The Indiana Publisher

January 2018 IP

Hoosier State Press Association - The Indiana Publisher

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The Hoosier State Press Association testified against provisions in two bills Jan. 17 that would eliminate the publication of annual financial reports for cities and towns (H.B. 1004) and townships (H.B. 1005) in separate committee hearings. The two committee chairs held both bills for a week before their committee will be asked to vote on the local government bills. That's a week for Hoosiers to make their preference known to state Represen- tatives – publication in newspapers or posting on government websites. Steve Key, executive director and general counsel for HSPA, argued that Hoosiers have already expressed their view in the 2017 survey conducted by American Opinion Research of Princeton, New Jersey, for HSPA and the HSPA Foundation. 63% of adult Hoosiers said govern- ment agencies should publish public notices in local newspa- pers – even when told the cost during the year could be thousands of taxpayer dollars for a government unit. Moving the notices to a government website would result in a 60 percent decline in readership of the notices, Hoosiers said in their survey responses. But the offending legislation originated with input from Acceler- ate Indiana Municipali- ties representing city and town officials for H.B. 1004 and Indiana Townships Association representing trustees and township boards for H.B. 1005. Since 2001, the Hoosier State Press Association Foundation has provided real-world experience to Indiana college students in newsrooms across the state. Each year, 10 student applicants are selected and matched with newspapers for paid summer positions through the Eugene S. Pul- liam Internship Program. The program is named in honor of Pulliam, the late publisher of the Indianapolis Star and Indianapolis News. "I remember being ecstatic," said Michael Majchrowicz, a graduate of Indiana University who was selected for his first profes- sional internship, a position at the Rochester Sentinel. He now works as a reporter at the Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina. Dozens of students and newsrooms apply each year to participate in the 10-week program. The aim is to match selected students with a newsroom that fits their goals. "Our interns work on every type of story," said Scarlett Syse, group editor of the Republic (Columbus). "That was certainly the case last summer when our HSPA intern, Shelby Mullis of Franklin College, produced stories that ran the gamut — breaking news, indepth projects, hard- hitting to softer features and quick turn-around stories. The topics were just as varied — health, business, lifestyle and government." The program also helps the host newspaper. "A bottom-line type of benefit is more stories." Syse said. "That is good for readers and provides some relief to a very busy team of reporters. A much richer advan- tage, Syse said, is having the fresh perspective an intern brings. For the interns, the op- portunity to learn and grow is invaluable. "By the end of my sum- mer, there wasn't a job or beat in that newsroom I hadn't experienced, Maj- chrowicz said. "I'll always be thankful for that." Key Points: New Voices bill fosters free speech for students Page 4 Legal Hotline: Steve Key answers your legal questions. Page 7 Briefs: IndyStar, UIndy partner on reporting class Page 5 Pete Van Baalen: Lead, inspire your brightest to shine. Page 3 INSIDE Michael Majchrowicz interviews police on assignment. The Dyer, Indiana native's first internship was at the Rochester Sentinel through the Pulliam Internship program. He graduated from Indiana University and now works as a crime/public safety reporter at The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina. Photo by Amelia Chong. Pulliam internship program benefits students, newspapers across Indiana Bills aim to eliminate publication of financial reports in newspapers for cities and townships Battle continues over public notice advertising See Battle, Page 3 2018 General Assembly Update For more information on these and other bills, visit iga.in.gov/ Publisher The Indiana Volume 83, Issue 1 • January 2018 Published on second Thursday monthly Deadline for newspapers to request a Pulliam intern for summer 2018 is Feb. 23. Fill out the form at hspa.com/2018- pulliam-intern- request/

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