The 3rd Annual Conference on Media & Democratic Governance; Friday, April 11, 2014

PANEL 1: BRIDGEGATE AND OPEN RECORDS

How were legislators and journalists able to obtain the emails that proved the lanes to the George Washington Bridge had not, in fact, been closed because of a traffic study? This session will examine the state open records law from the perspectives of an open records
advocate, a journalist who has been covering Bridgegate, a law professor who is a leading expert in open records law, and a scholar.
PANEL 2: COVERING PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN NEW JERSEY: SORTING FACT FROM SPIN

What additional tools can journalists, citizens, academics and government officials use to cut through spin? A trio of working journalists and a technology expert offer their take on everything from the continued need for old-fashioned shoe leather reporting to the importance of public access to government data in the digital age.
PANEL 3: SORTING FACT FROM SPIN AROUND THE WORLD

How do diaspora journalists influence the conversation both in their home countries and in the United States? Four journalists from different parts of the world will offer insights into the effects of their work here and around the world.