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What is freedom of the press? 

For Brown County Circuit Court Judge Marc Hammer, it’s freedom of information, and it was the topic of discussion at a Philosopher’s Cafe event co-hosted by the Mauthe Center and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay a few weeks ago. 

Hammer, who also teaches constitutional law at UWGB, led the conversation. I was one of about 25 people total and one of three working journalists in attendance (shoutout to Jesse Lin of the Green Bay Press Gazette and Andrew Kennard of the Wisconsin Examiner). 

We covered a lot of ground: 

  • Historical attempts to limit information.
  • Who is “the press”?
  • Retractions vs. corrections.
  • Fact-checking.
  • Bias in media.
  • Public broadcasting funding.
  • Defamation.
  • Local news.
  • Social media sites like Facebook and TikTok.
  • The hyperpolarized times we’re living in.

I jumped in when retractions came up. Throughout the rest of the conversation, Lin, Kennard and I answered questions from community members about our jobs and explained how we do our work. 

One thing I appreciate about events at the Mauthe Center is how respectful and civil the discussion is. People hold different opinions. They listen to each other. They ask thoughtful follow-up questions. They attend these events, from what I saw, to learn something new. 

I did, too. And it was clear to me that community members want to learn more about newsgathering and reporting.

What do you want to know about journalism? 

  • Should I write about our rigorous fact-checking process? 
  • Do you want to know how Wisconsin Watch reporters and editors decide to pursue stories? 
  • Can we shed light on how to file open records requests? 

Email me at jzvandenhouten@wisconsinwatch.org. 

And if you’re interested in the Philosopher’s Cafe, there’s another event coming up in a few weeks on freedom of assembly. 

P.S. It’s Local News Day! Subscribe to your local news outlet or contribute to Wisconsin Watch here. 

All my best,

— Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten

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Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten joined Wisconsin Watch in August 2025 as regional editor for northeastern Wisconsin. She previously served as managing editor for Project Optimist, a nonprofit news organization focused on greater Minnesota. Jen’s past employers include the Duluth News Tribune, The Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wis.), USA TODAY Network-Wisconsin, and the Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, Wis.). Her teams have been honored with awards from the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists and the Minnesota and Wisconsin newspaper associations. Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English from the University of Wisconsin. She is also an accredited trainer through the Solutions Journalism Network. (Photo by Erica Dischino for Project Optimist)