MILWAUKEE — Marquette University’s Diederich College of Communication’s 2024 Lucius W. Nieman Symposium will host three panelists for “The Fight for FOIA: A Conversation About the State of Government Transparency,” a discussion on the importance the Freedom of Information Act on Tuesday, April 2, at 4 p.m., at Eckstein Hall, 1215 W. Michigan St.
FOIA, the federal law recognizing the public’s right to government information, is over 50 years old but faces challenges old and new. The advent of the internet and digital records has created a new world of opportunities and impediments for laws originally designed for a hard-copy era.
This year’s panelists include Margaret Kwoka, professor of law at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law; Mark Walker, investigative reporter for The New York Times; and Nick Penzenstadler, investigative reporter and FOIA coordinator for USA Today. The panel will consider the state of freedom of information laws, including enduring problems, such as delay and access to law enforcement, and potential solutions.
Registration to attend the Nieman Symposium is free and available online. Media wishing to cover the symposium, or speak with panelists, should contact Kevin Conway, associate director of university communication, at kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.
The Lucius W. Nieman Symposium, named after the founder of The Milwaukee Journal, Lucius W. Nieman, is an annual event sponsored by the J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication.
