And when a freelance reporter requested copies of electronic mail written by high-level administrators at the University of Michigan, the school said the information was off limits. But in Washtenaw County, where the Ann Arbor campus is located, the county government disagreed, and adopted a resolution to make the county government's email an open record. Similar stories of electronic nightmares and nirvanas are commonplace across the country. Confrontations result in lawsuits, legislative action, and policy decisions, which reach widely varying conclusions in different states, cities, and agencies.
Reporters often struggle for access to database information.
The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information in Gainesville reported in 1991 that 75 percent of Florida journalists surveyed said their access to computer records had been impeded by government agencies. In addition, cost dissuaded 38 percent of responding newspapers from seeking electronic records. Certain conflicts over access to electronic records are especially common. Even obtaining copies of records in a generic format has been an issue for small news organizations unable to purchase the tapes or disks. To avoid the expense, many reporters go to agency offices to read documents.