New England First Amendment Coalition seeking journalism fellows for October institute

The New England First Amendment Coalition is selecting 25 reporters, editors and news producers to attend its three-day investigative journalism institute in October.

Applications are due August 31.

The institute is free and is open to any journalist working in the region. The institute runs from Oct. 16 to 18 in Dedham, Mass.

Those chosen to attend the institute will learn from some of the country’s elite reporters, editors and media attorneys, according to the first amendment coalition in a news release. Speakers at the institute include investigative journalism journalists and freedom of information experts. Bill Keller, former executive editor of The New York Times and current editor-in-chief of The Marshall Project, will be the keynote speaker.

The following confirmed speakers are:
Robert A. Bertsche | Prince Lobel Tye, LLP
Dieter Bradbury | Portland Press Herald
Peter Caruso | Caruso & Caruso, LLP
Michael Donoghue | Vermont Press Association
Vincent Duffy | Michigan Radio
Rick Gagliuso | Gagliuso and Gagliuso, PA
Matt Kauffman | Hartford Courant
Jenifer McKim | New England Center for Investigative Reporting
Colleen Murphy | Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission
Mike Rezendes | The Boston Globe
Jeremy Singer-Vine | BuzzFeed News
James Smith | Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information
Gregory V. Sullivan | Malloy & Sullivan
Don Van Natta | ESPN
Todd Wallack | The Boston Globe
Program topics include state public records and open meeting laws, effective sourcing, database analysis and how to respond to FOI request denials. Sessions include:
Tales from the Trenches | Panelists will share their practical experience in investigative work through painstaking interviewing and use of freedom of information laws to unearth corruption and bring truth to light.
Common Pitfalls | Panelists will discuss how to accessing documents through FOI requests and how to respond to denials.
Tips for Staying Out of Legal Trouble | A team of media attorneys will explain common issues of concern in defamation and privacy law.
State FOI Law | The specifics of each state’s public records and open meeting laws will be discussed and cases will be reviewed in break-out sessions with knowledgeable attorneys and journalists from each state.
The Confrontational Interview & Transition to Audio or Video | Veteran journalists will discuss how to prepare for difficult interviews and provide strategies on how to engage viewers and listeners.
Writing Workshop and Narrative Flow | Fellows will learn narrative writing techniques and how to improve their storytelling.
Hunch to Headline | Fellows will learn the steps necessary to follow up on a lead using publicly available databases and how to turn that information into a compelling story.
Effective Sourcing | Panelists will discuss how to best develop sources and relationships, and how to evaluate information.
Sponsors and supporters of this year’s institute include The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund, the Robertson Foundation, The Boston Globe, the New England Newspaper & Press Association and the Academy of New England Journalists.