Is it Time to Expand the Tent that is Sunshine Week?

How can we use Sunshine Week beyond calling for more freedom of information (FOI) to help remedy trust issues in democracy including our government and the news media?

Trust in democracy stems from the lack of trust in its two primary information sources: government and the news media. Sunshine Week and talk of open government and transparency have revolved around access to public information and to officials and their affairs. That’s understandable since the event was created by the American Society of News Editors (now the News Leaders Association).

It’s time to broaden the tent with more participants and conversations because today’s challenges go beyond access to information and press freedom. Instead, we should be talking more broadly about access beyond FOI to include public engagement and participation.

Just as journalists and other inquiring members of the public find obstacles to accessing information and officials, so do residents who continue to face obstacles to learning about and participating in the deliberations and policy decisions that impact them.

It was a different time 17 years ago and there have been dramatic changes. Our transition to digital financially rocked the news media industry. Government and society have become more politically polarized. One result, perhaps as a survivalist response to protect a support base, the information coming from many in the government and the news media has become more partisan. It’s worth considering how these actions have had an undermining effect on trust in both institutions and in our democracy.

Digital technologies have also changed residents’ preferences for communicating and receiving information. When it comes to contributing input in government deliberations and decisions, the channels for access either do not meet those preferences, or the methods used by the government such as social media, lack the structure and mediation for productive and informed dialog.

Sunshine Week is a time to recommit ourselves to the principles and practices for access to information and the importance of press freedom. It is also an appropriate occasion to pursue solutions to increase residents’ access and participation in their government.