NEFAI 2016 Applications Due August 31 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition is selecting 25 reporters, editors and news producers to attend at no cost its three-day investigative journalism institute. The sixth annual New England First Amendment Institute is from Oct. 16-18 in Dedham, Mass., and is […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition today praised a federal court decision requiring public access to a hearing on a controversial natural gas pipeline expansion project in Vermont, calling the ruling a strong and much-needed endorsement of the public’s right to know. The case involves […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman, New England First Amendment Coalition, 774.244.2365 | Linda Lotridge Levin, ACCESS/RI 401.351. 3278 | John Marion, Common Cause RI, 401.861.2322 | Steven Brown, ACLU of RI, 401.831.7171 Highlighting the “extraordinarily strong public interest” in the 38 Studios scandal and calling “less than compelling” the arguments offered for keeping the investigatory records secret, […]
New England First Amendment Institute Applications Due August 31 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org Bill Keller, former executive editor of The New York Times and current editor-in-chief of The Marshall Project, a non-profit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s New England First Amendment […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition urged the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention today to reconsider proposed policy changes that would severely curtail the right of Maine residents to know the location of disease outbreaks in their communities. “While these changes are intended to […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org Below are brief statements from five media and free speech organizations, including the New England First Amendment Coalition, expressing thanks to Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo for vetoing a so-called “revenge porn” bill that would have had a chilling effect on free speech rights. The groups had requested the governor […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS Justin Silverman, New England First Amendment Coalition, 774-244-2365, justin@nefac.org | Steven Brown, American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, 401-831-7171, brownaclu@aol.com | Linda Lotridge Levin, Rhode Island Press Association, 401-3451-3278, lindalevin@uri.edu First Amendment and freedom of press advocates wrote to Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo this week urging her to veto […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition recently joined 13 open government and media organizations to protest a new Maine policy that prohibited public access to closed criminal cases. The groups called for the policy’s suspension which occurred this week after several days of discussion between the […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law today legislation that will improve access to public records and provide recourse to citizens unjustly denied government information. The New England First Amendment Coalition, a steering member of the Massachusetts Freedom of Information Alliance, has been a leader in […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The Maine Supreme Judicial Court recently ruled that government records exempt from disclosure under the state’s Freedom of Access Act are not automatically exempt from disclosure during litigation. The decision, arising from a case involving an appraisal report in an eminent domain proceeding, will help prevent government […]