A fresh sheet of paper. The first day of spring. A newly cracked novel. All these things fill us with hope and the potential for something fresh. New visions, new priorities and new voices, all coming together in a beautiful harmony.It’s a bit like stepping into the role of chairperson of the California News Publishers Association Board of Directors, filled with so much promise and potential. I am happy to be buoyed by the incredible work of my predecessor, Simon Grieve, whose talents and dedication shined brightly in this role. Not to mention that effortlessly charming accent. Talk about big shoes to fill!CNPA is also set to have its own fresh start of sorts. Coming out of the pandemic, we are eager to reengage our members face to face, with events designed to inform and inspire our industry. We have missed seeing you, and hearing from you directly about your thoughts, hopes and concerns as we head into another summer that will undoubtedly be plagued by wildfires and drought, keeping our newsrooms plenty busy across the state.“Nowadays, it almost doesn’t matter whether we’ve had a wet or dry year in some of these regions. The summers are so warm that everything dries out,” Daniel Swain, of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA, told The Guardian.But while the state struggles with the realities of climate change, CNPA has proved it can take the heat. With an impressive legislative scorecard in 2021, our influence on Sacramento is pronounced. We are fighting to increase transparency in law enforcement, we are fighting to protect revenue for public notice and we are fighting to make sure our government upholds every bit of the First Amendment.
And that’s where we need you. Consider this your call to action. These are fights that require an army.Do you have good relationships with your elected officials? We need you. Can you run editorials that amplify our mission and messages, on topics that ensure journalism is protected and celebrated in this great state? We need you, too. Even if you can only read our informative newsletters, follow us on social media and stay knowledgeable about our many battles to protect journalism in California, we need you, too.This is going to be an exciting year, filled with important legislation, stellar CNPA events and dozens of opportunities to make a difference. These issues are won by the rowdy few that refuse to accept the status quo.So saddle up, California, and join us for one heck of a ride.Emily Charrier is editor and publisher of Sonoma Media Investments’ Sonoma Index-Tribune and publisher of the Petaluma Argus-Courier.
