Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity

Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity
501(c)(3)
FranklinCenter.png
Leadership:	Jason Stverak
Political Party:	Nonpartisan
Website:	Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity
Email:	Meghan.Tisinger@franklincenterhq.org
Transparency Focus
Investigative reporting

1 New media and technology
- 1.1 Mission
2 Research
- 2.1 Found errors in ARRA
3 Donations
4 Election coverage, 2010
5 External links
6 References

Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity is a non-profit group dedicated to offering training for investigative reporters and non-profit organizations at the state and local level and to provide them with the expertise and technical support necessary to pursue journalistic endeavors to better the lives of American citizens.

The Franklin Center was founded in January 2009 through a sponsorship grant given by the Sam Adams Alliance.

The group is based on the philosophies of Benjamin Franklin, a printer by trade, who said that “a newspaper in every home” was the “principle support of…morality” in civic life.^[1]

“This website embodies the standards of traditional journalism, while incorporating the use of new-media technology and techniques,” said Franklin Center President Jason Stverak. “Our organization aims to provide journalists with the training and the new media tools necessary to ensure transparency in the public sector.”^[2]

As of February 16, 2010, Watchdog.org became certified to appear on Google News. As of February 25, 2010, Franklin Center's posts will be on Google News.

[edit] New media and technology

The Franklin Center aims to use new technology to advance the cause of transparency in government. Journalists of tomorrow must effectively master this new media in order to do their job of holding government accountable for its actions.

The Franklin Center aims to educate, advise and train individuals and organizations from all backgrounds to become thorough, unbiased and accurate reporters well-versed in new media techniques and journalistic integrity. As there are more than 220 million personal computers in a country of about 300 million people, the Franklin Center takes on the duties that Benjamin Franklin exalted in his philosophy of the importance of news through the written word.^[1]

“The support that we provide will help traditional reporters transition into a new age of information availability,” Mr. Stverak said. “The information may be there; but if journalists are not well versed in the latest technology and investigative techniques then we will see a less transparent world around us.”^[2]

The group's website provides guides to many investigative tools that every journalist needs to know, including how to make effective Freedom of Information Act requests, computer-assisted reporting resources and database access. In summer of 2009, the new media-meets-journalism training program, Database 101 Computer-Assisted Research and Reporting, which operates through the Heritage Foundation, went to Pittsburgh for the Right Online conference with the Franklin Center.^[3]

[edit] Mission

The Franklin Center works promote social welfare and civil betterment by executing programs to promote journalism and the education of the public about corruption, incompetence, fraud, or taxpayer abuse that elected officials commit at all levels of government. Through networking and training independent investigative reporters, as well as journalists from state-based news organizations, public-policy institutions & watchdog groups, the Franklin Center will accomplish these goals.^[4]

Non-profit organizations looking to begin or expand journalism programs can contact the Franklin Center. The Franklin Center adheres to the Code of Ethics outlined by the Society of Professional Journalists.^[1]

"Franklin Center assists in filling this void that has been created by a lack of resources, personnel and training."^[5]

[edit] Research

Of the numerous journalist research projects, education programs and training programs designed to provide the network of investigative reporters and the general public access to information and news, the core is the ability for reporters to network and effectively portray information in the media across the United States.^[1]

In providing journalistic resources and investigative reporting, the Franklin Center aims to take well-researched resources through the channels of new media to improve journalism in the nation.^[6]

The Franklin Center sponsors Watchdog Reporters. The Watchdog Reporters were the first to report the national story about Recovery.org's misstep in creating "Phantom Congressional Districts". Watchdog.org's editor and investigative reporter, Bill McMorris was the first in the nation to provide an outline for all 440 phantom Congressional Districts that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan's website created.

[edit] Found errors in ARRA

On November 16 and 17, 2009, Watchdog.org reporters found many errors in the $747 billion plan that showed the plan set aside money for districts that do not exist. According to Recovery.gov, the plan shows its funds will go to 884 Congressional Districts, though there are only 435.^[7]^[8]

The administrators at Recovery.gov eventually consolidated the fictitious Congressional Districts into "unassigned congressional districts."^[9]

The following news sources sited Watchdog.org on the matter:

[edit] Donations

Any donations made to the Franklin Center are tax-deductible under Internal Revenue Service Code Section 501(c)3. The Franklin Center chooses to protect the identification of its donors and keeps all contributions anonymous.^[1]

[edit] Election coverage, 2010

The Franklin Center and National Review are teaming up for the 2010 mid-term elections to present news coverage. Articles from the Franklin Center’s network of reporters will be posted on National Review Online’s Battle ’10. The stories will focus primarily on congressional and gubernatorial races in key battleground states.

The Franklin Center's president released a statement saying the network was established to support and train journalists from across the nation.

Stverak's statement continued:

"By partnering with National Review, our network of reporters will have the opportunity to publish their articles on a national website and reach a larger audience. We look forward to working with National Review during this important election cycle."

The Battle 10 project will cover the gubernatorial and U.S. House and Senate elections in Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Nevada. The new news site will touch on the issues that the candidates are promoting as well as the concerns that the voters are raising.^[10]