The BCHA presented "History in Print" on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014.
We wished to provide a study of the
history of print media in the history of Bonneville County. Two speakers were
featured, first was Roger Plothow, of the Post Register, who gave
the origins and history of that newspaper. Speaking next was Jason Harris
of Harris Publishing, who gave a history of his company and a discussion
of the interaction between his magazines and the community. There was an
intermission between the speakers presentations, and a silent auction was completed.
After the formal presentations, the speakers entertained
questions from the audience.
Roger Plothow
Roger Plothow spent most of his youth in Provo, Utah after moving there from
Indiana at age 11. He began his journalism career as a part-time sports writer
in 1976 shortly after graduating from Provo (Utah) High School. After attending
Brigham Young University, he began his full-time journalism career as a reporter
for the Daily Herald in 1982 and has also worked at newspapers in California
and Idaho. He's won awards for reporting, editorial writing, photography and
page design and his newspapers have won numerous regional and national awards,
including the 2005 Scripps Howard National Journalism Award for Service to
the First Amendment. He will complete a long-delayed task by receiving his
bachelor's degree from Southern New Hampshire University this winter.
He has spent 19 of the past 24 years at the Post Register as managing
editor, general manager, and, since 2002, editor and publisher. He has
served on the boards of many local organizations and currently serves
on the Andrus Center for Public Policy Board of Governors and is a member
of the Idaho Community Foundation's Eastern Idaho Steering Committee. He
founded the Newspaper Association of Idaho in 2011 by facilitating the
merger of two existing organizations. He remains the NAI's treasurer.
He and his wife, Kathleen, have four children and five grandchildren. In his
off time he enjoys tennis, photography, music, writing and travel. He is the
author of two Kindle e-book murder mysteries, with a third due out in 2015.
He maintains two blogs in addition to writing an occasional column for
the Post Register.
Jason Harris
Jason Harris is the third son to Darryl and Chris Harris, founders of
Harris Publishing. He graduated from Bonneville High School, Ricks College,
and Idaho State University, and has a Degree in Mass Communication
Journalism, with a Minor in Business.
He served a two year mission for the LDS Church in Brazil. He has worked
at Harris Publishing from 1987 to the present, holding positions as
graphic artist, sales representative, editor, and publisher. He bought
Harris Publishing in 2008, and has served as President since. He married
his high school sweetheart, Michelle, in 1993, they have four daughters,
and live In Idaho Falls. He enjoys time with family, golfing, snowmobiling,
boating, ATVing, Utah Jazz, and BYU games.