With the tour finished, I’ve been able to think about the lessons learned:

1. Law enforcement has gone too far
In town after town one theme emerged consistently – police agencies have steadily become more and more secretive over the past 20 years (see blog post on Day 10). We have the equivalent of secret police in towns throughout the nation – where nothing is available until it hits the courts, or unless a PIO wants to divulge information. Even jail logs are kept secret and scanner frequencies encrypted. This is serious. We need transparent law enforcement to make sure police do not abuse their powers through beating up suspects, locking up political foes, and targeting particular classes of people. It’s time to push back, folks. Regain the ground lost. Fight for an open criminal justice system.

2. Citizens are fired up and starting to do something about it
I had many citizens show up to sessions to learn how to get information about their local governments because they want to be informed. This is a good sign. More people need to understand how to get information and how to hold officials accountable.

3. Journalism is NOT dead
Yes, I saw a lot of newsrooms with empty desks, and in many places the reporters looked beaten down, demoralized and frazzled. A few newspapers were woefully understaffed. Some reporters huddled like abused dogs. Really quite sad. But in many newsrooms I met enthusiastic reporters and editors who are doing outstanding work. The St. Cloud Times, for example, is a 27,000-circulation newspaper but acts like a metro. Outstanding work being done by skilled journalists, including a “watchdog reporter.” The Valencia County News-Bulletin and El Defensor Chieftain in New Mexico are doing great work for twice-a-week papers.

4. Lack of records requests
The main problem is not that agencies are denying valid requests and becoming secretive (although that is a problem). The main problem is people aren’t asking for records. I encountered many journalists who didn’t know how to request records, or that they could even do so (many hadn’t even heard of SPJ, their main journalism association). This is unacceptable. We need to reach journalists throughout the nation, particularly those at weeklies and small dailies (under 20,000 circulation – journalists at metros aren’t that bad off). This is a big task, as they probably comprise three-quarters of journalists and rarely make it to conferences. We have to go out to them.

5. We need a full-time national access training coordinator
We need a full-time access trainer or group in this nation to coordinate the training of journalists and citizens. I don’t care where it is housed (SPJ, NFOIC, ASNE, RCFP, wherever), or who does it (not me – I have a great job that I love), but it is desperately needed. A full-time national FOI training coordinator could accomplish a lot, charged with the following:

• Coordinate regional trainers who each travel their regions a week a year, visiting newsrooms, coalitions for open government, SPJ chapters and other organizations.
• Produce online training modules in accessing records that anyone can use – easily digestible and practical.
• Coordinate national Sunshine Week. Perhaps that role, now shoehorned into existing staff at the American Society of News Editors, could be made into a full-time sunshine training coordinator.
• Produce booklets and materials for citizens, K-12 schools and college classrooms.

Currently a lot of this is being done here and there by state open government coalitions, SPJ, etc., but having one centralized national access training program that reaches out to everyone – included citizens – could be effective in fostering access and increasing pressure on open government. I could see some collaborations with training of public officials, as well, perhaps with the Office of Government Information Services.

6. Traveling the country can be done effectively
I was amazed that the tour went without a hitch. No parking tickets, speeding tickets, flat tires, missed appointments, etc., and all under budget (by $177 for a $12,250 budget). For the last few weeks I fought off a cold, and in two of the 55 sessions my laptop crashed, causing a few minutes’ delay, but other than that it went very well. Here are some thoughts regarding national travel:

• GPS systems are the best innovation of this century. Well worth the $165. I never once used the printed out maps I brought along.
• Sundays are the best day to drive – no rush hour and fewer semi trucks on the road.
• Consistently awful budget hotels: Super 8, Days Inn, Econo-Lodge. Consistently good budget hotels: La Quinta, Best Western, Howard Johnson.
• Interstates are incredibly efficient at moving people and goods.
• Interstates have made this country into one big homogenous blob. If I see another sign for Waffle House or Cracker Barrel I will puke my Big Mac.
• Toll roads are lame.
• There is no explaining gas prices. Why did they go down from when I started, April 27, to when I finished, June 10, despite Memorial Day and the BP mess? I hope some journalist can get to the bottom of that someday.
• People like to make fun of Arizona.
• People (and drivers) are pretty much the same everywhere.
• This is an impressive country. While we have our problems and we need to continue to strive to improve, the terrain, innovation, energy and quality of life make me proud to be an American.

I feel honored to have been provided this opportunity. I thank the Society of Professional Journalists, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, the National Freedom of Information Coalition, and the University of Arizona School of Journalism, for making this happen. I thank my wonderful family for their patience and understanding. I also thank the dedicated coordinators for each event and the 1,009 people who showed up. It was the most rewarding experience in my professional life, and I hope it helped foster freedom of information. This is what it’s all about.

A thousand points of light!

Final tally: 32 states, 14,135 miles, 56 sessions, 1,009 people (see schedule)

El Paso, Texas – Finished. Yet, there is so much to do.

I just got home to Tucson on this last day of the tour and I’m happy to say we were able to reach more than a thousand people on this trip! While the tour is over, I realize we have more work to do to foster access in America.

Earlier today, I had the chance to talk with journalists from the Belen and Socorro newspapers in New Mexico. This was one of the few sessions where the publisher sat in. David Puddu is chief operating officer for Number Nine Media. It was great to have him in the session – he truly gets it.

David Puddu

Tip No. 56: David Puddu, publisher of the Valencia County News-Bulletin, El Defensor Chieftain and Mountain View Telegraph, provided this great tip: Reporters should attend training sessions for sales staff to learn techniques for persuading people to do what you want (e.g., hand over records). “Sales skills are critical in this business to save time and get information through the most effective means possible,” he said. For example, one sales tip is to not take “no” for an answer. “You have to find a way.”

Tip No. 57: David Randall, from KTSM-TV in El Paso, provided this tip that I thought was cool. Request a list of all the teachers and substitute teachers in a school district. Then run the names through Facebook and My Space to see their pages. Some have pictures of themselves with bongs or in other situations that would be unbecoming of a teacher. Also run the substitutes through court records. You might find some interesting things! Of course, triple-check to make sure you have the right person matched with the correct inappropriate photo and criminal record.

After the Belen session I did a session for the Rio Grande SPJ chapter in El Paso. It was the last session of the tour, and following that I drove the five hours home to Tucson. Nice! Soon I’ll provide a tour recap here at the blog, outlining some of the things we learned from this national road show – trends and issues I saw throughout the country, along with recommendations for a call to action.

Journalists from New Mexico and Texas with me hoisting a diet soda in celebration of the final session Thursday night.

So far: 32 states, 13,631 miles, 54 sessions, 985 people (see schedule)

Albuquerque, N.M. – We have strength in numbers.

In New Mexico today, I learned that journalists have been working to get records from the state on exactly who they have laid off to trim the budget.

Gov. Bill Richardson has said they laid off 59 employees to save money, yet the state has been reluctant to provide the names and salaries of those people. They’ve delayed for more than six months. Did they really lay people off or did they make it up?

Journalists and the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government have been pushing for the records to be public (see story). This is really sad that Gov. Richardson would be so secretive and hostile toward open, accountable government. Shameful, really. I remember attending the National Freedom of Information Coalition conference in Santa Fe in 2005 where Richardson spoke to us, espousing the importance of transparency. He said it’s important for people to find out “what our leaders are doing – the good, the bad and the ugly.” Talk is cheap.

I was impressed, however, with the 27 journalists and interested citizens who showed up for the tour session tonight in Albuquerque. Many of them have been pushing for those records. Watchdog journalism is alive and well in New Mexico. Thanks to Betsy Model, president of the Rio Grande SPJ pro chapter, and chapter vice president David Brown, for coordinating the event.

Tip No. 55: Band together with other media to get important records from state government. A lot of journalists are reluctant to team with the competition, but it can be very effective, just like it has been in New Mexico. The focus is on serving citizens and fighting on their behalf. We have strength in numbers.

Thursday: I’ll talk to journalists who work in Belen and Soccoro, south of Albuquerque, then drive to El Paso for a session with journalists part of the Rio Grande SPJ chapter (covers a big area). Then, after the El Paso session, I’ll drive the five hours home to Tucson and be finished with the tour!

I’ve started e-mailing attendees of the access sessions from the tour to see if they’ve used any of the tips, and I’m seeing that the world is getting a little better, story by story. Here’s an example of an e-mail from a reporter from the Bakersfield Californian (Day 3 of the tour):

Hi David,
Just wanted to share an experience I had with a records request. Some college officials were giving me crap about accessing a claim filed against the college. They said the claim wasn’t an open record. Using some of the info from the seminar, I explained why it was. They still wouldn’t budge. So what did I do? I sent an open records request – the angry one I knew would get quick results. A week later, I had the claim in my hands. Cheers!
- Jorge Barrientos

Good job, Jorge. I’m glad the information was helpful, particularly the sample request letters – such as the legalistic threatening one. Sometimes we have to remind our public officials of the law and their obligations to follow it. Be the Donald! Keep it up!

So far: 31 states, 13,081 miles, 53 sessions, 958 people (see schedule)

Oklahoma City, Okla. — Deb Gruver empowers Wichita citizens to use public records.

Deb Gruver

For the past four years, Gruver has written a weekly column for The Wichita Eagle called “You Oughta Know,” providing more than 200 public records useful to people’s lives. The column started with the 2006 national Sunshine Week and has included descriptions of such records as air quality, finding people with arrest warrants, and crime statistics. Each column is only four or five paragraphs and includes what the record is, where it can be found, and whether there is any cost. Brief, to the point, and helpful.

This is great stuff! I’ve found in my survey research that records that people highly support access to records that have practical value, particularly those involving public safety. This sort of educational column fosters support for FOI and empowers people. Outstanding.

Tip No. 54: Educate citizens on their rights to public records, focusing on documents that have practical application in life. In my handouts I provide lists of records that can help people background babysitters or dates, buy a house, or avoid being ripped off. A couple of thoughts for doing this: 1. Write a weekly column or fixture that highlights a useful record; 2. Provide a box with every story that is based on a public record, explaining where the record came from (with address) and how people can find it themselves; 3. Create a package for national Sunshine Week each March explaining the process for getting public records and people’s right to information; 4. Provide pamphlets, Web sites, and community education sessions about “journalism for citizens” – tips for gathering information to benefit your life. Public support for FOI will pressure government to keep records open.

I had great sessions in Wichita and Oklahoma City today.  A lot of outstanding journalists showed up. Thanks to Molly McMillin, Kansas SPJ pro chapter president, for coordinating the Wichita event. Also, I was floored by The Oklahoman’s building and grounds. Incredible! They have state-of-the-art broadcast studies (even makeup rooms and a “green room” for guests), advanced multimedia stations, not to mention the most elaborate lobby, conference training area, fitness room (with bike checkout and paths around their own lake), and other amenities. Wow. Thanks to Joe Hight at the paper for showing me around, and Carol Cole-Frowe, the SPJ chapter president in Oklahoma City, for organizing the event (she’s also a member of the SPJ FOI Committee). It was also good to see Joey Senat, a stellar FOI scholar from Oklahoma State University and author of the FOI Oklahoma blog.

Wednesday: I drive to Albuquerque for a session there Wednesday night with the SPJ Rio Grande chapter (cool chapter because they post short bios of new members who join – neat!). I’ll be headed out of tornado territory and back to the drier West. I’ll make sure I have my papers ready to show police when I cross back into Arizona on Thursday.

So far: 29 states, 12,911 miles, 51 sessions, 902 people (see schedule)

Colorado Springs, Colo. — Every journalist ought to be getting government data. It’s just not that difficult.

Sam Benesby

When I spoke today at the Colorado Springs Gazette, several people expressed interest in getting data. For example, Sam Benesby, a new reporter for the African-American Voice in Colorado Springs, said he would like to examine mortgage data to see if blacks are denied loans more often than comparable whites. No problem.

Bill Dedman won the Pulitzer in 1989 for examining this kind of discrimination, called redlining, in his piece called “The Color of Money.” Since then a bunch of journalists have identified this problem in their communities. Simply get Home Mortgage Disclosure Data (the easiest way is to buy it from Investigative Reporters and Editors), then analyze it for your community. It’s nice if you can control for income and a few other factors.

Tip No. 53: To teach yourself computer-assisted reporting, get yourself a copy of Brant Houston’s textbook on the matter, “Computer-Assisted Reporting: A Practical Guide.” You can work through the chapters fairly quickly and have it down in a few weeks. It’s not that hard. Start small with easy databases, like your local pet licenses (find the most popular dog name and breed; or people who own the most pets). Check out the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting for other resources.

John Ensslin

Tuesday: I’ll do a session at noon for the Wichita journalists, and then drive to Oklahoma City for a session there Tuesday night. Driving from Colorado to Wichita was fascinating today – watching the elevation drop from 6,300 to 1,400. My ears are still popping. And watch out at dusk for those deer. I’ve evaded three or four this trip, but tonight coming into Wichita one jumped out in front of me on the interstate. Fortunately, I slowed down and missed it but the pickup next to me wasn’t so lucky. The guy had to stop and check out the damage to his front grill. The other thing I noticed today driving most of the backroads through small towns is that a lot of rural America is really hurting. Most of the downtown buildings were boarded up in tiny towns. Pretty sad. But thanks to John Ensslin for coordinating the event today in Colorado Springs. He’s SPJ’s Region 9 Director and a reporter for the Gazette. It’s really a beautiful place – nestled against the mountains and laid back.

So far: 29 states, 12,294 miles, 50 sessions, 884 people (see schedule)

Colorado Springs, Colo. — Today I compiled all 52 tips into one spot that I’ve been posting daily on this blog so far. I figured it might be helpful if they are in one place. See the main “Tips in one file” link at the Access Across America page, at right.

Tip No. 52: Check out Web sites that provide useful tips for accessing records. Here are some other places where you can find more tips about accessing public records:

• FOI FYI blog. This SPJ blog provides access news and tips for accessing records. I usually post to it, along with Donald Myers from the SPJ FOI Committee. This summer, SPJ intern April Dudash has been posting (and doing a great job!). When I post I tend to focus on access tips (see the category link for “FOI Strategies and Tips,” on the right side of the page.
• The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records. This is the blog that Charles Davis and I post to in relation to our recent book by the same title. I haven’t posted lately because of this tour, but I’ll resume when I get back to Tucson!
• The FOI Advocate. This blog by the National Freedom of Information Coalition provides news about FOI as well as document ideas and some tips for strategies.
• The National Security Archive provides tips on submitting FOIA requests. You’ll find very good information about the U.S. FOIA process.
• Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press provides a section on its website for accessing records, including some tips from a frequent requester, and tips for requesting federal records and appealing.
• WikiFOIA provides tips and strategies for making requests.
• BRB Publications is a company that publishes a lot of books about where to find public records, often used by private investigators and other commercial users. Check out their website for tips on access and sources of information.

Monday: I’ll meet with journalists from the Colorado Springs Gazette, then drive to Wichita in preparation for a session there Tuesday, along with one in Oklahoma City.

So far: 28 states, 12,114 miles, 50 sessions, 884 people (see schedule)

Laramie, Wyo. — Today I spoke with a group of journalists who work in Wyoming newspapers owned by the McCraken family, including the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in Cheyenne.

Public record laws are only good when they have teeth - and when those teeth are used occasionally. Release the Kracken!

Wyoming Tribune Eagle Managing Editor Brian K. Martin, who coordinated the event, said his company has gone to court on several fronts for records recently, including a fight for public employee salaries. When officials balk, the publisher, Mike McCraken, is ready to defend the public’s right to know (fyi, I guess his name is pronounced Mc-CRAKE-en, not Mc-CRACK-en, but I still like that line from the latest Clash of the Titans movie, especially with Irishman Liam Neeson saying it – “Release the McCraken!”). Media owners must sue on behalf of the public. It is their professional, ethical and moral obligation as members of the press. If we expect special rights by the First Amendment, then we must fulfill certain obligations expected of those rights (e.g., protect democracy). Our industry is about more than just profits. As far as I’m concerned, any publisher that considers newspapers and television news equivalent to producing widgets, and nothing more, should be run out of town, or at least run out of business. Kudos to publishers like Mike McCraken who take their responsibility seriously.

More news agencies need to go to court for records, but they often say they can’t afford it. I’ve heard that a few times this tour. A survey last year by the National Freedom of Information Coalition showed that more than 80 percent of state access coalitions say litigation is dropping (see study summary). This is a big problem. No “FOI police” exist to cite agencies for breaking public records laws. We have to sue (or use other means, both legal and ethical).

Tip No. 51: If your organization can’t afford to sue, check out the new litigation fund coordinated by the National Freedom of Information Coalition, provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Knight FOI Fund will pay for up-front costs, such as court fees, depositions and initial consultation fees, if attorneys are willing to take cases that otherwise would go unfiled.

Rugged hills at 8,300 feet between Laramie and Cheyenne.

Sunday: I’ll drive to Colorado Springs in preparation for a session Monday morning with the newspaper. It’s been great coming back out West. I went yesterday from St. Louis, elevation 465 feet, to Laramie, Wyo., elevation 7,300 feet, today. I see mountains and wide-open spaces – starting to feel like home again. The tour finishes Thursday. While I’ll be really happy to get home to the family, I’m going to miss seeing the country and and meeting all these good journalists!

So far: 28 states, 11,804 miles, 49 sessions, 861 people (see schedule)

Springfield, Mo. — Often journalists tell me they are frustrated because they get the impression that citizens don’t care about access or government.

I found out today that what we do CAN get citizens interested in their communities and access. Just ask Mari Taylor, publisher of the online community forum, the Joplin Independent. Mari said she felt some citizens in Neosho, a nearby town, were apathetic and didn’t care about their government. But that changed after a chicken story.

Mari Taylor

Her Web site exposed a local chicken plant disposing of sickly or old chickens by sending them down a conveyor belt into a Dumpster, alive. A citizen got a picture of the conveyor belt, which was visible from the road. The story got a lot of attention and people came out of the woodwork. Now, folks are involved in their community and care about open government. Exposing problems in a community can empower people.

Tip No. 50: Citizens get riled up when government ignores the plight of animals. People will become involved in their government and interested in accessing records. Examine the treatment of animals by your local animal control agency. Start easy by asking for pet license data. Do a feature, noting the most popular name and breed. Then examine which zip code has the least licenses per capita, and find out why (usually poor areas). Then examine businesses and agencies and how they treat animals. Check out non-profit shelters in your community – are they up to snuff? Write about what people care about – and explain how they can get involved and where they can get records. It’s crucial that average people be empowered to access their government, too!

I chatted with Mari at a session in Springfield, Mo., today. A great crowd of journalists from weeklies and small dailies, some journalism professors, and online. I’m seeing quite a few citizen journalists show up. I think there is a growing wave of activists turning to the Web to get their messages out, like Mari. She’s been providing her community a forum for nine years – and she doesn’t make a dime. Now that’s civic engagement.

Saturday: I drove today to North Platte, Neb., and on Saturday will drive the rest of the way to Laramie, Wyo., for an all-day session with journalists (in addition to the access talk I’ll give a session on delivering good writing on deadline). Now I’m back in the flat farmland. I love the smell of pasture and young corn plants!

So far: 28 states, 11,064 miles, 48 sessions, 847 people (see schedule)

St. Louis, Mo. – The best way to integrate document reporting into your day-to-day life is to exercise your records muscles daily.

Tip No. 48 – Circle of Light: This is a tip from Duff Wilson of The New York Times. When backgrounding someone, such as a candidate for political office, get out a piece of paper and write the person’s name in the middle. Then think of all the roles the person has in life – pet owner, property owner, spouse, boat owner, etc., and write each role around the name in a circle. Then jot down all the records around those roles that pertain to those roles. When you’re done you have a solar system of records to check out – a road map for your document search. Do this enough and you’ll be able to rattle off records on deadline.

Tip No. 49 – Freemind and Clusty: If you don’t like to manually write out stuff on paper, look for software to help you find connections. A participant in the St. Louis session mentioned the free software online called “Freemind” that you can use to do this on the computer. I checked it out and it looks interesting. Some people have suggested using social network software, although that can be a little clunky for casual use. Also, another participant suggested “Clusty,” which clusters Google hits by topic on a particular search (person you put in) by area so you can separate one John Smith from another John Smith. So if you put in “John Smith” in your Clusty search it will put together all the links for a particular one that shows up a lot. That way you don’t have to wade through pages and pages of Google pages sorting through all of them mixed up. Do you have other suggestions for documents-related software? E-mail me or post them here!

Friday: I drive to Springfield, Mo., for a session with the SPJ chapter, then onto North Platte, Neb., where I’ll stay the night. Doing a session in Laramie, Wyo., on Saturday. It was great Thursday – I met with staffers from the Effingham, Il., newspaper and then the St. Louis pro chapter.

So far: 26 states, 10,724 miles, 46 sessions, 817 people (see schedule)

Indianapolis, Ind. — The heart of the Society of Professional Journalists beats right here in Indianapolis – national headquarters.

Some of the SPJ national headquarters staff, from left, membership coordinator Linda Hall, intern April Dudash, and Associate Executive Director Chris Vachon.

Today I spoke to members of the Indianapolis SPJ pro chapter, coordinated by Amy Wimmer Schwarb, and then chatted with the staff members who run this organization of more than 8,000 members – the nation’s largest journalism group. Chris Vachon, associate executive director, deserves a lot of credit for this tour since it was she who re-worked the grant application that the SDX Foundation approved. Also, Heather Porter is coordinating the expenses and got the handouts together, and Scott Leadingham and Karen Grabowski have promoted the tour. Pulliam/Kilgore intern April Dudash from the University of Florida is hard at work on the annual FOI issue, due out this fall, and she’s updating the FOI FYI blog since I’m focusing on this tour for now. Webmaster Billy O’Keefe put together the special website and tour maps. I also thank Executive Director Joe Skeel for his support and providing some great pizza tonight. It’s truly a team effort.

Terry Harper

Today was also a special day to visit Indianapolis, as it marks the one year anniversary of the death of Terry Harper, the former SPJ executive director who led the organization while battling brain cancer for several years. The staff gathered with his widow, Lee Ann, and toasted a great man.

Tip No. 47: Join SPJ online right now to enhance your FOI powers! Here are some practical benefits, from an access perspective, of joining SPJ: Network with folks who care about FOI — Check out the FOI Committee members and feel free to e-mail them and develop contacts. Get special deals on cheaper contest entry fees for those great document-based stories. Get a break on conference registration fees, like the national convention Oct. 3-5 in Las Vegas (including a three-hour special training session I’ll teach on acquiring government data and putting it online for readers to search, not to mention other sessions on access to school records, among other topics). Access to special members-only training opportunities. Subscription to Quill magazine, which includes the “FOI Toolbox” column with practical tips for accessing records. Discounted services and deals so you can spend more money on document photocopies. The satisfaction that your membership dues will go toward SPJ’s efforts to keep government open, including letters opposing secrecy-oriented legislation (see yesterday’s post), talking with members of Congress to explain the importance of transparency, and joining or initiating court battles for records. Those reasons alone are enough to join, but don’t join for the practical reasons. Join because of our ideals. We don’t do this for the money. We do it because it makes the world better. It’s the right thing to do. Joining SPJ makes the world better. It’s the right thing to do.

Thursday: I’ll drive from Indianapolis to Effingham, Ill., to do a session for journalists there, then continue on for a session at 6:30 p.m. for the St. Louis, Mo., professional chapter.

So far: 24 states, 10,365 miles, 45 sessions, 804 people (see schedule)

Cleveland, Ohio — If lawmakers want to shut down records in your state, educate them on why it’s important to the public to leave them open.

Clifford Anthony

Earlier this year Ohio legislators (and those in other states) considered shutting down 911 tapes (see FOI FYI blog entry). In the odd case in Ohio, the legislation would have allowed for a $10,000 fine against anyone broadcasting 911 calls (the tapes would still be public – it’s just that nobody could broadcast them). Clifford Anthony, a former journalist and current assistant professor at Lorain County Community College (and president of the Cleveland SPJ pro chapter), rallied the troops. He got SPJ to put together a letter, signed by national President Kevin Smith and the presidents from the three pro chapters (Clifford, Kevin Kemper from the Central Ohio chapter and James Pilcher from Cincinnati). Newspapers wrote convincing editorials. The legislation died. When I talked to Clifford tonight after the Cleveland session, he said he thinks it was the power of that letter and the editorials that led to the change of heart.

Tip No. 46: Contact SPJ to see if they can write a letter opposing secrecy. It’s helpful if local journalists lead the charge because they are known by the lawmakers and know the nuances better. Summarize the issue for SPJ national. You can even write a draft letter if you want. Then the FOI Committee chair and president can put in some quotes, sign it and get it back. Get all the SPJ chapters in the state to sign off on the letter. Then get it to all the media. Encourage folks to write editorials. This kind of pressure can do wonders.

Wednesday: I drive to Indianapolis to do a session at the Mothership (SPJ national headquarters). Had great sessions today for SPJ chapters in Cincinnati and Cleveland. Here were a few comments from attendees in Cleveland:

This one presentation was more helpful and informative than four years of college lectures.

Please continue to provide these types of programs. They are invaluable to us small-town journalists on the front lines.

So far: 24 states, 10,095 miles, 43 sessions, 770 people (see schedule)

Cincinnati, Ohio — Today as I reached the tour’s crossroads (the middle of the figure-8 for the tour route – I drove past here May 14 on the way from Detroit to Louisville), I realized that we too, in journalism, are at a crossroads.

Hagit Limor

That was hit home at dinner tonight with Hagit Limor, SPJ national president-elect and investigative reporter for WCPO-TV, and James Pilcher, president of the Cincinnati SPJ pro chapter. Hagit said this is a crucial time for journalists – and it’s important to get the message out that our survival is essential to protecting democracy.

She is so right.

Thanks to TV shows and movies, the average person perceives journalists as out to sell papers and uncover dirt for some perverse sadistic jollies. Most people don’t realize that we go into this biz to make the world better, that we put up with low pay, bad hours, unappreciative sources/readers/bosses, and high stress because we believe in what we do. We protect democracy.

In a way, journalists are true freedom fighters. And many of us pay the ultimate sacrifice, like soldiers. On this day, Memorial Day, I say we honor fallen journalists as well as fallen soldiers. Here are some stats, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists:

• 15 journalists have been killed so far this year in the world.
• 813 killed since 1992.
• 35 are imprisoned in Iran.

The remains from the bombed out car that killed reporter Don Bolles in 1976.

Tip No. 45: Check out the atrocities toward the press at the CPJ website and remember what we are fighting for – keeping our country from going down the same path as those countries. Most journalist deaths aren’t in the U.S. They are in Iraq, Mexico, Africa, Pakistan, etc. Deaths do happen here, and when they do we often rally. Don Bolles’ death in Phoenix on June 13, 1976, led to the formation of Investigative Reporters and Editors. Oakland (Calif.) Post editor Chauncey Bailey’s death in 2007 led to an incredible investigative project online (great document work). When you argue for open police records, in addition to arguing on behalf of citizens who want to know what crimes are happening in their neighborhoods, argue that transparent law enforcement is necessary to prevent abuses of excessive force, brutality, and intimidation of political foes. THAT is why we need openness and a strong press. Without that we head down the same path as those other countries where press rights are trampled and citizen liberties squashed.

Don Bolles

So yes, journalism is at a crossroads as far as economic models, but one thing we cannot let go in all this is the importance of a strong Fourth Estate to hold those in power accountable and keep government open. That is what the founding fathers intended, for democracy to work. Hagit and others at SPJ know this to be true, and want to promote the cause. If we do not, who will? Hold the line on transparency!

Tuesday: I’ll talk to the Cincinnati SPJ pro chapter at noon and then the Cleveland pro chapter at 7 p.m. About 10 days left of the tour. Still going strong!