This weekend, Gina, John and I attended the Kansas Press Association’s annual convention in Lawrence.
This was the first time we were able to mingle and meet with other state publishers, ranging in size from the Wichita Eagle to the smallest weekly papers in the state.
The first thing I noticed was pretty apparent: I was, by far, the youngest person at the convention. Besides the collegiate papers which were represented (ESU Bulletin, Eudora Times with KU) I had a good 20 years as the youngest person.
Throughout the convention, we discussed many issues impacting both print and digital journalism, but one stood out to me in particular. As I’m sure we all remember, the Marion County Record was raided in August 2023. Publisher Eric Meyer was at the convention, and there was an entire session dedicated to how we as news sources learn from the severe illegal actions that took place only an hour away.
But with Meyer’s persistence in keeping and publishing the paper through the investigation, it shows that we all have a duty to support local journalism.
The freedom of the press is an essential component of who we are as a country. It was the very first thing mentioned in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights. To say the least, it’s pretty important.
And from the first minute I was at the convention, I could tell everyone there felt the same.
Local publishers and editors do their jobs because they love it and support the mission of the press. They certainly aren’t in it for the money (I can attest to that) or for the fame, but because they believe they have a cause to support their communities and hold their government institutions accountable.
At the convention, we discussed the Freedom of Information Act and the Kansas Open Records/Meetings Act. These are laws that require nearly all government meetings to be open to the public and ensure government records of all sorts are accessible.
But recently, FOIA and KORA requests have been declining in success. At the state level, KORA requests are successful roughly 31% of the time. On the federal level, it’s even worse: 13%.
13%! Could you imagine if you answered your mother only 13% of the time?
It’s our job as newspapers to hold government institutions accountable, and we need your help as readers to do so. Becoming a paid subscriber is the best way to support local journalism in any area.
Overall, the press convention was eye-opening and inspiring for both Gina and me to continue our work as journalists and support our community. I hope to continue playing a small part in building our community and making Hutchinson a better place.
Michael Glenn is the publisher of The Hutchinson Tribune and can be reached at mglenn@hutchtribune.com
