PRESSPASS June 20, 2013 Saying farewell after wonderful years at Herald “The relationships with so many The time has come for my farewell column, and I really have a difference been dreading it. How can I put 26 years of my life into a few in me and people, and the paragraphs? But, as usual, my dear friend and editor Bill Vander our friendships I built Weele helped me out. He suggested I watch the last episode of community: the television sitcom “The Office,” where goodbyes were shared. Al Schmitz, over the years have I hadn’t shed a tear on my leaving until listening to the cast of a man formed me into the “The Office” and realizing how so much of what they were whose love saying pertains to my life at the Herald. No words can begin to of family person I am.” express the life I have shared with my staff and all the people I farms never — Libby Berndt have built special relationships with. So I’m going to use some went Thinkin’ out loud of the thoughts from “The Office Farewells” that touched my unnoticed; heart and said what I could not express myself. Jim Vaira, a role model and friend Years ago I applied for a job at the Herald because they were to all; John Bock, a man of so many talents who loved Sidney to hiring. It was just a job. A place to go to for a few hours a day to the core; Howard Hunke, a music man and teacher expecting get out of the house. Never did I think that place would become only the best in each student. The relationships with so many home. people and the friendships I have built over the years have The Sidney Herald became my career, from being hired as a formed me into the person I am. I thank all of you for that. part-time typesetter, to full-time positions in classified sales, It is time for new energy and ideas to lead the Sidney Herald outside advertising sales, bookkeeper and finally publisher. team, and I am ready to move on to the next phase in my life. I Wouldn’t it be great to be able see a tape of your life? You can look forward to spending more time with my husband, children, see yourself change, make mistakes, celebrate accomplishments family and friends, and not living from one deadline to another, and, yes, even grow up. I’m lucky in my position because I have but I know I will miss it at times. a “tape,” but it is in words written. Going back and reviewing the Everything I know and believe in I owe to those special people many, many columns shared in the 13 years as publisher, it does I met in this job and to my Herald family. I’m proud to call each tell so much about me and my life with the Sidney Herald. Three one my friend. words can best describe it: commitment to community. Sidney Herald, Sidney, Mont., May 29, 2013 A quick rundown of a few of my columns on people that made “Access in Montana,” a handy guide for journalists and citizens seeking access to public meetings and documents, is now available in print or online from the Montana Freedom of Information Hotline, the Montana Newspaper Association, the University of Montana Journalism School and the Montana Broadcasters Association. The Montana FOI Board recently obtained grant funding from the National Freedom of Information Coalition and First Amendment Funding Inc. to pay for updating and printing the access guide and reporter's wallet cards. The guides and cards are available for free upon request from any of the participating organizations. Montana journalists and members of the public can also find the information from the guide and the wallet card online at www.montanafoi.org, where the two publications are available in text or downloadable PDF format. SERVING MONTANA NEWSPAPERS SINCE 1885 PAGE 2 MNACalendar JULY Get kids interested 1 Deadline to comply Legal Advertising Requirements, “Sworn Statement of I am a 9-year old kid. My dad likes Circulation” must be filed with County Clerk & Recorder in county of publication to read the paper, but I only read the prior to July 1. comics. 4-5 MNA offices closed for the holiday weekend I think that if you added fun Lego- 19 Deadline to submit articles for July Press Pass building instructions, more kids AUGUST would be interested in reading the 16 Deadline to submit articles for August Press Pass paper maybe once or twice a week. SEPTEMBER Thank you for your considering this. 12-15 National Newspaper Association 127th Annual Convention & Trade Show, The —Nathan Vosen Arizona Grand Resort, Phoenix, AZ Great Falls 13 Deadline to submit articles for September Press Pass 20 MNA and MNAS Fall Board of Directors’ Meeting - Butte Great Falls Tribune OCTOBER Great Falls, Montana 1 Deadline to file USPS Statement of Ownership, Management & Circulation May 27, 2013 Form 3526 17-19 Institute of Newspaper Technology - newspaperinstitute.com 18 Deadline to submit articles for October Press Pass Carbon County News, Red Lodge, Montana, May 16, 2013 825 Great Northern Blvd., Suite 202 | Helena, MT 59601 June 20, 2013 Toll Free in MT 800-325-8276 | Fax 406-443-2860 Jim Rickman, Executive Director | [email protected] Linda Fromm, Advertising/Office Manager | [email protected] mtnewspapers.com OUR MISSION: To advance and sustain the news publishing industry in Montana. PAGE 3 Kudos to Sens. Baucus, Tester for support of federal media shield laws The recent U.S. Department of Justice probe into Associated inefficiency in the bureaucracy. Press phone records in search of the names of federal employees In the Associated Press case, Justice Department investigators who may have leaked national security secrets to the press secretly sought subpoenas for the reporters’ emails and — with trained a spotlight on the glaring lack of media shield law at the no laws standing the way—the court granted them. federal level. Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are cosponsors of Shield laws protect news reporters from legal action for not a bill that would enact a federal media shield law. They are to be revealing their sources. These laws provide assurance to news commended for their support on this issue. And Montana Rep. sources that their names will not be made public if they reveal Steve Daines is urged to get behind the effort when it comes his information about wrongdoing in the government to the news way. media. And those sources can then have some confidence they This measure would protect reporters from being forced to will not be subject to retribution for speaking with the media. reveal the source of information gained confidentially. It would Most states—including Montana—have these laws. But the also require that the media be notified any time their records are federal government has so far neglected to enact such a law, being sought in court and provide them with an opportunity to perhaps in part because of the uneasy relationship between challenge that action. Congress and the news media. It’s simple, really. If reporters are forced to routinely reveal These laws are extremely important to the gathering of the the sources of their information, they won’t have any sources, news. If whistleblowers within the government bureaucracy fear and neither will the consumers of the news who depend on those that they will be identified if they disclose information to the reporters. media, those whistleblowers are going to clam up. And when that happens, the loser will be the American people, because Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Bozeman, Mont., May 24, 2013 they will be far less likely to learn about corruption and Newly elected board of directors and officers Montana Newspaper Association President Tom Eggensperger Sanders County Ledger, Thompson Falls 1st Vice President Cindy Sease Bozeman Daily Chronicle 2nd Vice President Matt Bunk The Western News, Libby 3rd Vice President Jacques Rutten Lewistown News-Argus Immediate Past President Matt Gibson The Missoula Independent Director Scott Squillace Livingston Enterprise Director Jim Orr Glasgow Courier Director Tom Mullen Silver State Post, Deer Lodge Director Greg Lemon Independent Record, Helena Director George Hoffman Belgrade News Director Kyle Rickhoff Billings Gazette Director Jim Strauss Great Falls Tribune Director Dick Crockford Dillon Tribune Director Denise Dowling U of M School of Journalism Director Rick Weaver The Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell Montana Newspaper Advertising Service President Darla Shumway The Herald-News, Wolf Point Vice President Jim Durfey Livingston Enterprise Director Jeff Martinsen Choteau Acantha Director Greg Lemon Independent Record, Helena Director George Hoffman Belgrade News Director Paul Overlie Liberty County Times, Chester Director Bina Eggensperger Sanders County Ledger, Thompson Falls Montana Newspaper Foundation President Gary Moseman Vice President Matt Gibson The Missoula Independent Secretary/Treasurer Jim Rickman Montana Newspaper Association Director Tom Eggensperger Sanders County Ledger, Thompson Falls Director Darla Shumway The Herald-News, Wolf Point Director-at-large Melody Martinsen Choteau Acantha Director-at-large John Sullivan Yellowstone Newspapers June 20, 2013 PAGE 4 What is a journalist today? To Be Candid ...Peter Funt As amateur news hounds gain power and news or information. The description is question of who deserves protection. influence through social media, the lengthy and so broad that it could very Marshall McLuhan’s prescient definition of “journalist” has ripened for well apply to anyone with access to the discussion of the medium and the message philosophical debate. But now it’s Internet or social media - which is to say, still haunts us.