NEFAI 2017 Schedule
Journalists from a variety of media and all six New England states will gather Oct. 29-31 at Northeastern University’s Curry Student Center in Boston to learn the latest investigative and database reporting techniques and public records access skills. The fellows chosen for this seventh annual New England First Amendment Institute reflect today’s diverse news media and come from daily and weekly newspapers, television and radio stations and online publications. Learn more about NEFAI 2017.
DAY ONE — The Value of Transparency
October 29
2:00 Registration [McLeod Suites]
2:45 – 4:00 Keynote Address [McLeod Suites]
David Barboza | The New York Times
Introduction: Thomas Fiedler | NEFAC president, dean of the Boston University College of Communication
4:00 – 4:15 Break
4:15 – 6:00 Panel: Tales from the Trenches [McLeod Suites]
Panelists will share their practical experience in investigative work through painstaking interviewing and use of freedom of information laws to unearth corruption and bring truth to light.
Mike Beaudet | WCVB-Boston, Northeastern University
Eric Eyre | Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette-Mail
Kristen Lombardi | Center for Public Integrity
Moderator: Thomas Fiedler | NEFAC president, dean of the Boston University College of Communication
7:30 Dinner [Off-Site – Capo Restaurant]
Dinner will be served at Capo Restaurant, 443 W. Broadway in South Boston. A shuttle will be provided from the institute hotel to the restaurant at 7 p.m. and from the restaurant back to the hotel at 9:30 p.m.
DAY TWO — How Do We Harness FOI Laws and Public Data to Further Investigations
October 30
8:15 – 8:30 Announcements [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
8:30 – 9:30 Common Pitfalls in Accessing Documents Through FOI Requests and How to Respond [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
Josh Gerstein | Politico
Jenifer McKim | New England Center for Investigative Reporting
Jonathan Van Fleet | Concord Monitor
Moderator: Thomas Fiedler | NEFAC president, dean of the Boston University College of Communication
9:30 – 9:45 Break
9:45 – 10:45 Tips for Staying Out of Legal Trouble: Common Issues in Defamation and Invasion of Privacy [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
Robert A. Bertsche | Prince Lobel Tye, LLP
Gregory V. Sullivan | Malloy & Sullivan
10:45 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 1:15 Break-Out Sessions A
The specifics of each state’s public records and open meeting laws will be discussed and hands-on cases will be reviewed in break-out sessions with knowledgeable attorneys and journalists from each state.
Connecticut [Room 340]
Mary Schwind | Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission
James H. Smith | New England First Amendment Coalition
Maine [McLeod Suites]
Dieter Bradbury | Portland Press Herald
Sigmund Schutz | PretiFlaherty
Massachusetts [McLeod Suites]
Peter J. Caruso, Sr. | Caruso and Caruso, LLP
Todd Wallack | The Boston Globe
New Hampshire [Room 346]
Rick Gagliuso | Gagliuso and Gagliuso, PA
Nancy West | InDepthNH
Rhode Island [McLeod Suites]
Raymond A. Marcaccio | Oliverio & Marcaccio, LLP
Amanda Milkovits | Providence Journal
Vermont [Room 346]
Michael Donoghue | Burlington Free Press (formerly)
Lia Ernst | American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont
12:15 Lunch [Served in Senate Chambers – Room 333]
1:15 – 1:30 Break
1:30 – 2:30 Thinking Through a Story From Hunch to Headline While Using Available Databases [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
Mike Rezendes | The Boston Globe
2:30 – 2:45 Break
2:45 – 3:45 Former Fellows Panel [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
Meghan Foley | Keene Sentinel
Kyle Jones | WMTW-Portland (Me.)
Susan Spencer | Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Moderator: Michael Donoghue | Burlington Free Press (formerly)
4:45 – 8:30 (or later) Dinner and Presentation [Off-Site – Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant]
Dinner will be served at Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant, 425 W. Broadway in South Boston. Shuttles will be provided for those who need transportation from the institute to the restaurant. A shuttle will also be provided from the restaurant to the institute hotel at 8:30 p.m. though you are welcome to stay later.
5:15 – 6:15 Featured Speaker
Brian McGrory | The Boston Globe
6:15 Dinner
DAY THREE — Digging Deeply and Listening Carefully
October 31
8:15 – 8:30 Announcements [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
8:30 – 10:00 Panel: Effective Sourcing [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
When your FOI request languishes your reporting continues. Developing sources, relationships, knowing how to evaluate what you get.
Cindy Galli | ABC News
Wesley Lowery | The Washington Post
Eric Moskowitz | The Boston Globe
Moderator: Michael Donoghue | Burlington Free Press (formerly)
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 12:15 Break-Out Sessions B
Using database technology to analyze publicly available or FOI-request-won data to understand societal, financial, and economic trends is an important tool for the seasoned reporter.
Basic Database Analysis [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
Brooke Williams | Boston University
Shawn Musgrave | New England Center for Investigative Reporting (formerly)
Advanced Database Analysis [Room 346]
Matt Kauffman | Hartford Courant
12:15 – 1:45 Lunch [McLeod Suites]
12:45 Featured Speaker
Kathleen Carroll | Associated Press (formerly)
1:45 – 2:30 Photo/Break [TBD]
2:30 – 3:30 Break-Out Sessions C
The Confrontational Interview & Transition to Audio or Video [Senate Chambers – Room 333]
Eric Rasmussen | Boston 25 News
Writing Workshop and Narrative Flow [Room 346]
Steven Wilmsen | The Boston Globe
3:30 – 3:45 Concluding Remarks [Senate Chambers – Room 333]