AP President and CEO Tom Curley Calls on News Media to Step Up and Fight for Openness in Government
Citing "some good days recently" for the Sunshine community, Associated Press President and CEO Tom Curley said, "After years of playing mostly defense, and mostly getting beat, we've finally been able to get back on offense and score a few points."
Speaking to a Sunshine Week dinner crowd at the National Press Club in Washington, Curley pointed to legislative gains in Freedom of Information Act reform and toward a reporters' shield law as particular bright spots. "Accomplishments," he said, "that not long ago seemed unattainable."
"Some in the news business think it compromises our objectivity as journalists to set ourselves up as players on matters of public policy even in a cause as just and as close to our hearts as open government," he added. "I respect the high-minded intentions behind this view, but I strongly disagree.
"When a matter of public policy poses a straight-up choice between the public’s rights of access to its government and a government effort to infringe or even narrow those rights, journalists cannot pretend to be disinterested observers."
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