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PCLI Presents 'Accessing Public Records That Governments Hold Close to the Vest'

Freedom of information requests denied. Is it me, or are officials stonewalling?

On Wednesday, March 29, at 7 p.m., the Press Club of Long Island will present a panel discussion and Q&A on common and more investigative Freedom of Information requests, why certain public records are difficult to obtain and what newsrooms can do to hold governments accountable.

The hour-long event will take place on Zoom and is free and open to the public.

Our panelists are:

Carolyn James, editor and publisher of three weekly newspapers, the Amityville Record, Babylon Beacon and Massapequa Post. Carolyn serves as the Freedom of Information committee chair in New York for SPJ and for the Press Club of Long Island. She is the former regional director for SPJ, and past president of PCLI. She also teaches journalism at Hofstra University.

Timothy Bolger, the editor-in-chief of both the Long Island Press and Dan’s Papers. Tim is a former vice president and former FOI chair of PCLI. In 2017, he published in the Long Island Press an unprecedented report card grading nearly 200 localities’ responsiveness to open records requests during an 18-month joint investigative project in collaboration with the PCLI.

Charles Lane, a senior reporter focusing on special projects at WSHU Public Radio, an NPR member station serving Long Island. He has won numerous awards, including an IRE award, three SPJ Public Service Awards, and a National Murrow, for his investigative journalism. He is also a member of The Institute for Access to Public Information, which helps the public gain access to government records on Long Island.

Mar 29, 2023 07:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)