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Knight Foundation to help pay for FOI lawsuits
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has approved a new $2 million, three-year grant to the National Freedom of Information Coalition to launch the Knight FOI Fund and support state open government groups.
The Columbia, Mo.-based National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC) on Jan. 4 said the Knight FOI Fund will fund up-front costs such as court costs, filing fees, depositions and initial consultation fees, if attorneys are willing to take cases that otherwise would go unfiled.
The need for such a fund arose from the realization that the economic crisis and the evolution of the news media has resulted in declining levels of FOI advocacy.
For more information on this topic, go to: http://www.nfoic.org/knight-foi-defense-fund
Tennessee U.S. rep files ‘anti-SLAPP’ legislation
Legislation to create a federal law that would protect individuals from meritless lawsuits to intimidate them into refraining from criticizing a person, company or project was filed last month and assigned to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., on Dec. 16 introduced The Citizen Participation Act of 2009, H.R. 4364, the first anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statute to cover federal cases. Such statutes exist in 28 states, but Texas is not one of them.
H.R. 4364 would provide a qualified immunity for First Amendment-protected activities and would allow for quicker dismissal of meritless cases. It also would award attorneys’ fees and costs if a defendant obtained a dismissal by showing that lawsuit arose from a protected activity and the plaintiff could not show his or her case had “minimum merit.”
Big dailies team up for election polling
San Antonio Express-News
Texas’ top five newspapers announced today an unprecedented partnership on campaign polling for the 2010 elections.
Joining forces for the first time on a project of this scope, the Austin American-Statesman, The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News will produce a series of joint polls, kicking off before the March primaries, which will include races for governor and other statewide offices.
The group has commissioned Blum and Weprin Associates in New York, a veteran survey firm specializing in political polling, to conduct the polls on candidate match-ups, public policy and other political issues. Blum and Weprin Associates have extensive experience working in Texas and across the country.
The newspapers’ editors said the surveys will be designed to canvass likely voters, using standard methodology, telephone interviews and a sample size that will result in the most accurate results available before Election Day.
ABC announces service for smaller newspapers
The Audit Bureau of Circulations, based in Shaumberg, Ill., in late December announced the offering of a new audit plan designed for community newspapers.
Approved by its board of directors in November, ABC’s new Community Newspaper Audit service offers lower audit costs and simplifies audit requirements for community newspapers.
ABC is making the service available to all U.S. newspapers with paid circulation under 25,000, beginning Jan. 1.
To date we have had over 240 community newspapers sign up for this new ABC audit service, said Jenn Havens, marketing manager for ABC.
Features of the service include:
• All-inclusive fees that begin at a flat annual rate of $2,000 per year
• Streamlined, off-site audits that occur every other year and require less publisher preparation and involvement
• Simplified rules and reporting requirements
• Inclusion in FAS-FAX and ABC’s searchable online database
• Flexible billing options
ABC offers a brochure containing details about the service and a Web page with more information:
http://www.accessabc.com/services/cna.htm
To pose questions or to learn more about ABC’s new Community Newspaper Audit service, call Jenn Havens at (847) 879-8388 or e-mail to:
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