Tribal Council amends Independent Press Act
By Christina Good Voice
Staff Writer
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – At its June 15 meeting, the Tribal Council amended the Cherokee Nation Independent Press Act to protect forms of electronic media and make changes regarding the Cherokee Phoenix’s Editorial Board.
The act states that the tribal Publications Department’s duty is to “use any necessary forms of electronic and print media to report without bias the activities of the government and the news of interest to have informed citizens.”
The Cherokee Phoenix operates the Web site www.cherokeephoenix.org, which is updated each weekday with news articles, videos and photography slideshows. The act now protects the Web site and its content along with the Cherokee Phoenix monthly newspaper.
The act also adds two seats to the Editorial Board, bringing the number of board members to five, and calls for the board to consist of a chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary. Two board members are to be selected by the principal chief, two members by the council, with the fifth member to be selected by the initial four members.
The amendment also provides monthly stipends to the board. Board officers will be paid $350 each month, while board members will receive $300.
The board’s duty is to establish and enforce an editorial policy that “will be fair and responsible in the reporting of general news, current events and issues of Cherokee concern.”
Other duties include reviewing department policies to ensure fairness and professionalism in all department practices and to hold periodic public meetings in order to conduct official department business and policy review.
Another update to the press act included changing the title of the editor to executive editor. The title change does not create a new position at the Cherokee Phoenix, nor require additional duties.
Councilor Bill John Baker, who co-sponsored the act with Councilor Cara Cowan Watts, said the amendment was designed to modernize the press act.
“Being able to add electronic media instead of just news print to the free press act, changing the name of the editor, adding some board members just to tweak it and to bring it more in line with modern society,” he said.