Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

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The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) is an American nonprofit organization, founded in 1970, which provides free legal assistance to journalists. A number of prominent journalists presently sit on the organization's steering committee, including Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, Tim Russert, and Judy Woodruff. Its offices are in Arlington, Virginia.

The RCFP actively defends reporters facing subpoenas and court orders to disclose the identity of confidential sources. The group is also involved in a variety of First Amendment, shield law, freedom of information, and other free speech activities, including state open records and meetings law compliance. The organization publishes a quarterly magazine, The News Media & The Law, and a bi-weekly newsletter detailing current issues and ongoing cases in media law.

In addition to filing briefs in support of journalists in the field, the committee runs a 24-hour legal defense hotline for journalists and media lawyers. The committee also posts bi-weekly podcasts on current media law topics on its website.

[edit] Freedom of Information

One of the most significant activities that RCFP undertakes to promote freedom of information in the United States is through publishing its Open Government Guide, which reviews the open records and open meetings laws in each of the fifty states. The RCFP makes this guide available online for free. The guide includes expert commentary by attorneys in each state who are familiar with the provisions of their state's code as well as court rulings and informal practices that combine to affect the climate in each state for the public's ability to obtain copies of public documents and attend government meetings.