Call for Nominations for Beacon and Darkness Awards
The California First Amendment Coalition is seeking nominations for its annual Beacon and Darkness awards, given in recognition of exceptional efforts, during 2006 and 2007, to advance and defend open-government and freedom of speech (Beacon Awards), and the opposite: exceptional efforts to curtail public access and free expression (Darkness Awards).
Deadline for award nominations is September 28.
The awards will be presented at CFAC’s annual Free Speech and Open Government Assembly at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, October 25 & 26.
Beacon awards are given to individuals or organizations in California for their exemplary work in fighting to keep government meetings or records open to the public, and for supporting the First Amendment’s fundamental free speech and free press rights. Generally, the awards will be given for achievement in 2006-2007, but longer term achievement may will be recognized.
Previous awards have been given to journalists, civic activists, public interest organizations, First Amendment lawyers, and government officials who have gone above and beyond the norm to assure government transparency and free speech/free press rights.
Last year, to cite some examples, Beacon award winners included the Daily Triplicate in Del Norte County, a 6,200-circulation newspaper with a two-person reporter staff that successfully battled attempts to shut down its court coverage; to the online news site TMZ.COM and its director, Harvey Levin, for uncovering efforts to whitewash the Mel Gibson drunk-driving escapade; and to John Hancock for making the California Channel the always-open window on the Legislature and the state Supreme Court.
Darkness awards are given to individuals or government agencies that have acted to thwart free speech, public participation in government or access to meetings or public records. Last year’s recipient, for instance, was investor Ron Burkle, for attempts to make divorce records secret. In 2005 the darkness “diss-honor” went to the state Department of Corrections and its then leader (what was his name??) for blocking legislation to give journalists access to prisoners.
CFAC has been rewarding good and bad open-government deeds since 1995. Among the first to receive the Beacon was the late Congressman John Moss, father of the federal Freedom of Information Act.
Send nominations with supporting material for the Beacon and Darkness awards to:
Beacon and Blackness
California First Amendment Coalition
534 Fourth St., Suite B
San Rafael, CA 94901
Or by E-mail to: Beacon-Darkness@cfac.org
Or by FAX 415-460-5155
Please be sure to send documentation for your nomination as well as contact information for yourself and the individual or organization being nominated.