The March 2011 Project on Investigative Journalism
The program for the visiting Thai journalists opened at the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce where President Jim Hizer welcomed the two to the region and presented them with certificates of honorary citizenship with the City of Pensacola.
Since the visitors were interested in the influence of local government media policy on democratic institutions and the corporate influence on local media, they next held a series of meetings with Kevin Doyle & Dick Schneider of the Pensacola News Journal, with Rick Outzen of the Independent News, with Grace McCaffrey of Latino Media, and with Mike Greear of The Voyager.A meeting with Ryan Ross, an attorney with Escambia County, and with Sonja Daniel, Public Information Manager of Escambia County,answered the group’s questions about Florida’s Sunshine Laws and introduced them to the county’s new website with its built-in translation feature.
At Pensacola High School, Deanna Gordon, International Baccalaureate Program Coordinator, arranged for the journalists to observe a class and to meet with students involved in the production of the year book.Before leaving the school, the two gave a presentation on Thailand to seniors studying with Michael Jones.
To round out the itinerary, Susan Smart and Bradley Proctor provided an evening of home hospitality, a fun night not soon to be forgotten by their guests.
