Cherokee Nation establishes independent press
By The Associated Press
07.21.00
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| Chad Smith |
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation Chief Chad Smith signed a
measure into law yesterday intended to free the tribe's newspaper from
political interference.
The tribal council approved the Free and Independent Press Act on July
17 after making amendments to the original proposal. Political control
over the Cherokee Phoenix and Indian Advocate became an
issue during a tribal dispute that seized the nation's second largest Indian
tribe in 1997.
"If I'm doing something wrong, the Cherokee people need to be able to
read about it in the Advocate," Smith said in a news release yesterday.
The council had tabled the proposal in May because of concerns about
how members of an independent editorial board would be chosen and educational
requirements for the editor and board members. The initial proposal called for
the chief to appoint all of the board members.
Under the new law, the council will choose one of three editorial
board members, the chief will choose the second and the two initial board
members will choose the third. The third board member will be subject to
confirmation by the council and principal chief.
The board will oversee an editor who is in charge of the tribally
funded newspaper's operations.
Editorial board members will serve staggered six-year terms, and "must
serve their terms of office free from political influence from any executive or
legislative officials of any branch, division or department of the government
of the nation," the act states.
Another amendment removed the requirement of a journalism degree for
board members. They will have to be at least age 25, have experience in the
management and operations of publications, and among other criteria, adhere to
journalism ethics as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists and
endorsed by the Native American Journalists Association.
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