The Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, the official trade association for print and digital news outlets in the commonwealth, commemorated the 100th anniversary of its founding on Monday, Feb. 10.
PNA was formed in 1925 when publishers and editors from three separate newspaper associations met in Harrisburg to discuss a potential merger. According to an excerpt from the minutes of that first meeting, executives from the Pennsylvania Associated Dailies, Pennsylvania Weekly Newspaper Association and the Pennsylvania State Editorial Association agreed to consolidate under a new moniker, the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers’ Association. Six months later, on Aug. 10, 1925, PNPA received its charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
PNPA established a mission to advance the business interests of Pennsylvania newspaper organizations and to promote a free and independent press. Over the years, the company has expanded its operations to advance its primary causes. In 1952, PNPA formed MANSI Media, a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary providing advertising placement services to newspapers across the commonwealth. Fourteen years later, the PNPA Foundation was organized and received its charter in 1968 with an aim to provide training and resources for its members. Both organizations continue operations today.
The company was renamed the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association in 1998 to reflect the changing corporate structures and participants within the association. In 2012 the company rebranded again to its current name, Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, to better represent its members in the evolving media landscape.
In the last 100 years, PNA has been led by 10 association presidents and 98 board of director presidents, moved headquarters four times and employed countless staff in membership, sales, marketing, legal and printing operations. Today the organization represents a variety of media outlets dedicated to providing journalism to communities across the commonwealth, including dailies, weeklies, monthlies, college newspapers and digital news sites.
Current PNA President and CEO William Cotter shared his thoughts on the milestone anniversary. “We are excited at PNA to celebrate 100 years of supporting the news media industry, the importance of the First Amendment and the role of a free press,” he said. “We look forward to the future with new initiatives that will lead us into our next centennial.”
About PNA:
PNA, founded in 1925, is the nonprofit trade association for print and digital news media in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Its mission is to advance the business interests of Pennsylvania news media organizations and to promote a free and independent press. Membership includes newspapers and media-related companies, as well as college newspapers and online publications.
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