Freedom of the press:
Every March, Sunshine Week is celebrated amongst my peers in the field of journalism as a time for promoting open government and freedom of information. While this year’s Sunshine Week, which was from March 16-22, just wrapped up, I think it’s never too late to highlight the benefits we have as engaged citizens to know and understand what’s happening in our local (and national) government.
Before working in my first staff writer job at The Alpena News, I had never attended a local school board meeting, let alone a township, city, or village council meeting. It’s hard to make time for meetings, especially when it’s not a priority or part of your job. Like many newsrooms across the country, reporters are assigned to several beats, and are also responsible for covering various features and breaking news stories as they come in. As much as I love the light-hearted, feel-good features, I knew eventually I would have to report on government topics and issues. A meeting of local government or school board officials didn’t come across as the most exciting assignment, but it was one that I quickly came to appreciate as a member of the press.
