City of Madison Logo
The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council seeks to safeguard access to information that citizens must have to act responsibly in a free and democratic society.
We cherish Wisconsin's Open Records and Open Meetings Laws, which declare that because "a representative government is dependent on an informed electorate," all persons are entitled to the most information possible regarding the affairs of government and the actions of public officers and employees, and that only in the most exceptional cases may access be denied.
We respect custodians of records and gatekeepers of public meetings, and affirm that they fulfill no higher function. We call on them to adhere to the spirit and letter of the law.
We believe that a free and unfettered press is vital to the democratic process, that an informed citizenry is best able to exercise its civic function to participate in the workings of government, and openness in government benefits the public interest.



Show Website
Watch Online

Freedom of Information Summit: Keynote Address and Hall of Fame Luncheon

Episode first aired on 5/19/2012

Remarks and welcome from Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council; Keynote address by Gene Policinski, senior vice president/executive director of the First Amendment Center; and State Open Government Hall of Fame Induction - This year's inductee is Toby Nixon, president of Washington Coalition for Open Government (WCOG) and a city council member in Kirkland, Washington.
Watch Online

Freedom of Information Summit: Telltale Lenses

Episode first aired on 5/16/2012

A panel discusses the impact and issues surrounding instant digital photography as a source of public information. Panelists include: Robert Drechsel, professor of journalism & mass communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Mickey H. Osterreicher, counsel to Hiscock & Barclay, LLP and general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA); and Gina Barton, investigative reporter, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Moderated by: Lucy Dalglish, executive director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
Watch Online

Meeting of July 15, 2010

Episode first aired on 7/16/2010

The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council seeks to safeguard access to information that citizens must have to act responsibly in a free and democratic society. The FOIC champions Wisconsin's Open Records and Open Meetings Laws. This meeting featured a representative from Wisconsin Attorney General J B Van Hollen's office discussing the State's public records laws.