by Janelle Hartman, TNG-CWA :::: James Risen told a Newspaper Guild audience Tuesday night that the U.S. government’s crackdown on whistleblowers and leaks is an urgent threat to America’s free press, one that demands journalists do something that doesn’t come naturally: Speak up and fight back. “We as reporters don’t like to lobby on our […]
By Lena Williams, Guild-CWA :: Days after the Senate Judiciary Committee indicated it was going to mark up the bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act of 2014, Congress adjourned last week for the fall midterm elections leaving the bill on a long list of unfinished business. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and […]
By Lena Williams, Guild-CWA :: A year ago, the Texas Legislature amended the state’s Public Information Act to give citizens and journalists greater access to public records and the discussions of public officials. Gov. Rick Perry signed it into law, but did he mean it? Officials across Texas are circumventing some of the key provisions […]
By Lena Williams, Guild-CWA :: An international coalition of journalists, media organizations and unions has adopted an agenda making freedom of the press a priority in the global development goals set by the United Nations and its member states. During a three-day conference in Bali, Indonesia, in late August, the Global Media Forum approved a […]
By Lena Williams, Guild-CWA :: Does Illinois’ shield law protect a reporters’ sources and notes or not? It appears to depend on which judge you draw, which has been bad news for Patch.com reporter and editor Joseph Hosey, a past Guild member. The shield law creates a “qualified” privilege for journalists, but it’s up to […]