Louisville Freedom-of-information session March 13

Do you want to add more depth to your stories by obtaining copies of government records, but you aren’t sure how to get them or what records are open to you? Are public agencies making decisions in closed meetings that should be open to the public and the media? Do you have a web site and are uncertain about what non-original material you can legally post on your site, without violating copyright or fair use laws? And what about those comments your readers are posting on your site? Are you legally responsible for what they say? Are judges going too far when they prohibit journalists from blogging or tweeting from the courtroom during a trial? What about live streaming of a trial on the internet?

You can get the answers to these questions at a Freedom of Information seminar, sponsored by the Louisville Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, on Saturday, March 13, from 9 a.m. to noon at Bellarmine University. The event will be held in the Brown Activity Center, which also houses Frazier Hall and the student cafeteria, in the communication wing, room 203.

First Amendment attorneys Richard M. Goehler and Monica Dias with the law firm of Frost Brown Todd, will present three lively and informative sessions. The first will focus on FOI and open records issues. The second will address legal issues facing bloggers and other operators of internet web sites. And the third will examine the latest judges’ decisions regarding tweeting and blogging from inside the courtroom. Each session will last about 50 minutes. These are interactive sessions where you will have the opportunity to ask legal experts questions on these important topics.

The cost for attending all three session $10 for SPJ members and $15 for non-members. Those who join SPJ at the event may attend for free. Admission is free for students

Registration will begin at 8:45 a.m. The first session will begin at 9 a.m. The final session will conclude at noon.

You must register by March 10 by contacting Robyn Davis Sekula at robynsekula@sbcglobal.net, or calling 812-981-8223.

Capacity crowd shows support for investigative journalism, openness in government

A capacity crowd in Lexington tonight was testimony to the importance of open government and investigative journalism.

Journalists and about as many non-journalists gathered to hear Lexington Herald-Leader reporter Jennifer Hewlett and projects editor Sharon Walsh discuss the paper's investigation of spending by local airport officials, which has resulted in resignations of several, a scathing report by the state auditor and a criminal investigation.

"I had no idea it was going to turn into what it did," Hewlett said at a meeting of the Bluegrass Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, in the Buckner Room at the Herald-Leader. She said a relatively minor story, coupled with help from "well-placed sources," resulted in stories that became the talk of the town -- especially after the airport board chairman revealed that the executive director and his lieutenants spent thousands of public dollars at a strip club. All told, the questionable expenses exceed half a million dollars.

Walsh (at right in photo) said the stories also hit home with readers because "People felt like the airport was theirs, and it was expenses people could identify with," such as using airport credit cards to fill up personal vehicles on the same day as airport vehicles.

Several in the crowd said the stories showed the essential role of independent journalism in a democratic system, at a time when newspapers are shriveling for technological and economic reasons.

"If it weren't for the Herald-Leader all the people who were supposed to be watching would have let this keep going," librarian Susan Daole told the speakers. "I am so worried about what's going to happen to it every day as you have to let more and more people go." Today, McClatchy Co., which bought the Herald-Leader in its purchase of the Knight-Ridder chain, announced that it would cut another 1,600 jobs.

With newspapers hobbled, civic activist Don Pratt said, journalists should help citizens understand how to use open-records laws to do their own investigations. The writer of this item urged non-journalists to become active in Kentucky Citizens for Open Government. To e-mail me, click here.