Governor's Office Responds To Criticism Of State-Run News Service

Pence administration officials say they’ll work with press organizations to carefully evaluate the proposed state news service before it’s unveiled to the public.

Pence’s communications director Christy Denault says the original intent of the Just IN news service was to serve as a clearinghouse, a “one-stop shop,” for press releases from all state agencies.  She says the current system, a state news calendar, didn’t display releases from nearly half of the state’s 90 agencies. 

But she says the administration regrets some of the terminology used in internal communications about development of the site – they used words such as “story” instead of “press release” for example and referenced the head of the project as a “managing editor” instead of a “content manager.” 

Denault says, in part as a response to recent outcry, she plans to consult with the Hoosier State Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists before anything is finalized.

“I would really like to see us present a good front end to the world and serve the media better in the process," Denault said. "If we don’t think we can accomplish that, then I don’t have any qualms about saying ‘We won’t do it.’”

Denault says the site is still in development; the administration hopes to roll it out within the next couple of months.