The Indiana Publisher

Page 8 May 14, 2015 W hile I'm disappointed with the end result of HSPA's attempt to preserve the publication requirement for budget hear- ing notices, Gov. Mike Pence's veto of S.E.A. 369 simplifies the path forward. The demise of the "option- al" language for continued publication opens the door for a test of the effective- ness of government agency website posting of important information in reaching Hoosiers. Giving posting on the state Department of Local Government Finance website a chance to work was one of the arguments made by the Association of Indiana Counties against the passage of language preserving the publication requirement. HSPA plans to monitor the public's access to that site. I believe Hoosiers will not find their way to the website in any significant numbers. If that's the case, it only strengthens the argument that publication is more effec- tive than government website postings. It also will confirm the findings of a 2014 American Opinion Research survey that clearly showed Hoosiers' pref- erence that public notices be published in their local news- papers. But proving that govern- ment website posting merely hides information in plain view is not HSPA's only effort on the public notice advertis- ing front. At this month's HSPA and Foundation joint board retreat, publishers directed HSPA to create a toolkit of ideas that Indiana news- papers can draw upon to strengthen the concept of public notice advertising. Publishers want to inform the public that state and local government agencies have a responsibility to place critical information into the hands of Hoosiers so they can hold those agencies account- able. The kit will contain mul- tiple "tools" for publishers, ad directors and editors to consider. (To run HSPA's current series of ads pro- moting public notices, visit www.hspa.com or call 317.803.4772.) Gone are the days that newspapers can take public notices for granted as a given source of news and revenue. A growing number of state legislators have no apprecia- tion for the democratic under- pinnings of public notice advertising. If newspapers think the publication of local govern- ment budgets are important, they can print them for free, said Rep. Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee who killed S.B. 288. That bill, introduced by Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, would have restored the publication requirement of local government budgets, proposed levies and estimated tax rates. The toolkit will address ways newspapers can rein- force the value of public notice advertising. It will include advertising and sug- gestions for promotion of public notices. The advertising will draw upon the 2014 survey of Hoosiers' attitudes toward public notices and reinforce the principles that make newspapers the best conduit for public notices. The toolkit will also address the need for improved cus- tomer service. My experience through 22 legislative session is that frustration with newspapers helps spur state bureau- crats to attack public notice advertising with legislative efforts to eliminate particular notices. That was the case this session with a state Alcohol and Tobacco Commission bill authored by Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, whose goal was a speedier process to approve permits. Dermody worked with HSPA to pre- serve the publication require- ment. The public notice tool kit will also address the need for newspapers to press local candidates, not just state legislators, on their positions when it comes to the public's right to know what its gov- ernment is doing. While publishers or edi- torial boards might ask candidates about the Open Door Law or Access to Public Records Act, they often forget the third leg of government accountability – public notice advertising. The toolkit will also stress the need for newsrooms to better utilize the information provided by public notices. If reporters are loathe to read public notices – despite the wealth of story ideas con- tained in them – why should we expect readers to spend any time reading the notices? We'll roll out the various tools as they are completed during 2015, but newspapers don't have to wait on HSPA to consider how they can strengthen the concept of public notice advertising in their communities. Share with me what you already are doing to promote, educate or service this impor- tant part of your product. Let me know at skey@ hspa.com. Steve Key is executive director and general counsel for HSPA. Key Points By Steve Key Don't let this topic go unnoticed A colorful series of ads from HSPA promotes newspaper readership and public notices in Indiana. The advertising series touts public notices as a necessity for government transparency. The ads promote statistics from a 2014 survey of Hoosiers on newspaper readership, public notices and voting habits conducted by American Opinion Research. (HSPA distributed results of the survey last year. For more information, visit hspa.com or call the association at 317.803.4772.) The quarter-page ads inform readers that 85 per- cent of adults surveyed said public notices should remain in newspapers, and almost two-thirds agree that publication of notices is a good use of tax dol- lars. To download the ads (pictured below), visit www. hspa.com. Another ad promotes the statistic that almost 80 percent of adults said they read a print newspaper each week, with 86 percent reading newspaper con- tent in print or online. Ads tout newspaper poll Remind readers about importance of public notices

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