From the SPJ-Rio Grande board:
The operative word in public information is public.
KRQE journalist Rachel Knapp was doing her job of reporting public information about public legislative proceedings when she was kicked out of a Senate committee meeting on Feb. 8. SPJ Rio Grande strongly believes all legislative proceedings must be open to the public, including the news media.
Some legislators cited a little-known and little-used exception to New Mexico Legislature transparency policies to exclude Knapp from covering the proceedings. She was not only asked to turn her camera off, she was asked to leave this public meeting, which was also a denial of her right to be there as a member of the public and a constituent.
SPJ Rio Grande joins NMFOG in supporting Senate Resolution 2 – a bill sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces) – to allow the public to record video and audio without having to get permission.
