SPJ Georgia, First Amendment foundation and others credited with jailed publisher’s release By Julius Suber, SPJ Georgia Board Member Journalists hung on every word of the panel discussion, which included Fannin Focus Publisher Mark Thomason, who tried doggedly to get information on a story he believed could be authenticated or not by information obtained from…
Author: mattjduffy
Jailing of the press in Georgia
Nydia Tisdale showed up to record a Georgia Republican Party campaign rally at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm in Dawsonville on Aug. 23, 2014. A little bit into her recording, she was forcibly removed by a police officer, even after admitting she had received permission to be at the public gathering by one of the property owners….
Judicial watchdog shouldn’t be scrapped because it ruffles feathers
On Nov. 8, Georgia voters should reject ballot measure that would take bite out of judicial oversight Since 1972, established by a voter approved constitutional amendment, the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) has operated fairly independently to make sure the public is served well by its courts. Two years ago Georgia First Amendment Foundation (GFAF) honored the…
SPJ National lauds local efforts fighting for publisher
SPJ members from around the country celebrated the victory of a small-town Georgia newspaper publisher against a judge who didn’t appreciate his journalism. Delegates also commended the SPJ Georgia chapter for its tireless efforts to help push the judge to drop her specious charges. Mark Thomason, the publisher of the Fannin Focus, received a proclamation from…
SPJ Georgia recognized for diverse membership
At the September 2016 convention, delegates awarded our Georgia Pro membership with the Circle of Excellence Award in Diversity.
Join us for SPJ regional conference on Oct. 29
SPJ’s Region 3 conference is Saturday, Oct. 29 – and we’ve built it for pro journalists looking to get their hands dirty. In just a few hours, for just a few bucks, and with just a few classmates, you can learn practical skills you can actually use on the job. More info at sizingupthesouth.com/atlanta/
Judges want to hide their discipline hearings
AJC columnist Jay Bookman pointed out in a recent article that judges would like to handle their judicial disciplining behind closed doors. The move to secrecy is important since the Judicial Qualifications Commission has publicly reprimanded 60 judges in Georgia over the last eight years. But now, Bookman writes, judges want to change the process dramatically….
Government leaders using phones to message during open meetings
The AJC watchdog Chris Joyner recently wrote about a worrisome practice – council members using their cell phones during open meetings. Opponents in Milton were recently corresponding with a city councilor during public discussions of their issue, prompting questions of impropriety since Sunshine laws demand most government meetings be totally open. After the story published,…
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