vince filak with mic

UW-Oshkosh professor rallies support to oppose restrictions on student media

Vincent Filak, a journalism professor at UW-Oshkosh and former adviser for The Advance-Titan student newspaper, has been rallying support this week to oppose restrictions the school has been accused of placing on student media organizations.

Filak reached out to university officials following a report from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education that student journalists were required to get approval to interview any university employees. He has detailed his exchanges on his blog, offered his views on how to resolve the issue and shared an update Thursday following a meeting between the newspaper and university officials.

Journal Sentinel’s Katelyn Ferral reporting on Ukraine war for USA Today Network

Ten years after teaching English at a university in Ukraine, Katelyn Ferral, an investigative journalist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, has returned to eastern Europe to report on Russia's invasion of the country.

WATCH: Katelyn Ferral talks to Milwaukee PBS about reporting from the Poland-Ukraine border

Based in Poland, Ferral's coverage has focused primarily on Ukrainian refugees who have fled the country for Poland. She also has written about those who are returning to the country, primarily to join the fight against Russia.

forum communications, ukraine

Forum Communications to donate $5,000 to Ukraine newspaper

Forum Communications Co., parent company of the Superior Telegram, has pledged a $5,000 donation to 20 Minutes, a newspaper in Kyiv, Ukraine. Since the war began, 20 Minutes has been forced to suspend printing its newspaper and switch exclusively to online publishing in order to keep its community informed.

RELATED: What you can do to help save Ukraine from a looming news apocalypse

Forum has worked with the Ukrainian newspaper in the past. In early 2020, staff from the two organizations began meeting to share ideas on how to produce the best journalism for their respective readers. 

Mary Marik and staff

Washington Island Observer announces Mary Marik Grant Program

The Washington Island Observer has established a grant program in honor of former managing editor Mary Marik, who died on Dec. 27.

The Mary Marik Community Grant Program will recognize Washington Island nonprofits that make it "a better place to live, work and visit." Two to three grant recipients will be awarded $1,000 annually.

lauren henning

APG hires Lauren Henning as regional education reporter

Burlington native Lauren Henning has joined APG Media of Southern Wisconsin as a regional education reporter. She will cover schools for The Cambridge News and Deerfield Independent and The (Cottage Grove) Herald Independent and McFarland Thistle.

Henning previously was the education reporter for The (Racine) Journal Times. She earned her journalism degree in 2021 from UW-Madison, where she was a reporter and editor for The Badger Herald student newspaper.

kelly lecker

Kelly Lecker named Wisconsin State Journal executive editor

Kelly Lecker, a veteran journalist and Wisconsin native, has been named executive editor of the Wisconsin State Journal. She succeeds Jason Adrians, who was named vice president of local news for Lee Enterprises in January.

Lecker is the interim editor and managing/investigative editor for the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, where she has spent the last 13 years. Prior to joining the Gannett-owned newspaper, she served as an editor at The Toledo (Ohio) Blade  and worked as a reporter for The (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Journal Gazette. She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism and Spanish from UW-Stevens Point.

gannett, milwaukee journal sentinel, printing plant

Gannett to close plant, print Wisconsin papers in Illinois

Gannett will close its West Milwaukee production facility and move the printing of its 11 Wisconsin newspapers to Peoria, Ill., effective May 15. The change in printing location is not expected to impact home delivery times, said Rob Schafman, director of distribution for the Journal Sentinel.

RELATED: Gannett goes on a massive spree of closing and merging weekly newspapers

The move — Gannett’s third major printing facility closure in Wisconsin over the last five years — comes as the company becomes increasingly digital and subscription-led, Gannett representatives said.

capitol report, wispolitics

New maps make for tough incumbent decisions

The U.S. Supreme Court looks to have the last word on whether Evers’ maps are in place for the 2022 elections. But unless GOP lawmakers are successful in their appeals to the nation’s highest court, the landscape for the Assembly and Senate maps are a lot different from what Republicans put in place 11 years ago.

spring, farmers, tractors

Farmers face challenging spring ahead

The coming spring always brings fresh hope and optimism, but with planting season just around the corner, there are plenty of challenges facing farmers.

Wisconsin Newspaper Association