The news is all about the news

We've been on the road for the past fews weeks, so postings to the Black Hills Monitor have been scarce. Below, we're pleased to share with you a "guest editorial," penned a few weeks ago by Bill Kunerth, publisher of the Idaho State Journal and used here with his permission.

Last week’s announcement that the Rocky Mountain News was closing its doors put the newspaper business front and center in the media spotlight. In somewhat of a turnaround, the news was all about the news.

But while it’s a shame to see one of our brethren newspapers fall, especially one with such a storied past, it’s not the death knell of newspapers that some may think or predict. While large metropolitan newspapers are the most vulnerable due to large debt from recent acquisitions or challenges from competing in two newspaper cities, the community papers such as ours continue to be strong and steady.

At the Idaho State Journal, for example, our core circulation has actually increased the last five years.

We’re proud of this accomplishment and feel that a key to our success and circulation growth is our primary focus on local news. Look through our newspaper, and you’ll see that close to 70 percent of our news is locally generated. These stories run the gamut from bond elections to Boy Scout awards; our award-winning photographers capture everyday life in southeast Idaho; and our Opinion page provides an engaging and lively forum for our community.

Our niche is local news and we feel that no one covers southeast Idaho better than we do. And, we do it 365 days of the year.

What has changed, however is that we are continually devoting increased time and resources to producing a viable and engaging website. In a strategic decision made several years ago, we divided our website into two offerings. Instead of giving away the entire product, we decided to offer a free site and a paid site. The paid site offers readers the opportunity to subscribe to our online edition, which is an exact replication of the newspaper. The free site, www.idahostatejournal.com, offers expanded news coverage through breaking news, photo galleries, community calendar, videos, blogs and reader comments. We also carry complete online state, national and international news and videos provided by the Associated Press.

Because readers know they can turn to our website for credible and continually updated information, we have become one of the most popular websites in eastern Idaho. And with the combination of print and online, we are actually reaching more people through both mediums than we ever did through just print.

So, yes our business is changing and due to the present economy some newspapers are going to fail, just like other types of media or businesses will, too.

But the newspapers that have positioned themselves as the source of local information and have viable print and online products will not only survive this recession, but will actually thrive.

That is why you, our reader, can have tremendous confidence that your hometown newspaper, the Idaho State Journal, will always be an important and integral part of your daily life.

~

Bill Kunerth is publisher of the Idaho State Journal.

How I learned a new word

Lorraine Collins is a writer from Spearfish
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Except for working crossword puzzles, I don’t come across exotic and arcane words much any more and I can usually figure out what a word new to me means. A teacher once scolded me for looking up words in the dictionary all the time, and said I should figure them out by finding their roots and thinking of similar words. This often works, but a couple of weeks ago I had to look up a word in the dictionary.

This was a word I encountered in House Bill 1138 in the current legislative session. The Bill passed both houses of the Legislature and was sent to the governor for his signature. It was “An Act to provide for the defeasance of the Commission on the Status of Women.” Defeasance? Anybody ever heard of defeasance?

I’ve heard of malfeasance, this being what happens when elected or appointed officials embezzle or misspend public funds, but I’d never heard of defeasance. I couldn’t quite figure out what it meant, so I looked it up. What it means is eliminating or terminating an entity.

So this House Bill 1138 was eliminating the South Dakota Commission on the Status of Women as being a governmental entity. That’s understandable. The CSW has not been funded for 28 years. It effectively ceased to exist when Governor Janklow appointed three extremely conservative women to the commission who had campaigned to eliminate the very body they’d been appointed to. No funds were appropriated. The Commission on the Status of Women has been defunct for about a generation.

Still, as one who once headed the Commission, I’m sorry to see that it has been erased from the state of South Dakota. The Commission on the Status of Women was created in 1973 as a statutory body with obligations to report to the Legislature. The 12-member Commission could not have more than seven members of any party. Since Governor Kneip was a Democrat, the Commission had seven Democrats of course. I became one of five Republican members. Due to circumstances too complicated to explain here, the governor eventually appointed me Chairperson of the Commission despite my political affiliation.

When an editorial in a newspaper subsequently objected to the new gender-neutral language and complained about the term “chairperson”, it said that I couldn’t possibly be such a thing. I said yes I could and I had a certificate signed by the governor to prove it.

An article by Dr. Ruth Alexander published twenty years ago in South Dakota History magazine gives us an idea of what the Commission was up to in the 1970’s.

She wrote, “We became a clearing house for problems affecting women’s lives that demanded action---day care for children, sex role stereotyping in the public schools, job discrimination, difficulties in getting credit, teenage mothers, rape, battered women, displaced homemakers, inheritance laws, nontraditional students.”

We held meetings at various locations around the state, published a newsletter and created educational materials of various kinds. I used to fly from Rapid City to Pierre to testify before legislative committees about problems women faced. There was a lot of work to do in those days and I received calls from women all across the state asking for help because they didn’t know where else to turn. Remembering that heady time, I was sad to learn of the defeasance of the Commission on the Status of Women but I suppose it’s best not to pretend such an entity exists in South Dakota when it doesn’t.

Most of the problems we dealt with thirty years ago remain, and some have gotten worse. So I was pleased to learn that President Obama has instituted a White House Council on Women and Girls. If we can’t look to Pierre to take women’s concerns seriously, at least we can look to Washington.

Lorraine Collins can be contacted at collins1@rushmore.com

A change of direction

Since we've been something of a rabble rouser when it comes to open government in South Dakota, we should give credit where credit is due. This is not in any priority order -- in fact, it basically starts with the late comers first.

God bless Governor Mike Rounds for seeing the light and accepting a philosophical change of direction for the state. His signing of a new open records law yesterday (3/19/09) was something of a turnaround for the governor, who has claimed previous versions were not strong enough in protecting individual rights. The new law, which takes effect July 1, importantly contains a presumption that government documents should be open to the public, unless there are good reasons for keeping them under wraps.

The new law is far from perfect, but it's lightyears ahead of what exists right now -- basically allowing bureaucrats at any government level to make decisions about what should and should not be open to the public. In other words, it generally presumed that only documents required to be kept by government would be made available -- if officials wanted to make them available.

I don't know what motivated Republican State Senator Dave Knudson to get behind and push for a new open records law. Perhaps he saw it as a good resume-builder for would-be gubernatorial candidates. Maybe he simply believed South Dakota was due for more open government. Whatever the incentive, he did his homework and navigated his SB-147 handily through the legislature. Thanks, Dave.

Democratic Senator Nancy Turbak Berry should certainly be acknowledged for giving high visibility to open government last year, when she introduced a similar open records law -- but without a lot of the politically-worded baggage necessary to get it through the legislature. Her early spadework, along with that of several others legislators, was critically important.

And, of course, a multitude of candidates last election thought it was important enough to publicly speak out and advocate a stronger open records law. Near the head of that list of folks was Nyla Griffith of Deadwood, a Democrat whose campaign last year for a seat in the State Senate fell short.

Certainly, South Dakota newspapers played a role in pushing through the new law, and they deserve recognition. However, this was NOT just a media deal. It was a citizen movement, and it was growing significantly. I suspect that had as much to do with final approval of the new law as anything. Politicians seem to sense such groundswells --- at least the good ones do.

More sunshine for South Dakota

Last year, we criticized Governor Mike Rounds for vetoing HB-1233 a piece of open government legislation that would have created a website to reveal how the state was spending its money. He said it would cost too much. Up to $600,000 to set it up and $100,000 year to keep it running We suggested he follow the footsteps of Governor Sarah Palin (before her national notoriety as a V-P candidate) who had launched such a site in Alaska.

We don’t know what revelation struck the Governor after legislators went home, but – after snubbing the website project – the Gov suddenly late last year announced Open SD. We’ve never been much impressed with how the site works, but pleased that a step was taken toward more open government.

With passage and signing of SB-143 this year, it looks like we’ll see Open SD continued – and that’s a good thing. We only hope the site will become more robust and user friendly. Knowing state salaries is fine for busybodies who want to know how much their neighbor makes, but the site is far less helpful in areas like state contract expenditures.

While it has its own failings, we like the searchability of Nebraska’s NebraskaSpending.com, which is more user-friendly than Open SD. It’s easy, for example, to find all Historical Society contracts. By the way, the Cornhusker website cost them only $38,000, according to Nebraska State Treasurer Shane Osborn.

Governor Rounds has yet to sign SB-147, the new open records bill that passed both houses of the legislature handily, but I expect he will sign it. An over-ride would seem unstoppable.

So, with a new open records law and a renewed Open SD law, South Dakota finally appears poised to bask in the sunshine of more open government. Better late than never.

Now it’s time to make the Open SD website more functional. Then perhaps we can start looking at ways to strengthen the provisions of the open records legislation.

But let us pause a bit to enjoy these first rays of long-awaited sunshine for South Dakota government.

Little to cheer about

This October 11, 1954 photograph of Deadwood-born actress Dorothy “Dotty” Provine appeared in the once ubiquitous Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Provine was then a 19-year-old co-ed cheering for the University of Washington in their football battle against the University of Oregon.

There was little to cheer about that day, since Washington lost to the Ducks, 26-7.

There’s even less to cheer about today around Seattle. The economy is a mess, Boeing Aircraft is struggling mightily, and the newspaper has gone under.

Unable to find a buyer, Post-Intelligencer has announced that it’s shutting down print operations. This dire situation was suggested in our earlier posting about the Post-Intelligncer. Declining advertising revenue and subscriptions have taken their toll. After 146 years of serving the Pacific northwest with a printed newspaper, today (3/17/09) is their last edition.

More details about the Seattle shutdown can be found in this New York Times story. The upshot is this: while the print version is folding, Hearst Corporation says an on-line version of the Post-Intelligencer will continue. Reports indicate that only about 20 jobs will remain in the newsroom.

Here’s the statement made yesterday in the Post-Intelligencer newsroom by publisher Roger Oglesby:

- 30 -

for the Post-Intelligencer.

~

A glimmer of sunshine

We’re delighted with Senator Dave Knudson’s leadership in getting a new open records law through the South Dakota Senate. The Republican leader from Sioux Falls introduced SB-147 in late January, and it has cleared the Senate – unanimously – and now awaits action in the House.

The legislation is important because it introduces a fresh new perspective regarding public records: unless there’s good reason to keep them closed, all public records are open for public scrutiny!

That would be a big change for South Dakota, which has one of the most restrictive laws in the country. Admittedly, SB-147 has a long list of records that would remain closed, and some of those provisions are vague enough that officials can still probably keep a lid on some information that should be made public, but we still support the bill because of its presumption of all records being open.

How the House and Governor Rounds will handle SB-147 is uncertain. Its bipartisan group of co-sponsors, ranging from Senators Adelstein and Heidepriem to Representatives Hunhoff and Faehn, bode well for the measure.

Rounds has been a staunch opponent of previous open records initiatives, and he managed to exert enough influence to get an open records bill killed last year. Early this session, reporter Bob Mercer quoted the Governor as saying that changing the law could inadvertently disclose personal information about private citizens that “a bureaucrat” had gathered.

Personal privacy is a valid concern, and Knudson and his co-authors have done a good job in SB-147 of protecting privacy; witness the laundry list of items that would remain closed.

Perhaps the Governor should be just as concerned about bad and potentially embarrassing government activities that public documents could reveal – but that are kept under wraps by “a bureaucrat” who wants to protect himself or his bosses.

Can you say “no-bid contracts”?

Another chance for satellite radio?

Liberty Media, which is based in the Denver suburb of Englewood, has struck a deal to keep Sirius XM satellite radio afloat. Sirius XM stock has tanked and the company has been on the verge of bankruptcy. John Malone’s Liberty Media has agreed to prop up the ailing satellite radio company with a $530 million loan in exchange for 40 percent of the company and seats on the Sirius XM Board.

While we’ve opined often on the inherent value of good local radio service, we’ve always enjoyed and appreciated eavesdropping on other radio services such as the BBC, Voice of America, C-SPAN Radio, and others. As a fan of Big Band music, tunes from the early ‘50s, Bluegrass, and others, we found XM satellite radio a good source for targeted musical formats and a wide array of pretty good news and information programming.

But since we first subscribed to XM in 2004, their rates have increased and their service has remained stagnant. And while opposed to the Sirius-XM merger, their talk about "a la carte" choices caused me to wax hopeful. After all, they were touting something that many cable TV and satellite radio listeners have desired for years. The idea of paying ONLY for the channels you want is a delicious concept! And Sirius boss Mel Karmazin only whetted our appetites just prior to the merger by issuing the following statement:

XM and SIRIUS to Offer A La Carte Programming
Companies' FCC Filing to Detail Array of New Offerings Priced From $6.99 to $16.99 SIRIUS CEO Mel Karmazin to Discuss at National Press Club Address Today

NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, July 23, 2007 /PRNewswire--

~

SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) and XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR) announced today that the merged company will offer American consumers for the first time the opportunity to choose programming on an a la carte basis. This unprecedented offering will provide subscribers with more choices and lower prices and pave the way for a unique form of competition in the entertainment industry -- one based on the individual programming preferences of listeners.

Alas, we’ve seen and heard only a blending of XM and Sirius program services in their new combined Sirius XM operation. It’s only the “pay channels” that offer choices, and I’m not about to fork over greenbacks for the likes of Howard Stern.

We're certain that John Malone has much more in mind than just offering a la carte radio programs and thus making good on a Sirius XM commitment. He and his new colleagues are likely exploring ways to capitalize upon new and more profitable wireless services.

BUT….it would be good if he could hold the collective feet of Sirius XM owners to the fire and make them deliver on promises that flowed ever-so-easily when they were trying persuade the FCC and the public of the virtues of a single satellite radio service.

Technology makes such a la carte services readily available. Only the will to do the right thing remains in doubt.

We hope John Malone and Sirius XM will do the right thing.

More "customer service" from Cable TV

The same cable television folks whose installers and repairmen usually showed up late – if at all – for service calls are looking at ways to expand their reach into online video content.

They’re working with TV networks to try to find a profitable way of putting cable TV programs online – but available only to people who have cable subscriptions. Details are still a little fuzzy, but it appears they want to score a knockout against hulu.com and other budding services that offer content for free.

And the Wall Street Journal quotes Comcast CEO Brian Roberts as saying that cable subscribers could access content online – content that transcends programming that’s now available for free.

Advertising apparently would still be a critical part of the formula, but I suspect the cable folks have a plan that would hike cable rates for subscribers who would like access to this “free” online video. News reports indicate this new "service" could be rolled out later this year.

The business model for this new scheme isn’t abundantly clear at this point, and it may become even fuzzier by the time it’s rolled out. I suspect access will come “free” at first, followed by incremental hikes for subscribers whether or not they have internet access.

Remember the days of free, over-the-air broadcasting?

Remembering Whitmore....and Truman!

Actor James Whitmore died Friday (2/6/09) at his Malibu, California home. He was 87.

We’ve written about Whitmore a couple of times over the past two years – admiring his unbridled enthusiasm and his seemingly boundless talents on stage and in television and film. I’ll never forget seeing his wonderful performance at the Oklahoma State University Seretean Center in the 1970s. I described that event in this 2007 posting.

As I started poring through the wealth of materials now available on-line about Whitmore, I came across one video in particular that caught my attention. It was not just Whitmore, but his 1975 characterization of President Harry S. Truman that caught my attention.

It allowed me to remember the plain-spoken style of “Give ‘em Hell Harry.” And while I anticipated a pleasant trip down memory lane as I watched the video – enjoying the dramatic skills of James Whitmore and appreciating the outspoken style of President Truman – I wasn’t prepared for the relevancy of his message.

Although uttered more than a half century ago during the 1946 rail strike, the words attributed to Truman about the economy and the role of so-called “expert” economists still ring true. It’s enough to cause a bit of a chuckle……quickly followed by the realization that Harry probably had it right.

Take a moment to admire the talent of Whitmore……and the wisdom of Truman!

Art, commerce, and community

by Lorraine Collins

Lorraine Collins is a writer who lives in Spearfish. She can be contacted at collins1@rushmore.com

Three years ago when the Matthews Opera House in Spearfish was celebrating its 100th birthday, I wrote an article commemorating that event in which I said that it’s appropriate for the South Dakota Arts Council to be in the Department of Tourism and State Development. This recognizes the importance of the arts in promoting economic development in South Dakota. So of course I was surprised when the governor said, because of the dire economic situation we face, he wants to do away with arts funding entirely in the next budget, which would eliminate the Arts Council.

Apparently he was not thinking of the arts as something that generate income and promote economic development, but of course the arts do. However, I can understand the problem he and the Legislature face. They all have to think about what programs are important for this state to preserve and encourage, and also about where expenses can possibly be cut in a time of budget shortfall.

Many state programs essential for the well being of our citizens do not generate any income, but they can’t be eliminated without causing hardship and bigger problems down the line. These include social services of various kinds, such as Medicaid, nutrition programs, the Birth to Three program and child protection services. Then there are large budget items such as law enforcement, prisons, state universities, and state support of public schools. Having so many state supported programs and institutions that are important but which do not generate income is typical of government services, of course.

So it’s lucky when you can find a program that is both important to preserve for the welfare of the people of the state and that can also make money, adding to economic development and bringing in sales tax. The people of Lawrence County who have worked to restore both Matthews Opera House and the Homestake Opera House in Lead have relied on their ability to raise money, manage debt, and produce programs that bring in revenue to help pay for everything. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised and spent locally for these operations. And thousands of people have come to town to enjoy performances. How can all this not have a beneficial economic impact?

The South Dakota Arts Council provides challenge grants for arts organizations around the state to help them continue to survive, some of the money coming from the Legislature and some from the National Endowment for the Arts. I believe about $750,000 in federal funds are earmarked for the state, but the money will be lost if we have no state agency to receive and disburse the funds. Furthermore, at present $50 million of the new stimulus package will go the NEA and of that, 40% will be passed through to the State Arts Councils. The other 49 states will share in that, as ours is the only state talking about eliminating its Arts Council.

Looking at the settlement and development of our state, we can see that when a new town was built, the first public edifice might be a school and the second a church. But the next important building was a place for people to come together to see plays and musical programs and lectures. Even before the Matthews Opera House was built in 1906, there were two other venues for performances in Spearfish, one in 1883 and another in 1885. These were built by enterprising individuals who knew something that’s still true today. A town without cultural offerings is not a town anyone wants to visit, let alone live in.