About This Site
More than 35 years ago, the United States unquestionably saw the power of the primary document with the publication of The Pentagon Papers. In a time when we stand on the precipice of the future of journalism, it's hard to contemplate how the digital frontier will change the way information is transmitted.
But one resource that even mainstream media outlets have yet to fully utilize is the publication of unabridged primary documents on their Web sites. Not only is this a valuable resource for readers with further interest in a subject, but it could certainly aid the growing field of citizen journalists and bloggers. Publishing these unabridged primary documents represents a nearly free way to better inform citizens, voters, and taxpayers.
With that in mind, I am in the process of building a collection of resources and primary documents that I have accumulated over my time as a "journalist" and citizen. Some are the products of open records requests and requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
What follows, now and as I add to it, is a modest attempt to redefine the limits and expectations of all the news that's fit to print. Since I spent five years of my undergraduate career writing at the University of Texas at Austin, much of what is contained on this site has a narrow focus on UT and Texas. I hope that focus broadens as time goes on.
-- JJ Hermes
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