SPJ and CCNMA collaborate on Freedom of Information workshop

Spanish-language media get a primer on Mexico's new "transparency" law.

 By Leo E. Laurence, San Diego Pro Chapter

Editor, San Diego News Service

Working closely with Hiram Soto, vice president of the San Diego chapter of the California Chicano News Media Association (CCNMA), the San Diego chapter of SPJ hosted the first-ever Spanish language media-focused SPJ workshop on the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

SPJ’s National Committee on Diversity committee co-sponsored the FOIA workshop with the local CCNMA chapter, while the local SPJ chapter hosted it. The committee also paid for the expenses of the appearance of FOIA expert Joel Campbell, a professor at Bringham Young University.

While the workshop focused primarily on the federal FOIA, it also covered provisions of the California Public Records Act and Mexico’s new “transparency” law, which is that country’s FOIA equivalent.

Alberto Lozano M., the press attache for the Consulado General de Mexico in San Diego, lectured on that transparency law, which is so new that many states in Mexico are only now learning how to enforce its provisions.

Campbell had everyone attending form small groups. They discussed stories on which they were working that might be helped with the use of FOIA requests.

A videotape of the program was made by Soto and sent to the National Committee on Diversity to help other chapters in planning similar workshops nationwide.

SPJ is also working with Soto to produce a similar program in Tijuana for Mexican journalists sometime in the future. 

Booklets on the use of the FOIA laws were distributed by Campbell and can be obtained by calling him at (801) 422-2125. His e-mail address is joelcampbell@byu.edu.