The Denver Post is seeking access to a list of nonpersonal phone calls made by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. The Ritter Administration claims the calls are exempt from the state's public records law since they were made on the governor's personal cell phone, and a lower court agreed. Earlier this month, ASNE joined 10 other media organizations in an amicus brief filed in the Colorado Supreme Court supporting the Post's position that the lower court ruling would open a huge hole in the state's Open Records Act.

As the final days of the 111th Congress wind down, news organizations led by ASNE editors have generated a drumbeat of editorials in support of the law to protect reporters' sources. "When I leave my office to meet with senators or their staff, editorials by their local daily papers are the first thing I grab," said Kevin Goldberg, ASNE's general counsel. "And when I hand them materials that support our case, it's always the document that makes them sit up and pay attention. They have a real impact." Editorials written so far this month are available at the "View article" link below.

As part an aggressive national effort to grow youth journalism, news literacy and access to new-media tools, this year's five ASNE Reynolds Institute programs trained 162 high school teachers from 41 states and the District of Columbia. The programs focused on helping teachers develop an educational framework to teach students to make sound news judgments; improve the reporting, writing, editing, photo, Web, multimedia, graphics and business skills necessary to operate high-quality, independent student media; and to instill a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the First Amendment.