The public's right to know is best served by conducting business in an open setting. Otherwise, there will always be questions about whether the trial was conducted fairly. Other news organizations that signed on to the brief include television stations KRTV and KFBB in Great Falls, Mont., the Montana Newspaper Association, The Associated Press and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. The Great Falls Tribune newspaper also filed a separate legal brief to fight the attorneys' motion. To shut off public access to the court and to blame the media is an extreme knee-jerk reaction.
Lawyers know there are other ways to ensure a fair trial.
The Society's Legal Defense Fund helps fund court battles across the country to secure First Amendment rights. The Fund also has supported state Freedom of Information hotlines, computer bulletin boards and organizations that resolve First Amendment conflicts before they require costly litigation. The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation's largest and most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1961, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that those who carry on the tradition of a free press are prepared for the challenge. Its goal is to support the educational programs of the Society of Professional Journalists and to serve the professional needs of journalists and students pursuing careers in journalism.