FOI laws are important in democracy because they guarantee the 'right to know'. It exists in more than 90 countries and helps to expose corruption and maladministration, and assures transparency in public decision making. But problems persist, with hard-won access to government secrets compromised by 'gaming' of FOI; wide increases in national security exemptions; political interference; and journalists misusing the Act for fishing expeditions and as a source for an easy headline. 10 years after the Freedom of Information Act was introduced in the UK, has it freed journalists to expose the...

The introduction of FOI in Ireland was a watershed moment in Irish democracy. It gave citizens a right to know, and abolished eighty years of official secrecy that had existed since the foundation of the State. As the new 2014 FOI Act is extended to the gardai and the Central Bank for the first time, this book critically examines the important contribution the legislation has made to the opening up of Irish democracy and society.
The book includes important contributions from the Ombudsman and Information Commissioner Peter Tyndall, former minister Eithne FitzGerald and RTE journalist...

Recent advances in digital technologies are allowing data journalists to find and tell stories in new and visually exciting ways, often working in collaboration with developers, statisticians and designers. It's a new frontier for many newsrooms, but not without its own teething pains. This much anticipated follow-up volume to the bestselling Data Journalism: Mapping the future features 30 chapters from journalists, developers and academics on both sides of the Atlantic and further afield. It is an essential primer for wannabe data hacks and others interested in the trade. The Editors: Tom...