News

NEFAC, Maine Newsrooms Protest Excessive Fees for Judicial Records

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition and a group of news organizations recently called on the Maine Judicial Branch to stop charging excessive fees for electronically-filed records. Such fees, the groups explained in a Jan. 20 letter, are a violation of state court rules and […]

NEFAC to Lead First Amendment Workshop for Egyptian Diplomats

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition will present to a delegation of Egyptian public officials next month as part of a U.S. Department of State-funded civics program. The State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program supports short-term visits to the United States for foreign leaders to […]

NEFAC Opens Journalism Mentorship Program to All New England States

Guidance and Instruction Provided Over Six Months; Mentors of All Backgrounds, Varied Expertise Available FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition is providing a free mentorship program for all journalists working in the region. The program — NEFAC Mentors — was offered exclusively to Rhode Island […]

Rhode Island Open Meeting Law: How Newsrooms Respond to Executive Session Secrecy

Jan. 27, 2023 | 3:45 p.m. ET The New England First Amendment Coalition is continuing its series on state open meeting laws with a new class on executive sessions. This class features NEFAC’s Tim White, an investigative journalist for WPRI in Providence. White will share a story about a government agency holding an executive session, […]

NEFAC, Media Groups: Long-Term Government Surveillance Chills First Amendment Freedoms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition recently joined a group of media organizations to argue against long-term pole camera government surveillance. Such monitoring, the groups argued in a Dec. 21 amicus brief, threatens First Amendment freedoms and the right to gather news. “Under the rule […]

30 Minute Skills: Making Democracy Reporting Part of Your Beat

The New England First Amendment Coalition launched in 2020 a monthly educational series featuring short, practical lessons on journalism and the First Amendment. The goal of the program — called “30 Minute Skills” — is to provide reporters and other citizens knowledge they can use immediately in newsgathering, data collection, storytelling and other areas of journalism […]

NEFAC Begins 2023 with New Leadership and Expanded Executive Committee

Attorney and First Amendment Professor Gregory V. Sullivan to Serve as Coalition President FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce the election of attorney Gregory V. Sullivan, long-time media counsel and First Amendment professor, as its new president. Sullivan succeeds Karen Bordeleau, […]

NEFAC Leading First Amendment, Right-to-Know Classes at Loeb School

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition will lead three upcoming classes at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications in Manchester, N.H. The classes will be held online and are free to attend. The classes will be taught by: Justin Silverman is executive director of the […]

NEFAC, Press Groups to Mass. Governor-Elect Healey: Subject Governor’s Office to Public Records Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition called on Mass. Governor-Elect Maura Healey today to apply the state’s public records law to the governor’s office despite a blanket exemption claimed by the last several administrations. NEFAC, the Massachusetts Publisher’s Association and the New England Newspaper & Press […]

NEFAC, Press Advocates File Amicus Brief in Defamation Case Against NHPR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition recently joined several New Hampshire organizations to argue against efforts that could chill reporting on matters of public concern. A superior court is currently hearing a defamation case against New Hampshire Public Radio. The former owner of the state’s largest […]