Sacramento Press Club - Beating Bureaucracy: A Reporter's View

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Beating Bureaucracy: A Reporter's View

John Hill

Taking on a large public entity to expose mismanagement or corruption is no easy task, as reporters often find themselves butting up against numerous brick walls in their effort to acquire accurate information. But with determination and a savvy use of tools like the California Public Records Act, journalists can successfully overcome those challenges. On October 1, 2007 award-winning Sacramento Bee investigative reporter John Hill offered his insights into how journalists can successfully negotiate their way through bureaucratic red tape.

Note: This event is the second of the SPC Freelance Committee’s two-part look at Freedom of Information Act issues. In August, California Deputy Attorney General Ted Prim and Tom Newton, general counsel to the California Newspaper Publishers Association, also shared their insights into successfully maneuvering the California Public Records Act. Audio from that event can be found here.

* When: Monday, October 1 at 6:00 pm.

* Where: The Eleanor McClatchy meeting room (a.k.a. The Beehive) at 2131 Q Street, across from the Sacramento Bee offices.Participants can park in the visitor's parking lot on the corner of 21st & Q or in the larger lot on the same corner but across the street. There is also on-the-street parking. Please do not park in the lot adjacent to the Beehive as it is reserved for company vehicles.

* This is a free event! Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About John Hill: Overcoming bureaucratic challenges is John Hill’s specialty, something which has earned him numerous awards during his 22-year career. Among them are a George Polk Award in 2005 (with fellow reporter Dorothy Korber) and an SPJ James Madison Award this year (with fellow reporter Andrew McIntosh) for exposing “Chief’s Disease,” the rampant abuse of the disability pension and worker comp systems by government workers, most notably the chiefs of the California Highway Patrol.