Oct. 13, 2025
In September, Carpenter Media Group violated professional and ethical journalism standards at the Homer News. Carpenter Media, which owns the Homer News, Peninsula Clarion and Juneau Empire in Alaska, removed an article from the Homer newspaper’s website after Rep. Sarah Vance, in a letter written on state letterhead and on her official social media account, pressured them to do so. It then republished a modified version of the article without its original byline. This was done without consulting the newsroom, and without issuing a correction to readers.
Three reporters and one regional editor from the Homer News, Peninsula Clarion and Juneau Empire have since resigned in protest. They said ownership bypassed editors, altered coverage under political pressure, and failed to communicate transparently with the public. Carpenter said that the piece fell short of its standards and that the journalists’ resignation letter included inaccuracies, but did not specify what those may have been.
Carpenter Media immediately accepted the resignations and locked the journalists out of their work accounts. That left the Juneau Empire and Homer News with one reporter each, and the Peninsula Clarion without any journalists on staff. This reaction disadvantaged the public most because it left communities with fewer reporters to keep them informed.
We condemn Carpenter Media Group’s irregular and improper interference in the editorial process. When publishers override editors or allow politicians to dictate coverage, they erode the firewall between business and the work of journalism. That firewall exists to protect ethical decision making in newsrooms and sustains the trust communities have in the media.
To preserve integrity and community trust, owners of journalism organizations must shield newsrooms from the influence of their ownership, governments, advertisers and other outside forces. Newsrooms must be provided strict editorial independence that ensures the freedom of the news team to decide what to report as well as how and when to report it.
Corrections are part of journalism, but they must be issued as a result of a conversation with and decision made by the newsroom. When ownership dictates coverage or conceals changes from readers, it undermines the free press and the public’s right to transparent information.
We urge owners and legislators to respect the editorial process and its value to the residents of Alaska by communicating directly with newsroom leaders to address concerns with coverage.
We should not accept these actions by Carpenter Media as normal. They threaten the ability of journalists to serve as watchdogs for our communities.
We will always defend editorial independence, transparency and the right of Alaska’s journalists to do their work free from intimidation.
Alaska Press Club Board of Directors
Angela Denning, Jamie Diep, Kirsten Dobroth, Lizzy Hahn, Vicky Ho, Theo Greenly, Young Kim, Julia O’Malley, Lynne Snifka, Sage Smiley, Eric Sowl and Claire Stremple
Alaska Center for Excellence in Journalism Advisory Committee
Elizabeth Arnold, Paula Dobbyn, Joaqlin Estus, Kristin Hall, Rosey Robards, Lori Townsend, and Mark Trahant
UAA Journalism and Public Communications Professors
Paola Banchero, Joy Mapaye, Elizabeth Arnold, and Brad Hillwig
Organizations
Alaska Teen Media Institute, The Copper River Record, KMXT/KODK – Kodiak Public Broadcasting Corporation, KNOM Radio Mission, KOTZ – Kotzebue, The Nome Nugget, The Northern Journal, Petersburg Pilot, Sol de Medianoche, The UAA Northern Light Student Newspaper, The UAF Sun Star Student Newspaper, The UAS Whalesong Student Newspaper
Individuals
Susan B. Andrews, Michael A. Armstrong, Amber Batts, Amy Bushatz, Megan Cacciola, John Creed, Peter Dunlap-Shohl, Steve Ex, Nathaniel Herz, Tom Hewitt, Kortnie Horazdovsky, Maureen Kennedy, Dimitra Lavrakas, Lina Mariscal, Rhonda McBride Faubion, Kathleen McCoy, Richard Murphy, Hank Nuwer, Amy O’Neill Houck, Katie Stavick, Brian Patrick O’Donoghue, Jim Paulin, Pat Race, Jacob Resneck, Ed Schoenfeld, Emily Schwing, Hal and Susie Smalley, Alix Soliman, Monica Sterchi-Lowman, Traci Tong, Ben Townsend, Brian Venua, Lawrence D. Weiss, Quinn White, Charles Wohlforth
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