SPJ News http://www.spj.org/ SPJ Delivers Today's Media News en-us Copyright 2006 Society of Professional Journalists 1440 North Carolina General Assembly recipient of Black Hole Award http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2999 CONTACT:<br> Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Chair, <email address="jodispottedbear@gmail.com">jodispottedbear@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS – The <a href=https://www.spj.org>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is giving its annual Black Hole Award to the North Carolina General Assembly for violating the public’s right to know in the change of the state’s public records law.<br> <br> The <a href=https://www.spj.org/blackhole.asp> Black Hole Award</a> is bestowed annually upon government institutions or agencies for acts of outright contempt of the public’s right to know. The recipient is announced during <a href=https://sunshineweek.org/>Sunshine Week</a> each year.<br> <br> “The North Carolina law worsens a national patchwork of threats to state government transparency,” said SPJ Freedom of Information Committee member Howard Goldberg, a retired Associated Press bureau chief who noted that the news agency for years has been denied public records access to some state lawmakers’ office calendars and correspondence. “Legislatures in effect are exempting themselves from accountability to citizens who want to know how their laws are made and who is influencing their lawmakers,” said Goldberg.<br> <br> In fall 2023, North Carolina’s General Assembly <a href=https://www.wunc.org/2023-10-06/n-c-legislature-is-criticized-for-exempting-itself-from-public-records-law>passed its state budget that included a new law</a> that exempts state lawmakers from the state’s public records law. This means it is entirely up to North Carolina lawmakers to decide what public records, if any, to reveal. The governor and other members of the Council of State, elected by voters statewide, are still subject to public records law.<br> <br> The budget also <a href=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article283197598.html>repealed the law</a> requiring redistricting draft maps and communications to be made publicly available. Previously, communications created during the legislative redistricting process became public once the new maps became law.<br> <br> "The core spirit of Sunshine Week is to uphold the most important principle of democracy, that the people are always in charge of their government,” said Sterling Cosper, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Co-chair. “This oversight does not just begin and end with elections but rather should happen all day every day. Citizens are the bosses and it is not becoming of their elected employees to dictate to them without consultation what information they have a right to when it comes to their money and vote. The assembly netted a hattrick of unethical and shadowy governance by introducing a measure to hide their day-to-day decisions with taxpayer dollars, and the process for redrawing the election map that affects their party’s job security as well as the citizens’ right to choose all within the annual budget, essentially holding it hostage for these provisions and disallowing the government to continue properly providing services,” said Cosper.<br> <br> Opposition to this legislative change comes from both Democrats and Republicans. The John Locke Foundation has <a href=https://www.johnlocke.org/press/letter-to-n-c-general-assembly-regarding-public-records-law-change/>urged lawmakers to overturn it</a> in an open letter. Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for North Carolina Governor,<a href= https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article283197598.html> told The News & Observer</a>, “I think the records belong to the people, and that people have a right to them. And the legislature is saying that rule applies to all of state government, ‘save us, we are somehow different.’”<br> <br> “North Carolina lawmakers set another dangerous precedent by shirking their moral and constitutional duties as public employees to inform their constituents what they are doing with taxpayer time and money while on the clock,” said Tim Gruver, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee member.<br> <br> The 2024 legislative short session begins next month; no Republican lawmaker has called for a change in the records law.<br> <br> “Lawmakers give new meaning to North Carolina’s First in Flight slogan,” said Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Chair. “They changed public records laws to avoid having to comply with them. State leaders now soar in the spirit of the Black Hole Award, an egregious recognition earned by trampling on the public right to information.”<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 The missing and murdered Indigenous person crisis calls for Indigenous data sovereignty http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=3000 CONTACT:<br> Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Chair, <email address="jodispottedbear@gmail.com">jodispottedbear@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS – This column is written by Jodi Rave Spotted Bear (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation), who is the <a href=https://www.spj.org>Society of Professional Journalists</a> Freedom of Information Committee chair. She also serves on the SPJ Foundation Board and SPJ First Amendment Forever Fund Committee. She’s the founder and executive director of the <a href=https://imfreedomalliance.org/>Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance</a> and publisher of <a href=https://www.buffalosfire.com/>Buffalo’s Fire</a>.<br> -------------------------------------------------<br> A national commission is calling on the federal government to declare a “Decade of Action and Healing” regarding the public safety crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples. The commission issued a report listing its many findings, including problems of reporting and collecting data. The U.S. Interior and Justice departments issued a joint response in early March.<br> <br> “No one should have to experience the loss of a loved one -- let alone losses across generations -- due to the lack of resources, jurisdictional complexities or unnecessary bureaucracy,” wrote Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a joint statement released in a <a href=https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:638cd013-b86c-4fac-8a59-b603151460eb>231-page report</a> on March 5.<br> <br> To acknowledge the high rate of missing and murdered Indigenous persons, the two federal agencies responded to recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission, or NIAC. In its 212-page <a href=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-11/34%20NIAC%20Final%20Report_version%2011.1.23_FINAL.pdf>Not One More report</a> released Nov. 1, 2023, the commission pointed to the federal government’s historic failure to uphold trust responsibilities to Native people. <br> <br> The report includes seven chapters of findings and recommendations. Chapter 2 addresses reporting and collecting data on missing, murdered and trafficked persons including 16 findings related to data collection. <br> <br> “Accurate data on Native Americans are necessary for federal, state, local, and Tribal governments to monitor conditions and make informed policy and spending decisions. Unfortunately, there is a lack of available data at all levels of government but especially at the national level to ascertain the extent of the problem,” wrote subcommittee members. <br> <br> The NIAC and Indian Law and Order Commission recommended the federal government generate accurate crime reports for Indian Country. <br> <br> The Justice and Interior departments responded that DOJ “has been making steady improvements in crime reporting since the Indian Law and Order Commission released its recommendations. Since 2016, when the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting, UUCR, Program began its transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System, NIBRS, only reporting, the FBI has collaborated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to encourage and assist Tribal agencies to report NIBRS data.”<br> <br> Overall, the Not Invisible Act subcommittee issued 14 data-related recommendations to the Interior and Justice departments, ranging from the federal government’s need to generate accurate crime reports for Indian Country and completing an audit of systems and sources that collect data on missing American Indian/Alaska Native persons. <br> <br> Not Invisible Act commissioners wrote: “There is a crisis in tribal communities. A crisis of violence, a crisis of abuse, and a crisis of abject neglect affecting Indian women and men, Indian children, and Indian elders. The federal government must act now; not tomorrow; not next week; not next month; and not next year. Once and for all, the federal government must end its systematic failure to address this crisis and react, redress, and resolve this. We call on the federal government to declare a ‘Decade of Action and Healing’ to address the crisis of missing, murdered and trafficked Indian people.”<br> <br> The report confirms one of the biggest roadblocks experienced by journalists reporting on missing and murdered Indigenous people – a lack of reliable or accessible data.<br> <br> The public safety crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples reaches far beyond advocates, federal agencies and myriad law enforcement workers. A survey by the First Nations Development Institute recently listed missing and murdered Indigenous women as the <a href=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/murdered-and-missing-women-is-the-top-issue-facing-native-american-communities-heading-into-the-2024-elections/>top concern of voters</a> in the 2024 election season. <br> <br> Despite being the smallest percentage of the population, Indigenous people rank among the second highest number of reported missing and murdered persons, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. At least 11 states with Indigenous communities have launched initiatives concentrated on improving communication, data and resources.<br> <br> Journalists on the frontlines of reporting on murdered and missing Indigenous persons need a central database to accurately report on this ongoing crisis in Indian Country. <br> <br> Rebecca Landsberry-Baker (Muscogee Creek Nation), executive director of the Indigenous Journalists Association, underscored the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty – the collection, ownership, and application of data being managed by organizations rooted in community as a best practice for protecting Indigenous people and resources. <br> <br> “Indigenous journalism by and for Indigenous peoples is a key driver of self-determination and to fully realize that we must ensure that our data and histories are accurately represented within the media landscape. Expanding access to accurate news and information is essential to healthy democracies across tribal, local, state, and national levels, and a centralized database would be a critical reporting resource for all journalists covering the MMIP crisis,” Landsberry-Baker said. <br> <br> IJA President Christine Trudeau (Prairie Band Potawatomi) added that a centralized and comprehensive MMIP database is long overdue. "This is the monumental breakthrough needed to better cover this ongoing crisis, and we need it now." <br> <br> The NIAC's report illustrates how the lack of comprehensive, quality data has hidden how severe the missing and murdered Indigenous people’s issue is across Native American communities. Although the Justice Department declares it “has been making steady improvements in crime reporting”, it's clear progress is slow and inadequate. <br> <br> A central database managed by a neutral party, such as the Indigenous Journalists Association (formerly the Native American Journalists Association), is needed due to the existing lack of standardized reporting protocols across competing legal jurisdictions.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ continues to advocate for journalists through its Legal Defense and First Amendment Forever Fund http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2998 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — As the country celebrates <a href=https://sunshineweek.org/>Sunshine Week</a>, the <a href=https://www.spj.org>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is proud to have committed more than $50,000 over the past year to ensure journalists have the resources they need to continue their vital work without fear of censorship or retaliation. <br> <br> Through its <a href=https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp>Legal Defense Fund</a> and <a href= https://www.spj.org/firstamendmentforever.asp>First Amendment Forever Fund</a>, SPJ has continued its unwavering commitment to defending the rights of journalists. With a dedication to upholding freedom of speech and the press, SPJ assists journalists facing legal battles for simply doing their jobs; helps fund documentaries aimed at uncovering the truth and educating the public on the role of a free press; and fights for journalists whose equipment and property have been confiscated – just to name a few.<br> <br> Sunshine Week, observed annually, serves as a poignant reminder of the fundamental principles upon which journalism stands – transparency, accountability and the unyielding pursuit of truth. In an era marked by unprecedented challenges to press freedom, SPJ remains steadfast in its mission to protect the rights of journalists and safeguard the public's right to access information.<br> <br> "At a time when the free flow of information is under threat, SPJ stands as a beacon of support for journalists everywhere," said Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ national president. "Our commitment to defending the First Amendment is unwavering, and during Sunshine Week, we renew our pledge to advocate for the indispensable role of a free press in society."<br> <br> This year alone, the SPJ Legal Defense Fund has <a href=https://www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=2992>granted $10,000 to assist freelance journalist Tim Burke</a> and <a href=https://www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=2952>over $18,000 out of the $20,000 committed to the Marion County Record</a> to help cover legal fees. The SPJ First Amendment Forever Fund has <a href=https://www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=2987>provided $15,000 toward the development of “SEIZED,”</a> a documentary on the Marion County Record raid. <br> <br> “The funds provided this year are some of the most impactful LDF grants in recent years,” Blaize-Hopkins said. “It’s part of SPJ’s mission to fight to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. SPJ’s mission is vital, now more than ever.”<br> <br> SPJ has also signed onto more than 20 amicus briefs and <a href=https://www.spj.org/spjnews.asp>made over 20 statements</a> in support of journalists and journalism organizations facing legal battles in court.<br> <br> The allocation of funds from SPJ's Legal Defense Fund and First Amendment Forever Fund underscores the organization's proactive stance in confronting the myriad obstacles facing journalists today. From legal challenges to attacks on press freedom, SPJ remains at the forefront of the fight to protect the rights of journalists and ensure that the voices of the Fourth Estate continue to be heard.<br> <br> As Sunshine Week unfolds, SPJ calls upon individuals and organizations alike to join in the collective effort to preserve and protect freedom of speech and the press. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we stand united in defense of these fundamental liberties, which serve as the cornerstone of a free and democratic society.<br> <br> More information on the SPJ <a href=https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp>LDF</a> and <a href=https://www.spj.org/firstamendmentforever.asp>FAFF</a> – and <a href=https://www.spj.org/donate.asp>ways to donate to each fund</a> – may be found on the <a href=https://www.spj.org>SPJ website</a>.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 IJA, SPJ FOI and IMFA encourage tribal officials to commit to the 2024 Sunshine Week Open Indigenous Governments Proclamation/Pledge http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2995 CONTACT:<br> Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Chair and Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance Executive Director, <email address="jodi@imfreedomalliance.org">jodi@imfreedomalliance.org</a> <br> Sterling Cosper, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Co-Chair and Indigenous Journalists Association Membership Manager, <email address="scosper@naja.com">scosper@naja.com</a> <br> Claire Regan, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Co-Chair, <email address="clairemarieregan@gmail.com">clairemarieregan@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS - In recognition of Sunshine Week, the <a href=https://www.spj.org>Society of Professional Journalists</a> Freedom of Information Committee, the <a href=https://indigenousjournalists.org/>Indigenous Journalists Association</a> and the <a href=https://imfreedomalliance.org/>Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance</a> present this pledge to encourage tribal government officials to commit to transparency on behalf of their citizens and outline specific measures to reach this goal. <br> <br> <a href=https://sunshineweek.org/>Sunshine Week</a> is a reminder to take action and identify local, state, federal and tribal open government shortcomings. This year, we are asking citizens to send the proclamation to public officials who are encouraged to pledge and initiate specific improvements in local, state or tribal law and practice. <br> <br> <u>Section 1</u><br> WHEREAS, transparent tribal governments and a robust independent Indigenous press are fundamental to tribal sovereignty by ensuring fair elections, and Indigenous citizens maintaining oversight of their tribal nations and<br> WHEREAS, true self-determination is not just defined by government-to-government relationships between tribes and colonial governments, but also each individual Indigenous citizens' right to determine the direction of their tribal government with the assistance of and right to open information to inform their determinations; and<br> WHEREAS, an open and accessible government is vital to establishing and maintaining the people’s trust and confidence in their government and in the government’s ability to serve its citizens effectively; and<br> WHEREAS, the protection of every person’s right of access to public records and government meetings is a high priority of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b>, and<br> WHEREAS, the <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> is committed to openness and transparency in all aspects of its operations and seeks to set a standard in this regard; and<br> NOW, THEREFORE, the <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> commits during this Sunshine Week, and throughout the year 2024 to work diligently to enhance Indigenous citizens’ access to their government’s records and information, to increase information provided online and electronically, and to ensure that all meetings of deliberative bodies under its jurisdiction, and their committees, are fully noticed and open to tribal citizens. Overall, Indigenous governments should be constitutionally obliged to protect press sovereignty. <br> <br> <b>The measures below are presented as examples and should be tailored to the transparency needs of your government and community. They should be as specific as possible and should be enacted within the coming year.</b><br> <br> <u>Section 2</u><br> TOWARD THAT END, the <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> directs that:<br> • The <b>(fill in appropriate government official or office, such as county executive or general counsel)</b> make recommendations within 90 days to the <b>(name of government unit)</b>, based on public input, for strengthening transparency in our government. The recommendations should focus on actions that can be accomplished within one year of the date of this memorandum.<br> • All meetings of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b>, its committees and subcommittees, and any board or agency created by <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> should be properly noticed and open to the public.<br> • All agencies, departments, and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> accept, as a minimum, information requests submitted by the following methods: phone, mail (or its equivalent), over-the-counter, and online.<br> • A schedule of charges for copies of such records is established that does not exceed the actual cost.<br> • All agencies, departments, and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> respond to all such requests for information within the number of business days as required by law. If the request is complex and the response deadline cannot reasonably be met, the requester should be so advised within the response deadline and provided with an anticipated final response date. Existing transparency laws vary from tribe to tribe. Many are silent on a specific response time, leaving it to the courts to determine what might be “reasonable.” Most that are specific require a response within two to five days. <br> • All agencies, departments, and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> keep a log of each submitted request and the results thereby showing, at a minimum, the date the request was received; a summary of the request; the nature of the response (partial or full grant, denial); the number of elapsed days until a response is rendered and until the records are made available, if different; an indicator to denote if no records were available; the name of the requestor (when furnished); the requester’s email address (when furnished); and the staff member(s) responsible for processing the request. Submissions that provide no method of response must still be logged in but otherwise may be ignored.<br> • All agencies, departments, and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> post onsite and online:<br> • Records that have been the subject of repeated requests or are likely to be subject to repeated requests. A record shall qualify as “subject to repeated requests” when it has been requested by different individuals or organizations with no formal connection to each other at least three times within the past twelve months.<br> <br> <b><u><i>[Without suggesting that any particular records are more important than others, here are two examples of records that immediately come to mind because of their importance and because they are regularly sought by requestors:]</b></u></i><br> • All contracts entered into that exceed $5,000, including details of the work to be carried out, estimated completion date and cost, and the name of the vendor(s) along with the amount, date, etc. of all checks issued.<br> • Post online and onsite, at least 72 hours in advance of formal consideration, copies of all budget requests and a copy of the final budget, with any justifications or other explanatory materials submitted as a part of the decision-making process.<br> <br> <b>Agree by filling out <a href=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexNl25P4LYEScO-5f7ytaDLNo9HThvUTMMGRhbvXnKfwG3KA/viewform?usp=sf_link>this form</a> and please use your government email address for verification purposes.</b> <br> <br> <b>About Sunshine Week</b><br> <i>Sunshine Week was launched in 2005 by the American Society of News Editors and has grown into an enduring initiative to promote open government. Last December, the <a href= https://brechner.org/FOI/>Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project</a> at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications took over the coordination of Sunshine Week. SPJ is a proud partner of Sunshine Week 2024.</i><br> <br> <b>About SPJ</b><br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <b>About IJA</b><br> <i>The Indigenous Journalists Association’s mission is centered on the idea that accurate and contextual reporting about Indigenous people and communities is necessary to overcome biases and stereotypes portrayed in popular and mainstream media. Originally formed as the Native American Press Association in 1983, the organization has grown from just a handful of reporters to a membership of nearly 900, which includes Indigenous journalists, associates, educators and partners.</i><br> <br> <b>About IMFA</b><br> <i>The Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit media organization with articles of incorporation in North Dakota. IMFA’s mission is to improve the civil liberties of American Indians through research, advocacy, and nation building. The vision is a world where democracy thrives for Indigenous people through an independent press.</i> <br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</div> Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ FOI Committee encourages state government officials to commit to the 2024 Sunshine Week Open Proclamation http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2997 CONTACT:<br> Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Chair, <email address=" jodispottedbear@gmail.com"> jodispottedbear@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS – In recognition of Sunshine Week, the <a href=https://www.spj.org>Society of Professional Journalists</a> Freedom of Information Committee presents this pledge to encourage government officials with specific action that will lead to increased transparency. <br> <br> <a href=https://sunshineweek.org/>Sunshine Week</a> is a reminder to take action and identify local, state, federal and tribal open government shortcomings. This year, we are asking citizens to send the proclamation to public officials who are encouraged to pledge and initiate specific improvements in local, state or tribal law and practice.<br> <br> <u>Section 1</u><br> WHEREAS, James Madison, the father of our federal Constitution, wrote that “consent of the governed” requires that the people be able to “arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives,” and<br> WHEREAS, every citizen in our participatory democracy has an inherent right to access to government meetings and public records; and<br> WHEREAS, an open and accessible government is vital to establishing and maintaining the people’s trust and confidence in their government and in the government’s ability to effectively serve its citizens; and<br> WHEREAS, the protection of every person’s right of access to public records and government meetings is a high priority of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b>, and<br> WHEREAS, the <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> is committed to openness and transparency in all aspects of its operations and seeks to set a standard in this regard; and<br> NOW, THEREFORE, the <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> commits during this Sunshine Week, commemorating the 273rd anniversary of James Madison’s birth, and throughout the year 2024 to work diligently to enhance the public’s access to government records and information, to increase information provided online and electronically, and to ensure that all meetings of deliberative bodies under its jurisdiction, and their committees, are fully noticed and open to the public.<br> <br> <b>The measures below are presented as examples and should be tailored to the transparency needs of your government and community. They should be as specific as possible and capable of accomplished within the coming year.</b><br> <br> <u>Section 2</u><br> TOWARD THAT END, the <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> directs that:<br> • The <b>(fill in appropriate government official or office, such as county executive or general counsel)</b> make recommendations within 90 days to the <b>(name of government unit)</b>, based on public input, for strengthening transparency in our government. The recommendations should focus on actions that can be accomplished within one year of the date of this memorandum.<br> • All meetings of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b>, its committees and subcommittees, and of any board or agency created by <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> be properly noticed and open to the public.<br> • All agencies, departments and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> accept, as a minimum, information requests submitted by the following methods: phone, U.S. mail (or its equivalent), over the counter and online.<br> • A schedule of charges for copies of such records be established that does not exceed actual cost.<br> • All agencies, departments and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> respond to all such requests for information within the number of business days as required by law. If the request is complex and that response deadline cannot reasonably met, the requester should be so advised within by the response deadline and provided with an anticipated final response date. Existing state laws, which apply to both state and local governmental units, vary. Many are silent on a specific response time, leaving it to the courts to determine what might be “reasonable.” Most that are specific require a response within two to five days. Your deadline for a response should certainly not exceed that offered by state law, if the state does provide an actual numerical deadline. You can check the standard for your state via the <a href=https://www.rcfp.org/open-government-guide/>Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Open Government Guide</a>. <br> • All agencies, departments and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> keep a log of each submitted request and the results thereby showing, at a minimum, the date the request was received; a brief summary of the request; the nature of response (partial or full grant, denial); the number of elapsed days until a response is rendered and until the records are made available, if different; an indicator to denote if no records were available; the name of the requestor (when furnished); the requester’s email address (when furnished); and the staff member(s) responsible for processing the request. Submissions which provide no method of response must still be logged- in but otherwise may be ignored.<br> • All agencies, departments and units of <b>(name of governmental unit)</b> post onsite and online:<br> • Records which have been the subject of repeated requests or are likely to be subject to repeated requests. A record shall qualify as “subject to repeated requests” when it has been requested by different individuals or organizations with no formal connection to each other at least three times within the past twelve months.<br> <br> <b><u><i>[Without suggesting that any particular records are more important than others, here are two examples of records that immediately come to mind because of their importance and because they are regularly sought by requestors:]</b></u></i><br> • All contracts entered into which exceed $5,000, including details of the work to be carried out, estimated completion date and cost, and the name of the vendor(s) along with the amount, date, etc. of all checks issued.<br> • Post online and onsite, at least 72 hours in advance of formal consideration, copies of all budget requests and a copy of the final budget, with any and all justifications or other explanatory materials submitted as a part of the decision making process.<br> <br> <b>Agree by filling out <a href=https://form.jotform.com/240704228831048>this form</a> and please use your government email address for verification purposes. </b> <br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center><br> Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ condemns decision against Catherine Herridge and calls for protection of press freedom http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2994 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is concerned about a federal judge’s decision to <a href=https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/29/media/catherine-herridge-contempt-refusing-to-reveal-sources/index.html>hold former Fox News correspondent Catherine Herridge in contempt of court</a> for refusing to reveal her sources.<br> <br> “When courts force journalists to reveal their sources, this weakens the trust anonymous sources will have to come forward,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. "If that trust is weakened, journalists in some cases will not be able to hold those with power accountable. We urge the judge to reverse this decision.”<br> <br> In 2017, Herridge reported that a Chinese American scientist was under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation during a series of stories. Last year, Judge Christopher Cooper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia <a href=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-judge-orders-reporter-to-reveal-confidential-sources/7210818.html>issued a ruling</a> that would force Herridge to reveal the identity of her anonymous source. <br> <br> Since leaving Fox, Herridge went to work at CBS, but was included in the round of layoffs there last month. CBS officials <a href=https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4481433-cbs-faces-uproar-after-seizing-investigative-journalists-files/#:~:text=The%20network%20grabbed%20Herridge's%20notes,the%20property%20of%20CBS%20News.> seized her files</a>, computers and records, which include information on privileged sources. <br> <br> The case serves as a reminder of why journalists need a federal shield law. In June 2023, a bipartisan group of lawmakers <a href=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/22/media/bipartisan-bill-journalism-protections-reliable-sources/index.html>reintroduced</a> the Protect Reporters from Exploitive State Spying Act, known as the PRESS Act. The legislation would offer important safeguards to journalists, including preventing the government from compelling reporters to disclose their sources. <br> <br> In January, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the PRESS Act. SPJ <a href=https://www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=2988>continues to urge</a> the Senate to follow suit and pass the legislation quickly. Those who agree that the PRESS Act should be passed can <a href=https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm>call, write or message their senator</a> encouraging them to vote in favor of this important legislation.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Fri, 1 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ and Authory partnership helps journalists back up their work http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2993 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a> <br> Eric Hauch, Authory Founder and CEO, <email address="eric@mail.authory.com">eric@mail.authory.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> and <a href=https://authory.com/>Authory</a> want to remind journalists of their seven year partnership in light of the most recent layoffs. Authory is a service that automatically compiles all of a journalist’s articles in a single place. It offers a free trial, and for those interested in a subscription, SPJ has partnered with Authory for <a href= https://authory.com/spj>30% off the monthly and yearly plans</a>. <br> <br> “It’s disheartening to hear about the latest round of layoffs,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “This is an important reminder for journalists to ensure you back up your work and to be prepared. Authory is a great service that aggregates all your work in one place, and you can do it for free.” <br> <br> “We know that for some writers, $12 per month is steep. Hence, we encourage those who are in no position to have an ongoing Authory subscription, to use our service to do a one-off backup of all their content,” said founder and CEO of Authory Eric Hauch. “They can simply sign up to the free trial, we back up their content, they download it to their local computer and close their account. That's an automated backup of all their work for free. We have recently changed our system, so that a trial doesn't require a credit card anymore, meaning anybody can take a look for themselves with literally no strings attached.”<br> <br> It is important for journalists to back up their work, not only for their portfolios or in case a website is taken down, but to preserve history and serve as an official, historical record for future generations. <br> <br> SPJ continues to stand with journalists during these difficult times. You can find resources like Authory and more on the <a href=https://www.spj.org/together.asp>“We’re in this together" webpage</a>.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Fri, 2 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ Legal Defense Fund to assist freelance journalist after FBI raid http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2992 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is deeply concerned about the FBI raid of freelance journalist Tim Burke’s home newsroom in May 2023, and is offering to cover $10,000 in legal fees. <br> <br> The Legal Defense Fund Committee voted to provide at least a $5,000 grant toward assisting with Burke’s legal fees. The committee also requested the SPJ Board of Directors commit to an additional $5,000, which it did during a recent board meeting. <br> <br> On May 8, 2023 the FBI went to Burke’s home in Tampa, Florida, with a warrant directed to the journalist, and seized several computers, hard drives, cellphones and other equipment that he used for freelance work. The Tampa Bay Times <a href=https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2023/05/26/tucker-carlson-fox-news-hacks-tied-fbi-search-tampa-council-members-home/>reported that the raid was connected to</a> Burke acquiring and reporting on outtakes of a Tucker Carlson interview with Kanye West on Fox News. <br> <br> While the government returned a small number of items not connected with Mr. Burke’s journalistic activities and therefore not covered by the search warrant, as of Nov. 9, two cellphones, seven computers and three storage devices were still <a href=https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/fbi-raids-home-office-of-independent-journalist-on-hacking-allegations/>being withheld from Burke</a>. Burke also filed a motion in July seeking to unseal the affidavit that accompanied the FBI’s search warrant. According to the search warrant for his home, officers were authorized to seize all of Burke’s electronics and physical records of alleged violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the wiretap statute, but no further details about the reason for the warrant have been disclosed by the Justice Department.<br> <br> News reports and pleadings filed in the case indicate that the case arises from Burke’s access to what he has described as publicly accessible and internet addressable websites, including sites that hosted live video streams which he downloaded and reported on. Burke contends that accessing publicly available websites -- even those that the owner did not know were publicly accessible, does not constitute “computer hacking” and does not violate the CFAA or justify federal agents raiding his newsroom. Burke also contends that, because he committed no crime, the government was required under the Privacy Protection Act, to use a subpoena to obtain information about his activities, and not a search warrant. <br> <br> “It is always critical for SPJ to stand up for the First Amendment rights of all journalists, whether newsroom staff employees, student journalists or freelancers. Any government agency’s attempt to infringe upon those First Amendment rights must be fought to ensure there is no chilling effect for other journalists,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins in a <a href=https://freedom.press/news/rights-orgs-broadcasters-demand-info-on-fbi-raid-of-journalists-home/>press release accompanying a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>. “We stand behind Mr. Burke and his request for the immediate return of his devices from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”<br> <br> Burke says that the grant will help pay his legal team, which comprises of local counsel Michael Maddox and outside counsel Mark Rasch. Rasch is founder of the Department of Justice Cybercrime Unit and worked with Congress to draft the original Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.<br> <br> “It's been more than eight months since they seized my newsroom. And I have yet to even get to see a judge to argue on why I should be able to get my reporting materials back,” said Burke during a phone call on Jan. 18. “SPJ’s support is helping me to pay my legal team and filing these appeals which are now at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to try to get our day in court.”<br> <br> “SPJ has helped us not only to defend journalism and a journalist, but to defend journalism as a whole,” Rasch said. <br> <br> The SPJ Legal Defense Fund is a unique account that can be tapped for providing journalists with legal or direct financial assistance. The committee works throughout the year raising funds for LDF. More information about the fund can be found <a href=https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp>here</a>.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center><br> Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ offers resources for journalists affected by layoffs http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2991 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a> <br> Anastasiya Bolton, SPJ Mental Health Task Force Chair, <email address="aboltonreports@gmail.com">aboltonreports@gmail.com</a> <br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org<email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> stands ready to support journalists who have been impacted by the mass layoffs at several news media organizations in the past several months. To support and aid those affected, SPJ has updated its <a href=https://www.spj.org/together.asp>"We’re in this together" resource page</a> on SPJ.org. <br> <br> "It’s concerning to see the hundreds of journalists who have been laid off from across the journalism industry, most recently in the past few weeks of 2024. As the oldest and most broad-based journalism organization in the country, SPJ has a duty to support impacted journalists. We hope that this new webpage of resources can help assist journalists in determining potential next steps after being laid off," said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. "SPJ will continue to prioritize the needs of journalists, whether members of SPJ or not, because the fewer journalists we have across the industry, the less informed the public becomes." <br> <br> The webpage provides resources for SPJ members and non-members. If you’re an SPJ member who has been recently laid off and are unable to renew your membership due to financial hardship, <a href=https://www.spj.org/dueswaiver.asp>you may be eligible to have your membership fees waived for six months</a>. For non-members, there are numerous job boards, and you can join the <a href= https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12176529/>Journalists Supporting Journalists LinkedIn group</a>. <br> <br> SPJ stands with journalists during these difficult times – and always – and thanks them for their vigilance in pursuit of the truth. <br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Fri, 26 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ co-authors legal brief supporting First Amendment right to record and publish livestreamed court hearings http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2990 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Andrew Geronimo, Case Western Reserve University School of Law First Amendment Clinic, <email address="andrew.geronimo@case.edu">andrew.geronimo@case.edu</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is urging a federal appeals court to protect journalists’ First Amendment right to photograph, record, and redistribute images of court hearings that are livestreamed for remote viewing.<br> <br> In a legal brief joined by the National Press Photographers Association, SPJ asks the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to reverse a federal district court ruling from Michigan, which found that there is no constitutionally protected right to create and publish screenshots of court proceedings – even if the courts themselves televise the proceedings.<br> <br> Although judges have been given latitude to exclude photojournalists from the physical courtroom on the grounds that cameras might be noisy or distracting, the same principle does not apply when a journalist, or other spectator, is recording the hearing in the privacy of a home or workplace, the brief argues: “By self-publishing the audio or video of a proceeding, the judge has conceded that there is no harm in letting the public listen and watch.”<br> <br> The brief was <a href=https://www.nppa.org/news/659c45a72b493b400af2517d>filed Jan. 8</a> by attorneys Andrew Geronimo, Sara E. Coulter and Siobhan Gerber of the Milton and Charlotte Kramer First Amendment Law Clinic at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, who are providing pro-bono counsel to SPJ and NPPA.<br> <br> The brief was filed in support of a Michigan lawyer, Nicholas Somberg, who is suing prosecutors for seeking sanctions against him after he took a screenshot of a hearing in which he was participating by Zoom and shared the image on Facebook. Prosecutors had initiated contempt proceedings against Somberg under a court rule that restricts the use of cameras inside the courtroom without the judge’s permission. A U.S. district judge threw out Somberg’s lawsuit, agreeing with prosecutors that the rule against cameras inside courtrooms applies equally to a livestreamed remote hearing. Somberg is asking the Sixth Circuit to reinstate his case. <br> <br> SPJ and NPPA ask the appeals court to overturn the district court, which failed to require the government to demonstrate why it is legitimate to extend the courtroom cameras ban beyond the walls of the courthouse. The organizations argue that the ban is unconstitutionally broad, prohibiting the re-use of any images of courtroom video, even in cases of great public concern that involve no sensitive privacy issues.<br> <br> “News media coverage of the courts serves an essential public-education function, enabling far more people than could ever sit in the courtroom to have the civic benefit of viewing the workings of the justice system for themselves,” the brief argues. “Video of judicial proceedings, whether broadcast by the news media or streamed directly by the court, provides the most complete record of what took place, rather than leaving the public to rely on second-hand accounts, the accuracy of which might be questioned.”<br> <br> The case is Somberg v. McDonald, No. 23-01872.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center><br> Wed, 24 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ commends the House for passing the PRESS Act, urges Senate to follow suit http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2988 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> commends the House of Representatives for <a href=https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4250?s=1&r=70>unanimously passing the PRESS Act</a>, a bipartisan federal reporter’s shield law that prohibits the federal government from compelling journalists and providers of telecommunications services to disclose certain protected information.<br> <br> “The PRESS Act provides journalists with long overdue protections of their First Amendment rights. Journalists should not be punished for keeping their sources confidential,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “SPJ urges the Senate to follow suit and pass this legislation quickly.”<br> <br> The House has passed earlier versions of the legislation in <a href=https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4330>2022</a> and <a href=https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/house-bill/2102/text/rh?s=1&r=42>2007</a>; however it never moved past the Senate. If passed, the legislation would be the first federal press shield law of its kind.<br> <br> The PRESS Act is co-sponsored in the House by Reps. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GwC6pSbwZ0>Kevin Kiley</a>, R-Calif., and <a href=https://raskin.house.gov/2023/6/raskin-kiley-introduce-press-act-to-protect-reporters-first-amendment-rights-against-government-surveillance>Jamie Raskin</a>, D-Md.; and a bipartisan group of 18 other representatives. In the Senate, it’s co-sponsored by Sens. <a href=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/12/13/23505837/protect-journalists-sources-from-government-harassment-press-act-dick-durbin-veterans-letters>Dick Durbin</a>, D-Ill.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; <a href=https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2022/11/25/seth-stern-senate-passage-press/>Mike Lee</a>, R-Utah; and <a href=https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-lee-and-durbin-introduce-press-act-to-protect-reporters-first-amendment-rights-against-government-surveillance>Ron Wyden</a>, D-Ore.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Fri, 19 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ commits $15,000 to development of “SEIZED” documentary http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2987 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is committing $15,000 to documentary filmmaker Sharon Liese for the development of “SEIZED.”<br> <br> The First Amendment Forever Committee voted to provide at least $5,000 toward development of the documentary, and asked the Board of Directors to commit to an additional $10,000, which it did during its recent board meeting. <br> <br> “SPJ is pleased to support this important documentary on a topic that continues to grow more concerning,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “SEIZED will help raise awareness about the role of a free press and how vital it is to protect our Democracy, now more than ever.” <br> <br> “SEIZED” is a feature documentary about the illegal raid of the Marion County Record in Kansas last year. The documentary aims to expose how corruption turned a small town into a battleground over the First Amendment. <br> <br> “With all eyes on Marion, Kansas, newsrooms everywhere may be affected by how this small local government moves forward. It is no exaggeration to say that Democracy is at stake,” said Liese. “This documentary will help raise national and international visibility of the attacks on democracy and inspire much needed conversations and activism to occur.” <br> <br> In August, the SPJ Board of Directors unanimously approved allocating up to $20,000 from the <a href=https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp>Legal Defense Fund</a> to assist the Marion County Record with legal costs. SPJ also joined the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 33 other news media and press freedom organizations <a href=https://www.spj.org/pdf/8-13-23-reporters-committee-marion-letter_final.pdf>in a letter</a> to Marion Chief of Police Gideon Cody condemning the raid.<br> <br> The SPJ First Amendment Forever Fund is an endowed fund to help journalists and news outlets fight libel suits, SLAPP suits and subpoenas. In addition, it may be used to help fund projects like documentaries that help educate the public on the importance of press freedom. <a href=https://www.spj.org/firstamendmentforever.asp>More information about the fund and ways to donate</a> can be found on the SPJ website. <br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 Another journalist anti-gag suit filed against public agency http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2986 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a> <br> Kathryn Foxhall, SPJ Freedom of Information Advocate, 202-417-4572, <email address="kfoxhall@verizon.net">kfoxhall@verizon.net</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org</a> <br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> congratulates the publishers of the Catskills-based “The Reporter” Randy and Kim Shepard for suing the Delaware County (New York) Board of Supervisors in response to them <a href=https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dcjub08mg5f03gh9wg4kn/Decker-Advertising-vs-Delaware-County-Complaint.pdf?rlkey=gc9zjhufs7t1pdlgp4v1ntjxe&dl=0>revoking the paper’s designation</a> for the county’s legal advertising, allegedly due to news coverage the Board did not like.<br> <br> According to the lawsuit, the County attorney banned employees from speaking to the newspaper about “pressing matters of public concern” at a later point and directed that all communications with the newspaper go through her office.<br> <br> “These gag orders are among the most dangerous threats to free speech and the public’s right to know, as they prevent journalists from doing their jobs,” said SPJ National President Ashanti-Blaize Hopkins. “SPJ has repeatedly and consistently led in opposing these restrictions. It’s encouraging to see a second lawsuit brought forth challenging the silencing of journalists.” <br> <br> The suit asserts, “The gag directive violates County employees’ First Amendment rights to speak on matters of public concern, as well as The Reporter’s First Amendment rights to receive newsworthy information from otherwise willing speakers.”<br> <br> The attorneys in the New York case are the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic and Michael J. Grygiel. In the Pennsylvania case, the attorneys are the Yale Law School Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Attorneys in both cases confirm the actions were inspired in significant part by work from First Amendment attorney Frank LoMonte on these gag rules, which SPJ has publicized widely.<br> <br> In August, SPJ <a href=https://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2953>celebrated</a> what is believed to be the first suit by a journalist against a public agency for policies prohibiting staff and contractors from speaking to the media without approval. Investigative journalist Brittany Hailer has sued the Allegheny County Jail, in Pittsburgh.<br> <br> News coverage of the New York case is <a href=https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/the-reporter-sues-delaware-county-18516953.php>here</a> and <a href=https://catskillcountry.com/stories/reporter-sues-delaware-county-supervisors-county-attorney,126943>here</a>. News coverage and other resources on the gag rules/ “Censorship by PIO” is <a href=https://profficecensorship.blogspot.com/2023/12/from-across-nation-what-culture-of-gag.html>here</a>.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 The lawsuit is believed to be the second case brought by a journalist on this issue SPJ is alarmed by Trump’s anti-democratic speech http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2985 SPJ is alarmed by Trump’s anti-democratic speech<br> <br> CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org ">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org </a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is alarmed by the Trump campaign’s latest threats against journalists and the media. Former President Donald Trump has been <a href=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/20/us/politics/trump-rhetoric-fascism.html>escalating his anti-democratic speech</a> on the campaign trail. <br> <br> During a town hall on “Fox News” Tuesday, Sean Hannity <a href=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/politics/trump-fox-news-abuse-power.html>asked former President Trump</a> “to say categorically that he would not abuse presidential power and retaliate against his political opponents if elected next year.” Trump declined to give an explicit denial. Two of Trump’s former advisers recently <a href=https://thehill.com/homenews/4344065-bannon-patel-trump-revenge-on-media/>warned members of the media</a> that they are going to exact revenge if Trump gets re-elected. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) demanded that the Department of Justice <a href=https://www.mediaite.com/trump/jd-vance-demands-doj-go-after-washington-post-writer-who-called-for-resistance-against-trump-dictatorship/>investigate a Washington Post journalist</a> who called for “resistance” in an op-ed should Trump be re-elected.<br> <br> “SPJ believes an independent and free press is solidly at the foundations of our Democracy. Journalists have always played an important role in the history and stability of this country by holding elected officials and government agencies to account. While we have heard former President Trump’s threats and vile commentary before, it remains no less concerning,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “We urge Americans – regardless of political allegiance – to condemn this kind of anti-democratic rhetoric from the former president or any other political figure.” <br> <br> Trump previously discussed <a href=https://rsf.org/en/usa-reporters-without-borders-rsf-condemns-trump-s-threats-imprison-journalists-during-potential>arresting journalists during a 2022 rally</a>. During his term in office, the U.S. saw a decline in press freedom according to the World Press Freedom Index and a record-breaking number of journalists <a href=https://pressfreedomtracker.us/blog/new-report-record-breaking-number-journalists-arrested-us-year/>were arrested</a>. <br> <br> As we approach 2024, SPJ needs the help of journalists and everyday Americans to stand together in the fight for information, open government, a free press and free speech.<br> <br> “SPJ is committed to continue fighting for journalists and the journalism industry at this critical turning point,” Blaize-Hopkins added. “Without the hard work of journalists across the country, Democracy will die in darkness. It is up to all of us to ensure that does not happen.”<br> <br> SPJ counts thousands of journalists nationwide and globally among its membership and invites all journalists to <a href=https://www.spj.org/joinapp.asp>join as a professional, student or retired member</a>. Everyone else may <a href=http://spj.org/supporters.asp>become an SPJ Supporter</a>, showing the world that the foundations of democracy are of the utmost importance to you.<br> <br> Additionally, the <a href=https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp#2>SPJ Legal Defense Fund</a> is set aside to assist journalists across the country tangled in legal battles while fighting for the public's right to know. The <a href=http://www.spj.org/firstamendmentforever.asp>First Amendment Forever Fund</a> helps fight, advocate and lobby for press freedom. Now is the time to support these funds to fight for and protect the First Amendment and a free press.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Fri, 8 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ concerned about lawsuit targeting free speech http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2984 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org ">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org </a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is concerned about X’s lawsuit against Media Matters for America and one of its staff members. The lawsuit <a href=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/x-sues-media-matters-report-ads-appearing-nazi-posts-rcna126095>filed on Monday</a> is regarding an <a href=https://www.mediamatters.org/twitter/x-placing-ads-amazon-nba-mexico-nbcuniversal-and-others-next-content-white-nationalist>investigative report</a> the progressive watchdog group published saying that advertisements from major corporations ran beside Nazi content. <br> <br> “This lawsuit blatantly targets First Amendment rights and free speech. Media organizations must be allowed to hold the powerful accountable,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “If X is successful, this could set a very dangerous precedent of preventing the free press from reporting facts.”<br> <br> News of the lawsuit coincided with an announcement made by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton of an investigation into Media Matters for possible fraudulent activity; and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said his team was also looking into the matter. <br> <br> Elon Musk <a href=https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1725771191644758037?s=20>made a statement on Nov. 17</a> saying “X works to protect the public’s right to free speech” and that the lawsuit is to protect the public’s right to free expression. <br> <br> “But what Musk is claiming this lawsuit will accomplish is quite the opposite,” Blaize-Hopkins added.<br> <br> SPJ will continue to monitor the situation.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Tue, 21 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ condemns Fox Sports' host for fabricating quotes http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2983 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org ">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org </a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> is aware of the claims that Fox Sports’ host Charissa Thompson fabricated quotes while working as an NFL sideline reporter. The fabrication of quotes is a violation of <a href=https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp>SPJ's Code of Ethics</a> and a dangerous practice.<br> <br> Thompson <a href=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/11/16/charissa-thompson-fabricate-sideline-reports/>said in a recent interview</a> on the “Pardon My Take” podcast that she sometimes made-up coaches’ quotes during sideline reports, adding that no coach would deny a broad statement. This also isn’t the first time she’s admitted to making up quotes. She first <a href=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/fox-sports-charissa-thompson-says-she-used-to-make-up-sideline-reports/ar-AA1k2IxA>admitted to it in 2022</a> during her “Calm Down” podcast with Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews. Andrews said it was something she has also done, which is equally concerning to SPJ. <br> <br> “Fabricating quotes or other information is unethical and a violation of the SPJ Code of Ethics,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “Journalists should strive to seek truth and minimize harm. While some may believe it is harmless to fabricate these types of quotes, it begs the question, if a sports journalist can do so and get away with it, are other journalists doing the same thing? Thompson’s behavior is inexcusable and it damages the credibility of the entire field of journalism and fosters public distrust towards all the journalists who practice the highest ethical standards.” <br> <br> Other journalists <a href=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article281959043.html>have been calling out Thompson’s behavior</a> for being unethical. SPJ Board Member Kevin Smith <a href=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/11/16/charissa-thompson-fabricate-sideline-reports/>told The Washington Post</a>, “This is just appallingly bad journalism to engage in, and to brag about it and defend it as harmless is beyond the pale. SPJ’s ethics code addresses truth, harm, independence and accountability,” Smith added via email Thursday evening. “She gets the trifecta for destroying three ethical tenets with her lying.” <br> <br> Journalists have also <a href=https://twitter.com/Morgan_Uber/status/1725238617608532146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1725238617608532146%7Ctwgr%5E2d2de64a16edd292d115ef7969913c654fd833fe%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiherald.com%2Fnews%2Fnation-world%2Fnational%2Farticle281959043.html>noted that the industry</a> already stereotypes women reporters as “eye candy,” and that Thompson’s admittance only perpetuates that. <br> <br> According to <a href=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/04/us-journalists-beats-vary-widely-by-gender-and-other-factors/>a report by the Pew Research Center</a>, 46% of reporting journalists are women and only 15% of women journalists report on sports. Lisa Guerrero <a href=https://thespjnews.org/2023/09/29/lisa-guerrero/>spoke during her SPJ23 keynote</a> about the sexism and harassment she faced while being a sports reporter. <br> <br> SPJ strives to maintain high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism. For more information, journalists should refer to <a href=https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp> the SPJ Code of Ethics</a>.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Fri, 17 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ celebrates International Day To End Impunity For Crimes Against Journalists http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2981 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, <email address="zberg@spj.org">zberg@spj.org</a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> joins other journalism and civic groups in celebrating Nov. 2 as International Day To End Impunity For Crimes Against Journalists. <br> <br> “In line with the <a href=https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-impunity-crimes-against-journalists>United Nations declaration</a> for this day, we hope the observance of this day draws attention to the threats faced by journalists and communicators in the exercise of our profession,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins.<br> <br> The Committee to Protect Journalists <a href=https://cpj.org/data/?status=Killed&start_year=2023&end_year=2023&group_by=year&motiveConfirmed%5B%5D=Confirmed&type%5B%5D=Journalist>has recorded the deaths of 31 journalists</a> so far this year. The group noted that since 1992 there have been 956 journalists killed, with more than 79% of those cases going unprosecuted. <br> <br> While the day is designed to put pressure on governments to arrest and prosecute the killers of journalists, SPJ International Community Co-Chair Dan Kubiske noted that Nov. 2 is also the Mexican holiday of Day of the Dead. He said Mexican journalists are combining the call to end impunity with the Mexican festival of honoring dead family members and friends.<br> <br> “We understand many journalism groups in Mexico will be dedicating Day of the Dead altars to journalists who have been killed in Mexico because of their profession,” said Kubiske. He said organizers of these events will be placing photos of slain journalists on the altars as a way to remember their sacrifice.<br> <br> According to the <a href=https://cpj.org/reports/2023/10/haiti-joins-list-of-countries-where-killers-of-journalists-most-likely-to-go-unpunished/>CPJ Global Impunity Index</a>, Mexico has 23 unsolved murders of journalists, putting it at No. 7 in the index ranking. <br> <br> SPJ encourages journalists around the country to remember journalists who have been killed in action on Nov. 2. It also calls on the United States government to continue to pressure other countries to seek out, arrest and prosecute those who threaten and murder journalists.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Thu, 2 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ calls for protection of journalists working in Gaza http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2982 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, <email address="ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org ">ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org </a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> joins other journalists and media organizations in expressing deep concern for the safety of journalists reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Journalists in the region have faced a hostile environment that has made reporting difficult. <br> <br> “Journalists in Israel and Palestine territories face attacks, arrests, threats and censorship making it nearly impossible to continue reporting,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “During this time, it is imperative that journalists are able to document what’s happening on the ground so the public can remain informed. Targeting journalists who are simply doing their jobs is unacceptable.”<br> <br> Since the war began on Oct. 7, at least 33 journalists and media workers <a href=https://cpj.org/2023/11/journalist-casualties-in-the-israel-gaza-conflict/>have been killed</a> and there have been at least 18 incidents of journalists <a href=https://cpj.org/2023/11/attacks-arrests-threats-censorship-the-high-risks-of-reporting-the-israel-hamas-war/>being targeted</a> while carrying out their work, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. <br> <br> Journalists in Gaza face dangerous conditions as they try to cover the conflict amid disrupted communications, extensive power outages and airstrikes. On Oct. 27, the Israeli Defense Force <a href=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-military-says-it-cant-guarantee-journalists-safety-gaza-2023-10-27/>told Reuters and Agence France Presse</a> that it cannot guarantee the safety of their journalists in the Gaza Strip. <br> <br> Reporters Without Borders has <a href=https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-journalists-international-court-investigation-ef7ec4fa597add8fb49d17358acf2576>filed a complaint</a> with the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed against Palestinian journalists in Gaza on Wednesday. The organizations said it previously filed complaints regarding eight Palestinian journalists “who were killed in bombardments of civilian areas in Gaza” and an Israeli journalist who was killed on Oct. 7 while covering an attack on his kibbutz by Hamas. <br> <br> A petition has <a href=https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231031-a-war-needs-field-reporting-from-both-sides-french-press-appeal-for-access-to-gaza>been signed by nearly 100 French journalists</a>, demanding access to Gaza and for the protection of journalists covering the conflict. The blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza 16 years ago restricts access to the Palestinian territory. Journalists would either need to get authorization from Israeli authorities or enter another way. <br> <br> SPJ condemns the violence against journalists in Gaza. Journalists must be allowed to report freely and do their job to keep people around the world informed of current events. All journalists who have been arrested must be released without charges, their equipment should be returned and they should not face further persecution. Journalists should never be the target of threats and cyberattacks for informing citizens about important news occurring in their community, county or the world. <br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Thu, 2 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 SPJ requests cameras allowed in courtroom for Trump's DC trial http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2980 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a><br> Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, <email address="zberg@spj.org">zberg@spj.org</a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — The <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> requests that cameras are allowed in the courtroom for the trial in United States v. Donald J. Trump. SPJ today joins 19 other media organizations in an <a href=http://support.spjnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/10-5-2023-Coalition-Application-for-Audiovisual-Access-of-US-v-Trump-Court-Stamped.pdf>application to the federal court</a> for audiovisual access to the trial proceedings. The group also sent a <a href=http://support.spjnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Media-Suggestion-Revising-Criminal-Rule-53.pdf>letter to the Judicial Conference</a> today seeking amendment to the rules prohibiting cameras in the courtroom.<br> <br> Former president Trump has been <a href=https://www.npr.org/2023/08/01/1191493880/trump-january-6-charges-indictment-counts>indicted for conspiring to obstruct the certification</a> of the 2020 presidential electoral vote in Congress on January 6, 2021. The indictment, pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is the first against a U.S. president concerning actions taken while in office. <br> <br> “This is a historical story that impacts the very fiber of our Democracy,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “The public has a right to know how this case unfolds in real time. The only way to ensure this is to allow cameras in the courtroom during the trial.” <br> <br> The American public has shown interest in the events of Jan. 6. <a href=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/business/media/jan-6-hearing-ratings.html>Over 20 million people watched the first prime-time hearing</a> of the House Select Committee’s investigation into the attack, and the indictments against Trump have garnered significant attention from traditional media outlets and the public on social media. <br> <br> Furthermore, during a time of <a href=https://pirg.org/edfund/articles/misinformation-on-social-media/>increased misinformation on social media</a>, it is important for the public to witness this historic trial firsthand. Full video coverage increases the public’s confidence in the judicial process and allows for clearer fact-checking. Plus, previous high-profile trials that have been televised, <a href=https://www.vox.com/22364721/george-floyd-chauvin-trial-televised>such as Derek Chauvin’s</a>, have earned widespread praise and helped the public better understand what is happening in the courtroom. <br> <br> “This case is of interest to all American voters still struggling to make sense of the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath, and who have an opportunity to vote for or against Trump should he become his party’s nominee in the 2024 presidential elections,” said the letter to Judicial Conference Secretary Judge Roslynn R. Mauskopf. <br> <br> Today, 49 states and the District of Columbia either <a href=https://courts.rtdna.org/cameras-overview.php>permit journalists to capture proceedings</a> on their own cameras, authorize courts to provide video or audio webcasts of proceedings, or both, in state courts. <br> <br> It’s important that the federal court in the District of Columbia allow full access for the trial in U.S. v. Trump. The American public deserves to see for themselves what is happening in the courtroom. <br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Thu, 5 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500 Resolutions passed at SPJ23 http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=2978 CONTACT:<br> Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, <email address="ashanti.blaize@gmail.com">ashanti.blaize@gmail.com</a> <br> Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, <email address="zberg@spj.org">zberg@spj.org</a><br> <br> INDIANAPOLIS — Each year, <a href=https://www.spj.org/index.asp>Society of Professional Journalists</a> delegates vote on resolutions submitted by members on topics of importance to the Society.<br> <br> This year's resolutions were voted on by delegates during the <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOQQh1fdAbk&t=7s>Closing Business Meeting</a> at the <a href=https://www.spj.org/convention.asp>SPJ23 Journalism Convention</a>.<br> <br> Here are the resolutions that were approved during SPJ23:<br> <br> <b>Resolution 1: A Resolution Honoring Jerry Ceppos<br> Submitted by:</b> Louisiana State University Manship School of Mass Communication Dean Kim Bissell and the Manship School faculty, staff, students, alumni and former Interim Dean Josh Grimm. Also included in this resolution are officers from the 2022 and 2023 LSU SPJ student chapter. 2022-2023 officers are Josh Archote, president; Gabrielle Jimenez, vice president; Piper Hutchinson, secretary; Domenic Purdy, treasurer; Claire Sullivan, social media coordinator; and Freda Yarbrough Dunne, LSU faculty adviser. 2023-2024 officers are Gabrielle Jimenez, president; Lizzie Falcetti, vice president; Maddie Scott, secretary-treasurer; Claire Sullivan, social media coordinator; and Will Mari. LSU faculty adviser.<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS Jerome “Jerry” Merle Ceppos was born in Washington, D.C., on October 14, 1946, and died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 29, 2022;<br> <br> WHEREAS In a career spanning more than 50 years, Ceppos was a top editor at one of the nation’s foremost newspaper companies, dean of two major journalism schools and a 2016 fellow of the Society of Professional Journalists. As an editor and later an educator, he drove a focus on the new technology and its remaking of society. He also championed diversity in the newsroom and the classroom;<br> <br> WHEREAS Ceppos led the “San Jose Mercury News” when digital media was exploding with innovation, winning two Pulitzer Prizes as its managing editor. He would rise to be the top news officer of Knight Ridder newspapers, including the “Mercury News,” “Miami Herald,” “The Philadelphia Inquirer,” “Detroit Free Press,” “The Charlotte Observer,” “The Kansas City Star” and 26 other daily papers;<br> <br> WHEREAS as a self-described "geeky" student at Northwood High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, Ceppos edited the school paper, “The Red and Black.” At the University of Maryland, he edited “The Diamondback” and graduated in 1969 with a degree in journalism. After college, Ceppos was a reporter and editor at the “Rochester Democrat and Chronicle” in New York for three years. In 1972, he moved south to become an editor at “The Miami Herald,” the beginning of a long career with Knight Newspapers, later Knight Ridder;<br> <br> WHEREAS In 1981, Ceppos moved to San Jose, where he quickly rose through the editing ranks. The “Mercury News” Pulitzer Prizes when he was managing editor were for reporting on massive transfers of personal wealth by President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines out of his country, and for coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake;<br> <br> WHEREAS In 1996, a year after Ceppos became executive editor, the “Mercury News” published a three-part investigative series, “Dark Alliance,” which made the sensational charge that the crack epidemic raging in Los Angeles was largely sparked by two Nicaraguan emigres selling large amounts of cocaine to raise funds for a CIA-backed rebel army in their home country. An illustration accompanying the stories showed a person smoking crack, superimposed over the logo of the CIA;<br> <br> WHEREAS When three newspapers, “The New York Times,” “The Washington Post” and “The Los Angeles Times,” published major pieces calling into question the reporting in “Dark Alliance,” Ceppos assigned a reporter and editors uninvolved in the original stories to re-report them;<br> <br> WHEREAS On May 11, 1997, he published a front-page column, saying the Dark Alliance series had "oversimplified the complex issues of how the crack epidemic in America grew" and "did not include information that contradicted a central assertion of the series." He took personal responsibility for the flawed work, saying, "Few things in life are harder than owning up to one's shortcomings." He said the paper had failed to meet its high standards and would overhaul some of its editing processes;<br> <br> WHEREAS Though Ceppos faced complaints he had caved to pressure, he was widely praised for accepting criticism and acting transparently. "His candor and self-criticism set a high standard for cases in which journalists make egregious errors," said “The New York Times” in an editorial. He would later receive an award from the Society for his "superior ethical conduct" in handling the aftermath of the series;<br> <br> WHEREAS In 1999, Ceppos was promoted to vice president for news of Knight Ridder, a role in which, for six years, he identified and recruited top editors, set quality and ethical standards, oversaw the company's Washington and foreign bureaus and, as he put it, "led sometimes recalcitrant newsrooms into the digital age."<br> <br> WHEREAS Ceppos left Knight Ridder in 2005, just before the publicly traded company was sold and broken up. After consulting for several years, he began a new career as an educator, telling friends he always failed at retirement;<br> <br> WHEREAS Appointed dean of the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada/ Reno in 2008, Ceppos raised the funds to renovate the school's building and update its technology for the future;<br> <br> WHEREAS After three years at Reynolds, Ceppos moved in 2011 to the Manship School, where he was dean for seven years before transitioning into a full-time teaching role, giving courses on media ethics, American media history and a seminar on fairness in journalism;<br> <br> WHEREAS Ceppos diversified the faculty and found the resources to endow a chair in race, media and cultural literacy;<br> <br> WHEREAS As dean of the Manship School, Ceppos started a news service to help fill a void left by declining mainstream news outlets, assigning student journalists to cover state government and undertake investigative projects. He urged them to dig into unsolved murders by Ku Klux Klansmen during the civil rights era, and 90 news sites in Louisiana and Mississippi have run stories by Manship students;<br> <br> WHEREAS Ceppos’ last published piece appeared several weeks before his death in the “Inter Mountain,” a newspaper in Elkins, West Virginia. It was an appreciation of his high school newspaper adviser, Mary Lee Ruddle, a West Virginia native who died at 95 in June 2022. She had recently told Ceppos how proud she was of his accomplishments. “That’s how Miss Ruddle — to this day, none of us dares call her anything other than ‘Miss Ruddle’ — was, an unrelenting coach who demanded high standards but, importantly, assured us that we could meet her requirements. Her confidence was important for a geeky high-school boy.”<br> <br> WHEREAS Friends and family gathered on October 20, 2022, at LSU to celebrate Ceppos’ life, leadership, public service and friendship, The Manship School and the LSU SPJ chapter resolve to honor Jerry Ceppos with this resolution marking his remarkable career and life that was foremost led by his kindness, compassion and attention to details. As Ceppos would say to any student, entry-level or seasoned journalist – “Make Your Words Count”;<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society, meeting in convention September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, honors Ceppos’ service and commitment to the field of journalism and the example he set;<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be presented to Ceppos’ family.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 2: A Resolution Thanking Society of Professional Journalists President Claire Regan<br> Submitted by:</b> Resolutions Committee <br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS Claire Regan is completing her one-year term as the 106th president of the Society of Professional Journalists;<br> <br> WHEREAS President Regan showed leadership and strength as we dealt with contentious issues within the Society and giving enormous amounts of her personal time to guide the organization during a time of leadership transition;<br> <br> WHEREAS she set goals to increase diversity, inclusion and equity in our organization and kept this commitment by exploring all areas of the Society to make her vision a reality;<br> <br> WHEREAS President Regan instituted a policy of making herself available for individual talks with members on a regular basis, thereby providing a more direct and open line of communication with the membership,<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting at a convention September. 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, from members across the country thank President Regan for her years of dedication, commitment and courage to lead the Society<br> <br> <b>Resolution 3: A Resolution Thanking the Staff of the Society of Professional Journalists <br> Submitted by:</b> The Resolutions Committee<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS the headquarters staff of the Society of Professional Journalists is a small but mighty band of first-rate people who work hard every day to make journalism and journalists themselves stronger;<br> <br> WHEREAS the Society headquarters staff has stayed connected and committed to the cause of journalism on behalf of the Society’s members despite working from home and during a time of staff changes and financial insecurity,<br> <br> WHEREAS every staff member is responsible individually for the success of the Society, and all of them are the backbone of the Society every day of every year,<br> <br> WHEREAS Interim executive Director Jennifer Royer, managed the SPJ team in a tumultuous time to help make the Society a better place for all journalists;<br> <br> WHEREAS even with the fiscal and staff issues facing the organization, Jennifer Royer and her team stepped up to organize the 2023 SPJ National Convention in Las Vegas with exciting and innovative programming;<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting in convention September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, offers deeply felt and greatly appreciated thanks to the Society staff for its commitment to excellence for the Society all year round, especially during yet another great convention.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 4: A Resolution on threats to Press Freedom in Nicaragua<br> Submitted by:</b> International Journalism Community<br> <b>Co-signers:</b> Louisiana Pro Chapter<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS, Nicaragua is a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19 of which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” and<br> <br> WHEREAS, Nicaragua is also a signatory to the 1994 Declaration of Chapultepec, which states in its preamble: "Wherever the media can function unhindered and determine their own direction and manner of serving the public there is a blossoming of the ability to seek information, to disseminate it without restraints, to question it without fear, and to promote the free exchange of ideas and opinions. But wherever freedom of the press is curtailed, for whatever reasons, the other freedoms vanish," and<br> <br> WHEREAS, Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec also states: “Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, pressure, intimidation, the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the destruction of facilities, violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators,” and<br> <br> WHEREAS, the government of President Daniel Ortega Saavedra has persisted in his policy of closing independent media outlets and arresting, imprisoning and exiling journalists, and<br> <br> WHEREAS, in February 2023 the Nicaraguan government stripped more than 300 Nicaraguans of their citizenship and sent them into exile, including several prominent journalists, among them Carlos Fernando Chamorro; and<br> <br> WHEREAS, more than 180 Nicaraguan journalists remain in exile in Costa Rica trying to keep press freedom alive in Nicaragua by reporting from abroad, including Lucía Pineda Ubau, a television journalist imprisoned in 2018 for reporting on the street protests against President Ortega’s dictatorship; Néstor Arce Aburto, who livestreamed protests before making a narrow escape, and Octavio Enríquez, whose family faced threats as he reported on corruption,<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, condemns these violations of freedom of the press in Nicaragua, and expresses solidarity with its Nicaraguan colleagues as they seek to report the news factually despite a climate of hostility and intimidation; and<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SPJ calls upon President Ortega to respect the Nicaraguan government’s obligations under the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of Chapultepec by releasing any and all journalists being held for exercising their rights and duties as journalists, by allowing all those in exile to return to Nicaragua to practice their profession, and by desisting from further arrests of journalists, from police raids on media organizations and from acts of intimidation and repression against journalists and their organizations; and,<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Nicaraguan ambassador to the United States, to the office of President Ortega, to the secretary-general of the Organization of American States and to Volker Túrk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 5: Resolution on Iran and Press Freedom <br> Submitted by:</b> International Community<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS following the outbreak in Iran of demonstrations protesting the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini a year ago while in police custody more than 20 journalists were arrested merely because they covered those demonstrations, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the Iranian government also arrested journalists covering Amini’s funeral, and<br> <br> WHEREAS many of the journalists who were arrested were also placed in solitary confinement and forcefully interrogated at Evin Prison, considered one of the worst prisons in the world, and<br> <br> WHEREAS threats have been made against Iranian journalists in the United States and against organizations hosting those journalists<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting in convention September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, strongly asserts that journalists in Iran must be allowed to report freely and do their job to keep people around the world informed of what is happening in Iran. All journalists who have been arrested must be released without charges, their equipment should be returned and they should not face further persecution.<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Society also condemns efforts to silence journalists speaking out on behalf of those arrested in Iran.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 6: Resolution on threats to journalists in Central America and Mexico<br> Submitted by:</b> International Community<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved with amendments</b><br> <br> WHEREAS journalists in Central America remain under threat from government and paramilitary organizations; and<br> <br> WHEREAS a free press is the cornerstone of democracy and civil society, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the people of Central America have expressed their desire for more equitable societies and freedom of expression, and<br> <br> WHEREAS dire threats remain against press freedom in Central America, and<br> <br> WHEREAS, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 73 news media workers have been killed in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in the past 30 years, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the governments of these four countries are also taking actions that restrict the ability of journalists to carry out their job, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the Guatemalan government has regularly engaged in actions to prevent media outlets from reporting on corruption, and<br> <br> WHEREAS a primary focus of the Guatemalan government efforts are aimed at elPeriódico, including arresting its founder on financial violation charges and four of its reporters for “violence against women” because of a story that linked the daughter of the president of the Constitutional Court to corrupt practices, and<br> <br> WHEREAS a growing number of journalists in El Salvador are finding that their mobile phones have been infected with the Pegasus spyware, which is only available to government agencies, and<br> <br> WHEREAS a proposed law in El Salvador includes a prison sentence of 15 years if a news organization reports on gang activity in the country, and<br> <br> WHEREAS Honduras has the largest numbers of journalists killed in Central America with no progress on arresting their murderers, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the court system in Honduras is being used by major landowners to prevent journalists from covering indigenous affairs, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the Nicaraguan government has continued its long-time feud with La Prensa, the oldest newspaper in the country, including charging reporters with conspiracy against the state because of their reporting on a group of nuns deported by the government, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the Nicaraguan government arrested, charged and convicted the publisher of La Prensa of money laundering and “fake news” without allowing public access to the proceedings, and<br> <br> WHEREAS in 2023 alone the Nicaraguan government has closed about 20 independent news outlets, accusing the operators of disrupting society,<br> <br> WHEREAS, according to press freedom organizations around the world, Mexico has been called the most dangerous place for journalists outside an active war zone, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the Committee to Protect Journalists has reported 152 media workers have been killed in Mexico since 1992, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the Mexican government has not aggressively investigated most of the killings of Mexican journalists, putting Mexico among the Top 10 countries in the CPJ Index of Impunity,<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting in convention September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, calls on the governments in Central America and Mexico to immediately order prosecutors to move with all due haste to identify, charge and try the murderers of our colleagues; and<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Society calls on these governments to respect their obligations under the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of Chapultepec by releasing any and all journalists being held for exercising their rights and duties as journalists; and by desisting from further arrests of journalists, from police raids on media organizations and from engaging in acts of intimidation and repression against journalists and their organizations, and<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemispheric Affairs, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 7: A Resolution in Support of Electronic Media Coverage of Former President Trump’s Criminal Trials<br> Submitted by:</b> Resolutions Committee<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS the United States Supreme Court has recognized that trials are “public property,” and that the First Amendment and Sixth Amendment guarantee both the accused and the public a right to a publicly conducted trial, assuring that justice is dispensed legitimately and without favor;<br> <br> WHEREAS the former president of the United States has been indicted on felony changes and is facing trial in at least two federal jurisdictions, the U.S. district courts for the District of Columbia and the Southern District of Florida;<br> <br> WHEREAS the offenses charged in these indictments go to issues of paramount public concern, including efforts at destabilizing the nation’s electoral system by, according to federal prosecutors, attempting to overturn the results of a legitimately conducted election for president of the United States, manifesting in deadly violence at the United States Capitol;<br> <br> WHEREAS the rule that prohibits cameras or other electronic recording devices in federal criminal trials is 77 years old, a relic of a time when videography was a novelty and not an everyday reality of American life, and when cameras were noisy and obtrusive and difficult to operate in a courtroom non-disruptively;<br> <br> WHEREAS while cameras in courts were a rarity at the time the federal prohibition was enacted in 1946, all 50 states now make allowances for photographic and videographic coverage, with no indication of any detrimental impact on the ability of courts to dispense justice;<br> <br> WHEREAS two successful federal pilots of cameras in civil trials and appellate hearings demonstrated conclusively that it is eminently possible, using contemporary technology, for cameras to operate unobtrusively in a way that contributes to public understanding of the judicial system;<br> <br> WHEREAS the interests of history require that these groundbreaking criminal cases – the first involving a former president of the United States as a defendant – be memorialized in a form other than artists’ pencil drawings;<br> <br> WHEREAS the same type of civil unrest that resulted in the lethal attack on the U.S. Capitol and its police force on Jan. 6, 2021, is foreseeable if the public doubts the legitimacy of the<br> <br> former president’s trials – as former president Trump himself has foretold, using social media to warn of “death and destruction” if his followers perceive that he has been treated unjustly;<br> <br> WHEREAS the advent of social media, “deepfake” technology and other developments antedating the enactment of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, and the leading federal court cases interpreting it, renders it impracticable for judges to control the flow of inaccurate or even wholly fabricated information about trials that is calculated to inflame outrage, without the antidote of reliable first-hand observation to inoculate a distrustful public;<br> <br> WHEREAS the courtrooms in which the former president’s trials are scheduled to take place are so small that only a handful of public observers will be able to view the proceedings in-person, and;<br> <br> WHEREAS legal counsel for the former president has publicly declared that electronic media coverage would in no way interfere with Mr. Trump’s ability to obtain a fair trial, and to the contrary, would be desirable for public understanding of the proceedings.<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting in convention September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, calls on Congress and the federal judiciary to take every necessary step, with immediate dispatch, to ensure that still and video cameras – whether operated by the news media, or by the courts themselves – memorialized the proceedings in each trial in which the former president is a defendant;<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Society calls on the Judicial Conference and the applicable district courts to use routinely available technology – including technology already in use successfully in the state-court prosecution of former President Trump in Fulton County, Georgia – to livestream the trial proceedings on YouTube or a comparable public-facing platform, with reasonable safeguards the courts may find necessary to protect legitimate interests in juror confidentiality and the security of classified documents;<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Society urges the federal judiciary to ensure that, at a minimum, the public receives what it received from the U.S. Supreme Court during the height of the COVID pandemic – the ability to listen to real-time audio of the court proceedings, and an archival copy of each proceeding accessible for playback – which is the very least that history requires of these unprecedented trials.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 8: A Resolution Opposing Improper Information Gatekeeping<br> Submitted by:</b> Kathryn Foxhall, SPJ Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS the Society of Professional Journalists knows that the control of information by people in power is one of the most abusive, corrosive and deadly things in human societies;<br> <br> WHEREAS the Society of Professional Journalists has documented the pervasiveness of bans in organizations on employees or others speaking to the press or on their speaking to the press without reporting to authorities, often through public information offices;<br> <br> WHEREAS the Society of Professional Journalists, as the world nears four years of the Covid pandemic, recognizes that former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention media relations director has said these controls and others became tighter on that agency over several presidential administrations, that they constrain the agency’s ability to get its messages out,<br> <br> WHEREAS the Society of Professional Journalists understands that such controls cannot be in effect without frequently limiting what people will tell journalists, including information that is critical to public understanding;<br> <br> WHEREAS the Society celebrates what is believed to be the first suit by a journalist challenging these gag rules in a U.S. public agency; that is, the legal action filed in August by Brittany Hailer against the Allegheny County Jail;<br> <br> WHEREAS the Society understands that such limitations on the independent information gathering will severely harm journalist’s ability to overcome existential threats including pandemics and climate change;<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting in convention in September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, calls on reporters, editors and publishers everywhere to eschew such arguments as “good reporters get the story anyway” and actively explain and openly oppose these permission-to-speak restrictions, just as journalists would expose other corruption;<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Society communicate with Freedom House; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; and the World Health Organization to ask them to recognize these controls as violations of press freedom and threats to public health and urge those organizations to oppose them in all nations.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 9: Resolution Title: Ensuring Fiscal Accountability and Transparency within the Society of Professional Journalists<br> Submitted by:</b> Jennifer Ellis, Region 12 Coordinator<br> <b>Co-signers:</b> Donald W. Meyers, Region 10 Coordinator; Loretta McGraw, Region 7 Coordinator; Joe Radske, Region 6 Coordinator; Sue Kopen Katcef, former SPJ National Vice President Campus Chapter Affairs; and Lauren Bartlett, former national director at large<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved with amendment</b> <br> <br> WHEREAS the Society of Professional Journalists is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of journalism and fostering a commitment to ethics, accuracy, and transparency;<br> <br> WHEREAS SPJ is funded by the dues of its members and various sources of revenue, and it is essential to maintain fiscal responsibility and transparency in the management of these resources;<br> <br> WHEREAS the SPJ Board of Directors is legally obligated in its role as a Board to uphold its fiduciary responsibility to the organization and membership and is, in fact, annually briefed on those responsibilities, which include approving the annual budget and making financial decisions on behalf of the organization;<br> <br> WHEREAS, the SPJ Board of Directors has a fiduciary duty to share information about significant budget shortfalls with all of its members;<br> <br> WHEREAS it is imperative to ensure that any significant expenses that significantly deviate from the approved budget receive proper scrutiny and approval to safeguard the financial stability of SPJ;<br> <br> WHEREAS transparency and inclusivity in decision-making processes are fundamental principles that SPJ should uphold;<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED:<br> 1. The Society of Professional Journalists Board of Directors will ensure, at minimum, quarterly meetings of the Finance Committee, whose responsibility includes ongoing reviews of the current and future budgets. Minutes from the Finance Committee meeting and the quarterly financial reports will be posted to the SPJ website.<br> 2. The Society of Professional Journalists Board of Directors shall require a vote in public for any expense that represents a drastic deviation from an approved budget.<br> 3. The Society of Professional Journalists Board of Directors will notify all members by email when a budget shortfall of 25% or more has occurred during an existing budget year or is projected in an upcoming budget.<br> 4. For this resolution, a "drastic deviation" shall be defined as any expense resulting in an overage of 25% or $5,000, whichever is greater, beyond the line-item budgeted amount as approved by the Board of Directors.<br> 5. Prior to the vote, a thorough explanation and justification of the proposed expense, including its potential impact on SPJ's financial health and objectives, shall be provided to enable informed decision-making.<br> 6. In the event that a majority of the board rejects the proposed expense, the Board of Directors shall reassess the budget as a whole and consider whether amendments are necessary.<br> 7. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption and shall be communicated to all SPJ members to ensure their awareness and understanding of the new fiscal accountability and transparency measures.<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption and remain in force until it is amended or repealed by convention delegates or membership vote.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 10: A Resolution to Study and Present a Bylaws Amendment Increasing the Number of Directors Serving on the SPJ National Board<br> Submitted by:</b> Jennifer Ellis, Region 12 Coordinator<br> <b>Co-signers:</b> Donald W. Meyers, Region 10 Coordinator; Loretta McGraw, Region 7 Coordinator; Joe Radske, Region 6 Coordinator; Ginny McCabe, Region 4 Coordinator; Sue Kopen Katcef, former SPJ National Vice President Campus Chapter Affairs; and Lauren Bartlett, former national director at large<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS following recommendations by a task force headed by Patti Newberry, the Society of Professional Journalists voted in 2017 to shrink its 23-member Board of Directors to nine positions to attract qualified leaders without barriers such as geography and special interest, and<br> <br> WHEREAS after much debate and deliberation, board members and delegates came to believe that a smaller board would be more nimble, better able to make decisions quickly, and<br> <br> WHEREAS two appointed director positions were added to the board to bring particular expertise or address any gaps in diversity, and<br> <br> WHEREAS there is no specific mechanism to ensure that students and regional coordinators who work directly with chapters have representation on the board of directors, and<br> <br> WHEREAS some members are concerned about encouraging a diverse and robust pipeline of experienced Board leadership into SPJ’s highest offices, and<br> <br> WHEREAS some members feel the current model, with a third of the board consisting of the president and two one-year appointees, too narrowly consolidates power, especially as the delegates consider for a second time a governance change eliminating delegates as the supreme legislative body of the organization, and<br> <br> WHEREAS some members would like to see fairer representation of the membership on the board, and<br> <br> WHEREAS some members believe the current board structure does not serve the Society’s needs and should be reviewed, and<br> <br> WHEREAS the SPJ Board of Directors acknowledged in 2017 that the proposed restructuring of the Board might need to undergo review and changes in the years ahead;<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting in convention on September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, calls on the Society President and Board of Directors to appoint a task force consisting of Regional Coordinators, Chapter leaders, past leaders, Community leaders and unaffiliated members to explore alternative board configurations and lengths of service including removing appointed directors, adding at least one Regional Coordinator representative, and increasing the number of directors serving on the national board.<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SPJ Board will consider the task force’s recommendations and share them with all Society members no later than the April board meeting, with an opportunity for feedback and suggestions.<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board is directed to implement the recommendations of the taskforce,<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board is directed to implement the recommendations of the task force;<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this task force will consist of at least one current Society board member who cannot be the chair, and all meetings will be open to Society members, with recordings of the meetings available on the Society’s website.<br> <br> <b>Resolution 11: Establishing an Official Year-Round Communication Channel for SPJ Members <br> Submitted by:</b> Jennifer Ellis, Region 12 Coordinator<br> <b>Co-signers:</b> Donald W. Meyers, Region 10 Coordinator; Loretta McGraw, Region 7 Coordinator; Joe Radske, Region 6 Coordinator; Sue Kopen Katcef, former SPJ National Vice President Campus Chapter Affairs; and Lauren Bartlett, former national director at large<br> <b>Delegate action: Approved</b><br> <br> WHEREAS the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) is dedicated to fostering excellence in journalism and promoting the free flow of information;<br> <br> WHEREAS SPJ members are spread across the country, and it is essential to facilitate communication and collaboration among members year-round;<br> <br> WHEREAS members enjoy a communication platform through an app at the annual convention, it is insufficient to meet the need for ongoing communication and exchange of ideas among SPJ members;<br> <br> WHEREAS technological advancements offer options for creating a digital platform to facilitate year-round communication among SPJ members at little to no cost;<br> <br> BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Society of Professional Journalists, meeting in convention September 30, 2023, in Las Vegas, directs the Board of Directors and Headquarters Staff or another appointed SPJ member volunteer to take the necessary steps to establish an official year-round communication channel for SPJ members.<br> <br> 1. Establishment of a Year-Round Communication Channel: a. The SPJ Board of Directors and Headquarters Staff shall collaborate to create and implement a little to no-cost digital platform or communication channel accessible to all SPJ members. b. This platform shall be designed to enable members from across the country to communicate, share information, and exchange ideas throughout the year.<br> 2. Features and Functions: a. The year-round communication channel shall include discussion forums, chat rooms, message boards, and private messaging capabilities. b. It shall also provide a platform for sharing resources, organizing events, and seeking input from the SPJ membership on matters of importance. c. The platform shall be user- friendly and accessible to members of all backgrounds and technological proficiency levels.<br> 3. Privacy and Security: a. The SPJ Board of Directors and Headquarters Staff shall ensure that the year-round communication channel maintains the privacy and security of member information. b. Appropriate measures shall be put in place to safeguard against unauthorized access or misuse of the platform.<br> 4. Promotion and Training: a. The SPJ Board of Directors and Headquarters Staff shall develop and implement a plan for promoting the new communication channel to all SPJ members.<br> 5. Regular Updates and Maintenance: a. The year-round communication channel shall be subject to regular updates and maintenance to ensure its effectiveness and relevance to the needs of SPJ members. b. Feedback from members shall be actively sought and used for continuous improvement.<br> 6. Implementation Timeline: a. The SPJ Board of Directors and Headquarters Staff shall establish a timeline within a year for the development and launch of the year-round communication channel, with progress updates provided to the membership.<br> <br> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption and remain in force until it is amended or repealed by convention delegates or membership vote.<br> <br> <i>SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. <a href="https://www.spj.org/join.asp">Become a member</a>, <a href="https://www.spj.org/ldf.asp">give to the Legal Defense Fund</a> or <a href="https://www.spj.org/donate.asp">give to the SPJ Foundation</a>.</i><br> <br> <div align"=center">-END-</center> Wed, 4 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500