PBS Newsmagazine 'NOW' to Air Special Broadcast on Government Secrecy as Part of Sunshine Week

PBS Newsmagazine 'NOW' to Air Special Broadcast on Government Secrecy as Part of Sunshine Week

NEW YORK, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The PBS weekly newsmagazine NOW will air a one-hour special on March 17, 2006 about government secrecy as part of "Sunshine Week," when newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, and Web sites around the nation publish reports that foster a dialogue about the importance of open government to the public and to our democracy. In "The Sunshine Gang," NOW shines a spotlight on the erosion of open government in America through the stories of whistleblowers-insiders who in many cases have risked it all for their democracy by telling the truth.

"In the name of the war on terror, an alarming amount of public information is being kept secret," says NOW Executive Producer John Siceloff. "Some fear the government's grip on information citizens have the right to know is growing tighter. We have regularly raised up the voices of whistleblowers on NOW and we are glad to be contributing to the important Sunshine Week effort with an extended broadcast."

During Sunshine Week 2005, more than 700 media outlets participated with feature stories, editorials, and reports that drove public discussion about why open government is important to everyone, not just to journalists. Many other groups interested in the issue, including civic organizations, libraries and schools also participated.

Sunshine Week, which runs from March 12 to 18, 2006 is spearheaded by the American Society of Newspaper Editors with a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. "The Sunshine Gang," a NOW special edition, airs Friday, March 17 at 8:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

NOW, hosted by David Brancaccio, is a production of JumpStart Productions, LLC in association with Thirteen/WNET New York.

PRESS CONTACT:
Rick Byrne
NOW
Ph: 212.560.8406
Email: ByrneR@thirteen.org

Source: NOW on PBS

CONTACT: Rick Byrne, of NOW, +1-212-560-8406, ByrneR@thirteen.org

Web site: http://www.pbs.org/now

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