Area News

Cutting Rural America’s . . .

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Article in The Guardian by Margaret Sullivan,6/6/25

Headline:  “If Trump cuts funding to NPR and PBS, rural America will pay a devastating price”

Subhead:  “Much of the country has little access to local news, with public media filling the void – and serving as a lifeline”

“When Hurricane Helene walloped North Carolina last fall, residents were hit by a second threat at the same time: the dire need for accurate information.

“The loss of electric power amid the widespread flooding meant that people – especially those in isolated areas – were deprived of basic news. They needed to know about everything from road closures to the whereabouts of their family and friends to sources of drinkable water.

“Blue Ridge Public Radio stepped into the breach. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/06/trump-funding-cuts-npr-pbs-rural-america

Local Newspapers Important

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Sarah Stonbely, 6/5/25

Headline:  “Analyzing news and information landscapes from the ground up”

“Lately when traveling anywhere new I find myself looking at the houses and buildings I pass, wondering what news is being produced at that moment, in that town, that might be missed if it doesn’t have a local news outlet. If it’s a less affluent or rural area, chances are good that there isn’t a journalist attending its school board or municipal meetings . . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/analyzing-news-and-information-landscapes-from-the-ground-up.php

Changing Face of Local Journalism

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Sarah Stonbely, 3/20/23

Headline:  “The changing face of local journalism”

Subhead:  “Rethinking what counts as local news”

“One of the major journalism themes of 2025 is emerging: the role, and importance, of nontraditional, or journalism-adjacent information providers. From influencer/creator/independent news producers, to AI-generated content, to civic media, defining who qualifies as a journalist is as difficult as it has ever been.This idea was front and center at the recent Knight Media Forum, where several discussions showed clearly that the idea of what qualifies as journalism is expanding – largely out of necessity, but also as an overdue acknowledgement of the fact that sometimes the most vital local journalism comes not from a newspaper but from a newsletter or Facebook group.

“There is now a broader willingness to consider – or perhaps, more accurately, to see – the myriad other ways that people share and receive important local information and news. The further we get into the local journalism crisis, the more we’re forced to confront the fact that sustainable local journalism cannot, and will not, look as it did in the past. The rise of the newsfluencer is the latest iteration of this message. . .”

https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/the-changing-face-of-local-journalism.php

Cop Charged After Raid on Newspaper

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Washington Post photo.

Continuing saga of the Kansas police chief vs. Marion County Record.  Cop now charged with a felony.  Raid a newspaper and an editor’s home  – FAFO.

Article in the Washington Post on 8/13/24 by Ben Brasch and Sofia Andrade.

Headline:  “Ex-police chief who led raid on Kansas newspaper faces felony charge”

“The Aug. 11, 2023, raid of the Marion County Record’s newsroom and the home of its editor and publisher, Eric Meyer, brought the nation’s attention to a county of 12,000 residents roughly 60 miles north of Wichita. The raid sparked national outrage from press freedom advocates.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/08/26/marion-county-newspaper-police-raid-what-really-happened/

Kansas Newspaper Raid Update

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Article by Sherman Smith in the Kansas Reflector, 8/4/24:

Headline:  “Judge who authorized Kansas newspaper raid escapes discipline with secret conflicting explanation”

About a year ago in August, 2023, a national news article article by Joseph O’Connell in the Washington Post, reported that the police raided a Kansas newspaper.  The Marion County Record was exposing alleged corruption in the city government.

Now reported in an article on 8/4/24 by Sherman Smith in the Kansas Reflector you may follow this link to read the story:

https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/04/judge-who-authorized-kansas-newspaper-raid-escapes-discipline-with-secret-conflicting-explanation/

(The original article may be found on this website’s August, 2023 archive):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/08/26/marion-county-newspaper-police-raid-what-really-happened/

FCM Event on Saturday, 5/4 Was Successful

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Friends of Community Media sponsored a well-attended event with Palestinian non-violent peace activist Awad Mubarek at All Souls Unitarian Church in Kansas City last Saturday. FCM president Spencer Graves, interviewed by KCTV, MC’ed the event.

Important Palestinian Peace Event

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

Contact:  Spencer Graves (408) 655-4567                                   

PALESTINIAN PEACE ACTIVIST TO SPEAK THIS WEEKEND MAY 4 AND 5

Kansas City, Missouri – 4/29/24

Doctor Mubarak Awad, Palestinian-American from Jerusalem, will speak on “Standing up for Palestine”, with baklava donated by the Jerusalem Café available at 1:30 PM for the event at 2-4 PM, on Saturday, May 4th at All-Souls  Unitarian Universalist Church, 4501 Walnut in Kansas City, followed by a Q&A session.

Awad Mubarak is a Christian Palestinian, born in Jerusalem in 1943. He has a PhD in psychology and has US citizenship. In 1983 he founded the Palestinian Centre for the Study of Nonviolence in Jerusalem. He was expelled by Israel in 1988 for organizing nonviolent civil disobedience in the First Intifada.  He then founded Nonviolence International, advocating for active nonviolence and nonviolent campaigns worldwide.

In the session about events in Gaza and calling for a ceasefire, ideas to be discussed include actions that people can take.  These include contacting senators and representatives, participating in peaceful demonstrations and events, putting up yard signs protesting the treatment of Gazans, advising religious communities to host a educational forums, and how to contribute to humanitarian aid for the region.

Dr. Awad will also speak at the 9:30 All-Souls forum on Sunday, May 5 to be broadcast on community radio station KKFI 90.1 FM May 14th 7-8 PM, and the event will also be available later on the YouTube “AllSoulsKC” the second “Forum”.

Donations requested.  Net proceeds will go to the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) for humanitarian aid. Contributions may be made  through the “donate” button on the ourfcm.org website, or by mailing a check to “Friends of Community Media”, 3707 Pennsylvania Ave, KC, MO 64111.  

Friends of Community Media is a 501(c)3 Kansas City non-profit organization founded in 2007, with the goal of promoting community-based media.  It also assists local groups to create independent media, influence existing media, and promote diverse media ownership.

In its history it has conducted the “Media 4 Us week” literacy event, sponsored progressive media awards, brought in guest speakers on media topics, worked with the United Minority Media Association, and conducted media literacy classes. 

Information on this event and on Friends of Community Media may  found on the group’s website:  ourfcm.org.

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Missouri Sues Media Matters, Demands Names

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Headline: “Missouri AG sues Media Matters over its X research, demands donor names – Media watchdog clams ‘meritless, expensive, and harassing investigations.'”

From Ars Technca, Article by Jon Brodkin 4/26/24

http://web.archive.org/web/20240416212423/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/missouri-ag-sues-media-matters-in-lawsuit-echoing-elon-musks-complaints/

 

“Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey yesterday in an attempt to protect Elon Musk and X from the nonprofit watchdog group’s investigations into hate speech on the social network. Bailey’s claims that “Media Matters has used fraud to solicit donations from Missourians in order to trick advertisers into removing their advertisements from X, formerly Twitter, one of the last platforms
dedicated to free speech in America.”