Here’s a link to the program for the California First Amendment Coalition’s annual Free Speech and Open Government Assembly, Oct. 17-18 at UC Berkeley. Sessions of interest to reporters include:

• Getting the Most Out of City Hall and Police. Leading investigative reporters and legal experts pour through the public files, explaining what key information can be gleaned from them, where to go to get it and how to overcome obstacles to access.

• Accessing government databases. Leading investigative reporters and legal experts discuss the enormous amount of information now being stored electronically by governments, how to obtain that information and overcome obstacles to access.

• New Channels for News and Information. YouTube, a crucial news source in the 2008 election cycle, did not exist as of the Kerry v. Bush contest. The panel of leading digerati examine the latest steps in the evolution of the media/information ecosystem and their relevance to the political system.

Admission is free, but participants need to register to be assured of a space.