from the newspaper in 2008, Haslanger’s contributions to the journalism industry continue through his tireless efforts on behalf of the UW-Madison Center for Journalism Ethics, where his dedication to healthy and inclusive communities continues to drive his work.
