Indy Radio: Pence Backs Away From State Run News Service

Mike Pence

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence told WIBC 93.1 FM Wednesday that he would reject any version of his new "Just IN" website that looks like state-run media, continuing to distance himself from a written news service plan developed by his staff.

Meanwhile, Pence's communications staff, who authored the plan for "Just IN," scrambled to tamp down concerns over the news service Wednesday morning in a strange, sometimes emotional exchange with Indiana Statehouse reporters.

Pence appeared on Greg Garrison's radio talk show to explain his administration's new communications plans, at one point saying he was unsure who wrote the plan for "Just IN," details of which were first reported by The Indianapolis Star.


Garrison continuously pressed Pence to abandon any plan for a state-run news service, until Pence finally said he would reject any state-run news outlet.

"As governor I can assure you that (the plan) did not meet my expectations and if this website doesn't meet my expectations of respecting the role of a free and independent press, I will reject it​," Pence said Wednesday on WIBC-FM.

Pence also repeated his earlier explanation that the new site was intended to be a resource, not a news source.