We’re bringing you a series of special reports following a monthslong investigation involving Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.
WPSD Local 6 uncovered activity showing undue pressure and influence by the university's highest ranking members on departments, individuals, WKMS Radio, its leadership and employees, as well as inquiries from radio reporters working on stories.
What we learned is the result of extensive open records requests WPSD Local 6 filed with Murray State University.
We amassed nearly 1,000 pages of email correspondence, contracts and reports about the university and WKMS Radio, a National Public Radio affiliated station operated by MSU.
Those documents reveal the university's slow-walking over funding the radio station, challenges to its mission and purpose, as well as questions about staff positions. Our first special report will air during Local 6 at Ten on Thursday, April 20. Check back to this page to see additional special reports as they air. Below you will also find our previous coverage related to this series.
The Murray State Board of Regents voted unanimously to extend President Robert Jackson's contract, despite controversy involving Jackson that we've uncovered in an ongoing investigation into Murray State. United Campus Workers Union is more critical of Jackson’s leadership.
Recent reporting by WPSD revealed Murray State President Robert "Bob" Jackson exerted undue pressure and influence over some WKMS Radio stories.
Previous reports revealed documents Murray State fought against releasing that showed University President Robert 'Bob' Jackson putting pressure on WKMS to stop investigative reporting.
The next WPSD report will focus on the fallout from an email sent to WKMS Radio donors to let them know a prestigious reporter position will not be filled even after being featured in fundraising appeal letters.
Murray State University leadership rejected a prestigious grant to fund a reporter position for WKMS amid discussions of major funding cuts for the radio station.
WPSD amassed hundreds of pages of email correspondence, contracts, reports and other paperwork through multiple open records requests.
A former WKMS station manager gave insight on Murray State University administrations' involvement on editorial decisions at the radio station.
On Monday, WPSD-TV filed a lawsuit against Murray State University to obtain records Murray State has previously withheld and/or redacted. WPSD-TV is seeking the public documents related to the university's attempts to interfere with reporting by WKMS, a national public radio-affiliated station operated by Murray State.
In a letter to WPSD, Attorney General Daniel Cameron cites “an unmanageable increase in the number of appeals received by the Attorney General” as the reason for the delay.
"When this is all over we’ll know who believes in the First Amendment and who does not."
Weeks of investigation and hearings are now raising questions about Murray State University President Bob Jackson's involvement with former local Circuit Court Judge Jamie Jameson to allegedly stop a news story from airing on WKMS.
Local Circuit Court Judge Jamie Jameson faced direct questioning from the Judicial Conduct Commission Tuesday during the second day of his misconduct hearing.
A local circuit court judge is charged with intimidating witnesses, wrongfully using his position of power and several other charges.
The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission is accusing Circuit Court Judge Jamie Jameson of using his status as a judge to stop a news story from airing.
