Hoosier State Press Association - The Indiana Publisher
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/52080
Indiana The Volume 77, Issue 1 • January 5, 2012 Publisher Published alternate Thursdays Public access legislation to get hearings Lobbying efforts by the Hoosier State Press Association will result in committee hearings for public access legislation in both the Senate and House, accord- ing to state legislators. Lawmakers verbally promised the hearings as of press time Jan. 5, said Steve Key, executive direc- tor and general counsel for HSPA. The bills include a provi- Rep. Kevin Mahan sion that puts some teeth into the Open Door Law and Access to Public Records Act by allowing judges to levy a civil fine against public officials who deliberately violate the access laws. Rep. Kevin Mahan, R-Hartford City, filed the House version of the legisla- tion. Speaker of the House Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, assigned H.B. 1093 to the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee, chaired by Mahan. Mahan said he may hear the bill as early as Jan. 10. Bosma, who has supported HSPA's government-transparency initiative in past sessions but does not sponsor legislation as speaker, suggested Mahan would be a good author of the bill this session. Sen. Bev Gard, R-Greenfield, authored the Senate version of the bill. See Hearings, Page 4 Annual Meetings offer ideas, freebies W hat if I told you that you could get away for a day or two, relax a little and at the same time get some tools to help your busi- ness do better this year? Welcome to the 2012 HSPA and HSPA Foundation Annual Meet- ings and Government Con ference. Long name, amazing event. So plan to be in Indianapolis Feb. 16-17. I know, I know, you're already coming up with the excuses. The press needs washing … You have My Two Cents By Tim Timmons to take the carriers out for lunch … The newsroom wants to discuss 10 ways to write shorter stories. But hang on. This event is well worth your time. It's no secret that attendance has declined at our annual meetings. For those who have been going, there are fewer people and more empty chairs (which also means fewer folks conversing around the watering holes). The decline has been a topic of conversa- Journalism career leaves proud legacy By Jim Kroemer Retired Indiana newspaper publisher On a warm June day in 1968, I inter- viewed a little old lady in Kendallville who had been scammed by a crooked roofer. It was just my second day as a full- time reporter. The story I wrote about the woman's plight was my first major effort, and when the newspapers came off the press the next day, I was waiting anxiously. I grabbed one, saw my bylined story on the front page and read it in total amazement. I knew right then I'd found my calling in Jim Kroemer INSIDE life. What a journey it has been. I've inter- viewed famous people and unknowns, cov- ered junior high basketball and major league baseball, taken pictures of vegetables that See Career, Page 2 Clip and save: Hold on to the 2012 schedule of annual re - ports. Page 3 Journalism icon: Ernie Pyle will be among the first 10 Hoosiers memorialized on columns in downtown Indianapolis. Page 3 Common sense: Law- makers scrap plans to limit the number of visitors allowed in the Statehouse. Page 4 tion with your HSPA board of directors. While no one pretends to have all the answers, we are hoping that those conversa- tions (some of which occurred around the aforementioned watering holes) as well as some talks with our talented staff will lead to an improved conference this year. For example: • One free Thursday night hotel stay per See Meetings, Page 3 Speaker will address cost reductions Chris Lee, executive vice president and publisher for the Deseret News (Salt Lake City), will address upheavals in con- sumption, costs and culture of the news industry during the HSPA and HSPA Foundation Annual Meetings. Lee's presentation dur- ing the event Feb. 16-17 in Indianapolis will include a focus on ideas for cost reduc- tions. Other features of the annual event include the Legislators' Luncheon, the Governor's Reception, free hotel accom- modations on Feb. 16 (one per paper) and reduced registra- tion rates. Newspapers will receive reg- istration information by mail and email by the week of Jan. 8. Note the change to a Thursday-Friday format at the request of publishers who had conflicts with the event's previous Wednesday-Thursday schedule. Publishers can register to attend the conference at a reduced rate of $175 if they sign up by Jan. 20. Fees increase after that date. Each HSPA-member news- paper receives one free night's hotel stay (Feb. 16 only) at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, where the Annual Meetings will be held. Lee, a Harvard Business School graduate with a See Speaker, Page 3 Chris Lee, Deseret News (Salt Lake City) Daniel Byron, Bingham Greenebaum Doll law firm Tonda Rush, National Newspaper Association Indiana publishers will share ideas and facilitate sessions Henry Bird, Community Newspaper Holdings Karen Crotchfelt, Star Media Brandon Erlacher, The Elkhart Truth Terry Housholder, KPC Media Group Patrick Lanman, Vevay Newspapers Inc. Randy List, Rust Communications Jon O'Bannon, O'Bannon Publishing Tina West, The Courier- Times, New Castle Annual Meetings & Government Conference What: Annual Meetings & Government Conference When: Thursday-Friday, Feb. 16-17 Where: Indian apolis Marriott Downtown Registration: Available online at www.HSPAFoundation.org and by mail or fax through the forms publishers will receive Hotel reservations and information: Shawn Goldsby, sgoldsby@hspa.com or (317) 803-4772 Hear from these speakers