Public News Service
 | |
| Company type | B Corporation (certification) |
|---|---|
| Industry | News media |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | |
Key people | Lark Corbeil (Founder, Publisher) |
| Website | publicnewsservice |
Public News Service (usually shortened to PNS) was launched in 1996 by journalist Lark Corbeil in Idaho. Today, PNS has 37 state-based news services that provide multi-platform content for free to news outlets as a way to advocate journalism in the public interest.[1][2]
History
Following the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which allowed for media cross-ownership,[3] Corbeil founded Public News Service as an avenue to examine and reach rural areas.[4]
In May 2017, Dan Heyman, a PNS producer in West Virginia, was arrested at the state capitol for asking former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price a question in an “aggressive manner.” Heyman was jailed and charged for willful disruption of state government processes.[5] In September 2017, the misdemeanor charge against Heyman was dropped after “a careful review” by the Kanawha County prosecutor’s office.[6]
In 2019, PNS, in collaboration with the Pacifica Foundation, developed "2020Talks," a daily three-minute newscast covering the 2020 election primaries, leading up to the Iowa Caucuses. [7]
Funding
Public News Service, a certified B Corporation, is funded by grants, gifts, some media contributions, and memberships from individuals, foundations, non-profit organizations and socially responsibly businesses.[8][9]
References
- ^ "Heir America". Alternet. June 24, 2005. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ "Q&A: Public News Service founder on 'whirlwind' since reporter's arrest". Columbia Journalism Review. 2017-05-17. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ The Telecommunications Act of 1996. Title 3, sec. 301. Retrieved from fcc.gov Archived 2005-01-19 at the Wayback Machine (2011)
- ^ "Stories of Solutions". bizwest. 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ "HHS secretary says police 'did what they felt was appropriate' in arresting a West Virginia journalist". Washington Post. May 11, 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ "Charge Dropped Against Reporter Who Questioned Tom Price". New York Times. September 6, 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ "The 2020 POTUS race as covered by someone who is actually from Iowa". Radio Survivor. November 25, 2019. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
- ^ "B Corporation Community". 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ "HHS secretary says police 'did what they felt was appropriate' in arresting a West Virginia journalist". Washington Post. May 11, 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-08.