Kirkpatrick, Williams leave on trip to encourage and support newspapers
as an important ingredient of democracy

By Erin Auci
Pennsylvania Newspaper Association 

John Kirkpatrick, editor, publisher and president of the (Harrisburg) Patriot-News and Tim Williams, president of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, will travel to Russia July 3, through a program supported by the International Research & Exchange Board.

Kirkpatrick

According to Williams, the Russian Independent Print Media Program, which is funded by the U.S. government, seeks to "encourage a more vibrant and robust independent press as an important part of democratic society." 

IREX is an international nonprofit organization that focuses on education, independent media and other professional programs in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.

President Bush and Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation, agreed to the program during a meeting held at Bush's ranch in Texas. The goal is to allow industry leaders to introduce and share their expertise in advertising, publishing, editing, design, photography, circulation and various management strategies.

As part of their weeklong trip, Williams and Kirkpatrick will be participating in the Russian-American Media Entrepreneurship Dialogue held by the Association of Independent Regional Publishers in Moscow.

"I will be talking to the association about ways to help their association grow and how to set up an advertising service in the organization," Williams said.

Kirkpatrick will be presenting information on market research and ways to help build a more successful newspaper.

They will also be spending two days with Moy Rayon, the daily newspaper in St. Petersburg.

Williams says the program is two-fold, and that hopefully members of the Russian media will be coming to spend a week here in Pennsylvania as soon as January.