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Helping Community News Startups

The Journalist’s Guide to Open Government

Introduction

This extensive, multimedia e-learning module helps new media makers understand how to obtain public records and get into public meetings. The guide features a unique, interactive map that tells citizens how they can locate open-government information on each of the 50 state Web sites.

Democracies die behind closed doors… When government begins closing doors… it selectively controls information rightfully belonging to the people. Selective information is misinformation. The Framers of the First Amendment… did not trust any government to separate the true from the false for us… They protected the people against secret government.

— Circuit Judge Damon J. Keith, Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft, Sixth Circuit, 2002.

Did you ever blog about a town meeting, cover a court hearing, or divulge contents of a government document? If your answer is yes, you have performed one of the most vital roles of the press. You have illuminated the workings of government and helped to hold public officials accountable.

With newspapers nationwide slashing reporting staff, there is a greater need than ever for citizen journalists to know and exercise the public’s rights of access to local, county, state and federal government records, meetings and courts.

How can you obtain government records? What can you do if a records request is denied? What about meetings and court proceedings? Are you entitled to attend and what should you do if you’re excluded? Do your state officials provide helpful online resources on access to meetings and records?

Disclaimer

This module is based on laws in the United States. Please note that even within the United States, laws from jurisdiction to jurisdiction vary considerably and laws and their interpretation are subject to change. Information is offered for educational purposes. Do not rely on this module or any of its related content or communications as a substitute for the advice of a qualified attorney. No attorney-client relationship is intended or created by communications pertaining to this site or its related content, interactive features, blogs or e-mail.

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