Supporting local news media organizations in the commonwealth for over 100 years | | | | |
PNA welcomes two new members to Board of Directors
The Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association is pleased to welcome Rob Anders, vice president of advertising for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Barnett Wright, managing editor of the Philadelphia Tribune Media Group, to its Board of Directors.
Rob Anders brings more than 20 years of experience in advertising, sales and revenue strategy to the PNA Board. He began his career with Observer Publishing Company in 2002, advancing to director of sales and marketing before holding leadership positions with Trib Total Media and The Blade in Toledo, Ohio. In his current role as vice president of advertising at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Anders focuses on revenue strategy, digital sales growth and sales team development. His experience spans community newspapers and major metropolitan publications, providing a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing local news organizations.
| | | | Barnett Wright joined the Philadelphia Tribune Media Group as managing editor in April 2026 after serving 10 years as executive editor of The Birmingham Times Media Group in Alabama. An award-winning journalist, Wright previously spent 15 years with Alabama Media Group, covering government, public affairs and investigative stories. He led coverage of Jefferson County's historic municipal bankruptcy and reported extensively on government corruption and the civil rights movement. Wright is the author of 1963: How the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement Changed America and the World and previously served as president of the Alabama Press Association Journalism Foundation and a member of its board. | | Meta sign at the entrance of the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, CA. | | |
Meta's updated terms raise concerns for news publishers
Nieman Lab
Recent changes to Meta's commercial terms have raised concerns about the potential use of news publishers' copyrighted content. Although Meta has revised portions of the language, questions remain about the scope of the permissions being requested.
"PNA shares the concerns expressed by the News/Media Alliance and the National Newspaper Association. Pennsylvania's news organizations invest significant resources in producing original journalism, and they should retain control over how that work is used. Maintaining a presence on social media should not come at the expense of publishers' intellectual property rights," said PNA President and CEO Bill Cotter.
| | Pennsylvania School Press Association (PSPA) executive board member Nate Thompson led State College High School students, from the left, Marshall Laskowski, Braylon Morris and Rafael Ronquillo, in writing prompt during the regional student journalism competition. | | |
Young journalists attend PSPA competition
The Daily News (Huntingdon)
Approximately 75 future journalists gathered on the campus of Juniata College for the Pennsylvania School Press Association regional student journalism competition. Students from Altoona, State College and Tyrone area school districts competed in various contests related to journalism careers, while also hearing from professionals in the field. Students started the day hearing from Daily News managing editor Becky Weikert who addressed the young journalists on the similarities between small-town reporters and high school journalists. Continue reading here, or access a PDF of the article here.
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There's still time to register: Criminal Justice Reporting Training
Law & Justice Journalism Project
Join the Law & Justice Journalism Project and Joshua Vaughn, investigative reporter at PennLive and adjunct lecturer at Penn State University, for a conference covering crime rates, gun violence prevention, recent Supreme Court cases, and more, Oct. 23 - Oct. 24.
| | Members of the York Daily Record, Lebanon Daily News and Hanover Evening Sun celebrate their awards at the 2026 Keystone Awards Luncheon. | | |
Help us keep the 2027 PNA Member Directory up to date
We are beginning preparations for the 2027 PNA Member Directory, a valuable resource that provides contact information for key personnel at news media organizations across Pennsylvania.
Next week, you will receive an email asking you to review and verify your organization's current contact information. You'll also have an opportunity to provide updates and identify additional personnel who should be included in the directory.
Please respond by Friday, Nov. 13, even if no changes are needed, to help ensure the directory is as accurate and comprehensive as possible.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
| | The House and Senate were in session for three days this week. The House is scheduled to return on Nov. 9 and the Senate, Nov.17. The 2025-26 legislative session ends Nov. 30. | | | | |
Legislation closing loophole in the Sunshine Act on its way to governor’s desk
The House on Wednesday approved SB 1150, sponsored by Sen. Pat Stefano (R-Bedford/Fayette/Somerset/Westmoreland) by a 182-21 vote. The bill now heads to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk for enactment.
The legislation closes a transparency loophole in the state’s Sunshine Act created by a 2025 Supreme Court decision in Coleman v. Parkland School District. The lawsuit was initiated in 2021 by Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks/Lehigh) before he joined the Senate. That ruling allowed government agencies to add any matter to a meeting agenda without prior public notice. SB 1150 limits those last-minute additions to emergency and de minimis matters.
Local government associations sought amendments that would have weakened the Sunshine Act's public notice requirements, raising concerns that significant government actions could be considered with little public awareness or scrutiny. After three days of lobbying by PNA’s team in opposition to the proposed changes, the House approved the measure in the same form unanimously passed by the Senate.
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Journalism sustainability bills win House passage
Two bills sponsored by Rep. Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) that would provide state-funded grants to support local journalism and journalism fellowships passed the House on Wednesday by a 103-100 party-line vote.
HB 2047 would establish a local news fellowship program, giving priority to underserved communities with limited access to original local news while also considering geographic and demographic diversity.
HB 2048 would establish the Pennsylvania Civic Information Consortium, which would award state-funded grants to help address local journalism gaps in underserved communities. The consortium also would support efforts to increase civic participation, promote government accountability, advance equity and inclusion, and strengthen public-interest journalism.
The bills now go to the Senate for consideration. To read a press release, click here.
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Legislation requiring AI disclosure in advertising awaits governor’s signature
Senate Bill 806, sponsored by Sen. Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny), which takes aim at artificial intelligence deceptive advertising, sits on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk awaiting his signature. If signed, it would take effect 60 days after enactment.
The bill would prohibit advertisers from creating or disseminating or causing the creation or dissemination of, advertisements containing “synthetic content” in a way that creates a false consumer perception about the nature, origin, or authenticity of the advertised goods or services. Advertisements using such content would be required to include a clear and conspicuous disclosure stating that the advertisement contains content modified or generated using AI.
Under the legislation, the disclosure must be displayed the first time the synthetic content is shown to a consumer, appear in the same medium as the AI-generated content; and be permanent or otherwise difficult to remove.
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Lawmaker calls for study of security in MDJ courts
Rep. Tim Briggs (D-Montgomery) introduced HR 660, which directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of security at magisterial district courts to help ensure the safety of court personnel and the public who interact with them.
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“There’s value in knowledge, and the public deserves to be informed and engaged in the process that shapes our communities. By strengthening the Sunshine Act, we’re reinforcing accountability and protecting every Pennsylvanians’ right to know.”
— Sen. Pat Stefano (R-Bedford/Fayette/Somerset/Westmoreland) speaking in support of SB 1150 that closes a loophole in the state’s Sunshine Act
Thank you for reading,
Bill Cotter
President and CEO
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation
MANSI Media
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