These documents were provided by the City of Urbana in response to a FOIA request which asked for “any and all records and documentation related to Urbana’s treatment of FOIA requesters as “news media”.” The full version of the FOIA request, which included 5-6 points, is shown in the included PDF.
Urbana produced virtually no records responsive to the request. Only a short email exchange from City Attorney James Simon to the Public Access Counselor is included, and the rest of the documents are prior PAC opinions.
Ross McNeil, who responded to the request, indicated that Urbana has no rubric for determining if FOIA requesters qualify as “news media”, keeps no list of FOIA requesters who qualify as “news media”, and that no requester has ever attempted to assert “news media” status.
Urbana FOIA Response Letter (2021-F-017) News Media Requesters_Redacted
Urbana FOIA Response Records (2021-F-017) News Media Requesters