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Sunshine Week Participation Around New England

Last week was Sunshine Week and we are pleased that so many New England publications ran an editorial on the importance of open government – raising our collective voice for transparency and access to public information and reinforcing what it means for your readers and community.

NENPA worked with the New England First Amendment Coalition (NEFAC) on this year’s Sunshine Week initiative, March 13-19. Publications were encouraged to run their own editorial or publish an editorial in support of Sunshine Week, written by NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman.

These publications wrote their own editorials in support of Sunshine Week

A lesson in ‘sunshine’ from across a war zone – The Boston (MA) Globe

Shining the light – The Martha’s Vineyard (MA) Times

Remote access to public meetings a pandemic legacy to celebrate – Providence (RI) Business News

Shedding Light, Promoting Truth Are Right In Our Wheelhouse – The Newtown (CT) Bee

Let the Sun Shine in On Open Government and Freedom of Information | Daily Item, Lynn, MA

Groups Call for Making Online Meeting Access Permanent | State House News Service, Boston, MA

New Hampshire Released a Statewide List of Problem Police Officers. No Such List Exists in Massachusetts | Telegram & Gazette, Worcester, MA

When Government Controls All Information, Citizens Aren’t Free | Keene (NH) Sentinel

Below are news organizations that published the NEFAC op/ed:

NEFAC’s Justin Silverman Discusses Open Government (audio) | WBSM-New Bedford, MA

Eagle-Tribune | Newport This Week | MassLive | Booth Bay Register | Caledonian Record | Greenfield Recorder | Newport Daily News | Daily Hampshire Gazette | Portland Press Herald | Valley Independent Sentinel | East Bay RI | Provincetown Banner | Gloucester Times | Wyoming Tribune Eagle | The Salem News | Wakefield Daily Item | The Chronicle | The Daily News of Newburyport | Wiscasset Newspaper | The Day | Business NH Magazine | The Berkshire Eagle | Concord Monitor | News and Citizen | The New Bedford LightThe Deerfield Valley News | The Other Paper | Shelburne News | The Stoneham Independent | Daily Times Chronicle

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Sunshine Letter Sent to MA Governor’s Council

Honorable Members of the Massachusetts Governor’s Council,

In light of Sunshine Week 2022, we are sending you the attached letter requesting that you maintain the same level of public access to Governor’s Council meetings that the people of Massachusetts have depended on over the last two years. The letter is attached and can also be found in its entirety at the bottom of this email.

Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

Sincerely,

ACLU of Massachusetts
Boston Center for Independent Living
Common Cause Massachusetts
Disability Law Center
Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association
MASSPIRG
New England First Amendment Coalition
New England Newspaper and Press Association

* * *

March 17, 2022

Honorable Members of the Massachusetts Governor’s Council,

In light of Sunshine Week 2022, we are writing to you to request that you maintain the same level of public access to Governor’s Council meetings that the people of Massachusetts have depended on over the last two years.

More transparent and accessible government means a stronger democracy for all. That’s why our organizations have teamed up to advocate for permanent virtual access to public government meetings in addition to in-person access. We were discouraged to learn that the Governor’s Council recently discontinued its online streaming of meetings. We hope you will reconsider this decision.

We applauded Governor Baker’s decision to include in his COVID-19 emergency order virtual access expansions to the Open Meeting Law. Likewise, we celebrated that government entities not covered by the Open Meeting Law also worked quickly to ensure remote access for members of the public. When remote access became a necessity in response to the pandemic, it did not merely preserve public bodies’ ability to operate; it also opened the door to civic engagement for members of the public and many people who had previously been shut out. These include:

  • Seniors with mobility issues
  • People with disabilities
  • Parents with young children
  • People with eldercare and other adult care responsibilities
  • People who cannot drive or afford taxis or rideshares
  • People with chronic medical conditions
  • Immunocompromised individuals and their family members
  • Members of the public who want to know more about their government

In the case of government entities based in Boston, like the Governor’s Council, live streaming enables people to tune in from every corner of the state; discontinuing remote access is devastating for regional equity.

Remote access is the latest instance of universal design—alongside curb cuts, elevators, closed captioning, audiobooks, and other features—that began as accommodations and expanded to universal popularity. Like these innovations and others emerging during the pandemic, remote access to public meetings should become a permanent feature. Eliminating remote participation now shuts the doors on so many who have, for the first time ever, been able to access and engage their government without hindrance or just wanted to learn more about government decisions. Virtual access must be a part of our new normal in a 21st-century democracy.

The people deserve to know what their government is doing. The important work of the Governor’s Council to evaluate judges and other gubernatorial appointments, consider pardons and commutations, and review warrants for the state treasury impacts the lives of all 6.9 million residents of the Commonwealth. In the spirit of Sunshine Week 2022, we respectfully ask that you work quickly to reestablish the means by which people can virtually access the Governor’s Council meetings in addition to attending in person.

Sincerely,

ACLU of Massachusetts
Boston Center for Independent Living
Common Cause Massachusetts
Disability Law Center
Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association
MASSPIRG
New England First Amendment Coalition
New England Newspaper and Press Association

Download a copy of the letter

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2022 New England Journalism Student Scholarship Deadline Extended

The New England Newspaper and Press Association awards up to 10 scholarships each year to aspiring journalists through the Journalism Education Foundation of New England. Our foundation strives to encourage and support young people who plan to pursue a career in the newspaper industry.

The application deadline is extended until April 1, 2022.

College students or high school seniors who are studying and acquiring work experience that will prepare them to work in the field of journalism are eligible to apply.

For more information contact students@nenpa.com.

To qualify students must:

  1. Be a resident of New England
  2. Must be a senior in high school or an undergraduate college student, studying journalism or a related field, planning to attend college in Summer or Fall 2022.
  3. Have a GPA of 3.0 or above
  4. Demonstrate a serious interest in a career in journalism by sending: a cover letter, transcript, resume or biography, letter of recommendation, AND a body of published work in a school news publication, general circulation newspaper, or a similar publication AND/OR a body of work prepared for a journalism class
  5. PLEASE NOTE: You will be required to sign in to Google to upload documents.
  6. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2022.
2022 Program Information
2022 Scholarship Application
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How to ‘re-onboard’ teams as they return to newsroom offices

Sage advice about how to ‘re-onboard’ teams as they return to newsroom offices from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago, and Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership.

As news organizations implement their re-entry plans, the smartest are trying to combine the best aspects of in-person and remote work. They’re customizing their approaches based on the nature of roles, workflow, and technology. They want to achieve maximum quality and productivity with diverse, collaborative, and engaged teams.

Let’s talk about the employees who are returning to the office.

Read the full article

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What Documents Can Journalists Have Ready in the Event of an Emergency?

In a recent Foreign Press Correspondents USA tools and training article the organization asks the question, “What can you do as you watch your own country turn into a war zone?”

That’s a question none of us want to have to answer but it is one that many people in Ukraine have had to face in recent weeks.

Journalists on the ground have had to confront that question too as they find their personal security and safety thrown into jeopardy. Many are in considerable danger as they work to document the atrocities that are being committed.

The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) advises journalists to keep physical and digital copies of the following documents ready:

  • Passport

  • National ID card

  • Driver’s license

If either of these is close to expiring, it is imperative to renew them as quickly as possible. If you have several identification documents, make sure to keep them in separate places in the event you lose one of them.

  • Birth certificate (or any document that can prove your date and place of birth)

  • Others: marriage certificate, university degrees (diploma, proof of graduation and attendance, grades), press card, professional certificates, vaccine certificate, other medical documents.

Read the full article

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The Boston Globe Celebrates 150 Years of Publishing

Today, The Boston Globe celebrates 150 years. The first edition was published on March 4, 1872, and to mark the occasion, the Globe published a special section in print and online, looking back on the 15 decades of coverage and historical moments from their archives.

Included is a note from Linda Henry, CEO, Boston Globe Media, and John Henry, Publisher, Boston Globe Media, thanking the community for their readership and support.

“We joined the Globe in 2013 because we value this community and are invested in the future of Boston. We know that strong local journalism provides in-depth coverage, analysis, and perspective on issues that are critical to the future of a region. We believe that New England thrives with a more healthy, vibrant Globe.”

There is also a note from Globe Editor Brian McGrory recognizing the 250 or so staffers in the Globe’s newsroom and on the editorial pages, “everyone good at something different.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu congratulated the Globe on its 150th anniversary by naming March 4 ‘Boston Globe Day’.

There are many resources included in the special section including 150 of the Globe’s most significant front pages from the archives, and an article highlighting 38 big stories from 150 years of Boston Globe coverage.

Access the section at: https://www.bostonglobe.com/special-projects/globe-150/

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FRONTLINE Executive Producer to Receive NEFAC’s 2022 First Amendment Award

The New England First Amendment Coalition will present its 2022 Stephen Hamblett First Amendment Award to Raney Aronson-Rath, executive producer for PBS’ flagship investigative journalism series FRONTLINE.

Named after the late publisher of The Providence Journal, the Hamblett Award is given each year to an individual who has promoted, defended or advocated for the First Amendment throughout his or her career.

NEFAC will honor Aronson-Rath at its 12th annual New England First Amendment Awards ceremony from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 13. The program will be held online. Ticket and registration information can be found here.

All ticket proceeds will benefit civics and First Amendment education in New England.

Read more

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The Fight to Save the Small-Town Newspaper

An in-depth article, Hard-Pressed | The Fight to Save the Small-Town Newspaper, published in the March/April issue of Yankee Magazine highlights the challenges of New England’s small-town newspapers that are under threat, their communities, and the journalists who are fighting to stick together and stay informed.

Former NENPA presidents Angelo Lynn, publisher of the Addison Independent, and Phil Camp, owner of the Vermont Standard are featured in the well-written article by Jon Marcus as well as many other NENPA members’ publications and others throughout New England.

Read the article

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2022 Statehouse Reporting Fellowship Deadline February 27

Calling all statehouse and regional reporters: Prepare for the contentious campaigns of 2022 and beyond by attending the National Press Foundation’s journalism training on voting rights, gerrymandering, copycat legislation, and more, March 27-31.

This fellowship will be held in person in Austin, Texas, (barring COVID flares or other emergencies) from Sunday, March 27 to Thursday, March 31. Attendance is mandatory for all sessions, and editors must commit to freeing their reporters from daily news duty during program sessions. This is a competitive program for up to 25 fellows, open to U.S. journalists only.

The application deadline is February 27.

NPF offers this professional development opportunity for journalists to enhance skills, increase knowledge and recharge their reporting on one of today’s most critical issues. The foundation will cover airfare, ground transportation, hotel costs, and most meals.

Learn more and apply

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On Student Press Freedom Day Are You Ready to Unmute Yourself?

Today is Student Press Freedom Day (Feb. 24, 2022), a national day of action when student journalists in the United States raise awareness of the challenges they face, celebrate their contributions to their schools and communities, and take actions to protect and restore their First Amendment freedoms.

This day calls attention to the arbitrary and needless censorship of student journalists and calls upon elected officials to restore and protect student press freedom.

Student journalists must be empowered to tell the stories most important to their communities, free from overt censorship, and able to withstand the pressures that lead to self-censorship. That’s why the theme for Student Press Freedom Day 2022 is ‘Unmute Yourself!’

There is a series of events, training, and community-building opportunities designed to uplift student journalists’ voices and prepare them to fight for press freedom. The information can be found at https://studentpressfreedom.org/.

The Student Press Law Center created Student Press Freedom Day to give student journalists a platform to advocate for press freedom in their communities.

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