Need the goods tucked in some government document? Or wonder if there is something in someone’s file cabinet or computer archive that will explain what’s going on? Busy reporters have little time to draft and produce freedom of information requests which can pry out that information. Sometimes it seems too much work.
But FOI requests are many times the key that unlocks great enterprise stories. So here’s a quick tip. The Student Press Law Center has a handy letter-generator for every state. You just fill in the blanks and print your letter.
Okay, you say, what about federal records? Click your way over to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and use its letter generator.
Both are great time savers. What if you did one a week? It’s a start at several potential stories.
And it’s just about Sunshine Week, the annual observance of open government, so what better reminder do we need?