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COMMENTARY
Committees are a Pillar of City Government. Concord Keeps the Public at Arms Length
“Anything a quorum of a committee is seeing is a public record and ought to be provided publicly,” NEFAC President Gregory V. Sullivan said. “Then, at least, people can see what it is they’re talking about.” Sullivan noted the preamble to the state’s Right to Know law, which entitles the public to “the greatest possible public access to the actions, discussions and records of all public bodies.”
How Feds Took Control of the Narrative in Deportation of Brown Medicine Kidney Doctor
Ed Fitzpatrick, a board member for the New England First Amendment Coalition, did not think limiting public access to the electronic documents was helpful for either side in the case, or for the public’s trust in the courts. “I received so many questions on this story, and a lot of the answers to those questions lie in those documents,” he said.
Mass. Lawmakers Don’t Have to Follow the Public Records Law. Few of Them Say That Should Change.
“The survey shows the vast majority of legislators couldn’t have been bothered to simply respond. That indicates to me that transparency is just not a priority — and it needs to be and the public should demand nothing less,” said Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition.
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ADVOCACY
Manchester Public Comment Restrictions: ‘Unnecessary, Unenforceable and Unconstitutional’
In NEFAC’s continuing effort to have the restrictions rescinded, coalition advisor Mark Hayward recently explained to city officials that: “The First Amendment doesn’t say speech has to be polite or speech has to be erudite or speech has to be informed. What it guarantees is that speech is free and that it has no restrictions such as the ones you have in Rule 3. … You have a rule that’s unnecessary, unenforceable and unconstitutional.”
NEFAC, Press Groups Defend Right to Comment on Matters of Scientific Debate
The groups submitted an amicus brief in Maine Lobster v. Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation. In their brief, NEFAC and fellow amici explained that: “Because the protections against group libel and for opinion enable public interest journalism, the decision raises significant concerns for the press, and without immediate appellate review, risks chilling swaths of reporting and commentary.”
Proposed Probate Court Rules Will Unconstitutionally Restrict Access in Maine
“We are concerned that the proposed rules are written without adequate consideration having been given to the very strong public interests served by transparency,” explained NEFAC and the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition in a Feb. 25 letter to the state’s Supreme Judicial Court.
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COMMUNITY
March 25 | Online | Right to Record in Massachusetts
March 26 | Online | 30 Minute Skills: Education Reporting 101
March 29 | Portland, Maine | New England Newspaper & Press Convention | Opening Up the Government: A Reporter’s Toolbox
March 31 | Online | Right to Record in Rhode Island
April 7 | Online | Right to Record in Vermont
April 8 | Online | 30 Minute Skills: Writing Workshop 101
April 29 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | First Amendment and the Free Press
May 2 | Boston University | New England Scholastic Press Association Conference
May 13 | Online | 30 Minute Skills: Writing Workshop 102
June 12 | Online | 30 Minute Skills: Broadcast Journalism 101
July 22 | Online | 30 Minute Skills: How to Use Signal to Protect Documents and Sources
Oct. 20 | Online | 30 Minute Skills: How to Start Your Own Podcast
30 Minute Skills: How to Cover Marginalized Communities
Often the stories of marginalized communities are the least likely to be told. By viewing this lesson, you’ll learn (1) the initial steps to take when covering a marginalized community for the first time (2) how to learn about a community’s culture and customs ahead of your reporting and (3) considerate ways to overcome obstacles in your reporting while still empowering your sources to share their stories.
30 Minute Skills: Business Reporting 101
All journalists — whatever the beat — should think of themselves as business journalists. By viewing this class, you’ll learn (1) how to begin a business beat or start incorporating business journalism practices into your current beat (2) where to find stories and sources and (3) how to localize national and global business stories.
30 Minute Skills: Copyright Law 102
Copyright law can be a complex and nuanced area for journalists and non-journalists alike. Questions of ownership, fair use and other intellectual property concerns are especially relevant to newsgathering as more information is found through social media and other online sources. This is the second of two classes introducing copyright law and suggesting best practices. View the first class here.