Arizona media trade organizations merge; larger group has ‘room to stand boldly’
Corina Vanek
Arizona Republic
The industry groups representing Arizona television, radio, print and digital news outlets are merging to create the Arizona Media Association. Here, reporters from all platforms interview former Gov. Doug Ducey in 2021.
Two of Arizona’s media trade organizations are merging to create a group with more than 350 members aimed at protecting the rights of journalists, promoting access to news and information in Arizona and preparing for the future of the industry.
The Arizona Broadcasters Association and the Arizona Newspapers Association will combine and rebrand. The new entity will be called the Arizona Media Association. The organization’s members will include television, radio, print and digital news outlets from around the state.
Chris Kline will be president and CEO of the association, which will have five other full-time staff members.
“There is a significant amount of line-blurring that occurs between platforms,” Kline said of news organizations, like newspapers producing videos and podcasts and TV stations with digital news stories.
For most news consumers, all local outlets fall under the umbrella of local news, making the merger a logical next step for the industry organizations in Arizona.
“It gives us a lot of extra room to stand boldly,” Kline said of the partnership, with hundreds of companies across platforms.
The Arizona Media Association will continue to employ John Moody as lobbyist, to lobby on behalf of the journalism industry at the state level.
