Making use of the U.S. Freedom of Information Act Making use of the U.S. Freedom of Information Act
The Approach Planning, requesting and negotiating Overcoming common denials Tracking your newsrooms FOI requests
Documents and Databases Documents and Databases Health Environment Weapons Reports Investigations Contracts
FOIA limitations FOIA limitations Security and privacy exemptions Does not apply to Congress Does not apply to courts
Web sites and help Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press – and Includes FOI letter generator Investigative Reporters and Editors – and Organizes resources and stories based on open records Missouri School of Journalism FOI Center – Offers excellent, easy-to-find links
Web sites and help Society for Professional Journalists Open Doors FOI resource – Use its “A-Z” guide to find subject information quickly Society of Environmental Journalists – Find out what’s worked and hasn’t in its “Tip Sheet” and “FOI War Stories” pages
Who has the record? Who do they share it with? Has it been released before? The law and possible exemptions? What information is needed for the story? How much time do you have? Planning, Negotiating
Tracking FOIs Keeping a log of requests Document or database requested? Date and Time? How requested – Fax, , Snail mail? Who was contacted? Who contacted? Response? Careful follow-up
Overcoming denials Check the Web or just ask Asking for a single record Going to a different agency Going up a management level Getting details on expenses Narrowing the request Planning for redaction Knowing the law, planning the appeal Get help from U.S. colleague Court as a last resort
Guiding reporters Create an FOI-oriented newsroom An FOI every day An FOI on every story Filing FOIs early and often Write about denials when appropriate
More IRE resources IRE Resource Center: Contest forms with FOI questions More than 2,000 tip sheets from IRE and NICAR conferences Searchable database of more than 20,000 stories, both print and broadcast