A
survey conducted by the National Freedom of Information Coalition
(NFOIC) and the Media Law Resource Center (MLRC) and supported by the
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation found that more citizens are demanding for government transparency. The
study also revealed that due to a lack of resources, news organizations
are less likely to file FOI lawsuits. Pia Christensen is not surprised
by media’s reluctance to go after FOI violations. She is noting the
significant increased in open records requests made by private citizens
and other non-media organizations on Covering Health. http://www.nfoic.org/survey-says-people-want-more-open-government http://www.healthjournalism.org/blog/2011/08/public-becoming-more-active-in-pursuit-of-goverment-information/
Provoked
by a recent presentation by Bob Freeman from the New York Open
Government Committee - on the state’s Open Meeting Law, Warren Gross is
examining how open or otherwise the law is. He mentions a pending
legislation introduced by Councilwoman Amy Paulin to strengthen the Open
Meeting law but is skeptical because currently, the law is not even
enforced by the State and it depends on the diligence of municipal
bodies to comply with it. Check out his message on accountability to the
community on Talk of the Sound. http://www.newrochelletalk.com/content/how-open-open-meeting-law
When
Kevin Dietrich’s co worker attended a hearing organized by the U.S.
House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in Greenville, South
Carolina, little did he know that he would not be allowed to record it.
Eric Ward a blogger with The Nerve (South Carolina Policy Council’s
official blog), was stopped from videotaping the hearing about lowering
unemployment and bringing high-paying jobs in the state but was promised
an edited version of the recording by the Committee’s staff. Dietrich
is not happy about the censoring and he shares his frustrations on The Cotton Boll Conspiracy. http://southcarolina1670.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/public-sees-what-leaders-say-they-can-see/