The Peanut Butter Press (PBP) was a newspaper written by children in grades five and six for children ages 7 through 13. It appeared as a 12-page tabloid insert in the Indianapolis News on the second Tuesday of every month during the school year. Barbara Poore, acting as editor, founded Peanut Butter Press in 1980 as a product of the Children’s Educational Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organization for which she also served as president.

Two teachers and several students stand together in front of a van.
Peanut Butter Press student reporters from Indianapolis Public School no. 43, 1984 Credit: Indianapolis Recorder Collection, Indiana Historical Society View Source

School administrators selected student reporters from area schools each month to cover topics on local businesses and events and to interview celebrities and community leaders. The newspaper also contained student-written book reviews, puzzles, and creative writing, as well as comics, crafts, and recipes that were created by adults.

PBP received a 1984 Casper Award for outstanding community service, national awards for excellence in educational journalism, and national television coverage. When the newspaper became part of the News in 1986, a new editor, Patty Deely, was appointed, but the original format was retained. Because PBP was a part of the News, it enjoyed the same circulation as the daily newspaper, in addition to its school subscriptions, which totaled 75,000 during 1990-1991.

The Peanut Butter Press ceased publication in 1996 when budget cuts at the Indianapolis News made it no longer feasible. In 1999, the News also ceased publication.

Revised July 2021
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