Erick Peterson, Hermiston Herald editor, and Michael Kane, Northeast Oregon Now editor, discuss the new partnership between the two media groups. They were at the Hermiston Herald office, 333 E. Main St. on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022.

In the coming days, Hermiston Herald readers will start seeing new content from a familiar local journalist.

EO Media Group, owner of the Hermiston Herald, and Northeast Oregon Now have entered into a partnership.

Northeast Oregon Now is owned by the Umatilla Electric Cooperative and Good Shepherd Health Care System.

This pairing allows the Herald and Northeast Oregon Now, a local news website, to share content.

“This has the potential to be a win-win for each news outlet,” Herald publisher Andrew Cutler said.

EO Media executives express optimism

Cutler explained that media companies are facing shrinking resources, and partnerships between news organizations benefit the public, as well as one another.

Kari Borgen, EO Media regional publisher, agreed.

According to Borgen, the Herald’s mission is to “produce critical news that gains our community’s trust,” and “we are committed to reporting and distributing local news and information because a well-informed public keeps our communities strong.”

Cutler and Borgen continued, saying the “old days” of newspapers competing against one another to break important news before other sources are gone. Nowadays, they said, it is more important for credible news to be delivered to the public, regardless of a story’s origin.

Already, the Herald publishes stories from other EO Media newspapers, such as the East Oregonian. Also, the Herald occasionally prints articles from the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin and other newspapers, with which the Herald also has agreements.

Borgen and Cutler said they respect Michael Kane and his website.

“He is as well-versed in what goes on in Hermiston as anybody who’s there,” Cutler said.

Kane also positive about agreement

Kane, whose work includes being Hermiston Herald editor from 1995 to 2008, said he is happy to partner with the Herald now.

“I think what we can do for each other is bolster our work,” he said. “We’re both going to have content, stuff we don’t normally cover.”

He added he intends to meet regularly with Herald staff. He said he expects new ideas to come from these meetings.

Kane brings a wealth of experience

Kane’s resume includes previous employment with different media organizations, including the Tri-City Herald, The Observer in La Grande and the Twin Falls Times-News. Further, he boasts multiple Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association awards.

He said he first started thinking about work as a journalist when in high school. These thoughts increased, Kane said, when he was in his mid 20s.

Kane studied journalism at Columbia Basin College, which he described as very influential.

After he finished his studies, he said he sent out several resumes, took work in the area and furthered his career. Meanwhile, Kane, a Hermiston resident, said he continued to enjoy living in and serving this region.

“Northeast Oregon is my home,” he said. “I’ve lived here all of my life and I can’t imagine going anywhere else.”

His website can be found at northeastoregonnow.com.