Ensure openness, RTNDA tells Obama administration

The Radio-Television News Directors Association, the National Association of Broadcasters and other media organizations in the Sunshine In Government Initiative have submitted a wish list to President-Elect Barack Obama. The groups are looking for a change in direction from what they see as the Bush administration's over-classification of information and the logjam of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The groups have four requests: 1) Restore the presumption of disclosure across the executive branch. 2) Create an independent, online ombudsman to help citizens access their government. 3) Ban agencies from proposing or endorsing unnecessary statutory exemptions from disclosure. 4) Speak on the record, and urge his senior deputies and aides to do the same, in all statements about policy and current news about public matters.