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Sunshine Week 2012

The Reporters Committee joins the American Society of News Editors as a national co-sponsor of Sunshine Week 2012, March 11-17, which will celebrate the importance of open government. Awards will be presented to the "Local Heroes" who have fought for access to information in their communities.

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Digital Journalist's Legal Guide

Everything online journalists need to protect their legal rights can be found in the Digital Journalist's Legal Guide. This free resource culls from all Reporters Committee resources and includes exclusive content on digital media law issues.

Open Government Guide

The OGG is a comprehensive overview of open records and open meetings laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Users can cross-reference and compare the laws in different states or simply get an in-depth analysis of one state.

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AP: Twitter adjusts service to allow country-by-country censorship, http://t.co/e6QcZ0uT, prompting protests, #twitterblackout
Kentucky officials do 180, now intend to appeal ruling ordering disclosure of child abuse records. http://t.co/54y5ZRnX #foia #opengov
Justice Dept. defends withholding of bin Laden death photos in court. http://t.co/pByWF4sK #foia #opengov #transparency

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Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, right, is accused of leaking classified documents to the news media.
Illinois Supreme Court approves cameras in trial courts
01/26/2012
Cameras and recording devices will be allowed in some Illinois trials after the state’s high court earlier this week authorized extended media coverage on an experimental basis. “Broadcasting, televising, recording and photographing...
Illinois defamation suit not dismissible on anti-SLAPP
01/24/2012
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that a defamation suit filed by a high school basketball coach against about a dozen critics is not subject for dismissal under Illinois’ Citizen Participation Act, a statue aimed to prevent Strategic Lawsuits...
Local weekly protected by privilege, Md. high court rules
01/24/2012
The Maryland Court of Appeals ruled this week that the Baltimore City Paper was protected by reporting privileges when it published information from the court record of a grisly, local murder trial -- information not used during the trial and...
Former CIA officer charged with leaking info to journalists
01/23/2012
Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, right, is accused of leaking classified documents to the news media.
FOIA panelists say Obama has far to go in transparency
01/23/2012
Despite President Barack Obama’s promise for more transparency in government, the administration has a long way to go, according to experts at a open government conference held in Washington, D.C., on Friday. An estimated 100 journalists,...

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The Place to Start

The Digital Journalist's Legal Guide has the answers and links to Reporters Committee resources for all your questions about the legal issues involved in gathering and disseminating news.

FOIA Services

Find everything you need to file a public record request, including the Reporters Committtee Automatic FOIA Letter Generator and links to our federal and state Open Government Guides.

 

 

Our Mission

To protect the right to gather and distribute news; to keep government accountable by ensuring access to public records, meetings and courtrooms; and to preserve the principles of free speech and unfettered press, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.