Last year, Digital First Media challenged its newspapers to submit creative and community-focused ideas for their newsrooms. The Mercury in Pottstown generated a proposal for a public space where the Pottstown community could gather for meetings and events, have access to computers and peruse newspapers’ archives, among other activities. In May 2012, The Mercury staff learned that their project was one of ten community newsroom projects across the country selected for funding through Digital First Media. A month later, on June 20, The Mercury in Pottstown opened the doors to its Community Media Lab.

The Commonwealth Court has held that providing access to information stored in databases is not “creating a record” for purposes of section 705 of the RTKL and also ordered the production of addresses.

National Newspaper Week 2012 is October 7-13 and this year’s theme is “NEWSPAPERS – The cornerstone of your community.” Please join PNA in promoting the important role of newspapers with this annual celebration.

The Postal Regulatory Commission approved a negotiated services agreement between the U.S. Postal Service and Valassis Direct Mail on August 23, despite opposition from hundreds of newspapers, state and national press associations, its own Public Representative, and many members of Congress.