members helped find the ADVISER: Great ideas for advertising staffs. Page 2 THETHE July 7, 2016 BulletinBulletinNews and information for the Wisconsin newspaper industry Urgent #ThrowbackThursday Help us Today’s protect state of public ‘your right to notices Public know’ n July 26, the Wisconsin records laws legislature will hold the in Wisconsin n the year following Ofirst in a series of public the state Legislature’s hearings that will examine the under attack Ibrazen attempt to future of newspaper publica- hide their activities from tion of public notices. scrutiny under Wiscon- The WNA will, of course, sin’s open records law, provide testimony on behalf of the fight to preserve the its members and the merits of “public’s right to know” continuing to publish public has been ongoing for ad- notices in newspapers. vocates of government transparency. That testimony will be Wisconsin newspapers greatly enhanced if the continue to lead the WNA can demonstrate the charge against attempts ongoing support of its to limit access to public members in promoting information, including the importance of Wisconsin newspapers investigated the early July 2015 attack on Wisconsin’s public records law, a little-known modi- public notices. as seen in these headlines and an editorial cartoon by Phil Hands of the Wisconsin State Journal fication to the records that ran July 6, 2015. retention schedule for Your support can be easily “transitory records” and demonstrated by utilizing the a new legislative study tools that the WNA has devel- committee that will oped for its members for the That time legislators tried review the publication promotion of public notice requirements for public readership and the newspaper notices. industry’s statewide public to gut the open records law Here’s a recap of notice website (WPN) www. what has transpired wisconsinpublicnotices.org Newspapers fought back during 2015 Independence Day assault in the world of open Please consider taking the government in Wiscon- sin during the last 12 See HELP, Page 4 EXCERPTS FROM THE BULLETIN worked around the clock from late July 3 until months: June-July 2015 Edition public pressure led legislative leaders and Gov. n July 29, 2015: Scott Walker to rescind the proposal fewer than Nearly 225 journalists, isconsin’s newspapers scored a deci- 24 hours later. records custodians and sive Independence Day victory for the Newspaper editorial boards followed up with law experts gathered for Wpublic’s right to know after stopping a July 4 editorials that detailed what was at risk. Attorney General Brad surprise attack on the open records law. They admonished legislative leaders for attempt- Schimel’s Open Gov- Newspapers sprang into action the evening of ing to pull the wool over citizens’ eyes during a ernment Summit at the July 3 (2015) as the State Senate’s Joint Finance holiday that commemorates independence from Madison Concourse Ho- Committee introduced language gutting open a government that similarly obscured its law- tel. The event was hosted record laws in a 999 omnibus bill. The proposal making activities. Print and online newspaper by the attorney general’s sought to remove from public record legislators’ editorial pages provided Wisconsin citizens with office and planned with inter-office communications and bill-drafting a place to vent their frustration with the proposal support from the WNA. activities, effectively obscuring how laws are and read what other views. Newspapers took leg- During the summit, made. islative leaders to task for not claiming respon- experts said Wisconsin’s Wisconsin’s newspapers continued their long sibility for introducing transparency-shrouding Public Records Law has Registration tradition of recording state history by vigilantly legislation on the eve of a holiday that commem- been versatile for more Now Open defending the public’s right to know. Newspa- orates the American tradition of demanding than 30 years, but some pers took legislators to task, particularly Senator government accountability. clarification was need- The WNA Foundation’s Alberta Darling and Rep. John Nygren, who Wisconsin’s newspapers were ground zero as ed with the advent of Trees For Tomorrow Retreat introduced the legislation and then refused to national news sources, including The New York emails, text messages will be held Aug. 18-19 in comment on its origins or even the bill itself. Times, Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and social media. Eagle River. The deadline to Newspaper journalists aptly noted that, were Huffington Post and USA TODAY, took notice of n Aug. 24, 2015: The register is Aug. 8. this proposal to be passed, no one would be able the attempt to break time-honored open govern- Public Records Board to ferret out the source of any legislation in the ment laws. cut back on require- future. At a time when some are skeptical of the role ments to maintain some The minute the secretive legislation was of newspaper journalism, the WNA congratu- Register Online introduced, newspaper reporters were making lates and thanks its 222 members for upholding the information available to the public. Newspa- the foundations of democracy in service of its See STATE, Page 3 pers alerted the public via social media and then readers and citizens of the state of Wisconsin. 2 THE BULLETIN | JULY 7, 2016 Member News Free Member Content This weekly free content, accessible at http://tinyurl.com/WNAfreecontent, is available for use at no cost to WNA members. The Wisconsin Center for We all know that Wisconsin is Investigative Journalism “America’s Dairyland” – it even Matt has made available a story says so on our license plates. that explores the growing But did you ever stop and think Pommer body of research that shows about just how many products, July ADVISER ready severe poverty can diminish in addition to dairy, Wiscon- State Capitol children’s ability to learn long sin is responsible for? These before they enter school. The farms, highlighted by Discover Newsletter for download findings, including key studies Wisconsin, are family-run and conducted by the Univer- very successful, giving us a re- The ADVISER provides sity of Wisconsin-Madison, minder of just how impressive In his State Capitol News- sales teams with fresh ideas to Sign Up >> bolster calls for early inter- Wisconsin’s land, animals and letter, WNA columnist Matt introduce to advertisers and to vention in the lives of poor people really are. Pommer asks, “Could the enhance current promotions. Sign up to receive the children to help close Wiscon- more than a quarter-billion ADVISER is also a great ADVISER by email (or for sin’s worst-in-the-nation racial dollars in annual income-tax source of inspiration for graphic any of the WNA’s other achievement gap. breaks for manufacturers and designers who want to refresh email lists) at http://eepurl. agriculture producers, now tried-and true-promotions or com/bFF1VT. The story was written by drawing headline attention, create new ones. ADVISER ads former Center intern Abigail affect Wisconsin politics are also full of ideas of new Becker, who is now a reporter leading up to the November industries to tap into. for the Cap Times newspaper election?” Check out this great batch of Falls in Madison. Becker found that advertising ideas from Wis- n FYI Northwoods, Boulder both Republican and Demo- Pommer, known as the “dean” consin Newspaper Association Junction cratic lawmakers in Wiscon- WISTAX Facts discusses the of State Capitol correspon- member publications, compiled n Dodge County Pionier, sin are beginning to recognize lottery, which was “pitched” to dents, has covered govern- by Gail Johnson. Mayville the importance of efforts to voters as property tax relief. ment action in Madison for 35 n Collection 1 n Burlington Standard Press raise the standard of living Since 1989, the state provided years, including the actions n Collection 2 n Edgerton Reporter among Wisconsin poorest relief in six ways. Today, only of eight governors – Warren n Collection 3 n Daily Jefferson County students. one remains due largely to Knowles, Pat Lucey, Martin Thank you to the following Union, Fort Atkinson a 1992 state Supreme Court Schreiber, Lee Dreyfus, Tony newspapers spotlighted for n Green Bay Press-Gazette decision holding that pro- Earl, Tommy Thompson, Scott their outstanding work: n The Gazette, Janesville grams funded with lottery McCallum and Jim Doyle. n Post-Crescent, Appleton n La Crosse Tribune money must explicitly reduce n Baraboo News Republic n Milwaukee Business Jour- property taxes. n Daily Citizen, Beaver Dam nal n Banner Journal, Black River n Oak Creek Now n Oshkosh Northwestern n Park Falls Herald BOARD OF DIRECTORS n Times-Villager, Kaukauna n President Ozaukee Press, Port Wash- ington Brian Thomsen | Publisher n Kenosha News Valders Journal n Platteville Journal Published weekly by the staff of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association First Vice President Director John Ingebritsen | John Humenik | ADDRESS CONTACT OFFICE HOURS Regional Publisher President & Publisher 34 Schroeder Court Phone: 608-283-7620 Monday Morris Newspapers, Lancaster Wisconsin State Journal, Madison WNA Suite 220 Toll-Free: 800-261-4242 through Friday Madison, WI 53711 Fax: 608-283-7631 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Second Vice President Director LEGAL Sidney ‘Skip’ Bliss | Publisher Scott Johnson | HOTLINE WNA STAFF The Gazette,Janesville President & Publisher Green Bay Press-Gazette& PG Executive Director Third Vice President Media Keep this number handy: Beth Bennett | 608-283-7621