News Gathering Rights

News gathering rights help the news industry to report on such things as government officials and school district meetings. Sunshine laws, or open meeting laws, allow the press to report on public meetings because they are required to have open sessions. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a law that requires federal agencies to list all of their documents and provide them for news agencies on request. However, "top secret documents" or documents that would violate private laws are off limits to the public. Shield laws are designed to ensure confidentiality of news sources. The aspect of news gathering rights that most concerns me is the Freedom of Information Act. This is a very significant law, as it has uncovered such things as unsafe conditions at nuclear power plants and the presence of poisonous wastes in drinking water. The FOIA will allow me to gain access to important pen documents that society deserves to know about, such as where our tax dollars are really going. I intend to be a reporter someday and I obviously want to provide the most accurate news to the public about things that affect their lives, which will often involve the government's cooperation. Several government agencies have resisted FOIA actions, making it difficult for journalists and citizens to get the information they request. I will have to prepare myself for dealing with such agencies if I want to be a confident reporter someday.