The Minnesota Coalition on Government Information (MnCOGI) is a network of individuals and organizations committed to open access to public information in print, electronic and digital forms. Its members include librarians, media representatives, lawyers, community activists, computer professionals, educators and others who care about openness in government, information access and the public's right to know.
2012 John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information Day (FOI) Ceremony
On March 23, 2012, a packed room saw the presentation of the 2012 John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information Day (FOI) Award to Matt Ehling.
A St. Paul-based TV producer, documentary filmmaker and writer, Mr. Ehling’s award recognizes over 2 decades of work engaging Minnesotans in the civic process and helping them understand the political workings of our institutions. Two years ago Mr. Ehling founded Public Record Media where citizens can explore government documents and acquire the tools to pry open other sources of information.
The Finnegan FOI award presentation was followed by a talk by Amy Goodman.
Goodman is an award-winning investigative journalist and syndicated columnist, author and the host of Democracy Now! airing on more than 1000 public television and radio stations worldwide. Goodman is the first journalist to receive the Right Livelihood Award, widely known as the 'Alternative Nobel Prize' for "developing an innovative model of truly independent grassroots political journalism that brings to millions of people the alternative voices that are often excluded by the mainstream media." The Independent of London named Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! "an inspiration"; pulsemedia.org placed Goodman at the top of their 20 Top Global Media Figures.
Below are links to The Uptake video of the ceremony as well as inteviews with Ehling and Goodman.
Cameras in the Court Project
The Minnesota Coalition on Government Information (MNCOGI) has established a grant fund to encourage camera coverage of court proceedings by journalism students during a pilot project created by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Hal Davis, a MNCOGI board member and public safety editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, has arranged with Keith Moyer, a Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication, to have Jeff Hargarten of Murphy News Service, a U of M student, cover civil court news under a grant from MNCOGI arranged by MNCOGI Chair Helen Burke. Hargarten's work is edited and initially posted on twincities.com and published in the Pioneer Press, but his reporting is being made available to any news organization that wishes to use it.
To learn more about this initiative, check out the project website at http://www.mncogi.org/camerasinthecourt.html.
Can you help me access information?
We have compiled resources and advice to help you gain access to the information that you are entitled to see. While our main concern has been access to government we have also included supporting for accessing other types of information. (Check out tools for accessing information in Minnesota or general Freedom of Information links.)
How can I get involved?
If you're interested in learning more or joining the Minnesota Coalition, we invite you to send us an email.