Federal Agencies Pose Information Roadblocks to Health Journalists

Environmental journalists are not alone in their frustrations with the federal officials who are supposed to help journalists get information about what government is doing. The Society of Environmental Journalists and the WatchDog have complained about press office obstacles for years.

Now the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ), a sister professional organization, has done a survey of its members. Findings: the federal government often blocks access to information that health care journalists seek.

Three-quarters of survey respondents said they had difficulty getting information from federal agencies. Two-thirds had problems getting it from state agencies.

AHCJ's release on the survey is here.

• Previous Story: WatchDog of August 12, 2015.