FOR RELEASE: March 9, 2018
Contact: Richard T. Kaplar
The Media Institute
703-243-5700
Arlington, Va., March 9, 2018 – The Media Institute today stressed the importance of journalists’ access to public information as it joined in observing Sunshine Week, celebrated this year from March 11 to March 17.
The Media Institute is an official participant in Sunshine Week, the annual nationwide celebration of access to public information. Also participating is Free Speech Week, the annual event dedicated to free speech and free press coordinated by The Media Institute and held every October.
Sunshine Week will be marked by workshops, seminars, and other events around the country related to freedom of information. The Freedom of Information Act, which makes government records and information available to the public, is at the heart of Sunshine Week celebrations.
“The free flow of information, especially about the activities of government, is one of the defining principles of our democracy,” said Institute Executive Director Richard Kaplar. “Sunshine Week reminds us that we can’t take access to information for granted, even when it’s supposed to be guaranteed by legislation.”
Sunshine Week was created by the American Society of News Editors and is now coordinated in partnership with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. More information about the week is available at http://sunshineweek.org/.
The Media Institute is a nonprofit research foundation specializing in communications policy and the First Amendment. For more information, visit the Institute online at www.mediainstitute.org. For details on Free Speech Week, visit the FSW website at www.freespeechweek.org.
# # #