Singing the Open Records Blues
The quest for government information frequently leaves reporters and the public singing the blues. In this case, however, two Wisconsin men really are singing "The Open Records Blues."
The song was recorded for Sunshine Week by Peter Leidy, a Wisconsin-based political performer. The lyrics were written by Bill Lueders, news editor of Isthmus newspaper and president of the Wisconsin Freeedom of Information Council, a statewide group that seeks to protect public access to meetings and records.
According to Lueders, "The Open Records Blues" is based loosely on two lawsuits filed in the 1990s by Isthmus and another paper against the Madison Police Department, seeking records of complaints against police officers. The papers won both lawsuits.
Listen here: Download blues.mp3
Mayor John Peyton of Jacksonville appears to be celebrating Sunshine Sunday by making it the last day that the public can access public emails via the internet. Peyton is "enhancing" and making access to these records "less cumbersome" by putting these emails on one computer in his office that is available on weekdays during business hours. This is considered "less cumbersome" for a city of over 1 million people.
from NPR...
http://www.wjct.org/streams/podcast/...6/mar03js2.mp3
Posted by: Kevin Conner | March 12, 2006 at 12:18 AM
Thank you for your efforts.
We have engaged some of the same open records frustrations in Massachusetts, but have been able to get some of the black ink removed.
Posted by: Andres | March 11, 2006 at 08:08 AM
can this song be used by a non-profit community access station during Sunshine Week 2006?
Posted by: Ann Sheehan | March 10, 2006 at 11:46 AM