When 2024 began, Alaska may have been the only state in the U.S. where newspapers lacked any semblance of an organized effort to protect their interests. That ended early last year when a group of newspaper supporters established the Alaska News Coalition (ANC) under the auspices of the Juneau Community Foundation.

One year later the group has made tremendous progress, establishing a governing body and attracting the initial funding that will allow it to begin representing newspapers in the state in earnest. The protection of public notice is at the top of its to-do list.