Brechner Center for Freedom of Information

The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information was featured in a letter from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) to President Biden on Jan. 19. In the letter, SPJ President Matthew T. Hall asked for the U.S. government to end restrictions on federal office and agency employees that prohibit them…

Sara Ganim, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Hearst Journalism Fellow, is the author of “Too Many Student Apartments Are Overcrowded Fire Hazards Unfit for 21st Century Life,” an opinion column published on pennlive.com on Jan. 9. Ganim, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is the author of the essay “Release Police Disciplinary Records in a Timely Manner” published in the Rochester, New York newspaper Democrat & Chronicle on Dec. 30. LoMonte focuses on New York police…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “The Capitol Police Are Not Subject to Freedom of Information Laws. Jan. 6 Could Change That” published on huffpost.com on Jan. 12. The article focuses on the Capitol Police and…

The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information today released a special edition of The Journal of Civic Information focused on critical issues of information accessibility raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. The papers were submitted as part of a September 2020 competition organized by the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC).…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “COVID Amplifies Appeal Over Speech Rights of Health Care Workers” published on courthousenews.com on Jan. 6. The article focuses on the plight of health care workers who have been terminated…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “Florida Wants $17,000 to Release Documents About COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout” published on vice.com on Jan. 5. The article focuses on the Florida Department of Health’s large monetary request to turn…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “Miami Officials Repeatedly Ignore Residents at Virtual Meetings” published in the Miami New Times on Nov. 30. The article addresses public comment periods that consist of playing back voice mail…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “Proposed Limits on e-Communication for Florida Prisoners Raise Censorship Fears” published in the Orlando Sentinel on Nov. 20. The article addresses proposed restrictions on inmates’ use of email to share…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “The Public Has a Right to Weigh in at Government Meetings. Does Playing Voicemails All Night Cut It?” published on South Florida public radio station WLRN-FM’s website. The story focuses…

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, has developed the online course “Open Records Success: Strategies for Writing Requests and Overcoming Denials” for poynter.com. LoMonte and Barbara Allen, Poynter director of college programming, created a video lecture tutorial offering strategies…

A 2012 Pulitzer Prize-winning story by Sara Ganim, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Hearst Journalism fellow, and her former colleagues at the Central Pennsylvania newspaper Patriot-News, was nominated for the “Top Ten Works of Journalism of the Decade” awards presented by…