Authorities in both Cleveland and Philadelphia placed new restrictions on media covering the Republican convention, including banning gas masks, backpacks and bags bigger than 18" x 13" x 7" — which severely cramps broadcast journalists' ability to carry electronic gear.
"The cast has changed following Theresa May’s reshuffle, but the play remains the same. It’s a struggle pitching free-market red tape slashers against those backing a clean, green economy as the UK’s best long term bet. The big question is whether this performance will have a different ending."
President Barack Obama signed reforms to the Freedom of Information Act into law Thursday, just in time for the 50th birthday of the nation's landmark open government law on July Fourth. The bill capped years of work by ovocates in Washington.
"Federal government should have more active role in preparing for natural disaster and cyberattack, report argues."
Don't get us wrong: the U.S. federal government's openness to public scrutiny leaves much to be desired. Still, it's worth noting that some improvements have taken place. Here are a few prominent ones. Image: Clipart.com. [19]
Some commenters say Donald Trump has declared "war on the press." But Hillary Clinton has herself given little access to the news media during the campaign so far. Worse yet, parts of the news media seem to be making the problem worse, by not advocating for press freedom and open information. Profits and ratings have trumped the First Amendment.
"As the Park Service approaches its centennial, it is grappling with a puzzle: Why are employees so unhappy, even while they love the work they do? And how can the agency fix it?"
"AUSTIN, Texas — The state has removed aerial-surveillance photos taken during severe floods from a public website. The decision comes after the El Paso Times earlier this month published a story with dozens of such photos showing apparent oil spills in different river systems over the past few years."
Jim Holzer, head of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), a post often called the FOIA Ombudsman, has decided to step down after less than a year on the job. Some Freedom of Information Act advocates are seeing this as a discouraging sign.
The U.S. Department of the Interior is not winning many awards for openness. A House subcommittee recently took up the complaint that Interior's Office of the Solicitor would not even honor the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ombudsman's office with a response to repeated letters.
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/news-media-groups-complain-about-convention-restrictions
[2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/watchdog-tipsheet
[3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government
[4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media
[5] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81
[6] https://www.sej.org/headlines/fate-britains-environment-rests-cabinet-tug-war
[7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics
[8] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/europe
[9] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2016/jul/15/the-fate-of-britains-environment-rests-on-a-cabinet-tug-of-war?platform=hootsuite
[10] https://www.sej.org/headlines/open-government-victory-president-obama-signs-foia-reform-law
[11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws
[12] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national
[13] http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2016/06/30/in-a-victory-for-open-government-president-obama-signs-foia-reform-into-law/
[14] https://www.sej.org/headlines/us-water-utilities-not-prepared-catastrophe
[15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster
[16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water
[17] http://www.circleofblue.org/2016/world/u-s-water-utilities-not-prepared-catastrophe/
[18] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/some-steps-forward-open-data
[19] http://www.clipart.com/en/close-up?o=2642291
[20] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/what-will-next-president-do-or-against-freedom-information
[21] https://www.sej.org/headlines/nps100-park-service-grapples-frustrated-workforce
[22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land
[23] http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060038071
[24] https://www.sej.org/headlines/texas-state-removes-oil-spill-photos-public-view
[25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy
[26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution
[27] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest
[28] http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2016/05/21/state-removes-oil-spill-photos-public-view/84456926/
[29] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/early-departure-foia-ombud-stirs-unresolved-concerns
[30] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/interior-dept-stonewalls-federal-foia-ombud
[31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=191
[32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=188
[33] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=189
[34] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=190
[35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=193
[36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=194
[37] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=195
[38] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=196
[39] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=290