2009 NEFAC FOIA and Investigative Reporting Conference

On May 1, journalists, citizen journalists, bloggers and community activists crowded into an auditorium at the Boston Globe to hear lectures from experts in FOIA and investigative reporting. The day-long conference was co-sponsored by the New England First Amendment Coalition and Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. Below you will find excerpts from some of the talks, and brief biographies of the speakers.

Matt Kaufman

Kaufman is an investigative reporter, The Harford Courant. Kauffman has worked at the Courant for 23 years. He is currently assigned to the paper's investigative desk where he works on longer-term projects that often employ computer assisted reporting techniques.

Part One

Matt Kaufman Part Two

Matt Kaufman Part Three

David Armstrong

Armstrong is an investigative reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Before joining the Journal staff in 2000 he was an investigative reporter for the Boston Globe. Armstrong is also an adjunct professor at the Boston University School of Communications.

Part One

David Armstrong Part Two

Frank Bass

Bass is the director of computer investigations for The Associated Press. Bass is the author of the AP Guide to internet research and reporting and has won numerous awards during his long and varied journalistic career.

Part One

Frank Bass Part Two

Mark Horvit

Horvit is theexecutive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors. Horvit has served as projects editor for the Fort Worth Star Telegram and in reporting and editing capacities at the Charlotte Observer and the Houston Post.

Part One

Mark Horvit Part Two

Mark Horvit Part Three

Todd Wallack

A business reporter for the Boston Globe, Wallack is a prize-winning reporter who has worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, the Boston Herald and the Boston Business Journal.

Part 1

Todd Wallack Part 2