Montana Free Press Fest to be held Sept. 16-18 at Montana State University

BOZEMAN - Montana State University will host Montana Free Press and local journalists this fall at an annual three-day conference focused on Montana public affairs and the news industry.

The free event is open to the public and organized by Montana Free Press, a digital, nonprofit news outlet that covers statewide news. Now in its second year, Free Press Fest will be held Sept. 16-18 in the Strand Union Building on MSU's campus.

The conference seeks to engage policy experts, authors, independent journalists, staff writers and Montana citizens who are interested in learning about Montana's media landscape. While the event is free, registration is required and available online at montanafreepress.org/montana-free-press-fest-2025/registration/.

Programming will feature high-profile speakers such as former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Tim Weiner, in addition to breakout sessions that will tackle topics such as public versus private land conservation, shifting media landscapes and the intersection of technology and politics.

"Free Press Fest is designed to promote civic engagement, celebrate Montana's rich culture and empower attendees to actively participate in shaping the future of our state," said Montana Free Press founder and executive director John Adams. "We are excited to collaborate with MSU to make this programming available to anyone interested in taking part in these conversations."

A full schedule of the planned programming is listed below.

Tuesday, Sept. 16

• 7 p.m.: Opening keynote, "The Politics of Truth: Intelligence, Oversight and the Fight for Credibility," with speakers Tim Weiner and Jon Tester.

• 8:30 p.m.: Opening night reception.

Wednesday, Sept. 17

• 10 a.m.: Spotlight session, "A Wooded Shore: Thomas McGuane in Conversation with Maggie McGuane" with speakers Thomas and Maggie McGuane.

• 11:30 a.m.: Breakout sessions
  • "Montana For Sale: Wealth and the New West" with speakers Amy Gamerman and Jami Jarrett Moody.
  • "Youth Newsrooms: Hope from Gen Z Journalists" with speakers Claire Bernard, Amanda Fulton and Melana Gangi.

• 1:30 p.m.: Spotlight session, "Beyond the Next Election: Building Montana's Long-term Plan" with speakers Llew Jones, Ryan Osmundson, and Chris Dorrington.

• 3:30 p.m.: Breakout sessions
  • "Managing the Millions: What Lies Ahead for Montana's Public Lands?" with speakers Ryan Callaghan, Nate Schweber and Mary Erikson.
  • "Behind the Headlines: Local News Starts on the Ground" with speakers Stan Parker, James Rosien, Mara Silvers and Jeff Welsch.

• 6:30 p.m.: Headline keynote, "Press Under Fire: Defending Journalism in an Age of Hostility" with speakers David Folkenflik, Mary Margaret White and Jodie Ginsberg.

Thursday, Sept. 18

• 10 a.m.: Spotlight session, "Beyond the Fireline: Building and Maintaining Wildfire-Resistant Communities." Live recording of the podcast "The Wide Open" with host Nick Mott and panelists Kimiko Barrett, Joe O'Connor, Shawn Thomas and Cathy Whitlock.

• 11:30 a.m.: Closing keynote, "The Power of the Press: Barry Beach's Winding Road to Freedom" with speakers Barry Beach and Marsha Price.

More information about Montana Free Press and Free Press Fest is available at freepressfest.org.