Klamath Tribes council member says free press protections could help ‘dispel rumors and and gossip’

A council member and public relations director with the Klamath Tribes has called on her community to codify free press protections that would allow independent news coverage of the tribal government. 

Willa Powless told Jefferson Public Radio that the tribe’s news service would benefit from press protections, providing a path toward unbiased coverage of the community in southern Oregon and northern California.

“It's government-run media by design,” Powless said. “It doesn't investigate its own government because it is its own government essentially.”

She said coverage of tribal meetings would be one place to start with any new press projections.

“I think it would be an eye opener for people to really see what's happening behind the scenes, but also learn more about their tribal government,” she said. “It would also help dispel rumors and gossip too.”