FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition recently argued for the immediate release of civil court complaints, saying that “delay can result in a complete denial of meaningful access.” “The First Amendment requires contemporaneous access to civil complaints upon their filing,” NEFAC and other open government […]
Why Burlington Police are Withholding Diver’s Name | Burlington Free Press 12.28.18 “This is the first time in 50 years of reporting that they’ve refused me a name,” said Mike Donoghue, executive director of the Vermont Press Association, a vice president at the New England First Amendment Coalition and former Free Press reporter. “What Burlington is […]
The following is one of several articles recapping NEFAC’s 2017 New England First Amendment Institute. Full coverage of the program can be found here. By Nadine El-Bawab “Get closer to the big story using a series of small stories; by doing smaller stories over time, you get a sort of expertise.” Pulitzer Prize winner Eric […]
My name is Mike Donoghue. I worked at the Burlington Free Press for more than 40 years. I’m vice president of the New England First Amendment Coalition. When we talk about protecting the rights of the media, we’re really talking about protecting the rights of the citizens in this country. Journalists represent those citizens […]
Journal Reporter, Former Columnist Join NEFC Board | Providence Journal 12.7.16 A Providence Journal reporter and a former Journal columnist will join The New England First Amendment Coalition board, which promotes greater understanding of the right to free speech and freedom of the press nationally. Washington Post Media Columnist Wins New England Prize | Associated Press […]
Dear Friend of the First Amendment, Public access has a face. It’s the face of ordinary citizens trying to understand their government in order to make an informed decision or to expose a wrong. Boston resident Michael A. Champa shared these words in February after receiving NEFAC’s 2016 Antonia Orfield Citizenship Award. Champa recently prevailed […]
NEFAC participates in many discussions and conferences throughout the year. Often the coalition will provide useful reference materials to those who attend these events. The New Mass. Public Records Law: What It Means to You and Your Newsroom | J.J. Foley’s Cafe, Boston | Feb. 2, 2017 Materials include: · “Massachusetts Has a New Public Records Law […]
By Amanda Palmeira Every journalist has at least some familiarity with the beloved constitutional amendment that protects his or her craft. But the Newseum Institute recently found that not everyone appreciates the First Amendment as much as journalists do — and worse, some don’t even know what it is. Newseum released earlier this month its 2015 State of the First […]
By James H. Smith Some key Connecticut legislators are telling us to compromise on how much the people can know about crime and punishment, how much we can know about how the police are protecting the public from alleged criminals. I’m not sure how to compromise on the right of the people to know what […]
NEFAC files and joins amicus briefs, letters and statements addressing important First Amendment issues. This is a listing of those documents, as well as others that may be of interest to you. While our main focus is on freedom of information concerns, we will consider supporting any effort that addresses the First Amendment. If you […]