Many of the journalism organizations belonging to the Coalition provide valuable information on open government and access issues on their websites. We’ve listed them here. We’ve also listed a number of other sites you might want to visit to become more familiar with FOI issues. With each, we’ve provided a brief description of the FOI content on the site.
American Society of Newspaper Editors
ASNE groups its freedom of information materials under a First Amendment header. The pages provide information on legislation ASNE is watching, including the Flag Amendment. There’s also a model “stump speech” on open government and downloadable ads on the importance of the First Amendment.
Associated Press Reports on Open Government Issues
The Associated Press website includes a section on open government issues around the U.S. and includes reports on its own involvement in open government issues.
Brechner Center for Freedom of Information (University of Florida)
The Center and its site are Florida-centric, which is helpful if you are looking for model open government laws. The monthly Brechner Report, available online, provides a convenient summary of developments in Florida and key FOI events nationally.
There’s also the Citizens Access Project, an innovative effort to provide comparative information on state open meetings and records laws. States are rated on application, language of the law, and court interpretation.
The Forum’s First Amendment Section is an excellent place to get started understanding issues related to the five freedoms. The site briefs and then links to longer news reports on First Amendment issues. In addition to news about the Forum and its activities, it also features:
- An online library that lets you search recent Supreme Court opinions.
- A list of experts, with links.
- A list of First Amendment publications and a longer list of related links.
- A collection of columns and editorials on First Amendment issues.
- The annual State of the First Amendment report.
Investigative Reporters and Editors
IRE offers its own ranking of state FOI laws and practices, based on a survey conducted with the Better Government Association. It also provides information on its FOI activities and commentary.
Most valuable are two sections that present current and award winning reports utilizing public records or looking at government secrecy. Members also get access to IRE tip sheets and FOIA research.
National Freedom of Information Coalition
Headlines and links to FOI stories, plus links to resources in each state and to the newsletters and reports of a dozen state coalitions and FOI organizations.
Radio-Television News Directors
The site features numerous reports offering both the legal background on FOI issues and practical suggestions on news coverage, most written by the RTNDA’s counsel, Kathleen Kirby, and listed by topic. FOI subjects include:
- Access, including reports on Sports, Health, Privacy, and Prisons.
- Covering Courts, with a state by state guide to cameras-in-court policies.
- Hidden Cameras and Microphones
- HIPAA, a helpful Q & A.
There are also useful reports on libel, subpoenas and reporter’s privilege.
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
This is the single most comprehensive because the committee’s sole focus is freedom of information and it has the largest staff devoted to open government issues. The special reports noted are available both online and in print. The site offers:
- Daily updates on FOI news.
- Behind the Homefront, a daily weblog on homeland security issues,
- Homeland Confidential, a report on the access/national security conflict.
- A short FOIA explainer and a FOIA request form.
- News Media and the Law Magazine – archived.
- Tapping Official Secrets, a state-by-state guide to records and open meeting and reporters privilege laws.
- The Lost Stories, a review of reporting blocked by government closure.
- Electronic Access. Separate reports on federal, state and court access laws and rules.
- A First Amendment Handbook, with sections on libel, privacy, surreptitious reporting, confidential sources, prior restraint, gag orders, access to courts, access to places, freedom of information acts and copyright.
- Legal briefs, comments and opinions by topic.
- Other research reports on FOI issues, including access to juvenile courts, medical privacy, taping, subpoenas, reporters’ privilege, anonymous juries and a photographers’ guide to privacy.
Society of Environmental Journalists
The site has a helpful brief on FOIA fundamentals and practical tips to go along with it. It’s also worth checking in to look at the association’s newsletter, Watchdog, with reports and story ideas of particular interest to environmental reporters but often touching on broader FOI issues as well.
Society of Professional Journalists
The FOI pages feature an online version of Open Doors, the society’s primer on accessing government records and a history of freedom of information written by the Freedom Forum’s Paul McMasters. Other features:
- A state-by state guide on media access to prisons.
- A list of Sunshine Chairs, persons in each state who can be contacted for help on FOI issues.
- Brief reports on SPJ’s open government activities.
- Information on filing a FOIA request and resource information.
Sunshine in Government Initiative
The Sunshine in Government Initiative is a coalition of media groups that promotes open government policies and legislation. The website contains information on current FOIA bills the coalition is supporting and background information on how the law is used in holding government accountable and providing citizens with needed information.
The second Sunshine Week, a national recognition of the citizen's Right to Know that focuses media attention on state and national open government issues and policies, is scheduled for March 13-19, 2006. The official website provides information on the 2005 observance, plans for 2006 and daily updates on freedom of information related news.
University of Missiouri FOI Center
The center manages a reference and research library on FOI at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. The website makes available much of its eclectic collection of FOI materials and provides a wide array of links. Featured on the site are:
- News reports on FOI issues, updated daily.
- A summary of FOI audits done by state coalitions, with links to the detailed reports and relevant state law.
- Links to federal and state FOI guides.
- Links to Media Law research reports.
The ALA’s Washington Office posts a number of reports on legislation and regulations affecting open records and government secrecy and outlines their advocacy efforts for transparency.
Electronic Privacy Information Center
EPIC is extremely active in pressing FOIA requests related to electronic privacy. It posts summaries and provides scanned copies of the documents it obtains. The site also links to a downloadable FOI Act and other related sites.
Federation of American Scientists, Project on Government Secrecy
The section on Strategic Security has numerous references to useful background information on government secrecy. There’s also an archive to back issues of Secrecy News, Steven Aftergood’s invaluable newsletter on everything the government is trying to bury. There’s a link to let you subscribe by e-mail, free.
There are also lists of government and non-government websites related to secrecy issues, and a compilation of Bush Administration documents on government secrecy policies.
The Archive collects unclassified documents while fighting against real-time secrecy. The site features timely reports drawn from unclassified materials and information on access issues such as FOIA.
OMB produces some excellent reports on right to know issues. All are posted on the site. There are other sections on the environment, electronic government, and critical infrastructure information.
OpenTheGovernment is a coalition of non-profit organizations working against government secrecy and supporting right-to-know efforts. The site is designed to help you gather more information on open government topics. It features helpful background reports – most with brief informational lead-ins—on a wide variety of right to know and access issues, plus links to sites with more detailed information. Its Press Room and Resource Center include:
- A short but useful experts list.
- Issues updates by its member organizations.
- A Strategy section that features tools to fight government secrecy.
- A library with references to both electronic and hard copy books and reports on open government.
Project on Government Oversight
The FOI content is minimal but there are a number of current events reports related to security and whistleblower issues.
Public Citizen Freedom of Information Clearing House
The Clearing House provides assistance to individuals and public interest groups, as well as the media, on records access. The site provides a guide to using FOIA and aids in drafting a records request, plus research reports on litigation.
American Civil Liberties Union
Another very good guide to FOIA and a step-by-step guide to filing a FOIA request.
