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Press Here
This news media blog explores the nexus between the press, the public and technology with two missions.
One, to engage citizens in an online conversation about the role of the news media in their lives, in the hope that they will use and critique the media more effectively. And secondly to explore how the press can remain relevant, essential and accountable to citizens and communities.
Mike Fancher is Editor at Large of The Seattle Times.
E-mail Mike Fancher | 206.464.2330 |
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March 20, 2008 8:15 AM
Public sees government secrecy on the rise
Posted by Mike Fancher
How secretive is government? Plenty and increasingly, according to a new public survey conducted in connection with Sunshine Week.
Three quarters of the respondents said they think the federal government is very or somewhat secretive. That's up from 62 percent in 2006.
Local government fared a lot better, with 56 percent saying their local government is very or somewhat open. In contrast, 40 percent said local government is very or somewhat secretive, but that is up from 34 percent just last year.
The scariest responses had to do with suspicions about government and personal privacy:
Although only about a quarter of adults believe the federal government has opened their mail or monitored their telephone conversations without a federal warrant, three-quarters believe it has happened to people in the United States and two-thirds say it is very or somewhat likely to have happened to members of the news media.
The most encouraging response is nearly everyone said that when they vote in state and local elections it is important to know a candidate's position and record on open government. That's one reason organizations like the Washington Coalition for Open Government have been asking candidates to take a pledge of openness. (Press Here for more on that.)
On specific issues, the survey said:
People also overwhelmingly want access to information such as who lawmakers meet with each day (82 percent), police reports about specific crimes in local neighborhoods (71 percent), and permits for concealed handguns (66 percent). About half said they do not object to officials asking people seeking records to identify themselves or explain why they'd like to see the record.
Sunshine Week is a non-partisan open government initiative led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
Apr 30, 08 - 10:00 PM
-- 30 --
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Apr 15, 08 - 04:10 PM
Citizen journalism may be a bitter pill for some

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Posted by Publicbulldog
8:47 AM, Mar 20, 2008
We have state agencies that think they are federal agencies subject ti only FOIA.
WSP
Dear Mr. Worthington,
The entities you mention below are not part of the WSP. This employee is contracted to these entities, who maintain their own offices, their own organizational structure, their own services, and their own records. We do not have possession of these records in any way. If these were WSP records, or if they were in our possession, we would provide them to you or cite to a specific exemption under the Public Records Act RCW 42.56 as our justification for withholding them. However, in this case, we are not withholding anything as we do not have anything. I apologize if my original response did not properly explain the situation. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
WA.NG
Dear Mr. Worthington:
The Military Department does not have any state public records pursuant to the state Public Records Act, ch. 42.56 RCW, responsive to your request. This does not mean that no records exist; it means that the State of Washington has not owned, prepared, used, or retained any responsive state records. You may consider submitting a U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Washington National Guard. You may address FOIA requests for federal records to Major Matthew Cooper at matthew.cooper@wa.ngb.army.mil.