Accountability Reporting

Readers of og-blog know that access to public records is often the only way journalists can publish important stories--and tell us things we want and need to know as citizens. Dave Zeeck, executive editor of the Tacoma News-Tribune, writes about how these stories hold public and private institutions accountable and provides a clear example. He links this accountability to the media's First Amendment obligations. He calls it accountability reporting and it's a big deal at the TNT. You might have noticed how many og-blog postings entitled "Public Records Show ..." discuss TNT stories.