sunshine week
March 13, 2024This week, March 10-16, is National Sunshine Week, which celebrates and brings awareness to free and open access to public information and an accountable government. And it sheds light on the importance of community journalists in keeping the public informed. Laws requiring open meetings and public data exist for everyone, but journalists are trained to navigate the sometimes complicated avenues…- By Jim Pumarlo, Red Wing Republican EagleMarch 14, 2023Sandy Robinson and Ben Carlson were part of news reports as birth announcements in Minnesota’s newspapers. Neither one was probably aware of the attention created by the event, but we could expect to see more of Sandy and Ben in the coming years. Likewise, we hope the local newspapers become a part of their daily routines. Newspapers pride themselves as recorders of local history. I encourage…
- By Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State UniversityMarch 16, 2021When government fails, it’s the rare public official who says, “Oops. My fault.” That’s human nature, particularly for officials in the public eye who may have to run for office again. No one wants to be held directly responsible for letting the public down. Case in point is the recent catastrophe in Texas, when unexpected winter storms left four million homes without power, ruptured pipes and…
- March 09, 2021Daylight saving time returns Sunday, March 14, signaling more late-afternoon sunshine and the upcoming warmer season. It also kicks off National Sunshine Week, March 14-20, which celebrates and brings awareness to free and open access to public information and an accountable government. The theme this year is “It’s your right to know,” and it sheds light on the importance of community journalists…
- By Jim Zachary, deputy national editor, Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.March 12, 2019Sunshine Week is a national initiative spearheaded by the American Society of News Editors to educate the public about the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy For government to be of, by and for the people, it must be out in front of the people. The theme for Sunshine Week 2019 is simply, “It’s your right to know.” The reason it’s your right to know…
- By By Jim Zachary, Valdosta, George, Daily Times Transparency Project of GeorgiaMarch 14, 2016Government must be held accountable. The only way for the public to hold government accountable is for all of the actions of government to be out in the open. That is why open government is part and parcel of democracy. When government is allowed to operate behind closed doors, it grows out of control, is not responsive to the public and is subject to corruption. These are some of the reasons the…
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