Journalists from a variety of media and all six New England states will gather Oct. 20-22 at Northeastern University in Boston to learn the latest investigative and database reporting techniques and public records access skills. The fellows chosen for this 14th annual Gloria L. Negri 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 the 2024 Negri First Amendment Institute.
LOCAL FOI WORKSHOPS
Local FOI workshops will be scheduled prior to meeting at Northeastern University on Oct. 20. These workshops will address each state’s respective public records and open meeting laws. Fellows are expected to attend and discuss specific access challenges they are experiencing.
CONNECTICUT
Oct. 18 | 2 p.m.
ACLU of Connecticut
765 Asylum Avenue, Hartford
Dan Barrett | ACLU of Connecticut
Mike Savino | NBC Connecticut
Required Viewing: (1) Introduction to Public Records (2) Public Record Appeals (3) Introduction to Open Meetings (4) How Newsrooms Respond to Executive Session Secrecy (5) Open Meetings and Remote Access
MAINE
Oct. 15 | 2 p.m.
Preti Flaherty
45 Memorial Circle #401, Augusta
Judith Meyer | Sun Media Group
Sigmund Schutz | Preti Flaherty
Required Viewing: (1) Introduction to Public Records (2) Public Record Appeals (3) Introduction to Open Meetings (4) How Newsrooms Respond to Executive Session Secrecy (5) Open Meetings and Remote Access
MASSACHUSETTS
Oct. 15 | 12:30 p.m.
WBUR
890 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
Peter J. Caruso, Sr. | Caruso & Caruso
Todd Wallack | WBUR-Boston
Required Viewing: (1) Introduction to Public Records (2) Public Record Appeals (3) Introduction to Open Meetings (4) How Newsrooms Respond to Executive Session Secrecy (5) Open Meetings and Remote Access
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Oct. 15 | 3 p.m.
ACLU of New Hampshire
18 Low Avenue, Concord
Gilles Bissonnette | ACLU of New Hampshire
Paul Cuno-Booth | New Hampshire Public Radio
Required Viewing: (1) Introduction to Public Records (2) Public Record Appeals (3) Introduction to Open Meetings (4) How Newsrooms Respond to Executive Session Secrecy (5) Open Meetings and Remote Access
RHODE ISLAND
Oct. 17 | 12 p.m.
WPRI
25 Catamore Blvd., East Providence
Eli Sherman | WPRI-Providence
Tim White | WPRI-Providence
Required Viewing: (1) Introduction to Public Records (2) Public Record Appeals (3) Introduction to Open Meetings (4) How Newsrooms Respond to Executive Session Secrecy (5) Open Meetings and Remote Access
VERMONT
Oct. 17 | 10 a.m.
Seven Days
255 So. Champlain Street, Burlington
Harrison Stark | ACLU of Vermont
Courtney Lamdin | Seven Days
Required Viewing: (1) Introduction to Public Records (2) Public Record Appeals (3) Introduction to Open Meetings (4) How Newsrooms Respond to Executive Session Secrecy (5) Open Meetings and Remote Access
Workshop Materials: (1) A Rough Guide to Vermont Public Records (2) Records Request Sample (3) Accessing Police Misconduct Records (4) Open Meetings Law 101 (5) Hybrid and Remote Public Meetings (6) Accessing Courts and Court Records
REMOTE PROGRAMMING
Online programming will be scheduled prior to meeting at Northeastern University and will be accessible via Zoom.
MEET AND GREET — TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE (All Fellows)
Grab your beverage of choice and join us for a round of Two Truths and Lie. Never played this icebreaker? It’s easy. We’ll all take turns making three statements about ourselves to the group. Two of the statements should be true. The third, a lie. Once you’re done, we’ll all guess which one you made up. It’s an easy and a fun way to get to know each other.
Oct. 8 | 7 p.m. | Zoom
Host: Megan Sherman | Westside Events
INTRODUCTION TO R — PREP SESSION (Mandatory for Fellows Attending Introduction to R Class)
Fellows will have the option of attending either Basic Database Analysis or Introduction to R during the Institute. Those choosing Introduction to R must attend this prep session prior to the Institute.
Oct. 15 | 9:30 a.m. | Zoom
Sharon Machlis
Introduction: Justin Silverman | NEFAC Executive Director
Session Materials: (1) Software Installation Instructions (2) Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 of Practical R for Mass Communication and Journalism
OCTOBER 20
2:00 Registration [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
2:30 – 2:45 Introductions [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
2:45 – 3:00 Break
3:00 – 4:00 Keynote Speaker [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
Jill Abramson | Northeastern University, The New York Times (formerly)
Introduction: Gregory V. Sullivan | NEFAC President
5:30 – 8:00 Networking and Dinner Program [Tuscan Kitchen, 64 Seaport Boulevard]
NEFAC will provide transportation from the hotel to the restaurant at 5:15 p.m. and from the restaurant to the hotel at 8:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 21
8:15 – 8:30 Announcements [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
8:30 – 9:30 Common Pitfalls with FOI Requests and How to Respond [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
Jacqueline Rabe Thomas | Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Annmarie Timmins | New Hampshire Public Radio
Moderator: Emily Sweeney | The Boston Globe
9:30 – 9:45 Break
9:45 – 11:15 How AI Can Support Local Journalism [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
Nikita Roy | International Center for Journalists
Laptop Required for this Class. Required Viewing: (1) How Journalists Can Begin Using AI
Introduction: Emily Sweeney | The Boston Globe
11:15 – 11:30 Break
11:30 – 1:45 Break-Out Classes [Assignments]
Fellows will be attending two separate 60-minute classes with a working lunch provided at 12:30. The first class is 11:30 to 12:30 and the second class is 12:45 to 1:45. Class locations below.
CLIMATE [Curry Student Center – Room 335]
Beth Daley | The Conversation
Required Viewing: (1) Climate Reporting
EDUCATION [Curry Student Center – Room 336]
Deanna Pan | The Boston Globe
BUSINESS REPORTING [Curry Student Center – Room 342]
Zeninjor Enwemeka | WBUR
COURTS AND COPS [Curry Student Center – Room 344]
John Ellement | The Boston Globe
Suggested Viewing: (1) Access to State Courts (2) Police Misconduct Records
COVERING TRAGEDY [Curry Student Center – Room 340]
Gal Tziperman Lotan | GBH News
Required Viewing: (1) Interviewing Traumatized Sources
1:45 – 2:00 Break
2:00 – 3:30 Introduction to Copyright Law and Newsroom Legal Q/A [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
Robert A. Bertsche | Klaris Law
Gregory V. Sullivan | New England First Amendment Coalition
Introductions: Emily Sweeney | The Boston Globe
Required Viewing: (1) How to Respond to a Subpoena (2) How to Avoid Libel in Your Reporting (3) How to Balance Newsgathering with Privacy (4) How to Invoke the Fair Report Privilege
Suggested Viewing: (1) HIPAA and Public Records (2) FERPA and Public Records
4:45 – 5:45 Former Fellows Roundtable [The Westin Copley – Staffordshire Ballroom, 10 Huntington Avenue, Boston]
Temi-Tope Adeleye | WJAR
Dugan Arnett | The Boston Globe
Colleen Cronin | ecoRI
Anastasia Lennon | The New Bedford Light
Moderator: Shirley Leung | The Boston Globe
5:45 – 8:30 (or later) Dinner and Keynote Presentation [The Westin Copley – Staffordshire Ballroom, 10 Huntington Avenue, Boston]
Lauren Chooljian | New Hampshire Public Radio
Jason Moon | New Hampshire Public Radio
Sigmund D. Schutz | Preti Flaherty
Moderator: Shirley Leung | The Boston Globe
NEFAC will provide transportation from Northeastern University to The Westin Copley at 3:45 p.m.
OCTOBER 22
8:15 – 8:30 Announcements [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
8:30 – 10:00 Effective Sourcing [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
Jenifer McKim | GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting
Len Besthoff | NBC Connecticut
Cindy Galli | ABC News
Moderator: Gregory V. Sullivan | NEFAC President
Suggested Viewing: (1) How to Diversify Your Sources (2) How to Find People Online (3) How to Interview Hostile Sources
Class Materials: (1) Developing Sources
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 12:15 Database Analysis Break-Out Classes [Assignments]
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.
Suggested Viewing: (1) Finding High Quality Data for Stories (2) Data Cleaning 101 (3) Data Cleaning 102 (4) Data Visualization 101
BASIC DATABASE ANALYSIS [Curry Student Center – Room 433]
Brooke Williams | Boston University
Andrew Botolino | Boston University
Laptop Required for this Class. Required Viewing: (1) Class Introduction and Database Basics
Suggested Viewing: (1) Microsoft Excel 101 (2) Microsoft Excel 102
INTRODUCTION TO R [Curry Student Center – Room 435]
Sharon Machlis
Laptop Required for this Class. Required Viewing: (1) Introduction to R – Prep Session
Session Materials: (1) Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 of Practical R for Mass Communication and Journalism
12:15 – 1:45 Lunch [Curry Student Center – McLeod Suites]
12:45 Keynote Speaker
Paul Singer | GBH News
Introduction: Gregory V. Sullivan | NEFAC President
1:45 – 2:30 Photo/Break [Location TBD]
2:30 – 3:30 Break-Out Classes [Assignments]
CONFRONTATIONAL INTERVIEWS AND TRANSITION TO A/V [Curry Student Center – Room 346]
Mike Beaudet | Northeastern University, WCVB Boston
WRITING WORKSHOP AND NARRATIVE FLOW [Curry Student Center – Room 344]
Jenifer McKim | GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting
3:30 – 3:45 Concluding Remarks [Curry Student Center – Room 333]
Justin Silverman | NEFAC Executive Director