As journalists file fewer lawsuits, citizens fight for open records

From Poynter:

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in what could be a pivotal First Amendment case: the FCC v. Fox. What the Court decides will affect what we see on TV and hear on radio for years to come.

It is an important lawsuit that revolves around the Federal Communication Commission’s attempt to enforce new regulations that even “fleeting” obscenities that occur on the air, in live coverage, for example, could result in severe penalties and fines. The case has attracted amicus briefs comments from networks, professional journalism organizations including RTDNA and NAB, 11 state broadcasting associations [PDF], public broadcasters and many more.

The post quotes from a 2011 FOIA litigation survey conducted by NFOIC.