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.