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Reporters Committee to host free webinars on covering protests and courts
Reporters Committee to host free webinars on covering protests and courts
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is hosting two free webinars in May and June to help journalists understand their rights to attend, report on and photograph protests and court proceedings.
“Journalists increasingly have been shut out, put out or taken out in the course of covering news events and, unfortunately, many of them don’t know what to do when this happens, “ said Reporters Committee Executive Director Lucy A. Dalglish. “These webinars will train journalists to understand and exercise their press freedom rights, which we believe is a great way to embody the spirit of the upcoming World Press Freedom Day on May 3.”
The first webinar, scheduled for May 9 at 1 p.m. (Eastern), is “Police, Protestors and the Press.” It is designed to complement the popular Reporters Committee guide of the same name, which was published in March and is available free online.
This webinar will give legal tips to reporters, photographers and others covering events where it is possible they may be arrested or otherwise hindered in covering the news. It covers not only their basic rights to record and report the news, but also what they should do if detained.
The May 9 webinar is made possible by a grant from the Gannett Foundation, which is also providing the funding for special NATO summit and political convention hotlines; Reporters Committee coordination with law firms, police and other officials during those events in Chicago, Tampa and Charlotte; and additional, related support materials for journalists.
The second webinar, to be held June 5 at 1 p.m. (Eastern), will focus on court secrecy issues and access to trial information and proceedings. It culls from numerous resources on the Reporters Committee website, including the Digital Journalist’s Legal Guide and the First Amendment Handbook. This webinar is funded by a grant from The Harnisch Foundation.
Both webinars will be presented by Reporters Committee Executive Director Dalglish and Legal Defense Director Gregg Leslie.
Space is limited for both webinars, so early registration is recommended. Each webinar will run about one hour, with time for questions at the end. Both will be recorded and archived on the Reporters Committee website at a later date. Thanks to funding from the Gannett and Harnisch Foundations, the Reporters Committee is able to present both webinars at no cost to participants.
To register, go to the following links and follow instructions:
- May 9, 1p.m. (Eastern): “Police, Protestors and the Press”
- June 5, 1 p.m. (Eastern): “Secret Courts”
About the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Founded in 1970, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press offers free legal support to thousands of working journalists and media lawyers each year. It is a leader in the fight against persistent efforts by government officials to impede the release of public information, whether by withholding documents or threatening reporters with jail. In addition to its 24/7 Legal Defense Hotline, the Reporters Committee conducts cutting-edge legal research, publishes handbooks and guides on media law issues, files frequent friend-of-the-court legal briefs and offers challenging fellowships and internships for young lawyers and journalists. For more information, go to www.rcfp.org, or follow us on Twitter @rcfp.
Related Reporters Committee resources:
· Release: Reporters Committee releases guide to "Police, Protestors and the Press" in Winter magazine
· Release: Reporters Committee disturbed by detention of credentialed journalists at "Occupy" protests
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