WPTF broadcasts from Raleigh and can be heard on 680 AM.

Fitzgerald and Harrison spoke about the pending U.S. Supreme Court case involving corporate spending and campaign financing. The High Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in the case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which revolves around federal power to regulate a 90-minute documentary about Hillary Clinton. The documentary was scheduled to air during the primary election season.

The Supreme Court went into session early specifically to rehear the case, which some say could be disastrous for campaign finance reform — and others say could finally free corporations to speak at will about election issues and candidates. Campaign finance controls on corporations in America date back more than 100 years. Fitzgerald and Harrison covered key points of the case in light of First Amendment law, including whether corporations should be viewed on par with individuals when it comes to free speech protections. Audio of the interview will be available beginning Monday at the station’s site, listed to the right. Fitzgerald will interview Harrison again Monday about media ethics for a five-part series to be aired by WPTF later this fall.

The two explored the intent of the North Carolina legislature in drafting the state Public Records Law as well as current legal issues, such as retention of e-mails and their status as public documents. Harrison discussed Gov. Mike Easley’s declaration of March 20 as “Sunshine Day in North Carolina,” which coincided with a day full of Sunshine Center events at 51±¬ÁÏÍø.

Earlier in the month, Harrison presented “The State of Sunshine in North Carolina” in Greenville to a new organization of public information officers from across the state.

The association, called NC3C, comprises city and county communicators – the three Cs – and was founded one year ago as a group “dedicated to the professional development and networking of local governmental communications professionals.”

Harrison spoke March 6 at the first NC3C conference and introduced the Sunshine Center, stressing the importance of the Center as a statewide resource for public employees and officials, citizens, students, and media professionals. He also discussed recent substantive changes to the N.C. Public Records Law and shared the results of two studies examining access to government in the state.

Among the key changes to state law in recent years that Harrison emphasized was a 2005 provision that now requires judges to award attorney fees to parties who win a public records lawsuit.

The studies Harrison discussed included a 2007 Elon Poll, which compared citizen attitudes about access issues in five Southern states. The Elon Poll revealed that North Carolinians lagged behind the average Southern citizen in awareness of open government laws by more than 10 percent. The study examined attitudes in Florida and neighboring Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Harrison discussed a second study by the Better Government Association and National Freedom of Information Coalition, also conducted last year. The state-by-state analysis issued grades based on the responsiveness of each state to public records requests. North Carolina was among 38 states to receive a failing grade.

The NC3C conference was held in Greenville’s new city hall and included sessions on creating a crisis communications plan, techniques in new media, and using focus groups effectively. The keynote speaker for the gathering was Tallahassee, Fla., Director of Communications Michelle Bono.