Hickenlooper proclaims Colorado Journalism Week

    Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper proclaimed April 16-22 as Colorado Journalism Week at the Colorado Press Association’s annual convention in Colorado Springs Friday, April 13.
    With several hundred attending his keynote lunch remarks, Hickenlooper said it was a critical time to honor the work of journalists.
    “There has never been a greater need than now for what you do,” he told the crowd of mostly journalists. “I worry all the time that President Trump has attacked many of the foundations of the democracy — the judiciary, the FBI, the CIA — but he’s probably been most relentless attacking the press.”
    “Those attacks, while they haven’t broken the fabric of our Constitution, have weakened it,” he added.
    The governor’s proclamation invoked the words of President James Madison: “A people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives” and said “an informed constituency is essential to a healthy democracy.”
    Jerry Raehal, executive director of the Colorado Press Association, said the proclamation would kick off a year of advocacy.
    “This is not about one week,” Raehal said. “This is a launching pad for a year of talking about journalism — about what journalists do and why their work matters. It’s about what the forefathers put in the First Amendment. We need to talk about this in our cities and towns.”
    In partnership with the Colorado Broadcasters Association and the Open Media Foundation, Colorado Journalism Week celebrates and honors the hard work and ideals of Colorado’s working press.
    During Colorado Journalism Week, news organizations are being encouraged to engage their communities on social media using the hashtag #RealNewsCO so the public might better understand people behind newsgathering and journalism.

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