From The Kentucky Press Association You probably haven’t given much thought, yet, to Sunshine Week, the time we set aside to show how important open government and Freedom of Information is. But it is coming up — March 13-19.
And it all centers around the First Amendment. So to get you ready for Sunshine Week 2016, here’s a little test of your First Amendment knowledge, found on the SchoolJournalism.org website. Give it a try or test your fellow workers http://www.splc.org/page/first-amendment-quiz
Sunshine Week is a national initiative to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public’s right to know. In 2015, Sunshine Week celebrated 10 years of success in promoting greater government transparency, in both actual practice and in general awareness of its importance. Hosted by the American Society of News Editors and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, http://sunshineweek.org provides participants with myriad resources in the Toolkit section, including the newly created list of open-government questions that journalists can ask federal candidates. Op-eds, editorial cartoons and Sunshine Week logos are also part of the toolkit. The website also features FOI story ideas and Sunshine Week past work, as well as a list of participants and a calendar of events. ASNE launched Sunshine Week in 2005 as a national initiative to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants have included print, broadcast and digital media outlets; government officials at all levels; schools and universities; nonprofit and civic organizations; libraries and archivists; and individuals interested in the public’s right to know. Since 2012, ASNE has partnered with the Reporters Committee to oversee the national coordination of resources and provide support for participants.