Brechner News

Posted: March 16, 2002

A five-month series of articles and editorials chronicling the battle between a juvenile court judge and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette received the 2001 Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Award. The announcement was made by Dr. Sandra F. Chance, PR 1977, MA 1985, director of the Brechner Center in the College, on March 16-Freedom of Information Day. “The award recognizes the paper’s successful efforts to prevent a judge from issuing a prior restraint–a judicial decision threatening one of the basic constitutional tenants of a free press,” Chance said. The newspaper printed the name of a 12-year-old boy who, while walking to…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Brechner Awards

Posted: October 25, 2000

A revealing freedom of information series written by seven New Jersey newspapers won this year’s Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information award, according to Sandra Chance, director of the Brechner Center. The series, titled “Public Access Denied,” detailed the abysmal compliance rate with the state’s public record law. The series will be recognized at the 15th Annual Brechner Center for Freedom of Information award celebration Nov. 20. Two reporters, Jason Method and Frank Kummer, will accept the $3,000 award for the Gannett New Jersey papers. The New Jersey investigation, one of the largest tests of public records compliance…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Awards

Posted: November 15, 1999

A ground-breaking freedom of information series written by seven Indiana newspapers won this year’s Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information award, according to Sandra Chance, director of the Brechner Center. The five-part series, titled “The State of Secrecy: Indiana flunks the test on access,” detailed the abysmal compliance rate with the state’s public record law. The series was recognized at the 14th Annual Brechner Center for Freedom of Information award celebration Nov. 15. Kyle Niederpruem, a reporter for one of the papers and the president of the Society of Professional Journalists, accepted the award. The papers designated the…

Category: Uncategorized
Tagged as: Brechner Awards, FOIndiana

Posted: November 9, 1998

The New Jersey Asbury Park Press won this year’s Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information award for its series describing the problem with New Jersey’s public records law, titled “The Right to Know Nothing.” Asbury Park Press reporter Paul D’Ambrosio wrote the award-winning series and received the $3,000 prize at the Brechner Freedom of Information awards ceremony Nov. 9. The series focused on New Jersey’s public access laws and why the New Jersey legislature consistently refused to allow the public access. The series detailed how public access varied from town to town and how ordinary citizens have difficulty…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Asbury Park Press, Brechner Awards

Posted: September 17, 1997

The Sun-Sentinel won this year’s Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award for its series, “Quick Cash with Few Questions.” The series focused on Fort Lauderdale pawnshops that operate as fronts for criminals to convert stolen goods to quick cash. The articles shed light on Florida’s new pawnbroking act and the little known provision that exempted pawn slips from Florida’s public records law. The new law required crime victims to sue pawnbrokers to recover their property and name the person who pawned their property. The public records exemption made it impossible for crime victims to discover that name.…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Awards, Sun-Sentinel

Posted: December 3, 1996

The Times-Picayune newspaper won this year’s Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award for its series uncovering Louisiana politicians’ abuse of legislative scholarships to Tulane University, according to Sandra F. Chance assistant director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information. The prestigious national award recognizes excellence in reporting about freedom of information and First Amendment issues. Peter Kovacs, metro editor, received the $3000 cash award on behalf of The Times-Picayune staff. The award-winning series uncovered widespread abuse of the scholarship privilege. While some public officials complied with the newspaper’s public records requests, others refused to release the…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Awards, Times-Picayune