First Fed Community Conversation | The Importance of Local Journalism
Tuesday, April 22 @ 6PM | Donna M. Morris Theater
LIVESTREAM AVAILABLE: CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE
Field Arts & Events Hall will host a pivotal First Fed Community Conversation on the importance of local journalism, honoring the legacy of John Brewer. Brewer, who led the Peninsula Daily News from 1998 to 2015, was a dedicated newsman whose contributions left a lasting impact on the Olympic Peninsula.
This event aims to highlight the crucial role of local news in fostering informed communities, promoting civic engagement, and holding institutions accountable. The one-hour panel discussion, moderated by journalist and educator George Erb, will feature Brier Dudley (Free Press Initiative), Eran Kennedy (Peninsula Daily News), Brown Maloney (Radio Pacific), Emma Maple (Peninsula Daily News), and Rich Riski (Peninsula College). Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with local journalists and media experts. Following the discussion, guests are invited to a post-conversation reception in the Pat Donlin Lobby.
The panel will explore John Brewer's legacy, the challenges faced by local news outlets, including financial pressures and the changing media landscape, and the implications of community information gaps, transparency, and public trust. Strategies for sustaining quality journalism in the region will also be discussed. Participants will hear firsthand accounts of how local journalism impacts lives in the community, emphasizing the need for continued support and investment in this vital resource.
By bringing together diverse voices in journalism, the event seeks to foster a deeper understanding of the value of local news and inspire collective action to preserve it. This gathering at Field Arts & Events Hall promises to be an enlightening and empowering experience, reinforcing the essential connection between local news and community well-being.
Moderator: George Erb, Journalist and Educator
Panelists:
Brier Dudley, Seattle Times
Eran Kennedy, Peninsula Daily News
Brown M. Maloney, Radio Pacific
Emma Maple, Peninsula Daily News
Rich Riski, Peninsula College
GEORGE ERB, MODERATOR
George Erb is a retired journalist and university educator who remains active in journalism and open-government issues. He worked more than 40 years as a reporter and editor at weekly and daily newspapers, all in Western Washington. George’s writing credits include The Seattle Times and the Peninsula Daily News. During his 7 ½ years as editor of the Puget Sound Business Journal, the business weekly was a runner-up for a Pulitzer Prize.
For nearly 10 years George was an adjunct journalism instructor at Western Washington University.
He earned a bachelor’s in history from Hanover College and a master’s in journalism from the University of Oregon.
George is currently secretary of the Washington Coalition for Open Government, a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocate for transparency and informed citizens. He lives in Bellevue with his wife, historical nonfiction author Mavis Amundson.
_
BRIER DUDLEY, SEATTLE TIMES
Brier Dudley is editor of The Seattle Times Save the Free Press public service initiative.
Dudley has been with The Seattle Times since 1998 and was a member of the editorial board for five years. He spent 14 years covering Microsoft and the technology industry, including nine years writing a tech column for the Business and Technology sections. A third-generation Seattleite, Dudley received a B.A. in English from Whitman College and studied film production in Italy before starting a career in newspapers at The Sequim Gazette. He has won numerous regional and national journalism awards.
_
ERAN KENNEDY, PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Eran Kennedy has been a media professional for nearly 40 years. After joining Sound Publishing in 2018, she initially served as advertising director and was later promoted to regional publisher of the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum in 2023.
A graduate of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Eran began her career in Vancouver, B.C., with Elty Publications/VanPress, where she rose to Operations Supervisor, securing home delivery for over 500,000 weekly newspapers across Vancouver's lower mainland. In 1999, she was appointed general manager of Black Press Media's North Shore Real Estate Weekly. Later, she moved to Hawaii when the company purchased the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and MidWeek Publications.
Eran's leadership style sparks innovation and is rooted in service and creating community. She takes pride in community service and has served on nonprofit boards, including the Dale Turner YMCA and Horizon School Board. She is currently the immediate past president of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors and a board member of the Clallam County Economic Development Council.
A North Olympic Peninsula resident for the past 10 years, Eran is married to a retired Coast Guard chief petty officer and is the mother of two active teenagers. She is dedicated to keeping the community informed and engaged with local news, ensuring that residents stay connected to the events and issues that matter to them most.
_
BROWN M. MALONEY, RADIO PACIFIC
Brown M. Maloney is the owner/operator of Radio Pacific, a group of three radio stations based in Port Angeles, WA. His experience in the newspaper industry is extensive, spanning from community newspapers to large size daily newspapers.
In addition to his local radio ownership, Maloney owned and published the Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum for 23 years. During that time his newspapers won multiple awards within the state press association.
Maloney however, feels most fortunate for the impact his family business (McClatchy Newspapers) has had in California and beyond. Starting with the Sacramento Bee in 1857 (established by his great great grandfather), the company published the Bee and other California newspapers throughout its first 120 years. Starting in the 1980's, McClatchy grew on a much larger scale acquiring newspapers throughout the US including The Miami Herald, Charlotte Observer, Kansas City Star and The Tacoma News Tribune. In total the company owned and operated 30 daily newspapers.
Maloney spent 22 years as a member of the McClatchy Board of Directors (1998-2020). In addition, he has been a Seattle Times Board member holding this position for 14 years.
How did Maloney settle on the Olympic Peninsula? He had an Aunt and Uncle living in Port Angeles who he visited as a youngster. He fell in love with the area and decided to do his first two years of college at Peninsula College. Maloney eventually came back at age 30 and threw himself into what he knew best and loved most - the news media.
_
EMMA MAPLE, PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Emma Maple has been working at Peninsula Daily News as a general assignment reporter for about eight months, ever since graduating from Whitworth University last spring with a degree in Communications and Peace Studies. She covers Port Angeles city council, Clallam County commissioners and a number of other topics. Long term, she hopes to report in the field of religious journalism or on the judicial system.
_
RICH RISKI, PENINSULA COLLEGE
Rich Riski is a journalism instructor at Peninsula College with 25 of teaching. Along the way, he taught graduate students from the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs in Baku, Azerbaijan where, as a Fulbright Senior Specialist, he explored political unrest and the cultural rise of the web. He taught for two months in Nanning, China.
Riski documented five national presidential conventions from both sides of the aisles. The first was as a guest of CSPAN. Later he gained media credentials thanks to KONP Radio and the generous support of the PC Foundation.
He worked as a reporter and photographer in central Ohio and Washington at the Peninsula Daily News, beside freelancing. He earned a bachelor’s in natural resources from Ohio State University and a master’s in journalism from the University of Memphis.
Riski is married to Cheryl Baumann, a salmon restoration advocate and the father of Alden, a surveyor and musician. They all serve at the pleasure of Clooney, their most curious newshound.
-
ABOUT THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA JOURNALISM FUND
The Olympic Peninsula Journalism Fund is a vital initiative aimed at supporting local journalism. Established by the Peninsula Daily News, this fund seeks to ensure the sustainability and growth of community-focused reporting. Through a partnership with the Olympic View Community Foundation, this fund allows readers to make tax-deductible contributions, directly supporting the newsroom's efforts to cover important local issues, from government and education to environmental and health topics. These contributions will help the newspaper continue its mission of providing reliable, in-depth journalism that reflects the needs and interests of our community. The fund also supports investigative journalism, ensuring that critical issues are thoroughly examined and reported. By donating to the Olympic Peninsula Journalism Fund, community members invest in the future of local journalism, helping to preserve the integrity and independence of the press. This initiative underscores the importance of local news in fostering informed communities and promoting civic engagement. The Peninsula Daily News remains committed to delivering high-quality journalism, thanks to the unwavering support of its readers and donors.
Initiated in memory of John Brewer, former editor and publisher of the Peninsula Daily News, this fund also honors his legacy. Brewer, who led the PDN from 1998 to 2015, was a consummate newsman dedicated to keeping the community informed. His kindness and commitment to journalism left a lasting impact on the Olympic Peninsula and this fund will uphold the values he championed, ensuring that his spirit of integrity and dedication lives on through the work of the Peninsula Daily News.
