Events
The Sunshine Act: Public Meetings & Finding the Story – even in the Boring Stuff
The Sunshine Act requires that government bodies conduct business in public. Transparency is the foundation of accountable journalism. During this session, we will discuss the basics of Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act, your rights under the First Amendment, and how to effectively use the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association as a resource. Learn how to access public records, work within the scope of open meetings laws, and develop best practices for covering government meetings with confidence. We’ll share tools & techniques for better meeting coverage while remembering that the meeting itself is rarely the story – the impact is. Public meetings are rarely glamorous, but they’re where democracy happens in slow motion. If you train yourself to see the stakes, the tension, and the impact, even the driest agenda item can turn into a meaningful, memorable story.
Speakers are being finalized. Check back soon for complete list.
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2026-27 Center for Journalism Excellence “Meet the Moment” Virtual Training Registration
Register now for all eight virtual “Meet the Moment” sessions offered across 2026–2027. Registration package is $495 per news organization or register at the early-bird rate of just $395 through May 15. Recordings of each session will be sent to registrants as soon as available, typically within a day from the session.
Included Session Dates (Mondays):
- 2026: June 8, July 13, August 10, September 14, December 14
- 2027: January 11, February 8, March 8
💻 All sessions in this package are virtual.
Important: These in-person sessions are not included in this package and require separate individual registration:
- May 11 (Pittsburgh)
- October 8 (Harrisburg)
- November 9 (Philadelphia)
Deadline for early-bird registration is May 15.